He’s the star of the legenday kids’ show LazyTown. Now fans of the dastardly Robbie Rotten are urging Icelandic broadcaster RÚV to internally select the bequiffed villain as Iceland‘s entry for Eurovision 2017.
A little over 10,000 people have signed an online petition which encourages RÚV to select the character of Robbie Rotten as Iceland’s representative in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
British fan Andrew McCarton started the petition. In his letter to RÚV he pleads for an internal selection of Stefán Karl Stefánsson, aka Robbie Rotten, to represent Iceland in Ukraine this May.
Lazy Town hasn’t been in production since 2014 so where has this sudden enthusiasm for one of its characters come from?
“Here’s a little lesson in trickery”
It all comes from a meme that has developed around the song “We Are Number One”, which featured in the show’s final series. In the episode, Robbie makes three clones of himself to form a team to capture his archenemy Sportacus. His clones are having trouble being real villains, so Robbie writes a song to help them learn.
But it wasn’t until last September that the song went viral through videogame-related remixes and usage in Soundcloud mashups. This boosted the song’s views on YouTube to over 10 million.
When approached about the Eurovision petition, Stefán Karl Stefánsson, the actor behind Robbie Rotten, said to RÚV that he was extremely surprised when he heard about it. He said that it was magnificent that anybody would want him to represent Iceland in Eurovision, let alone over 10,000 people.
Sadly he does not intend to face the challenge of the petition as his ill health won’t let him. Stefán Karl is currently battling pancreatic cancer and is undergoing severe medical treatments. Since he doesn’t anticipate any form of recovery until next summer, he says that he would not trust himself to take on the challenge.
However, he wanted to express his gratitude for being given this challenge and for all the heartfelt wishes regarding his illness. He also encouraged Máni Svavarsson, the composer of “We Are Number One”, to write a song for Eurovision. Stefán Karl reckons all the Lazy Town fans out there would probably support an entry written by Máni.
Here you can see a video of Stefán Karl talking about the song after its sudden reappearance in 2016, along with a live performance of the song itself.
Would you like to see Robbie Rotten in Eurovision? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Since the song was released before 1st September, it would break the rules of ESC and would be disqualified.
Good idea for Junior, not for the real version.
Hope the actor recovers.
Hope the composer won’t send a song.
im shook it looks like he aged decades between now and 2014
also yessss @eurovision being taken seriously in these comments
They had Pollaponk with something like this song
Wish him well!
So 10.000 fans want Iceland to bring back 2000s Eurovision to assure that we’re all entertained by rubbish or pretending that we’re eternally 10 … Now I want this man to have the respect and the encouragement anyone in his situation would need to go through a serious problem as a cancer is .. but bringing it into the Eurovision stage for the sake of some people’s lack of music taste entertaiment is embarrassing and offensive for anyone who’s under the same struggle to beat cancer. Cancer is no joke … so keep it away from this despicable strategy to… Read more »
I really do hope in the future that he doesn’t have this type of cancer anymore. Like others have mentioned, this is one of the worst types of cancer that anyone can have and it makes me want to wish him the best of luck and hope for him. If this hadn’t been mentioned, and made me feel sorry, I would’ve quoted this:
“No.”
– San Marino 2015
somehow reminds my of serj tankian video..
It would be very funny to see something like this on stage, but comedy acts and novelty songs will never win Eurovision. Esepcially in today’s more “professional” Eurovision.
Very sad to hear about his cancer and glad so many people are supporting him however I don’t think it’s wise to endorse a general meme for Eurovision. The contest has been taken much more seriously the last few years and that could reverse it.
OMG. They must do it! Eurovision could be in memes!
I agree completely with Denis. People who organise these petitions don’t really understand today’s Eurovision. Jokes alone don’t succeed these days, they don’t even progress to finals. His illness is no joke though, so good luck to the man.
I disagree with some of the comments here, I think it would be great if Stefan could represent Iceland. The more memes the better!
I wish him to be healthy. If he were in ESC I don’t think that Lazy Town could be a theme because I don’t think he owns the rights.
It’s complicated and a lot of birocracy and money to have the right to perform using Lazy Town brand.
I would vote for him. I’m certain that much of Western Europe and Australia would give him high televote points just because he’s so famous for being a meme
Pancreatic cancer is the worst form of cancer, with almost only one outcome. I wish him well.
With that said I don’t want him anywhere near ESC. Comedy entries are really a thing of the past and would be dated today. Especially with a jury. It’s a done deal.
Unless he of course writes a proper entry:)
I want the composer of “We Are Number One” to compose a song for Iceland at the Eurovision. That’s the very least we can get out of this given that Stefan’s recovery isn’t going to take place this summer.
It’s a great thing to see these petitions get some attention. But sadly, pancreas cancer is one of the most agressive cancers with often a negative outcome… Let’s keep the hope he’ll restore! Much love!
God I used to hate lazytown haha 🙂
Wow, what a story this is! And such a sad outcome as well – cancer is awful. Wishing Stefan Karl all the best.
Having said that, I don’t wish to see his character at Eurovision. Outright comedy entries belong to the 2000s – we’re done with those now. But, the songwriter could submit a proper entry of course. 🙂
Eh. I wasn’t expecting Yohanna.
I’m crying!!
Iceland…dont do it!
Silvia Knight Mark II
PLEASE SEND YOHANA AGAIN EUROVISION IS NOT A JOKE ICELAND HAVER GREATH SONGS AND EPIC MUSIC YOU CAN WIN WITH THIS
I would love to see him compete, but he has problems with cancer so i wouldn’t really say hes prepared for Eurovision…
We don t need male version of Silvia Night for Iceland at Eurovision. I realy like iceland entry in 2016 , especialy version in icelandic language , but I think with him Iceland wili be flop in semi.
I really don’t like this… They have a wierd atmosphere around them and im really disliking it
I think it seems too chilidish for ESC…I fear something like “Pirates of the Sea”…ugh!
Iceland is most famous aboard for indie….Sigur Ros, Of Monsters and Men etc. I would more like to hear music like that for Iceland in ESC
Iceland, you are my favorite Eurovision country. I truly didn’t expect this from you.
no..no..NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know what to say… I’m speechless…