I Am A Swede

It's almost impossible to believe that Joan turns 88 this year! She looks more like she's in her early 60s.

Maybe they should focus more on improving EastEnders instead....

Has it really been that long?! Then it's definitely about time that someone new breaks that stranglehold they've had on the rankings.

So true! And for me, the multitude of languages was one of the best things of Eurovision back in the good old days. Personally I think that dropping the rule that you had to sing in the official (or one of the official) language(s) of your country was a mistake, alongside the decision to drop the live orchestra.

In case you don't know, Malena is the mother of Greta Thunberg. Like I said, there's nothing really wrong with "Ein Bisschen Frieden", it's just not my cup of tea. I think both Katja Ebstein's "Theater" and Lena Valaitis "Johnny Blue" are better German entries from that era. (All of them of course written by Ralph Siegel )

The 41st Annual Razzie Award Nominations: WORST PICTURE 365 Days Absolute Proof Dolittle Fantasy Island Music WORST ACTOR Robert Downey, Jr.- Dolittle Mike Lindell (The “My Pillow” Guy) - Absolute Proof Michele Morrone,- 365 Days Adam Sandler - Hubie Halloween David Spade - The Wrong Missy WORST ACTRESS Anne Hathaway - The Last Thing He Wanted AND Roald Dahl's The Witches Katie Holmes - Brahms: The Boy II AND The Secret: Dare to Dream Kate Hudson – Music Lauren Lapkus - The Wrong Missy Anna-Maria Sieklucka - 365 Days WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Glenn Close - Hillbilly Elegy Lucy Hale - Fantasy Island Maggie Q - Fantasy Island Kristen Wiig - Wonder Woman 1984 Maddie Ziegler - Music WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR Chevy Chase - The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee Rudy Giuliani (As "Himself") Borat, Subsequent Movie-Film Shia LeBeouf - The Tax Collector Arnold Schwarzeneggar - Iron Mask Bruce Willis - Breach, Hard Kill AND Survive the Night WORST SCREEN COMBO Maria Bakalova & Rudy Giuliani (Yes, That Really IS Rudy Giuliani!) - Borat Subsequent Movie-Film Robert Downey Jr. & His Utterly Unconvincing "Welsh" Accent – Doolittle Harrison Ford & That Totally Fake-Looking CGI “Dog” – Call of the Wild Lauren Lapkus & David Spade - The Wrong Missy Adam Sandler & His Grating Simpleton Voice - Hubie Halloween WORST DIRECTOR Charles Band - All 3 "Barbie & Kendra" movies Barbara Bialowas & Tomasz Mandes - 365 Days Stephen Gaghan – Dolittle Ron Howard - Hillbilly Elegy Sia – Music WORST SCREENPLAY 365 Days All 3 Barbie & Kendra Movies Dolittle Fantasy Island Hillbilly Elegy WORST REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL 365 Days (Polish Remake/Rip-Off of Fifty Shades of Grey) Dolittle (Remake) Fantasy Island (Remake/”Re-Imagining”) Hubie Halloween (Remake/Rip-Off of Ernest Scared Stupid) Wonder Woman 1984 (Sequel)

Don't knock 1982! It was a good year for Eurovision. Israel, Portugal, Cyprus, Sweden, UK, Austria all had very good songs. Nicole's winning song for West Germany is no personal favourite of mine though. It's very competently written and performed, but it's just too saccharine.

^^ Thank you. It's such fun to read articles and interviews from those days. The show went through a transformation during the early 80s, just as it would do 10 years later. Jack came back, Seth became a regular character, the Merricks were re-introduced and NY Estates became an important part of village life (and brought Alan to Beckindale). Good times.... On another note, just a few days ago (the 10th) a personal favourite of mine, and someone who didn't follow the show from the 1970s into the 1980s, had a special day. So, a little late perhaps, but a very happy 80th birthday to the one and only Katharine Barker. (Dolly Skilbeck #1)

I wouldn't use those exact words, but of course they had an agenda. They didn't agree to do an interview out of the goodness of their hearts. They wanted to tell their side of the story, and that's perfectly fine. But that's all it is, their side. I can't speak for anyone else, but I would have the same feelings towards an interview with William and Kate as I do towards Harry's and Meghan's. It would only be their version from their point of view, not the absolute truth. Sorry if that disappoints you. Interesting that you only seem to focus on the racism. I don't recall ever saying that I believed that Meghan wasn't subjected to racism. All I said was that people seemed to believe everything that Harry and Meghan said. There were other topics mentioned in the interview, like Harry's relationship with his father and brother for example. Not everything was about Meghan. You're reading way too much into what I wrote. Maybe I didn't express myself clear enough, and if that is the case I apologize. But again you're only focusing on Meghan. Harry was part of the interview too, and the examples I made were meant to be about the relationship between Harry/Meghan and the rest of Harry's family. At least that was the intention. Maybe that didn't come through enough.

People are so predictable. That was the one comment I was absolutely sure would pop up.

I was referring more to reactions here on the board, not the overall reaction from the media and the public.

How is that even the same thing? Frankly the feeling I'm getting is that most people here had already made up their mind even before watching the interview that whatever Harry and Meghan were going to say would be the undeniable truth. I don't doubt that if for example William and Kate now did an interview refuting what Harry and Meghan said noone would believe them. They would be accused of lying and everyone (or most anyway) would belive Harry's and Meghan's version even without any solid proof simply because they like them better than they like William and Kate. We simply don't know what went on behind the scenes, and there is not one single truth. Kate might have been a cold, snooty bitch, jealous that Meghan was stealing the limelight; or Meghan might have made a complete nuisance of herself expecting everyone to indulge her every whim. William might have been jealous that Harry had found someone to love while he's stuck in a loveless marriage to Kate, or Charles might have favoured William over Harry and felt that Meghan was wrong for his youngest son. There's an endless list of possible scenarios. And it could be a little bit of each and every one of those scenarios. All of the people involved have their own version of events and they're all equally valid.

If you look at the statement I was responding to (see below), you'll know what I meant. Harry and Meghan are telling their story, how they experienced things. That doesn't necessarily mean that what they're saying is completely true. It's their truth, told from their point of view. There are always two sides to every story, and we only get one side in this interview. I'm not going to deny the possible existence of racism within the Royal family, because I don't know. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it exists. And Meghan obviously did face racism from the press, which is unforgivable, no question about that. But at the same time I'm not going to take Harry's and Meghan's words as the absolute truth. I'm too cynical to believe that they did this interview without an agenda. At the end of the day some people will believe them wholeheartedly, some won't. Some will probably put the blame on Meghan, accusing her of forcing Harry to break with his family. Some will blame Kate or William or Charles or the press or the institution of monarchy.

But I guess that Meghan and Harry are simply telling the pure and absolute truth? There are always two sides to every story, and I don't think this is an exception.

^^ "Upstairs, Downstairs" is my all-time favourite tv-show and it feels like my heart is breaking a little each time we lose one of the people involved. And Elizabeth was one of my personal favourites among the characters so losing Nicola is especially sad.