Okay, in my original Eurovision post, I dismissed the Russian entry, “Believe,” as being “too lame to embed here.” But after the song’s victory, I watched it again. And I realized that when something is lame enough, it becomes camp, and camp is very much worth embedding.

So now I invite you all to enjoy a truly silly performance, Dima Bilan (a man that Reuters describes as “lithe“) singing “Believe” — after the jump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szqM80zmG14

A few notes for after you’re seen it:

• Dima sings barefoot. Which is an especially bold choice when you consider that the previous act was the Bulgarian Broken Glass Jamboree.
• The violinist is playing in the exaggerated way you depict violining in a charades situation. But not only is the guy actually playing, he’s playing a freaking Stradivarius.
• Does anyone else feel like it is insanely stupid for that guy to be playing a Stradivarius while standing on ice, with a figure skater whizzing by him?
• I feel a little better when Wikipedia tells me the skater is none other than three-time world champion Evgeni Plushenko. Still, if I were the insurer of that Stradivarius, I would raise the premiums.
• Here’s a real head-scratcher. The New York Times reports that “Believe” was produced by none other than Timbaland. Small world after all.