Think about “the end of Europe.” Do you suppose it is more likely that such a thing will be brought on by military aggression à la Russia’s de facto annexation of Ukraine, or by the TV appearance of a bearded singer performing in drag?

I ask because

Victory for Austria’s bearded transvestite Conchita Wurst at the Eurovision Song Contest prompted an outpouring of anti-gay anger from Russian politicians and stars on Sunday. … “There’s no limit to our outrage. It’s the end of Europe. It has turned wild. They don’t have men and women any more. They have ‘it’,” nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky told Rossiya-1 state television.

In case you’re not familiar with the Eurovision Song Contest, it’s an annual sing-off in which countries compete for the cheesiest best song and overall presentation. Each country’s jury awards points to all contestants but its own. It has been a famously ridiculous entertainment extravaganza for decades, a large percentage of viewers tuning in with a kind of tongue-in-cheek appreciation for the inherent campiness and gaudiness of the event.

One measure of how nutso the Eurovision Song Contest is: Israel, which has of course never been a part of Europe, is a frequent participant, while Turkey, which at least is partially located on European soil, is not.

Anyway, Russians in high places are appalled by Conchita Wurst‘s win.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin wrote on Twitter that the Eurovision result “showed supporters of European integration their European future: a bearded girl.” … “Fifty years ago the Soviet army occupied Austria. We made a mistake in freeing Austria. We should have stayed,” added the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, known for his outrageous statements.

Good to know that in terms of hateful invective, American politicians and pundits have nothing on their Russian counterparts.

By the way, it probably didn’t help that Russia’s entry, the Tolmachevy Sisters, only came in at number seven.



