From the International Herald Tribune, via today’s New York Times:
Before the Finnish band Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest in May with its hard-rock anthem “Hard Rock Hallelujah,” its many critics warned that the latex-wearing monster mutants would embarrass Finland, inspire Satanic worship and scare children by blowing up Barbie dolls on stage.
But after ending Finland’s 40-year losing streak at the world’s biggest celebration of kitsch, the demonic quintet has been transformed from national scourges to national heroes…
President Tarja Halonen, once lobbied by horrified Finns to withdraw Lordi from Eurovision, recently praised its retractable Satan wings and slasher-film inspired lyrics as “Finnish quality work” [emphasis added]. Pepsi has begun advertising its drinks in Finland with the slogan “Hard Drink Hallelujah,” and Finnish magazines are publishing cut-out Lordi monster masks that children can wear at school.
The next time I run across something that I would ordinarily call “total schlock,” I’m going to describe it as “Finnish quality work.”