Bambie Thug raises complaint with Eurovision organisers due to Israeli broadcaster’s commentary
Bambie Thug has reportedly raised a complaint with Eurovision organisers due to Israeli broadcaster KAN’s commentary on their performance.
An interview with broadcaster RTÉ has revealed that the Irish Eurovision entry raised the complaint with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over remarks KAN made about them. On Tuesday, a commentator on KAN, warned TV viewers with children that Bambie Thug’s performance would be “the most scary” of the night.
The commentator also said there would be “a lot of spells and black magic and dark clothing, Satanic symbols, and voodoo dolls, like we are at Cat’s Square in Jerusalem in the mid-90s” (Cat’s Square is a square well known for the city’s nightlife in the 90s and associated with goth culture).
The KAN broadcaster further claimed there was “some controversy” in Ireland about Bambie’s song ‘Doomsday Blue’, referencing a petition to disqualify the song, and further alleged Thug liked to “speak negatively about Israel”. He then apparently told viewers to “prepare your curses”.
In response, Bambie has told RTÉ that they believed the commentary were “in breach of the rules” of Eurovision, and that Israel should no longer be allowed to participate: “I hope the EBU will address it correctly.”
“There’s a lot more anger and a lot more drive in me now,” they told the broadcaster. “I’m angry with other teams breaching their rules of the EBU, and still being allowed in. So there’s definitely a war drum sounding in my heart to push the performance even more than I have done before.”
In a statement, the EBU (which organises Eurovision) said: “We’ve spoken to KAN, the Israeli broadcaster, about this matter and reiterated the importance of all commentators respecting all the artists taking part in the competition and abiding by the rules and regulations of the event.”
RTÉ declined to comment on whether it had lodged a complaint with the EBU about the commentary on KAN, however a spokesperson clarified that RTÉ did not call on Israel to be removed from the competition.
Bambie also notably missed the final dress rehearsal today, posting a statement on their Instagram stories addressing their absence: “Dear Coven, there was a situation while we were waiting to go to stage for the plag parade rehearsal which I felt needed urgent attention from the EBU – the EBU have taken this matter seriously and we have been in a discussion about what action needs to be taken.”
“This means I have missed my dress rehearsal – I am really sorry to the fans that have come to see me. I hope to see you on the stage tonight”.
NME spoke to Bambie Thug recently, where they addressed navigating the controversial competition this year: “It’s a lot when I know that my heart is in the right place and when it’s not my decision,” they said. “I have had to take a break from social media because it is weighing on me. A lot of stuff is completely nasty and uncalled for.
“As artists, we’re easy targets, but at the end of the day, I have said that I don’t think they made the right decision,” they continued. “I still stand by that. But people should be coming for the EBU and for the broadcasters, not us as artists. I stand by my statement and I am completely for Palestine, and I think it’s ridiculous that it’s gone on for so long. I think the world is quite removed from its heart and its consciousness right now.”
In other news, Bambie has called on Eurovision organisers to “show some humanity” over the political issues impacting the contest.
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Alex Rigotti
NME
