Eurovision Presenter Petra Mede Steals the 2013 Contest with Comedy Show Song – Swedish Smorgasbord

If you are not European then this video presents you with an opportunity to take a glimpse in to the rather silly heart of a continent… thanks to Swedish Smorgasbord, comedienne Petra Mede and of course the Eurovision Song Contest..

When Ireland astonished a slack-jawed Europe with Riverdance at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest it set the bar with its amazing but nevertheless somewhat po-faced interval act showing Irish history and folklore. Since then each host country has done its very best to promote itself through the medium of song and dance. It has become, if you like, something of a competition within a competition.

This year it was Sweden’s turn to host the show which this year (its 58th) brought together 39 countries to compete for the coveted title. As that makes for too long a show there were several semi-finals before last night’s grand finale, in which 26 countries participated.

While the votes from the participating countries were being made by the tens of millions who tune in each year, the host country Sweden had the difficult job of keeping a large part of yesterday evening’s global TV audience entertained.

This is the ideal opportunity for any country to set about a little self-aggrandisement. Not so the Swedes. Eurovision’s host, 43 year old Petra Mede (who is a very successful comedian in Sweden essentially the country’s Bette Midler), dazzling in her Jean-Paul Gaultier dresses, went down another route entirely. With an ensemble which would put many a West End show to shame she took great joy in presenting her country’s achievements to the world while – ever so gently – mocking Sweden and its inhabitants.

Decked out in Sweden’s colors – yellow and blue – Mede catalogued brands and bands, actors and acts: Ikea, Volvo, Bjorn Borg and Grete Garbo are all name-checked as well as many others. There was also a certain amount of poking fun at some Swedish national characteristics such as being drawn to queue, regardless of what the queue is for.

Altogether, this was an outstanding and very funny performance from Petre Mede.This. Is. EUROPE!