Baby Lasagna isn’t just Croatia’s first-ever televote winner at Eurovision. He’s also a prince of the people and a humanitarian. And he proved that again on Thursday with the news that he has re-gifted a government prize to help support two very worthy medical institutions.
On Thursday, Croatia’s government awarded Baby Lasagna — real name Marko Purišić — €50,000 for “promoting the international visibility of Croatia.”
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković congratulated him, saying: “This is the best success of any Croatian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest since Croatia became independent, i.e. since the success of the group Riva in 1989…This is a fascinating success and result.”
As HRT explains, the government also applauded Baby Lasagna for being an “excellent example of music with ethnic overtones and elements of folk costumes, as well as a depiction of life in the countryside and the challenges of young people faced with the decision to go to the big cities.”
Baby Lasagna re-gifts €50,000 prize from Croatian government to two hospitals
But Baby Lasagna refused to accept the money. Rather than enriching himself, he wants to help improve the lives of those in need.
“I thank the Croatian government for the cash prize in the amount of € 50,000,” he said on Insta Stories. “However, I can’t accept that money. I could give many reasons why, but the first, most important and sufficient one is that there are many other individuals and organizations who will help far more people with the money.”
“I hereby ask Mr. Plenkovic to, on my behalf and on behalf of the Croatian government, to donate €25,000 to the Institute for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology within the “Mladen Ćepulić” day hospital. Further, I would like to donate the remaining €25,000 to the Institute for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, KBC Zagreb. Thank you.”
Looking how he has recently talked, it’s pretty sure those homophobic comments and such were true after all.
Good he didn’t win!
Wtf with the downvotes on all favorable comments? Did I miss something?
Baby Lasagna isn’t that nice to LGBTQ+ people apparently.
And you know that how? Or you just inventing things?
Palestinians aren’t nice to them either, and LGBTQ+ support them regardless ._.
Thanks for replying and explaining btw 🙂
https://twitter.com/wthisteya/status/1792233115290599933?t=Y595Fx8h8-ulKy26DlxsVg&s=19
Teya (Austria 2023) tweeted about this behaviour, of course Baby Lasagna has been very approving of his fans doing this.
You have some inside information that he is approving this? Or again just lying and inventing things? You are pathetic
the king, i love this guy
Did it really need to be done over social media, though?
Anything for attention, as usual.
You no nothing what you’re talking about.
Nothing wrong inspiring people to do good things.
Are you really doing this?
The government decision was public, after all it involves public money… No problem to address it publically.
Of course someone will question a good thing…. if he took the money and even donated privately people would question why as well…. so this way all is transparent
It’s the Croatian taxpayers’ gift, so of course this needs to be done in public
Yes it did, because, in his song, he was criticizing the govt. that ruined the rural life so young people have to leave their hometowns and country … and now, that same govt. he slapped with his song, is rewarding him with 50k.
That’s the reason he did it publicly and told them where he want that money to be spent.
Simply, class act. The most talented, pure, GENUINE participant of this year’s edition, he deserves all the love he’s getting. He’s certaintly earned a new fan from Greece. 🙂
He just stole my heart. A real Prince and Gentleman. Some Dutch and Israeli guys should take some notes.
I mean taking the money from the goverment that caused exodus of people from croatia you sang about would have been crazy.
And that’s the reason he did it publicly. It’s the same govt that he slapped with his song.
I didn’t see his ‘hotness’ before but now I see how beautiful he is.
What a kind soul, Croatian people i am sure are very proud of him.
Marko seems like an awesome dude. Glad to see some positive stuff coming out of this edition of Eurovision.
Odd that many of the comments get +20 in just a couple of seconds, some of the comments are also from same IP.
Insane. I tried upvoting a say +6 post, and after I’m done it shows as +1. Pathetic.
Wait I thought you were talking downvoting. My bad. What I said still stands tho.
There’s been a lot of botting on croatia related posts lately, both up and down. It’s bizarre.
No use for that, the contest is over for this year. Faking interest doesn’t help, just shows that there wasn’t enough actual interest in the first place.
In a world full of twisted values and morally corrupt, Marko, you shine so brigjt. As I was saying all alomg…
BABY, YOU’RE A STAR!
There was a zero chance he would take a money from the government responsible for people leaving the country, good decision BL
What is going on this year? People down voting positive comments regarding charity? Goodbye old eurovision community… here we now are 🙁
Insane bots and trolls are hanging around. Amazingly disgusting.
What is wrong with people at this comment session. Most of positive comments Are voted Down and negative comments Are upvoted.
Gentleman. Throughout this season kind and nice. Luv ya Baby
What a bunch of pathetic lovers come to this site. Down voting every positive comment and upvoting negative. Really people?
My only winner this year..
Bravo Marko, for being such kind and an amazing human being.. Respect..
Meow Meow
So talented, so humble, and such a nice guy.
The true winner of ESC24
He’s been a gentleman from the first moments he really came to public awareness. The way he responded to that final televote reveal was so classy and graceful and, now, this. This man is an example to the world. Legend.
I cried when I saw this
Israeli outlet Ynet confirms Eden Golan’s televote advertising campaign was organised by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/sykjyhaza
Yep! It’s confirmed! Astroturfing at its best. From the article: “The support Golan received from the European audience was preceded by a campaign by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government publicity office for Eurovision fans, in which the Israeli representative addressed them in French, Italian, Spanish, German, Czech, Latvian, Estonian, Albanian, Georgian and English – and asked them to vote for her.” “The videos taken by Golan were uploaded to a dedicated YouTube channel and received more than 14 million views. The campaign appealed to audiences selected based on a careful analysis of the voting patterns of countries… Read more »
I’ve personally seen so many Google Ads to vote for Israeli representative. It was all over the internet. I’m not surprised though…
He should have won
Bravo to Marko!
Smalltown boy who didin’t get addicted to losing game. Respect Marko!
Class act! Unlike others.
The real gift was Baby Lasagna and the friends he made along the way…
Baby lasagna is a class act. No entitlement, no bullying others contestants, no complaining as an attempt to get more attention. He came for the music, conquered our hearts and continues to do so
Good
But I don’t like that he promoted Moroccan Oil on his Instagram account
this website need moderators. Some people will think it is true.
Correction: it’s on the Instagram account of Moroccan Oil
He was not promoting Morrocan oil, its a video done during ESC that they shared and in the video is also Nebulosa and Nutza
Eurovision made this possible and that’s worth more than 10 victories. Baby Lasagna will be in my heart for ever.
You can tell he’s not a capitaist as a capitaist would take that 50K and turn it into 500K or 5 million. Good for him.
Marko ‘Baby Lasagna’ is a true artist. He is caring and humane and has become a role model for many. He reminds us what the true spirit of Eurovision should be and how music and popularity of one person can help others in need. (Btw, is there anything like a Eurovision ambassador? If not, the EBU should appoint him to be one.)
Baby Lasagna is a wonderful human being
Croatia must be a cashed up country if they are giving away money to Eurovision contesants.
Well if you would not be so ignornat, you would understand that people who do great things to promote their countries they get a prize, same as with sport people etc….
Uhm right. The decision was pure populism, so I’m glad he saw right through it.
Stop being superficial and ignorant.
Excuse me?
Start reading with comprehension.
No, Croatian govt, as other govts, don’t give a s**t about people. Rim tim tagi dim is a critique song about that exact govt.
They did it because Marko has stirred their mud and they wanted to appear human and generous.
That’s why it is good he slapped them publicly (once more) and rejected that money.
Imagine being the ones who had on reserve the guy who won the televote and is loved by a whole country. Hopefully they have the dignity to resign
Ikr, someone somewhere in HRT thought his song was 25th in the Croatian selection.
Makes you wonder if we’ve lost any other gems in previous years that didn’t make it to the public stage in their NF
Heads should roll at HRT, but I’m afraid it’s just wishful thinking.
This gesture is a true victory for his family and him. Wish you all the best things in your career, Marko! In Croatia and the rest of the world!
A true winner!
Very nice! This guy is so kind, only with his way to speak you can see that he is very kind
Legend!