France Needs More Fun to Win Eurovisionuniverse’
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SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2014 The band Twin Twin representing France perform their song ‘Moustache’ during a rehearsal of the Singer Molly Eurovision Song representing Contest Final in the the United B&W Halls in Kingdom Copenhagen, performs the Denmark song ‘Children yesterday. of the — AP photos France needs more fun to win EurovisionUniverse’. rench Eurovision hopefuls Twin Twin we are doing is music,” said Idir, whose yesterday said their country could fare group is known for its energetic, joie de vivre Fbetter in the contest if their entries were style. Still, the group will be making a politi- a bit more fun and colorful. The group, set to cal statement on this year’s Eurovision stage- compete in today’s final with electro-pop their infectious tune about growing a mous- party anthem “Moustache”, said France’s dis- tache is really a critique of today’s con- mal record in the contest over the past three sumerism. decades was due to “a mix of things.” “It’s a story about somebody who has “First of all they need more moustache, of everything. He has a good car, he has a course. And they need more fun, and they phone, he has girls ... but he wants something need more color and energy,” singer Lorent else. It’s a moustache,” said Idir. “It’s con- Idir told AFP in Copenhagen, which is host- sumerism. It makes people unhappy because ing Eurovision 2014. Many Frenchmen it makes people think they don’t have believe the reason they haven’t won the enough (when) they have everything,” he Donatan & Cleo annual music spectacle since 1977, when added. The French act yesterday languished representing Marie Myriam won with “L’oiseau et l’enfant”, in the bottom half of the odds table, with Poland perform is due to a lack of political allies in Europe. Sweden, Austria and Armenia numbering the song ‘My “Everything could be political but we don’t among the bookies’ favorites to be number Slowianie really care, because we are artists and what one at Eurovision this year. —AFP — We Are Slavic’. Rolf Harris dubbed ‘the Octopus’ for touching girls eteran Australian entertainer Rolf Harris heard. Harris later wrote a letter to her father used his status as a much-loved televi- admitting having a consensual affair with the Vsion celebrity to launch a string of sexu- woman when she was older, and expressing al assaults on children, a British court heard as regret, Wass said. He described being in a his trial opened yesterday. The 84-year-old, a state of “self loathing” and feeling “sickened” fixture on British screens for decades who by himself. once painted a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, was nicknamed “the Octopus” due to his wan- ‘Brazen’ dering hands, prosecutors said. Veteran Australian Wass said the jurors would hear of other Harris is accused of 12 counts of indecent artist and cases in which Harris touched children and assault against four female complainants, the entertainer Rolf women in “brazen” circumstances. “It may be youngest of whom was aged seven or eight Harris arrives with that that was part of the excitement, knowing and the oldest 19, between 1968 and 1986. He his wife Alwen that he could do that and get away with it,” denies the charges. “Mr Harris was too Hughes (right) and she said. Eight alleged victims will give evi- famous, too powerful and his reputation daughter Bindi dence, four of whom are the subject of the made him untouchable,” prosecutor Sasha (left) at Southwark indictments against Harris, while the others Wass told Southwark Crown Court in London. Crown Court in are supporting witnesses. “Concealed behind this charming and ami- central London “The witnesses who will give evidence in cable children’s entertainer lay a man who yesterday. — AFP this case, particularly those who were very exploited the very children who were drawn young at the time, describe the confusion that to him.” The star’s wife Alwen and other family and Hyde” aspect to Harris’s character. “You vided Mr Harris with access to children and they felt when Mr Harris sexually assaulted members accompanied him to court. Harris is will hear from a make-up artist from Channel 7 young women and he took advantage of his them, whether they were sitting on his knee at the latest in a series of celebrities to face trial in Australia that Rolf Harris’s reputation was fame and popularity to interfere with his vic- the time or posing for a photo,” Wass said. The in Britain since the late BBC presenter Jimmy such that he was known as ‘The Octopus’ tims and to sexually molest them,” said Wass. prosecutor urged the jury to reject any sug- Savile was exposed as a prolific child sex because of the way that he would put his One young victim was a friend of Harris’s gestion that the alleged victims were “jump- offender in 2012. Harris is well-known as a hands all over women,” Wass said. daughter, whom the entertainer allegedly first ing on the bandwagon” after British police painter, entertainer and television presenter in Wass said the white-bearded, bespectacled abused while on holiday in Hawaii when she launched an inquiry into Savile’s behavior and both Britain, where he moved in 1952, and his entertainer had “a side which gave him the was 13 and then “groomed like a pet” over arrested several celebrities. Harris painted an homeland. confidence to molest girls knowing that they many years, the court heard. The girl became 80th birthday portrait of Queen Elizabeth in could not object and, even if they did, nobody terrified of Harris and started drinking at the 2005, took part in her diamond jubilee cele- ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ would believe them. “It was precisely that age of 14 as the abuse continued. Teachers brations in 2012, and has been honored by But the prosecutor said there was a “Jekyll popularity and that celebrity status that pro- noticed that she was often tearful, the court both Britain and Australia. —AFP.