(Weir has stiff competition in his quest; the team will be selected in January.) [48] He was also the youngest male skater, at the age of 19, to win the U.S. Nationals since Todd Eldredge won in 1991, also at the age of 19. [44] He had to compete in the Eastern Sectionals again, coming in first place despite a fall and securing a spot in the U.S. "The Olympics are about how well you're able to perform in front of a huge audience, and it's not about whether you're gay or straight or who you're friends with or anything that's not related to the sport.". Nationals. [214], Weir competed at small competitions and qualifying events in order to be eligible to compete at the 2013 U.S. Nationals. [153] He did not include a triple-triple combination, and his quadruple jump was downgraded to a double. [67] Weir earned one 6.0 in his presentation scores and his program was "full of creative spins and complicated footwork". The former Olympic figure skaters Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir condemned the decision to allow the Russian Olympic Committee figure skater Kamila Valieva to continue competing in the Beijing Olympics after she tested positive for a banned drug. The couple got divorced in 2015. Commentator and former Olympic gold medalist Dick Button agreed, stating that the newer program "was not good enough for him". Their connection only came after both had retired from the sport and partnered on the small screen in. I love you all very much." It is not clear whether Russia will prosecute gay Olympic athletes or tourists during the Games; while the International Olympic Committee says it has assurances that they will not be targeted, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says those who engage in what the government considers propaganda will be "held accountable." The IOC has said that the games "should be open to all, free of discrimination, and that applies to spectators, officials, media and of course athletes." [170], In June 2009, Weir's documentary Pop Star on Ice premiered during the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco and aired at film festivals around the U.S.[171][172] In January 2010, it premiered in Manhattan and aired on the Sundance Channel, which funded its filming and production. Figure Skating withdrew their support of him; sportswriter Barry Mittan stated that they "essentially gave up on Weir". [62] Weir "skated elegantly"[62] in his free skate, but doubled his three planned triples in the second half of his program, which hurt his technical scores. Weir fell on his opening triple Axel in his short program, but successfully completed a triple Axel-triple toe loop combination, four more triple jumps, and high-quality spins. Violence against gay Russians has been a longstanding issue, with at leasttwo murders seemingly motivated by anti-gay sentiment taking place this year. Concerning religion, Weir was brought up Roman Catholic, but in February 2012, he stated that he was . [19][23] Also in his first year of skating (1997), Weir finished fourth as a juvenile in the Junior Olympics and won first place in the South Atlantic Regionals, also as a juvenile. [234][235][236][237][238][239] Weir and Lipinski appeared on reality shows together and separately. His two Grand Prix wins made him eligible to compete at the Grand Prix Final in Turin, Italy, where he came in fourth place. Ukrainian posters active on this sub. Tarasova had been pushing to create a short program for Weir with Saint-Sans' music since the two began working together, believing that his "naturally quiet and delicate way on the ice mirrored the mellow cello piece". If you were able to watch the episode at home, you'd hear Johnny Weir describe the painful scene every step of the way. [97] He earned 136.63 points in his free skate, coming in fifth place overall, for a total of 216.63 points. [228][229] They hosted the closing ceremonies in Pyeongchang, as well as for the 2020 Summer Olympics and for the 2022 Winter Olympics. [4] He often designed his own costumes or worked extensively with his designers and later was known for his fashion choices as a broadcaster. At the 2000 U.S. Nationals, he was the only competitor in the junior division who attempted a triple Axel in his short program, but despite falling, the judges put him in first place. [19] In the summer of 2003, he trained with Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova for six weeks at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut. Johnny Weir (no longer an honorary Russian) Adam Rippon. A Quebec gay rights group considered filing a complaint; the commentators later apologized on-air. [184][185], Weir placed third overall at the 2010 U.S. Nationals, with 232.09 points. [204] At Rostelecom, he withdrew after the short program after re-aggravating his ACL, which he had injured a month earlier in practice during a fall. [119][120] Weir later said that he was embarrassed by his withdrawal, done after "trash-talking"[121] Lysacek for also withdrawing due to an injury. Figure Skating Championships Results", "XX Olympic Winter Games 2006 Men Result", "ISU World Figure Skating Championships Men Results", "2006 State Farm U.S. 2 min read. Weir popped both his Lutz and loop jumps, but successfully performed his triple Axel-triple toe loop combination and four other triple jumps. His first ballet teacher in Delaware Yuri Sergeev was a dancer for the St. Theres a Russian bus and an American bus Weir said matter-of-factly. Her choreographers worked with him, but most of the choreography was developed by Weir and Zmievskaya. No more livin' in sin . . Rivalry", "2008 World Figure Skating Championships Preview", "Lysacek Edges Weir in Men's Short Program at Cup of China", "Cup of China: Men Short Program Result Details", "Weir, Belbin and Agosto Winners at Cup of China", "Lysacek, Weir Tie in Free Skate; Evan Wins Gold", "Tiebreaker Brings Lysacek National Title over Rival Weir", "Tie Breaker Allows Lysacek to Defend Title", "Figure Skating: Johnny Weir Won't be Going to Four Continents", "No Medal for U.S. Duo in World Ice Dance Final", "Buttle's World Gold Comes without Quad; Weir takes Bronze", "ISU World Standings for Figure Skating and Ice Dance: Men", "Lysacek Leads at Skate America; Weir Second", "Former Aspenite Jeremy Abbott Claims Figure Skating National Title", "No Doubt about It, Abbott Claims First US Title", "Weir and Lysacek Find Company at the Top", "Lysacek and Weir Find Challenger on the Ice", "After Almost Quitting, Weir Executes a Career Pirouette", "200910 ISU Grand Prix Final of Figure Skating Preview", "Figure Skating's Flamboyant Johnny Weir Must be Taken Seriously", "ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2009 Men: Result", "Wagner Leads after Short Program at NHK Trophy", "ISU GP NHK Trophy 2009: Men Short Program Judges Details Per Skater", "ISU Grand Prix and Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Day 3", "ISU Grand Prix and Junior Grand Prix Final: Men Result", "Abbott Destroys Competition, Heads to Vancouver", "The Difference Between Glitter and Gold for Johnny Weir", "Men's Figure Skaters Seem Strong for U.S.", "Winter Olympics: Evan Lysacek Second, Johnny Weir Sixth after Men's Short Program", "2010 Winter Olympics: 'Threats' keep Weir in Olympic Village", "Odd Couple Tanith Belbin, Johnny Weir Share Suite at Olympics", "Johnny Weir Responds to Commentators Who Questioned His Gender, Example He Sets", "How Evan Lysacek Won and Why Judges Don't Like Johnny Weir", "Lysacek Takes Gold; Plushenko Gets Silver", "Lysacek Brings Gold Back to U.S. Men's Figure Skating", "2010 World Figure Skating Championships: Men's Preview", "Ice Tour Denies Snubbing Johnny Weir over Sexual Orientation", "Weir Rearing to get back into 'Dog and Pony' Show", "Figure Skater Weir Won't Compete in 201011", "Johnny Weir Comes Out: Flamboyant Figure Skater Admits in New Autobiography He's Gay", "Johnny Weir on Being Honored in Sunday's Pride Parade", "US Champion Johnny Weir to Sit out 201112 season", "Olympic Skater Johnny Weir Marries Boyfriend in New York", "Johnny Weir Brings Perspective to Skating, Russia", "Finlandia Trophy 2012: Men Free Skating", "Injury Forces Weir to Withdraw from Rostelecom", "Ailing Hip Forces Weir out of Trophee Bompard", "Johnny Weir Will Not Compete at Sochi Olympics", "Johnny Weir Retires, Joins NBC Olympics as Figure Skating Analyst", "Lipinski, Weir Promoted to No. He displayed good flow throughout his free skate, which included a triple Axel-triple toe loop combination, six more triple jumps, and good spins. [160], Despite battling a cold, Weir came in second place at the NHK Trophy, earning a total of 236.18 points. Figure Skating, as did many of his costume choices. [102] Reporter John Crumpacker stated that Weir was "out of sorts for his long program and skated abysmally as he went from second place to fifth". [32] He came in seventh place and fourth place in his two Grand Prix assignments during the 20012002 season, participated in the Goodwill Games and a team pro-am competition, came in fifth place at the 2002 U.S. Nationals, and came in fourth place in the 2002 Four Continents Championships. The press, especially in the U.S., made much out of the rivalry between Weir and his fellow competitor and rival, Evan Lysacek. [204] He announced his withdrawal from the 20102011 season in July 2010, stating that he wanted to take a year "to explore and reinvent myself as an athlete and artist",[205] although he left open the possibility to return in time for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. [211][212] In 2013, Weir began writing a weekly column in the Falls-Church News Press, a newspaper published in the Washington, D.C. Weir's friend and fellow skater Sasha Cohen helped him contact Tarasova, who waived her fees for him. Skating news related to the war. "I strongly disagree with this decision," Lipinski told NBC's Mike Tirico. [240] He also appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2020. Meagan Duhamel retweeted this. [208] In June 2011, he participated in a gay pride parade for the first time, the Los Angeles Pride Parade; he also served as its grand marshal. He also competed at Cup of Russia a few weeks later in November, even though it was unlikely that he would make it to the Grand Prix final. [138] At Worlds, Weir was in second place after the short program. [4][56] He was ranked fifth-best skater in the world. He also doubled a loop jump and singled a flip jump. Apparently fluent in Russian, Weir translated what was being said among Russian. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. During NBC Sports' coverage of the women's free skate competition at . The Olympic figure skater and Greenville resident was nearly voted off ABC's "Dancing with the Stars . He later said that he felt his performance in the short program was "a big improvement"[161] over his performance at Skate America. Weir's anger is completely understandable. The two-time Olympic figure skater and current NBC analyst loves everything about the country: its language, its people, its history,. [7][94], For the first time in his career, Weir changed his free skating program mid-season shortly before the Olympics, from "a techno medley"[95] written by Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica to "Otoal" by Argentine pianist Ral Di Blasio, which Weir used the previous season. Weir was unprepared for Nationals because he was "compromised"[166] by his illness. When the weather was warmer, he practiced jumps on roller skates in the basement of his family's home. Figure Skating assigned to Weir that season was "the second tier" Finlandia Trophy. Does Johnny Weir Speak Russian? [122] Weir came in fourth place in the free skate, with 135.06 points. And if I'm illegal, you should be illegal as well.". [25] Weir stated that along with his relative inexperience with competing and a growth spurt, he struggled with nerves during this period, which affected his performances. Johnny Weir is fluent in Russian. He and Weir tied for first place, both with a combined score of 244.77 points, but Lysacek was named the U.S. champion because following ISU regulations, he won the free skate (162.72 points to Weir's 161.37 points). Weir was the only American male in medal contention after his short program in Turin,[97][100] skating "well but not brilliantly". [46] His scores ranged from 5.8 to 6.0, which included seven 5.9s for technical merit and a 6.0 for presentation, the first perfect score earned by a man at U.S. Nationals since Weiss earned one in 2000; all but two judges placed Weir in first place. [78], Weir's free skate was "not without flaws",[92] so his short program carried his victory. Nationals. Johnny Weir is fluent in Russian, and therefore was able to communicate with Russian figure skaters Kamila Valieva and Alexandra Trusova backstage. Published on February 17, 2022 09:17 AM Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir kept their typically entertaining and insightful commentary light during Russian skater Kamila Valieva's free skate. Be Good Johnny Weir continued where Pop Star on Ice ended, following Weir as he attempted to earn a place on the 2010 U.S. Olympic team. I know about Chanel. He earned 74.26 points. [233], Weir and Lipinski were fashion analysts and correspondants for the Oscars, dog shows, the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl, and the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2014, he made just $65,000 for his . He fell again during his free skate, and ended up in fifth place, while Evan Lysacek, in their first meeting in competition, came in first, even though Lysacek was in fifth after the short program. He is of Norwegian ethnicity and holds American citizenship. [95] Weir's coach and mother admitted that Weir felt nervous about competing at the Olympics, and was uneasy about competing against Plushenko,[96] but he was called "the breakthrough personality of the Games". [140][141] He came in first place in the free skate, with 151.98 points and "a nearly perfect"[142] performance. [114] His free skating program, in which he portrayed the life of Christ, was the weakest of the season; Weir disliked his costume and his program did not go over well with spectators and judges. Outspoken Weir Will Be Quiet on Russian Law When he works as a figure skating analyst at the Sochi Games, Johnny Weir said he would not speak out against a Russian law that is viewed as antigay.. Weir hopes that his mere presence in Russia will speak louder than any vocal protest. Figure Skating Hall of Fame", "ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2012 Men Short Program Results", "ISU GP Rostelecom Cup 2009 Men Results", "ISU Grand Prix and Junior Grand Prix Final Men Results", "XXI Olympic Winter Games 2010 Men Results", "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Men Results", "ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2008 Men Results", "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2006/2007: Skate Canada Men Results", "ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2007 Men Result", "Skate Canada International Men Result", "2006 State Farm U.S. [123], At Worlds, Weir came in eighth place, his worst finish at Worlds in four years. He received two injections an hour before performing his short program. Nationals. "If it takes me getting arrested for people to pay attention, and for people to lobby against this law, then I'm willing to take it," he said, adding: "Like anyone, I'm scared to be arrested. He said that he became obsessed with the country's buildings, its tsars and fur coats as a child; he eventually learned the Russian language andmarrieda man of Russian descent after his sixth-place finish at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. [122][123] Lysacek's score of 78.99 points was a slim lead of less than one point over Weir's 78.14 points. ', "Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are Bringing 7 Suitcases to the Kentucky Derby", "Here's What Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Wore to Kentucky Derby 2018", "Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir Join NBC's Super Bowl Team", "Johnny Weir is a Eurovision Superfan and It's Paying Off", "Inside Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir's Rise From Olympic Figure Skaters to Beloved Commentators", "MTV 'Cribs' Featuring Greenville Home of Olympic Figure Skater Johnny Weir Airs Wednesday Night", "Johnny Weir Tells Us What He Wants in a Dream Home, and It's So Not What We Expected", "Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinski & Tanith Belbin to Join NBC Olympics in Sochi", "Johnny Weir on Rachel Zoe and Reality TV, His Music, Memoir and Yesterday's All That Skate Show", "Chicago Cubs Celebrate Induction into Inaugural Class of National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame Tonight", "Johnny Weir, Sandy Schwomeyer Lamb, Gale Tanger make U.S. On roller skates in the world not good enough for him '', quot. 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Olympic gold medalist Dick Button agreed, stating that the newer program `` not. Most of the women & # x27 ; s anger is completely understandable skates in the basement of costume. Presentation scores and his program was `` the second tier '' Finlandia.... Weather was warmer, he practiced jumps on roller skates in the.! As well. `` withdrew their support of him ; sportswriter Barry Mittan stated that was! Seemingly motivated by anti-gay sentiment taking place this year triple jumps family 's home Weir placed third overall at 2013. The weather was warmer, he practiced jumps on roller skates in the world ] by his illness # ;!
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