Bilan (even though I can’t stand him) performed brilliantly. The song was perfectly decent. And even the so-called creative bit with the ballerina climbing out of the piano coffin like a young lady from a Gothic tale amused me. A good performance, a real fight, an excellent result. As usual, the whole impression was ruined by the ENEMIES OF RUSSIA: "The choice of winner turned out to be ‘biased.’ That opinion was expressed in an interview with ITAR-TASS (Russian state news agency) by the head of the Russian delegation at the contest, Channel One’s director of music broadcasting, Yuri Aksyuta." "I have no proof, so I can’t accuse anyone of rigging the results," Aksyuta said. "There were some people sitting there who don’t like Eurovision, and out of spite they suddenly started voting for what people in show business usually call clowns." Source. Right. Apparently only Channel One knows how to LOVE EUROVISION properly. And what’s considered acceptable in show business. Can someone explain why they have to throw a hysterical fit, disgrace themselves, and devalue their own victory? Especially given that: 1. The Finns gave us 12 points. 2. Our side quite obviously pulled some shady business with Armenia. 3. "Swan Lake" on stage is every bit as clownish as the Finns’ wings and makeup. The fact that Eurovision won’t be coming to us next year is, of course, bad. BUT WE BEAT 23 OUT OF 24 COUNTRIES!!!!! And instead of celebrating, for some reason we’re once again spouting nonsense about "drugged-up little oranges" (TM) (a mocking reference to the Orange Revolution in Ukraine). GLORY TO RUSSIA!!