Germans see the joke in a Eurovision hopeful
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Your support makes all the difference.EUROVISION addicts beware. Beyond the usual thousand tortures inflicted upon body and soul, this year's song contest in Birmingham has something special in store, potent enough to test the pain threshold of the hardiest survivors.
Dismayed with decades of under-achievement and abysmal failure, the Germans are about to shower unsuspecting Europeans with their brand of wit. The contestant they have selected to represent the country in May is Guildo Horn, the balding middle-aged showman who makes his living parodying "Schlager", the syrupy songs so beloved by the older generation, particularly in Bavaria.
Horn dresses badly, sings with a hoarse voice and composes allegedly witty lyrics, such as "I like Steffi" to Bee Gees numbers and the folksy tunes of the Deep South - of Germany, that is. His supporting band is called "Orthopaedic Stockings". Fans think he is hilarious. Teeny-boppers scream when "Der Meister" comes on stage, and grannies cover their misty eyes with handkerchiefs.
But not all Germans are in awe of the singer's talents. "Should this man be allowed to represent Germany?" screamed the headline on the front page of Bild Zeitung. Other newspapers took up the theme, pursuing the star into his dressing room, analysing the secret of his success and running straw poll among their readers.
In the end, only one poll mattered. This year's winner was to be chosen by the great German public, or at least that section which could bear to sit through the domestic finals on Thursday night. The result of the telephone poll was unequivocal: Horn was crowned Germany 's new Mastersinger, scooping 62 per cent of all votes.
Horn had only one comment to make about the controversy surrounding him. "Every country gets the representative it deserves," he declared in his victory speech. That nearly brought the house down.
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