web01.fireside.fm Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:12:56 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Eurovision Song Context - Episodes Tagged with “Cultural Failure” https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/tags/cultural%20failure Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:00:00 -0500 We start with expertise and end up in Eurovision. It’s kind of our thing. Eurovision Song Context is a monthly podcast that looks at the Eurovision Song Contest through an unexpected lens: expert insight. Each episode, a guest from a different field — psychology, fashion, politics, design, linguistics, and more — talk about their work and how it helps us understand 2–3 Eurovision entries in a whole new light. Are these songs genuinely good? So bad they’re good? Or just weirdly unforgettable? Longform episodes come out on the 12th of every month (the "douzeth"). We're where brilliant minds meet bad key changes. en-us episodic A podcast where we bring in smart people. We talk about smart things, then veer into glitter, wind machines, and geopolitics. Experts. Insight. Eurovision chaos. Bradley Dalton-Oates We start with expertise and end up in Eurovision. It’s kind of our thing. Eurovision Song Context is a monthly podcast that looks at the Eurovision Song Contest through an unexpected lens: expert insight. Each episode, a guest from a different field — psychology, fashion, politics, design, linguistics, and more — talk about their work and how it helps us understand 2–3 Eurovision entries in a whole new light. Are these songs genuinely good? So bad they’re good? Or just weirdly unforgettable? Longform episodes come out on the 12th of every month (the "douzeth"). We're where brilliant minds meet bad key changes. no Eurovision, music, expert analysis, Europe, music, arts, culture, ESC Bradley Dalton-Oates eurovisionsongcontext@gmail.com Episode 79: (Part 2) Zero Stars, Nul Points: June Thomas on Failure, Cynicism, and Eurovision https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/79 6b0b672a-9b28-41e2-a09b-53831db3e1a7 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:00:00 -0500 Bradley Dalton-Oates full Bradley Dalton-Oates In this episode, Bradley is joined by writer and longtime Slate culture critic June Thomas for a conversation about criticism, failure, and what it means for a work to be “truly bad.” They explore the difference between a one-star work and a zero-star work — the kind of cultural object that isn’t just unsuccessful, but “fascinatingly, existentially terrible.” This leads into a discussion of Lucy Mangan’s Guardian review of All’s Fair and questions about ambition, tone, intentionality, and when something collapses under its own concept. From there, they bring these ideas into the world of Eurovision, using several entries — from joyful chaos to critically praised underperformers — as case studies in how audiences and critics respond to risk, camp, sincerity, and cynicism. Together they ask whether it’s better to flop than be forgotten, why some failures linger while others vanish, and what Eurovision reveals about our tastes, expectations, and the strange afterlives of cultural failure. 55:17 no Links to June’s Newsletter! https://buttondown.com/WhereAre — June Thomas — Book A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas — Podcasts by June Thomas Working (Slate) https://slate.com/podcasts/working The Waves (Slate) https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast) https://slate.com/podcasts/outward Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum) https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest — Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003) Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025) Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021) Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4 Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021) Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024) Grand Final placement: 24th of 26 Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025) Placement: 19th of 26 Jury: 88 — Televote: 0 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE — Guardian Review Referenced Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible” The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025 https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible — Other Guardian context discussed Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature) https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate) https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews — Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse Slate — review of “American Canto” https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html — Optional background links for listeners Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BirthofaNewAge Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedKingdomintheEurovisionSongContest_2024 — Show page & archive https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm — all’s fair, ambition, criticism, cultural criticism, cultural failure, culture, cynicism, esc, eurovision, eurovision analysis, eurovision flops, eurovision song contest, go-jo, jeangu macrooy, jendrik, june thomas, lucy mangan, media criticism, music competition, olly alexander, one star reviews, outward podcast, pop culture, remember monday, slate, taste and identity, television criticism, the waves podcast, working podcast, zero points, zero star reviews Links to June’s Newsletter!
https://buttondown.com/WhereAre

—

June Thomas — Book

A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture

Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

—

Podcasts by June Thomas

Working (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/working

The Waves (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves

Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast)
https://slate.com/podcasts/outward

Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum)
https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest

—

Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode

Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003)
Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw

Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025)
Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs

Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021)
Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points
YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4

Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021)
Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk

Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024)
Grand Final placement: 24th of 26
Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0)
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA

Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025)
Placement: 19th of 26
Jury: 88 — Televote: 0
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE

—

Guardian Review Referenced

Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible”
The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible

—

Other Guardian context discussed

Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature)
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are

Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate)
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews

—

Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse

Slate — review of “American Canto”
https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html

—

Optional background links for listeners

Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_New_Age

Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2024

—

Show page & archive

https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm

—

]]> Links to June’s Newsletter!
https://buttondown.com/WhereAre

—

June Thomas — Book

A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture

Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

—

Podcasts by June Thomas

Working (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/working

The Waves (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves

Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast)
https://slate.com/podcasts/outward

Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum)
https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest

—

Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode

Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003)
Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw

Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025)
Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs

Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021)
Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points
YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4

Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021)
Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk

Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024)
Grand Final placement: 24th of 26
Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0)
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA

Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025)
Placement: 19th of 26
Jury: 88 — Televote: 0
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE

—

Guardian Review Referenced

Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible”
The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible

—

Other Guardian context discussed

Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature)
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are

Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate)
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews

—

Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse

Slate — review of “American Canto”
https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html

—

Optional background links for listeners

Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_New_Age

Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2024

—

Show page & archive

https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm

—

]]> Episode 78: (Part 1) Zero Stars, Nul Points: June Thomas on Failure, Cynicism, and Eurovision https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/78 73245e93-7761-48e8-864a-cf06123679a9 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500 Bradley Dalton-Oates full Bradley Dalton-Oates In this episode, Bradley is joined by writer and longtime Slate culture critic June Thomas for a conversation about criticism, failure, and what it means for a work to be “truly bad.” They explore the difference between a one-star work and a zero-star work — the kind of cultural object that isn’t just unsuccessful, but “fascinatingly, existentially terrible.” This leads into a discussion of Lucy Mangan’s Guardian review of All’s Fair and questions about ambition, tone, intentionality, and when something collapses under its own concept. From there, they bring these ideas into the world of Eurovision, using several entries — from joyful chaos to critically praised underperformers — as case studies in how audiences and critics respond to risk, camp, sincerity, and cynicism. Together they ask whether it’s better to flop than be forgotten, why some failures linger while others vanish, and what Eurovision reveals about our tastes, expectations, and the strange afterlives of cultural failure. 56:19 no Links to June’s Newsletter! https://buttondown.com/WhereAre — June Thomas — Book A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas — Podcasts by June Thomas Working (Slate) https://slate.com/podcasts/working The Waves (Slate) https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast) https://slate.com/podcasts/outward Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum) https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest — Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003) Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025) Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021) Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4 Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021) Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024) Grand Final placement: 24th of 26 Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025) Placement: 19th of 26 Jury: 88 — Televote: 0 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE — Guardian Review Referenced Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible” The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025 https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible — Other Guardian context discussed Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature) https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate) https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews — Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse Slate — review of “American Canto” https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html — Optional background links for listeners Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BirthofaNewAge Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnitedKingdomintheEurovisionSongContest_2024 — Show page & archive https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm — Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, ESC, culture, cultural criticism, criticism, zero star reviews, one star reviews, Lucy Mangan, All’s Fair, June Thomas, Slate, Working podcast, The Waves podcast, Outward podcast, television criticism, media criticism, pop culture, cultural failure, cynicism, ambition, zero points, Eurovision flops, Eurovision analysis, Jeangu Macrooy, Jendrik, Olly Alexander, Remember Monday, Go-Jo, music competition, taste and identity Links to June’s Newsletter!
https://buttondown.com/WhereAre

—

June Thomas — Book

A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture

Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

—

Podcasts by June Thomas

Working (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/working

The Waves (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves

Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast)
https://slate.com/podcasts/outward

Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum)
https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest

—

Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode

Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003)
Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw

Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025)
Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs

Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021)
Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points
YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4

Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021)
Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk

Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024)
Grand Final placement: 24th of 26
Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0)
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA

Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025)
Placement: 19th of 26
Jury: 88 — Televote: 0
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE

—

Guardian Review Referenced

Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible”
The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible

—

Other Guardian context discussed

Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature)
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are

Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate)
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews

—

Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse

Slate — review of “American Canto”
https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html

—

Optional background links for listeners

Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_New_Age

Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2024

—

Show page & archive

https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm

—

]]> Links to June’s Newsletter!
https://buttondown.com/WhereAre

—

June Thomas — Book

A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture

Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

—

Podcasts by June Thomas

Working (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/working

The Waves (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves

Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast)
https://slate.com/podcasts/outward

Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum)
https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest

—

Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode

Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003)
Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw

Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025)
Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs

Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021)
Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points
YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4

Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021)
Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk

Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024)
Grand Final placement: 24th of 26
Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0)
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA

Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025)
Placement: 19th of 26
Jury: 88 — Televote: 0
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE

—

Guardian Review Referenced

Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible”
The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible

—

Other Guardian context discussed

Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature)
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are

Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate)
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews

—

Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse

Slate — review of “American Canto”
https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html

—

Optional background links for listeners

Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_New_Age

Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2024

—

Show page & archive

https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm

—

]]>