Last Saturday Unnsteinn Manúel Stefánsson announced the jury points for Iceland. The ever so popular Icelandic musician, producer and TV host is perhaps best known as the singer of the band Retró Stefson, which I relentlessly throw in innocent readers faces, at every chance possible. Born in Portugal, he is half Icelandic and half Angolan, and is the first non-white person to announce the scores for Iceland. And while many fans cheered that fact, a handful of Icelandic racists took to social media to slur beloved Unnsteinn.
According to these meatheads, being multi racial isn’t the “Icelandic way”. This is one of the nastier comments:
What? A [n-word] is supposed to be the face of Iceland abroad? Its like an Icelander trying to be the face of China or something! Luckily, Iceland is more or less a country of white people, most of whom can trace their heritage way back. He should have been replaced by a real Icelander. And now, all the internet trolls will come and insist that he is an Icelander. No doubt!
And this one:
“Why the f*** is a black man speaking on behalf of Iceland??!!”
Needless to say, both comments went viral and sparked anger and disgust in Iceland (and among Icelandic Eurovision fans, of which there are many). Unnsteinn himself is non-plussed about the whole thing. Writing on Facebook on Tuesday, he more or less brushed the haters off and came out looking like the champ he is. The status is slightly shortened below:
I’m not digging that the talk about me being the announcer of the Eurovision scores is all about the color of my skin.
Dad always taught me and my brother Logi to take no notice of people like this, because they will always exist somewhere. If I would always screenshot every tipsy housewife, who is not amused at her Eurovision party just because I have a dark skin, I’d hardly have time for anything else!
I personally think its important to be visible despite looking differently. Only for my little nephews and nieces, if nothing else. Just so they’ll see that the color of a skin should not hold one back from anything and especially not in Iceland!
I’m sorry, I just hate that those people are being reposted and shared time and time again on Facebook. Maybe partially because I’ve never actually experienced prejudices first hand. But I also think its because I’m not surprised about this at all. These kind of people will always exist in one way or the other.
Thankfully Unnsteinn has experienced more support than hate in the aftermath of the comments, with one person even urging him to run for president. Maybe he will in four years time. But until then we hope to see more of Unnsteinn regarding Eurovision. Especially if he takes his adorable dog with him!
What I was more concerned with is why the hell is he holding a dog? He looks like he is in one of those photos from the eighties people would take with their animals.
I feel sorry for him. Colour does not make the person.
Every country, sadly, has its racist idiots.
And lets all be honest- most of us were more concerned about wondering what in the blue f*** that dog was doing there.
@alec its a homogeneous culture. That’s different to race. The silly people complaining wouldn’t complain if it was a Icelandic/slavic person
@Fatima: Aye. You would think they would heed the message in Pollapönk’s song 2 years ago. Unfortunately not quite yet. 🙁
I was shocked, I always thought Iceland was basically a homogeneous country. But isn’t it a free democracy? Then any Icelander should be allowed to marry or have kids with who ever they please.
Keep Iceland pure? You mean a population of 300,000? Icelanders are all so related somehow. Is incest the Icelandic way? lol
@Fatima: It’s not Eurovision, but more Europe a multicultural board of cultures and ethnicities that sadly faces issues of this nature on a daily basis … Eurovision in many way becomes the easiest platform to showcase such issues and not always in the best light … no wonder at all that politics are injected into the contest … they come with the European package … and we cannot run away from them. You saw what happened this years … and it’s never gonna end. Still we’re somehow less violent in such than the USA where the contrasts are far more… Read more »
I can imagine what could be if such thing happened in Russia. Russophobes wouldn’t miss the opportunity to blacken Russia’s name. I do know that Iceland is a tolerant nation. But there ARE homophobes, nationalists, idiots in any nation.
lets be politically correct 😀
oh my, we sent Verka to speak for us, should I check if I’m a drag queen now? where’s my star? 🙂
why people still can’t accept each other? disappointed, however I understand that in every community will be couple of jerks who can’t socialize and will blame for it others.
@light star
I agree with you (although I don’t find him hot!).
@Laburnum
I don’t know why, but I think the dog was very cute 🙂
Urgh…the racism expressed is vile. At least the racists would have been mad that Jamala and Dami came 1st and 2nd (a Muslim who has Crimean Tatar heritage and a first generation Korean Australian)
@ESCArgy: I have just realised how awful that came across. The fact he is being bullied for being black is terrible. I do not accept that at all. But just…why the dog? What was the purpose?
I didn’t think anything bad when I saw him on air but I was surprised because I didn’t know Iceland had other races. But that’s my ignorance.
Shamefull
@Laburnum
What were you thinking when you wrote that comment?
The only thing I am mad at is the fact that he had a dog on with him. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!
I thought Iceland was one of the friendliest and more accepting countries in the world. Who in the world are these idiots then?
Sad that this had to happen!
Tremenda gilipolleez
Retro Stefson to Eurovision!
Having lived in Iceland for nearly 3 years a few years back I’m shocked to hear of this.
Icelandic people are very open and always accepting (if a little dull sometimes hehe)
Please don’t think this is even a large minority in Iceland it is about 20 people.
The racists are thankfully a very small minority of our nation and they hide behind their computer screens, they would never have the guts to say this to his face. Unnsteinn is a great musician and tv personality and I couldn’t be more proud to have him representing our country, I’m hoping he will compete in Eurovision one day.
I really despise those racist comments. It´s 2016 we all are the same no matter our race, gender, nationality… Such a shame some people still lingers in the 17th century. Good for you Unnsteinn Manuel no to take them into account!
I didn’t expect Icelanders to act like that, they have disappointed me. Anyway, they still remain my favorite country in Eurovision. I love all of their songs since 2008 (except for 2011, I just like this one).
I am shocked that this is an issue, especially in Iceland.
I like to make myself believe that you all across the pond are more enlightened than we are in the U.S. on issues of race, which is why it’s always so disappointing that whenever y’all’re given another race to be racist to, you take the opportunity. Just leaves me sad.
Eurovision has many problems, but I don’t think racism is one of them. Particularly since Dami Im did so well. People often forget that a black man – from an Eastern European country – did win the contest in 2001. I think in the next five years, a black solo artist will win big.
Wow people need to grow up so immature! He’s half Icelandic anyway!