Eurovision 2017: flasher identified

The man who flashed his behind while draped in an Australian flag has been named — and he’s not an Aussie.

Ukrainian prankster Vitalii Sediuk was draped in an Australian flag during the incident.

UPDATE: The man who draped himself in the Australian flag before mooning Eurovision watchers during the song contest in Kiev, Ukraine has been identified — and he’s not an Aussie.

Vitalii Sediuk. Picture: Reuters

Ukrainian serial pest Vitalii Sediuk, who has form with such pranks, stormed the stage and circled last year’s Eurovision winner, Jamala, as she sang during the half time performance of the song contest.

Sediuk has hassled celebrities including Brad Pitt, Miranda Kerr, and Kim Kardashian at major events.

Read more about Sediuk’s past antics here.

Tweeters wondered if this would hamper Australia’s chances for a return invite to the competition, although British comedian Dawn French seemed excited by the interruption tweeting: “Actually, no ... my money now on that bottom!!!!!!! #eurovision”.

Portugal’s Salvador Sobral won the event, with Australia’s entrant Isaiah Firebrace coming ninth.

AAP

This guy is not an Aussie. His name is Vitalii Sediuk a Ukrainian serial pest #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/gt6a8D83UN

— Ray Morrow (@Morrow84Morrow) May 13, 2017

Flasher crashes Eurovision

Australia has made a mark on this year’s Eurovision, but it wasn’t Isaiah Firebrace’s singing that was the talk of the show. Rather an Australian streaker interrupted the special performance of last year’s winner Jamala when the International voting was taking place. The unidentified reveller, draped in an Australian flag jumped on stage and shimmied his backside to the camera just before being crash tackled by a security guard.

Australia has competed in the past three years of Eurovision by invitation through SBS’s enthusiastic coverage of the event and some fans inside the Kiev stadium were upset that the naked stage invasion would impact on future participation.

As usual international politics dominated the judging, and Australia received strong support from the United Kingdom, and Scandinavian countries, but also Moldova, Latvia and Serbia. Australia’s 12 points were awarded to the United Kingdom.

Firebrace was fourth after the technical vote behind Portugal, Bulgaria and Sweden. But Firebrace scored the second lowest from the popular vote dropping him into to ninth spot overall.

Portuguese singer Salvador Sobral holds the winning trophy.

STEPHEN BROOK’S REVIEW

The Winner. Spoiler alert! In the end something shocking happened in Eurovision this year. And I am not talking about the Aussie streaker who interrupted the post contest performance by last year’s victor Jamala and bared his bum while draped in an Australian flag a performance sure to gain more attention to our country among the show’s estimated 200 million TV viewers than Australia’s official entry Isaiah, who came a credible ninth.

The hosts had invited performers to “let it all hang out” during the competition, but taking that so literally might place might jeopardise our chances of being invited back next year.

No, the shock was that music was the winner on the night. Something I thought would never happen in Eurovision. Portugal’s Salvador Sabral was a runaway victor with the judges and TV voters with his poignant song Amor Pelos Dois.

Salvador was too ill with his heart condition to travel to the Ukraine for the early rehearsals so the song’s composer, his sister, stood in for him.

She joined her brother on stage to sing the victory song as well. Eurovision is all of a sudden beautiful and not at all funny and I don’t know how to cope.

Eurovision splendid

VIEW GALLERY

THE CONTENDERS

Diversity is the theme and the SBS telecast is all shook up this year, with Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey (who laughs at his own jokes) in the chair. Here is a mostly spoiler free guide to the grand final.

Israel, Imre. Five seconds in and we are already a bit pitchy with a dance track guaranteed to clear the dance floor at 1am and send patrons hurtling towards the bar.

Poland, Kasia Mos. What a set of pipes! Next Gen Celine Dion in white with a demented violinist along for the ride. So rare to be able to say this but she has class.

Belarus, Naviband. The White Stripes at a peasant folk wedding. It’s 5am but I need a drink already. Ohhh they finished with a tongue kiss!

Austria, Nathan Trent. Not bad but song is not big enough. Third white outfit for the night. My brother texts “I can’t see the diversity”.

Armenia, Artsvik. A bit dull.

Netherlands, Og3ne. Not a typo. Sassy trio of sisters with a catchy tune bound to get commercial radio airplay on your local classic gold station.

Moldova, Sunstroke Project. Catchy and fun with a new dance craze for people who can’t dance thrown in. A real sense of fun and could win.

Hungary, Joci Papai. Way. Too. Serious. Mate. Even with a manbun. Seriously.

Italy, Franceso Gabbani. Hot favourite with a very catchy unmistakably Italia pop. Best guest stars appear to be the Wiggles as back up singers and a gorilla performing interpretative dance.

Denmark, Anja. She’s Aussie! But with Danish parents! She won The Voice!! What a voice. Power ballad contender.

Portugal, Salvador. A real surprise. Serious and genuine. Young man old man with a serious heart condition delivers heartfelt ballad. So not Eurovision. Loved it.

Azerbaijan, Dihaj. Forgettable new Romantic throwback to the early 1980s. Would have just scraped in to a live performance on Countdown during a low week.

Croatia, Jacques Houdek. Croatia’s Pavarotti wears a tux spliced in with a leather jacket. Mixes opera with pop in duet he sings with himself. See earlier ref to show that taste forgot.

Australia’s Isaiah sings Don't Come Easy.

Australia, Isaiah. Hit a bum note in a semi final but our boy Isaiah is all of 17 and has the best ballad of the night so far.

Greece, Demy. Euro disco. Not even male backing dancers with shirts off can rescue it.

Spain, Manuel Navarro. A touch of Summer Bay comes to Kiev with a cute acoustic guitar number. Winning smile, but alas not the song.

Norway, Jowst. Very static performer with a dance track that had a touch of Daft Punk but none of the power.

United Kingdom, Lucie Jones. After a terrible run the UK bounce back with a power ballad that will have trouble separating itself from the rest of the pack. A bit like the UK’s current Brexit situation.

Cyprus, Hovig. A kind of rap ballad delivered with a smile. A least it is having an impact.

Romania, llinca featuring Alex Florea. Novelty song alert! A rap anthem featuring yodelling. And it works. Destined to enter the Eurovision hall of fame.

Germany, Levina. The contest’s tallest contestant is channelling Sia. To modest effect.

Ukraine, O.Torvald. Local heroes turned out to be a band of cool rock dads. They totally rocked it out.

Belgium, Blanche. Hypnotic dance track that I actually loved. All over the Euro dance charts but the voters are a notoriously fickle lot and often ignore talent. A standout.

Sweden, Robin Bengtsson. Did Sweden just win it? Arresting song with a standout performance from impossibly handsom Mr Bengtsson who looked and performed like a winner. Might be just a bit too slick for the voters though.

Bulgaria, Kristian Kostov. Ok this guy is 17. No-one likes a precocious high achiever. Or do they?

France, Alma. The word coquettish was conjured out of the etymology to describe the gorgeous Alma, who bopped her way through this, the final number of the evening.

The coquettish Alma from France performs Requiem.

BROOKY’s VERDICT

So there we have it Eurovision 2017. If you love ballads, vote Poland. If you love pop, vote The Netherlands. If you love novelty, vote Moldova or Romania. If you love dance, vote Belgium. My faves: emotionally affecting Poland and commercial pop power of Sweden.