Angry fans have created a petition online demanding an apology for the alleged disrespect of the French commentators Siar and Drucker towards the victory of the Finnish group last Saturday.

The petition, at ipetitions.com, complains of the 'chauvinism' and 'partiality' of the commentators throughout the broadcast, and especially during the reprise. It praises Lordi as an influence which may inspire other innovative entries at the contest, and suggests that it is not appropriate to insult or defame an entry in a contest where the winner is bound to appeal to some people and not to others.

Fans seem particularly outraged that the comments lasted throughout the winning performance at the end of the show, with discussion drowning out the sound of the band. Comments such as 'They will be appearing at Vincennes Zoo this autumn' seem to have struck a raw nerve, and with Lordi receiving eight points from France in the final, it would appear that the band have a lot of French friends out to fight their corner.

Commentary capers – nothing new!
Sardonic commentary is nothing new, particularly to British fans, who have come to love or loathe the sharp sarcasm of commentator Terry Wogan's insights every year. Terry famously landed the UK in hot water at the 2001 contest in Copenhagen, dubbing the hosts 'Dr Death and the Tooth Fairy'. Danish officials were not amused, and Terry became an instant persona non grata in the Danish capital and a comic hero back home!