It’s no big secret that may people question the sexual orientation of Olympic gold medal figure skater Evan Lysacek. It’s part because he’s a figure skater and part because, well, did you see his Olympic outfits and have you seen Dancing With The Stars? And with the recent announcements that two long-time-rumored gay men have come out — Sean Hayes and Ricky Martin — many people are wondering what other long-suspected gays will be coming out in the not-so-distant future.
Johnny Weir threw some gasoline on Lysacek’s fire with his recent appearance on Chelsea Lately. When asked about Lysacek’s ex-girlfriend, Johnny answered, well, as only Johnny could. Oh the power of a wink. Watch the video, after the jump.
Hat tip to Towleroad.
And here’s Lysacek on DWTS. Check out the TV gold after timecode 1:30. Wow.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 3:57 PM
This was a far more interesting read on the same subject:
http://www.afterelton.com/blog/michaeljensen/johnny-weir-chelsea-handler
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Cyd you’re endless fascination with Weir really escapes me. I mean, good for him being himself. But who gives a rat’s ass if Evan is gay? And why does Weir feel like it’s okay to insinuate that he is? He just strikes me as another in an already-too-long line of bitchy queens that have nothing better to do than gossip about other people’s lives and make of people he believes are “beneath” him. Evan’s sexuality is none of our business and that includes Johnny’s.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 4:14 PM
My “endless fascination” with Johnny Weir is that I run a gay-sports Web site and he is by far the most high-profile openly gay athlete around.
And I disagree about Evan Lysacek’s sexual orientation. When he parades around with high-profile girlfriends, it becomes part of the discussion. I wouldn’t out anyone – but by publicly dating women and choosing to participate on one of TV’s highest-rated programs, your sex life becomes food for discussion.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Johnny needs to spend less time seeking attention and more time training. With this nonsense it’s no wonder he’s being blackballed. Talk about sour grapes.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Sorry but the fact that he “parades” around with high-profile girlfriends doesn’t make him fair game IMO. And while I admit I don’t follow figure skating, this feud seems to be pretty one-sided. I don’t see Evan giving inetrviews where he whines about Johnny. As DR said, sour grapes indeed.
And yeah Johnny is the most high profile openly gay athlete. But that doesn’t mean his innuendo (true or not) should be treated for any more than what it is…gossip. The whole air quote and wink things are just so childish.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 4:57 PM
Sorry forgot to add…if Evan was some right-winger out there lambasting gays and fighting against gay rights, then fine, go after him. Seems to me the guy is just trying to live his life. He doesn’t owe it to anyone to come out of the closet (if he is indeed gay) but himself.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:18 PM
Evan was a vocal supporter of the “male figure skating needs to be more manly (straight)” mantra for years. He marginalized the costumes, the music, the “artistry”, said figure skating needs to go in the direction of the X-Games with only jumps, paraded his girlfriend in competitions in front of National television to the USFSA’s collective glee. He has been better lately after realizing that he needs to embrace artistry to win, but he is no innocent lamb.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:18 PM
I adore Johnny but this was not his finest moment. He did come off pretty jealous, and this will only give that phony jerk Evan sympathy and more votes for DWTS, not to mention feeding into the Johnny backlash that has popped up on many gay sites lately including this one.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Johnny Weir… come on now… doesn’t he have anything better to do? His mean spirited wink and gossip-girl comments were really sophomoric. Evan deserves a lot of credit for his achievements and sustained visibility. If he decides to come out, so be it… if not, then that’s his prerogative. Johnny Weir needs to take his hands off his hips and stop carrying on like his slip is showing.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Cyd…since when has Johnny been “openly gay”. I don’t recall him coming out, but rather always avoiding/evading the question just like Ricky Martin did.
What does Evan’s sexuality really matter? As George said if he were out to get us, so to speak, I might could see the call to “out” Evan, but really it just sounds like Johnny trying to make his five minutes last a little longer. I’ve never understood the fascination with Johnny. Go to any local gay bar and you can find a cynical, smart mouthed, trying to be funny by making others look bad thus attempting to cover for their own insecurities – twink.
Once again, we as gay men have proved that we are for the most part fit so many stereotypes about gay men….catty, bitchy, back-stabbing, etc.
You (Cyd) and Johnny are both alike in that matter…but, at least you’ve come out…Johnny hasn’t.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:41 PM
Evan has talked about Johnny and marginalized him in interviews.
But Johnny wasn’t marginalizing Evan. He doesn’t. He has said many times they approach life and skating differently. And he is honest in saying he doesn’t like Evan.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 5:49 PM
Yeah, Johnny. You should have done less talking and trained harder and maybe you could have placed higher in the competition…yes, maybe even beaten Evan. Quit yapping and start training. You are throwing your talent away.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 6:35 PM
I always chuckle when I see blogs on this website stating that an athlete’s sexual orientation is none of our business. If that’s the case, out of all the sports websites out there, why do you visit this one? Seems like that would be THE deciding factor.
I, personally, love the speculation, and I don’t see anything malicious about it. It’s inconsequential compared to the flood of gossip rag activity that’s out there in the straight world, that’s for sure.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 6:55 PM
Evan has remarked about the need for skating to be masculine while his own behavior off the ice has been very carefully manufactured to promote that image. I think he’s fair game and Johnny is more than justified. Just like all the in the closet congressmen who vote against gay rights and go home to their wives and sneak out to their boyfriends.
For those who questioned Johnny’s work ethic, he has won several national championships and several world medals as well as been to two olympics. He’s not my favorite skater (I always liked Matt Savoie and Jeremy Abbott), but I think he’s doing ok and can’t really be criticized. His two performances at the Olympics were great and underscored.
Skating needs to be honest as does every other sport. The only difference is skaters are assumed gay until proven straight. That makes it very hard on everyone in the sport. Most successful skaters have come out much after their gold medals were won. I think the fact that Johnny is who he is and has had success is a sign of progress.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 7:10 PM
I think Johnny is playing a nasty game. He wonders why people care about his sexuality or who he loves, yet he’s not showing Evan Lysacek the same courtesy. And as George pointed out, Evan’s no ultra-right homophobic politician.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 7:27 PM
czvande…I come to this specific website because I am gay and want to read about out athletes and discuss sports with other gays and to avoid the homophobic idiocy that dominates most other sports blogs and not to speculate or gossip about someone’s sexuality. Does Evan Lysacek being outed make your life any better or different in any way?
A few years ago here, someone who claims to be an official in one of the professional sports basically outed a player to us. The ironic thing is that this official was not out himself.
And the fact that Evan’s a proponent of more masculine skating is irrelevant to me. many people feel that way. I feel the same way. Hell, I’d go so far as to eliminate the whole notion of costumes and make them all skate in tuxedos. That way all skaters will be judged on their actual skating and not on how many sequins or feathers they are donning. Doesn’t make him a homophobe nor does it mean that he deserves to be outed. Everybody has the basic right to privacy.
I have no idea if you are out or not but let’s assume you are not…would you want one of your co-workers going on television and outing you (albeit with airquotes and a wink)?
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 7:42 PM
I don’t think that gay celebrities should be outed the way that closet case right-wing politicians should, but I do think that if you are a gay celebrity and you are deliberately letting people think you are straight or are pretending to date girls, that you have to accept the consequences of doing so.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 9:01 PM
Twinsfan –
Fair enough. No, my life is not better by someone being outed, especially by another who should be a trusted colleague or competitor. And you’re right – Weir’s antics on that particular show weren’t called for, although I would argue that he is entertaining. Some may like his form of entertainment, others not.
I came out as a gay man in 1976. This was not an easy time. You were automatically consigning yourself to the margins of society, and it was absolutely unthinkable for a ball player at any level to play while being out. This actually prevented me from becoming the athlete I would and could have been.
While “outing” does not make my life better, opening this site and seeing that a major athlete came out on his (or her) own does, in fact, make my life better. It reminds me that those of us who took some hard hits in the 70′s and early 80′s did not do so in vain.
I appreciate the civility of your response, btw.
on Mar 31st, 2010 at 11:44 PM
Gay or not, it is not Johhny Weir’s business to be pulling that on TV. Extremely tacky on his part and shame on Chelsea Handler for allowing. What a cheap way to generate publicity for your weak TV show.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 2:14 AM
Cyd…since when has Johnny been “openly gay”. I don’t recall him coming out, but rather always avoiding/evading the question just like Ricky Martin did
Exactly! I’m sick of his bullshit and I’m sick of others like him who want it both ways: liking the attention (good or bad) that being an openly gay man in entertainment brings but refusing to say “I’m gay” in clear, unambiguous language because “I don’t want to be labeled!” (i.e. it cuts down on career opportunities). Memo to Johnny Weir: you’re already labeled, that train left the station years ago. Jeebus, this shit has been going on since at least Liberace and it’s pathetic.
Until Johnny Weir says “I’m gay” or “I’m homosexual” or “I’m attracted only to men” or something similar, he’s a closet case, full stop.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 3:09 AM
If Evan wants to be more masculine when he skates that is his business. If Johnny want to be more feminine that is his business. One doesn’t negate the other.
In the U.S. skating world it pays to be masculine. That’s just the way it goes in a subjective sport. Sports equals money. And to sell your product in the United States TV wants feminine women and masculine men. The dirty little secret that some skaters are gay falls into the ice skating stereotype and that is something the USFSA (United Skates Figure Skating Association) is not comfortable with. And a skater outing another skater, especially one you lost to will not go unnoticed. Add to it that the person outed is the Olympic Champion, the Pride of the USFSA and the only gold medalist for the USA. What was the point Johnny?
What also plays a factor is how you behave off the ice. Sorry I do not make the rules. Johnny is pretty much killing his chances when it comes to nationals. Does the U.S. figure skating association want someone that will say or do anything? Hardly. Sorry, I don’t make the rules it is just the way it is.
As to Johnny, Johnny is just being Johnny. A little immature boy in a sport that will find ways to clip your wings. This is not track and field where whoever runs the fastest wins. Johnny doesn’t understands this or doesn’t care to understand this.
This is Evans time. Yet Johnny boy can’t stand it. That is why you take cheap shots. Character is important off the ice. The USFSA is paying attention. This reminds me of a person who insults the company they work for and then gets upset when they don’t get a raise.
So what is Johnny going to do? Next years Nationals will be Olympic Champion Evan and two time National champion Jeremy Abbott to lose with Adam Rippon, who took Johnny’s place on the World team coming strong. Adam took 6th at Worlds. The only tour in the United States is ‘Stars on Ice’ and we have many opinions on that subject. If Johnny places 5th that pretty much is the USFSA way of saying it’s over. But in a subjective sport Johnny pretty much is killing his chances.
And lastly, Johnny has only one medal at world, a bronze in 2008. And Cyd, in post #11 when did Evan “marginalize” Johnny? Please give us details and when. Johnny came in 6th. That is a fact. I do not recall any interview where Evan has been as rude to Johnny as Johnny has been to him. Knowing how Evan handle that crazy Russian’s comments I find it hard to believe that Evan “marginalize” Johnny since Evan has nothing to prove. He owns the gold. Johnny…
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 3:16 AM
Johnny Weir is becoming a bore and a little goes a long way. He is capable of uttering everything under the sun expect 3 simple words — “I am gay.” He is clearly afraid of something and he knows the mainstream media won’t call him gay until he does, so he can have it both ways.
I think Weir fears he will lose the teen-age girl fan base that adores him, if he comes right out and says he’s gay. So he plays coy and figures those of us in the know will get it, while some 16-year-old in Moscow can imagine him her prince. His shtick on this is getting tiresome, especially when he is trying to out Evan.
If Johnny doesn’t talk about who he sleeps with or what moisturizer he uses (one of his stock cliches he uses to avoid the question), he shouldn’t imply who Evan or anyone else sleeps with.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 5:26 AM
Jim, if you honestly believe that the bulk of Johnny Weir’s fan base, even the teenagers, believes that Johnny Weir is straight, then you are delusional. Weir is not the type of skater who girls dream of growing up, marrying, and having babies with [that would be Lysacek]. That is not the type of fan base he attracts. If Weir outright announces to the world that he is gay, nothing about his persona would change.
And since when has Weir been afraid of alienating his fan base? Or losing any potential fan base? Or scaring away potential sponsors? He is who he is. He has always been very adamant about this fact. Have you already forgotten about the fur controversy? Because that did not win him any fans.
While I don’t think that Weir is in the closet, I do roll my eyes at his consistent refusal to label himself as gay too. It has, as you pointed out, become like a tiresome game with the media. I also think you are not giving Weir enough credit and are over simplifying his reasons for not uttering those words.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 7:25 AM
I have followed figure skating since 1988. First, it appears that Johnny was just being dismissive when he flipped his wrist when Chelsea asked if he and Evan got along. They have never been friends. I don’t think he was indicating that Evan is gay; he used the dismissive wave of his hand as if he was saying “you know what I mean” because he doesn’t want to go into detail about their relationship.
As for the wink after referring to Tanith Belbin being Evan’s “Ex-Girlfriend”, that is open to interpretation. I think it was more in reference to the “girlfriend” thing being phony and set up, and not totally in reference to Lysacek’s sexuality. IMHO, I feel Evan and Tanith was a “set up” possibly by Team Lysacek and the USFSA in order to demonstrate that Heterosexuality was alive and well in figure skating. It’s all about image, and Evan had quite a makeover after the 2006 Olympics.
Johnny had been U.S. National Champion for 3 years, consistently beating Lysacek. Around summer, early fall 2006, Johnny was in the Heatherette Fashion Show and posed in women’s clothing for a photo shoot for BlackBook, much to the chagrin of the USFSA. Meanwhile, something was going on in the Lysacek camp when the new skating season started in the late fall of 2006. I call it “The Butch Makeover of Evan Lysacek.” A girlfriend in the form of ice dancer Tanith Belbin (who happens to be one of the prettiest USA skaters) suddenly and magically appeared, along with Evan sporting scruffy facial hair and yapping about how he respects the sport, and if he were champion, he wouldn’t take it lightly, blah, blah, blah, indirectly slamming Johnny at every turn. His skating programs became more “masculine” with sharp arm movements, and aggressive, bold choreography (no soft, fluttery arms, thank you.) There was lots of arm flailing, as if this was indicative of masculinity in skating. When he spoke, he sounded more loud and aggressive, and it appeared he had some vocal coaching. His costumes also were carefully designed with minimal glitter and sequins. This new He-Man Lysacek was designed to send USFSA a clear message that he was a “straight” arrow and a better candidate for US National Champion than Weir; that he was “serious” about skating as sport and not one to strut on the runway or prance around in women’s clothing.
Evan may or may not be gay, but to me, he gives out a gay vibe. One has to look at footage of Evan leaning against his mother, crying, at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino after he had a disastrous Short Program. This alone does not indicate gayness, but previously Evan had a much softer, quieter, –dare I say– more “feminine” demeanor. He spoke softly and more nasally as well, and appeared to have a dull, ambiguous personality. But in the Fall of 2006, there was a dramatic change in Lysacek’s demeanor, voice, costumes, skating choreography and personal life.
The USFSA is a staid organization, so Johnny’s extracurricular activities, such as the fashion show and BlackBook photographs were not taken too kindly. This gave Team Lysacek the opening they needed to present Evan as a more viable candidate for US Champion. Frank Carroll is his coach. Frank was responsible for “maturing up” Michelle Kwan’s look after she was poorly judged at the 1995 World Championships for looking too young, winning no medal even though she skated two flawless programs. I’m sure Frank (probably with encouragement from the USFSA) was the major player in the butching up of Evan Lysacek so that he would be looked upon more favorably by the judges, especially at the US Nationals. In judged events, you have to play the game, and if that means butching up your image, you do it. Johnny has always been a renegade, not one to play the game like Evan. That’s why people like him; they feel Johnny is upfront and honest, not one to give safe, “canned” replies to tricky questions by reporters and interviewers.
So Johnny winking on Chelsea Lately about Evan’s “Ex-girlfriend” was possibly an indication that the relationship was a sham and part of a carefully manufactured image designed to please the USFSA, and not necessarily indicating that Evan is gay.
And Johnny not coming out is because he is still an Olympic-eligible skater, and the USFSA does not exactly condone skaters who are Out. How many Out Olympic eligible are there now? None. The only Out skater during his amateur career was Rudy Galindo. Skaters are afraid to come out for fear it might hurt their chances to make a world/Olympic team or to be judged fairly. It is definitely a “Don’t Tell” mentality in the Olympic-eligible world of skating.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 8:41 AM
Sorry guys, but I agree w/Cyd, and I disagree with folks who say things like “What difference does it make what his sexuality is” and “If he’s gay it’s his business, not ours” etc etc
It makes a huge difference as long as homophobia continues to rage, gays don’t have the same rights as str8s, and tormented gay teens continue to off themselves. The more public figures come out, the sooner these horrific events will cease.
Plus, what’s wrong w/Johnny being bitchy on a talk show? It’s entertaining & fun even if he is throwing stones. The only annoying part is finding the remote to switch channels when you’re tired of hearing it. BFD!
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Thanks jewel64 – you have managed to eloquently state all of the basic reasons why some people are such avid Johnny followers (myself included) and Evan haters (again, myself included).
It boils down to a sense of realness that Johnny gives off – like him or not, he is what he is and he is going to say what he is going to say. With Evan, I feel that his whole persona over the past several years has been “Who am I? I’m NOT Johnny Weir. I am the Anti-Johnny Weir.” I find him stomach-churningly fake, and would actively vote against him on the ice AND the dance floor if I could.
With that said, his performances deserved gold in Vancouver and he is the better skater at this time – perhaps that’s what 4 years of non-stop ego-boosting and support from his supposedly objective skating federation will do for you.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:48 AM
This is almost the Tebow/Weir homepage now. Enjoy the site, but would rather read stories closer related to sports than Weir hinting anything about a fellow skater. Sorry, but it’s a little too 7th grade girlish to matter all that much.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Evan is not gay because he dated Tanith, Nastia and hang out with Cheryl . johnny is gay not Evan.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 11:10 AM
To all those who are upset cuz Johnny “refuses to come out”. Really does he need to say it? I don’t think he’s trying to hide it. It’s a stupid question, why even bother asking him what is so obvious. Also he tried to take back the wink. It sounded more like he was joking around than outing Evan. He was on the Chelsea Handler show not interviewing with Barbara Walters! Sheesh! Get a sense of humor! It’s a comedy show!
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 11:23 AM
Weir is a complete jerk. It is mean-spirited to “out” someone who clearly does not want to, or is not ready to come out. It’s no one’s business. He clearly jealous that Evan is a better skater, and he was being petty. Evan is not openly gay, for those who say he is. I liked Weir until now, and I would have watched his show. There was no “insinuation” in his interview with Handler…he was very clear in his outing with his gay hand gesture, quotation marks and comment about Evan’s girlfriend being a friend.
Johnny Weir, you are a dirtbag.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 12:55 PM
@Wayne:
When did bitchy, bitter, catty, and self-absorbed become “fun”? The more he speaks, the less I respect him.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 1:11 PM
I have been called self hating and other things because I said I don’t respect Weir nor did I think it was necessarily a good thing for him to be our representative to the Smuckers.
He does things to purposefully offend – fur
He simulates orgasms on television.
He refuses to admit he is gay.
And now this. He is what I said he is, Flamboyant. And since this is all he apparently is then you should not be surprised when he outs others to stay in the spotlight. He is a shameful person to have done that.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 3:02 PM
a few observations:
1) Evan Lysacek and “masculine” do not belong in the same sentence.
2) “This is almost the Tebow/Weir homepage now. Enjoy the site, but would rather read stories closer related to sports”
take a look at the comment counts for Weir/Tebow stories then figure out why they are always on here. but u do have a point, where’s the baseball preview? or a gallery? it is the sport w/ the hottest guys in ass-grabbing uniforms after all!
3) “I don’t respect Weir nor did I think it was necessarily a good thing for him to be our representative to the Smuckers.”
uh, srsly? they have that old perv Willard Scot oogling assorted 103 year-olds & poor Ann Curry every morning but somehow Johnny is beneath that company? a JELLY company?
4) Dawson your johnny-hating is getting real old. you laud Rippon for finishing 6th at the Worlds yet knock Johnny for “only” finishing 6th at the Olympics. at least be consistent, eh?
5) I’m beginning to think that Jewel64 is right and Johnny was only winking at that Evan/Tanith relationship, which rang phony from the start, and not Evan’s sexuality. His earier hand gesture was also more a “shoo, go away” than a “he’s a homo” gesture….
but what does it say about Evan that we right away jumped to that conclusion!?!
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Johnny’s official statements to the press — from ESPN to this site — is that he doesn’t want to talk about his sexuality.
That is not out.
Letting Joy Behar and others talk about the “too gay” slur and responding “it’s figure skating” is not being out. Refusing to acknowledge it is not being out.
The way Ziegler and Afterelton fawn over this guy is pathetic.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 7:32 PM
Did anyone ever stop to think that maybe Evan’s relationship with Tanith really WAS real, and he’s really NOT gay, and Weir might just be a jealous LIAR trying to insinuate things that aren’t true?
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 9:23 PM
I think it was just a little joke… I like both Johnny and Evan, and this won’t change my perception of either of them. So they don’t get along. Why is this really important again?
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 9:58 PM
Why are we calling Johnny things such as a lair, a dirtbag, a jerk ect. Okay he said something a small bit catty, but I didn’t think he instituted ANYTHING. I don’t get it at all. People say catty things all. the. f*cking. time. and Johnny saying something slightly catty is somehow worse than anybody else saying something? Really guys. I honestly like Johnny better when he was out of the medias eye, and people didn’t really care if he said something that was the smallest bit catty.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:03 PM
Evan Lysacek has been rewarded for years by the US Skating Federation, and by the Powers That Be in paid skating like Scott Hamilton, for promoting himself as the Great Heterosexual Hope of US men’s skating. Because he talked publically about his “hot girlfriend” and how very embarrassed he is by all the sequins in skating and how HE wants to portray men’s skaters as “masculine”, he has been given medals he did not earn (both by having his scores hugely inflated and by USFS fixing competitions like this year’s Skate America, where they refused to invite any top US or international skaters at all to compete against Evan so that he would be ensured the gold medal), has been rewarded with a full-time gig with Hamilton’s Stars on Ice tour while Johnny Weir cannot tour in the US at all, and has received many, many privileges not afforded to other US skaters like Weir who refused to participate in the false promotion of themselves as straight. So I have no sympathy whatsoever for Evan here. He is widely known to be gay in the skating community, but he sold out and betrayed the gay community in order to get rewards he didn’t earn. I hope Weir keeps mocking him.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:12 PM
I wish Weir would come out officially, but I can’t blame him too much when you consider how discriminatory and homophobic the skating world is. It is a sad joke that Weir is not even allowed to perform with the only US skating tour left, Stars on Ice, because he is too obviously gay (we can all thank the homophobic Scott Hamilton and good old Smuckers, that “family values” corporate sponsor, for that). The only thing sadder was his being put in sixth place at the Olympics after two beautiful performances that were at least the equal of those of the gold medal winner, Lysacek, who is so very favored by the skating community and fawned over by the mainstream media as the “masculine, athletic one” simply because he claims to be heterosexual. Skaters who made huge mistakes, like Patrick Chan and Stephane Lambiel, were even put ahead of Weir, who the judges and the USFS didn’t want detracting from their supposedly straight golden boy Lysacek. If Lysacek’s public hetero persona is fake, and I believe it is, he should indeed be outed. He has happily benefited from bigotry and homophobia for years with his hetero act.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:37 PM
So, first people think it’s okay to spread their opinions about Weirs sexuality all over the internet and airwaves, even though he (as so many of you have complained) has never officially come out, and then you berate him when he insinuates his own opinion about Lysaceks sexuality, when he also has not come out, but appears, to me at least, as gay as Weir does.
There’s this term the kids are using these day, it’s “haters”. get over it. if you don’t like Johnny Weir, ignore him. He will eventually go away.
Lysacek is no angel, he and Weir have been playing this game, petty as it may seem, for years.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:40 PM
I don’t actually sympathize with either of these two. Lysacek is a sellout of a gay boy who took the easy route with his fake girlfriend and his “I want to bring masculinity to my sport” crap in order to get corporate endorsements and the frantic support of an American skating community that is terrified of its own gay reputation. Weir gets off on laughing in the face of that community with his flamboyance (and he paid for it with an unearned sixth place finish at the Olympics, no endorsements and no job with Stars on Ice), but why won’t he acknowledge publicly that he is gay? He isn’t any better than Lysacek in my opinion, as long as he keeps being coy about his homosexuality. Both of these guys need to grow up, grow a pair and represent.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 10:57 PM
johny is gay and stupid and his skating sucks. evan is funny and straight and his skating rules.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 11:08 PM
Tee-hee, brady, that was my laugh for the day! ‘Evan is funny and straight’, LOL. The boy is gayer than Ricky Martin and has the personality of rice pudding. His skating is good, but not great, and certainly not deserving of all the medals he has been handed.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 11:10 PM
LOL, brady, I haven’t laughed that hard in months. “Evan is funny and straight”, ROFL! Sorry, honey, that boy is gayer than Ricky Martin and has all the personality of a rice pudding. His skating is good but not great and certainly not deserving of the medals he has been handed.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 11:26 PM
it’s past your bedtime, brady.
on Apr 1st, 2010 at 11:55 PM
Druggybear the 6th place that Adam Rippon took indicates he is up in coming. The 6th place an establish skater takes is not viewed in the same way. It seems you are the only one who could not connect the dots. If the New York Yankees take 6th places it is not viewed in the same manner as Kansas City (if you are ranking them from 1–30). Do think Jerry Jones would be happy with 6th place? But Cincinatti might.
As to hating Johnny I think, to quote Arnie he needs to grow a pair. If you are going to be catty as Maria and others pointed out then you got to man up when people call you on it.
I have been to 7 Olympics and many, many Nationals (and no one should have to sit through Ice Dance pre-lims). One think you learn with skating is what you have to do to win. I got to know Elaine Zayak’s family in Sarajevo and saw first hand what it is like when you are considered the outcast. Mark Mitchell came in third and was considered a feminine skater and his spot was given to Todd Eldridge. Timothy Gobbles would cry and was seen carrying a teddy bear on camera at National, not the image the USFSA wants shown on TV. Brian Botano is rumored to be gay but he played the game the way the USFSA wanted. We all know how Rudy Galindo was treated when he skated. Thank goodness for San Jose. The home town crowd would have killed the judges. I got to know Rudy’s mother. No question he was viewed an outcast. So what does this all mean? Either play by THEIR RULES or you will be the next Mark Mitchell.
The USFSA is littered with men who haven’t played by their rules. But what time and experience shows you in skating is it is THEIR RULES. The USFSA is like the Republican Party. You are not going to change them. Johnny knows this. This is part of why I think deep down inside he know this is it. He didn’t go to World’s because in the few days it’s baseball season and NBA playoffs. No one is going to care about a 6th place skater. He knows he has to milk it for all its worth. He has to hope Evan stays on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ because the press will always go to Johnny for his vitriol. I doubt Johnny will be at National next year. Too many burn bridges. Even Johnnys not that dumb.
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 5:09 AM
Uh, ok maybe you are right Dawson (or maybe my head is way too fuzzy right now), cuz I still don’t get why Johnny’s 6th place Olympic finish is something to be mocked or demeaned. He was 2nd among American males, well ahead of Jeremy Abbott, who flamed out spectacularly. Rippon didn’t even qualify! Johnny did qualify, skated beautifully, finished 6th in a field of 24 and is widely considered to have been under-scored, seeing as how he didn’t fall on his ass like a few guys who finished ahead of him.
But then again, Johnny is teh New York Yankees, errr, or something….
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 7:47 AM
@ Helen:
It’s hard to ignore him when every time you turn around, he’s trolling for publicity… AGAIN.
As for when he goes away… Hopefully soon? Please?
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 8:29 AM
I agree with Jewel 64 and Rick K. Although you would like Johnny to officially “come out” I think he might as well hang up his skates if he did. The USFS would probably make things even harder for him then they already have. He seems to be as far “out” as he possibly can be without saying it. I like that.
Evan on the other hand is a complete fake. All these stories of girlfriends are obviously made up by some PR campaign. Did anyone else notice when Evans name was mentioned during the olympics they always said “It is rumored he is dating this figure skater”. That never happened with any other athlete. I don’t care who he sleeps with but I don’t like dishonesty shoved down my throat!
I think Johnny was making fun of the whole PR game not necessarily Evan. I think the irony of the whole situation is laughable, the USFS cannot even embrace their own athletes they have to make them into something they are not. And why? It does not matter how masculine the athletes are, most straight men will not watch. Why not please the audience you have?
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 8:49 AM
I do believe both Weir and Evan are gay. The first time I ever saw Evan, I thought, “Oh – he is gay….yes…. so?” No problem! Compare Plushenko with these two guys – HE is straight! Very masculine!
Why does it matter so much, who a person is sleeping with or not?! This IS the year 2010 – not the middleage! Wake up world!
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 9:10 AM
Brady, watch Be Good Johnny Weir then come back to me on the funny part. From what I’ve seen Evan is not funny. Watch Johnny’s show, he’s hilarious.
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 12:28 PM
That was hilarious! He was great on Chelsea lately. He is so funny! It was a joke. It’s a show on E. Some people have no sense of humor!
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 PM
Johnny is a riot! He was sooo funny on Chelsea Lately!
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 12:37 PM
You go Johnny! Ignore the haters. Johnny does not need to out himself. He was never in. Look at him. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks and enjoys life. He didn’t do anything wrong.
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 1:17 PM
I have nothing but contempt for US Figure Skating and their pathetic campaign to butch up men’s skating by shamelessly promoting Lysacek’s non-existent masculinity and fake girlfriend while all but disowning Weir for being so obviously gay and refusing to pretend otherwise. Had they supported Weir like they did Lysacek, both men would have been on the Olympic podium, and both would be able to tour in the US.
At the same time, I have to agree with Arnie. I am not willing to continue supporting Weir if he isn’t willing to openly declare his homosexuality. His refusal to do so plays into the very discrimination he claims to be so against; he behaves as if being gay is something too shameful to admit to, even while wanting the support of the gay community. He can’t have it both ways forever – either step up and acknowledge that you are one of us, Johnny, or don’t expect us to back you.
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 8:59 PM
It must suck to be this “DR” jagoff. “When did it become fun?” Uh, it’s ALWAYS been fun. If you don’t like it, busy yourself with something else; simple enough? Sheesh, what a grouch.
on Apr 2nd, 2010 at 9:50 PM
I can totally understand if Johnny is feeling a bit resentful. Evan IS gay, but he has gotten all the money, support from skating officials and judges and the job with SOI because he has sold out and pretended to be straight for years just to please the establishment. Johnny is no more effeminate than Evan is, but has been severely punished for not doing the whole fake heterosexuality act that the media loves (how many “masculine, all-American cowboy Evan vs. flamboyant, bitchy fairy Johnny” articles have we all seen through the years?).
Why would Johnny be eager to officially come out? It would make things even worse for him as a competitive skater with skating judges and a US Federation that make no bones about the fact that they want their male skaters to be seen as HETEROSEXUAL at all costs. What’s more, he routinely gets attacked by the LGBT community, so he probably figures there won’t be any support for him there. Remember Mark Lund, that over-the-top queen who went on Nancy Kerrigan’s show and mocked Johnny for being too gay “and not a representative of any community I want to be part of” while praising Lysacek’s masculinity? Or all the comments on gay sites about how Johnny just wants attention and is a joke. Why would anyone be eager to announce they are part of a community that isn’t exactly embracing them?
on Apr 3rd, 2010 at 7:46 AM
@Wayne:
It’s sad that people like you commend bitterness, sour grapes, and the intellectual and emotional maturity of fourteen year-old girls. It’s not funny, it’s quite pathetic.
on Apr 5th, 2010 at 4:08 PM
It is unbelievable that people here are still defending Weir. He outed a man that is either straight or has not out himself. It was wrong and for Weir’s own benefit only.
There is no other answer. There is not other response. If Weir can’t say that he is something, then why does he think his actions towards Lysacek valid? They are not.
Lysacek won. Weir did not. End of story. Winners get the rewards. Others do not. Bitter does not look good on Weir. His behavior is nothing less than offensive and now validates the Smuckers people.
Unbelievable.
on Apr 6th, 2010 at 5:00 AM
In the immortal paraphrase of Terrell Owens, I smell a couple of rats.
on Apr 6th, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Did some of you even watch the clip? Weir didn’t out Lysacek, he winked when she said Tanith was Evan’s “ex-girlfriend.” He clarified that by saying “his friend.” People want to think Johnny outed Evan…then they can rant and rave…see examples above.
on Apr 6th, 2010 at 5:54 PM
If anyone has seen his interviews, he is not denying the fact that he is gay. It’s obvious! He just doesn’t think he has to say it. If anyone is confused on whether Johnny is gay they are idiots. I watched the whole clip and it is obvious he is not outing anyone and just playing around. Must have been a slow news day if people are trying to make a big deal out of it and make it negative.
on Apr 6th, 2010 at 5:59 PM
There is nothing Johnny could do to validate homophobia by Smuckers. That’s like saying your too black so they are allowed to be racist. Lets use some common sense shall we. Your ignorance is showing.
on Apr 6th, 2010 at 10:33 PM
Evan owns an Olympic gold medal and Johnny doesn’t. ‘Nuff said.
on Apr 6th, 2010 at 11:29 PM
Bubba, don’t be an idiot. Weir winking at Lysacek’s “girlfriend” does NOT “validate” a longstanding tradition of homophobia by Smuckers and Scott Hamilton in disallowing openly gay men from performing with Stars on Ice. Sheesh.
As others have pointed out, Weir did not “out” Lysacek at all. But Lysacek has spent years benefiting from his fake heterosexuality, much of it at Weir’s expense. The very fact that Lysacek now has an Olympic gold medal even though he skated no better than Weir at the Olympics is testament to how much Lysacek has benefited from the support of the politicking US Skating Federation, which has been very open for the past few years about their preference for promoting “masculine Evan” over an obviously gay Weir.
It was right about the time Evan started “dating” hot Tanith Belbin, and started telling the media how embarrassed he was by the feminine costumes of skating and how he wanted to be the one to make the sport masculine and how he is a “very different person, obviously” than (snicker) Weir that USFS tossed Weir aside and threw all of their support behind their newly-crowned Heterosexual Golden Boy, Lysacek. They even put Lysacek on the cover of the promotional material, both print and online, before 2007 Nationals while completely omitting any mention of Weir, who was then the REIGNING THREE-TIME champ. When the media questioned why, USFS tersely said they just “forgot” Weir and refused to comment further. No surprise Lysacek became the new National Champ that year.
No sympathy for Lysacek here. He has all the spoils and all the money, but he sold his soul to get it. At least Johnny refused to give in to the pressure to be a fake hetero just to get USFS’ support in the very political “sport” of figure skating. He has paid dearly for it, but he stayed true to himself. Lysacek sold out his own gay brethren to get that shiny gold medal around his neck and those starring roles on DWTS and Stars on Ice.
on Apr 7th, 2010 at 10:28 PM
This whole story is absurd. Weir didn’t “out” Lysacek at all.
Lysacek and Weir both skated nearly flawlessly at the Olympics, and both had the same level of difficulty in their programs. But Lysacek has the gold medal forever while Weir has to live with sixth place, all because of the rampant homophobia in the skating world. It’s sad that even the gay community cannot cohesively get behind Weir, but typical – we never seem to support gay men who are discriminated against without all the “he just wants attention, he doesn’t represent ME, I’m glad he didn’t succeed” cattiness.
Pathetic.
on Apr 8th, 2010 at 8:42 AM
I wonder why he was underscored. I don’t think it’s because of homophobia in the skating community or in the USFSA, because if that was all it was, he wouldn’t have won the US Championships between 2004-2006 and been held up to place 5th at the Torino Olympics in 2006 despite very low technical scores in the free skate back then.
He has always been a “from the inside out” artist–someone who pulls you in rather than projecting out. But at the same time he likes the celebrity lifestyle, appearances, fashion, makeup, started saying he was old at 23, etc, and whatever profound feelings he tries to draw you into on the ice are maybe a bit less credible. It’s not femininity, it’s flippancy. He’s not acting feminine but caricaturing the most negative aspect of the female stereotype–that it’s all about materialism, makeup, appearance, and preserving youth. I’m not sure where the artistic idea is supposed to be there.
When he skated to The Swan in Torino, commentators called him one of the best artists to emerge, with one of the most beautiful programs of all time. He was placed second to Plushenko in the short program. Things did change since 2006, but I think what changed was Weir himself, not the skating community. Possibly both, each reacting to the other.
on Apr 8th, 2010 at 4:03 PM
This is amazing. If a straight person did what weir did at the handler interview people would be screaming their heads off
I can’t even believe the deification of weir that is happening in our community. I am angry that his behavior is being defended.
Do I think there were gay slurs against Weir? Absolutely. And that make what he did even worse. A chuckle or a wink, it is the same.
He smells of hypocrisy.
on Apr 9th, 2010 at 6:05 PM
Evan trained non-stop and won the Olympics which, as everyone knows, is the ticket to endorsements, and other opportunities. Johnny Weir lost. Did not train hard enough – it was obvious. As far as “acknowledging his sexual orientation,” what successful person in the business world does not have to conform to the requirements of the job. If Evan Lysacek elects to downplay his sexual orientation (even if he is gay – not a given) in favor of his future financial security, I do not believe there is any successful professional who reads this who will not understand. He is not openly campaigning for any side of the issue and not “parading” any girlfriends around anywhere, except the occasional public appearance. All in all regardless of his actual leanings, he is very savvy and very marketable, and, after all, playing the game is what everyone eventually has to do in the grown up world. He seems very mature to me.
on Apr 9th, 2010 at 8:26 PM
Weir is so in the self-deluded closet himself I have no interest in his take on anyone else’s sexuality.
on Apr 14th, 2010 at 7:49 PM
mab, did you actually WATCH the Olympics? Weir skated just as well as Lysacek and with just as difficult programs. Lysacek got the gold and Weir got shafted only because of politics, nothing more. Weir trains exremely hard and has better skating basics than Lysacek any day.
I find it really sad and obnoxious that you and others laud Lysacek for his fake “straight guy” act and say he is “playing the game the right way and deserves to be rewarded for it. My God, I guess you think all gays should stay in the closet in order to please the people in power, who don’t want any icky homosexuality around. That’s not “mature” thinking, it’s backward, cowardly, homophobic thinking.
on Apr 14th, 2010 at 9:02 PM
And if Weir openly announces that he is gay, are those of you who are attacking him for not doing so going to start supporting him? Of course not. You’ll just sneer at him for not doing it earlier or declare that he acts too gay and so doesn’t represent YOU or something else that allows you to keep attacking him.
It’s no wonder so many gay men in the public eye stay in the closet. They know that if they come out, they will face just as many attacks from the gay community as the straight one.
on Apr 15th, 2010 at 6:31 PM
who cares again?
on Apr 16th, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Chris, at 23 Weir WAS becoming “old”–for the skating world. He doesn’t mean it in the general chronological sense. But in a number of sports, past your teens and very early twenties, you’re old. Gymnastics is another of those sports, unless things have changed.
on Apr 17th, 2010 at 7:53 PM
Dawson,
What flamin planet are you living on?? Did you even WATCH the Olympic competition this year?? Johnny was HORRIBLY underscored by the narrow minded judges who basically run the sport, Mafia style. Evan, the poster child for the ‘straight’ and narrow, albeit a VERY good skater and a personal favourite of mine, was propped up by the international panel. What about Plushenko? His scores were fair, but Evan got props in the short program. Fair being fair, Johnny should have at LEAST won bronze, yet he placed a dissappointing SIXTH behind guys that fell, stumbled and generally screwed up their programs (I’m NOT talking about Evan and Evgeni), but the numbers 3, 4 and 5 skaters.
And just WHY do you think that is? Johnny skated 2 of the most powerful, perfect programs of his entire career…pity he’s gay. Seriously. As a straight watching this, I was apalled by Johnny’s marks. So, if you think Johnny’s behavior NOW will make the judging harder for him, you’re seriously out of date. It already HAS. Why do you think he withdrew from Worlds? Because the skating establishment will never accept an “openly” gay champion, and that is just plain pathetic. They stole his fire..his drive to skate competitively. I mean, there is only so much being bashed when you’ve done your best that a man..any man..can take. He said he just could not compete without the drive that propelled him so far in his sport, before he was beaten down one time too often. (The Olympics was the final straw..for now, I hope.)
They adored Johnny when he was in the closet and winning. Give him the power of being a strong gay man with a stronger identity, and the powers that be run scared.
So, my point is, Johnny has been ‘secretly’ discriminated against for a couple of years now..and as figure skating is a “judged” sport, and is very subjective, the judges can do as they please. And they get away with it. Just like in Vancouver. As for the things he says and does NOW..they won’t make things any better in the world of competitive skating, but they certainly cannot make things any worse than being robbed of an Olympic medal-of any colour. I guess by now, he just feels like “What the f–k? Might as well say what I think..” And I don’t blame him.
Evan, by the way, is a real sweetheart of a guy, as is Johnny, btw. Adore them both.
And I just wondered why alot of you are getting upset at Johnny for not proclaiming his gay-ness. Honey, he doesn’t HAVE to. If you haven’t noticed, everything about Johnny Weir SCREAMS “gay”. Why state the obvious?? Sounds a bit pretentious and redundant to me. I guess he’s better than the guy who lives like a straight guy, all the while living on the DL with his boyfriend.
Johnny’s honesty may not be thrown out in words..better, it’s displayed for all to see, no skeletons, in his actions.
And, while I don’t condone what he said during the Chelsea lately broadcast, I must admit..I laughed.
Thanks to all who even bothered to read this. If anyone out there can help me understand your mindset, which is decidedly different than my own as an outsider looking in, I’d welcome the feedback.
on Apr 18th, 2010 at 11:27 PM
I read all of the posts. I have been following skating since I was small. I watched all of the olympics and every moment of figure skating, for many, many olympics, as well as the nationals, worlds, etc. If I had my choice, Johnny Weir would have definitely medaled. Probably bronze. He is a highly takented, artistic skater who has won many championships, but did not tailor his performance to the judging. Plushenko’s free skate was actually a rather sad performance, with many jumps being landed off-balance, one actually leaning backwards. By the end, he was tired, and all the difficulty was in the beginning. He was apparently counting on the “quad” to pull him through. That, unfortunately, was not the way it was scored. Whichever skaters conformed their performance to the scoring system prevailed. That is what Evan Lysacek did best. He raised his stamina and skated a performance with consistent degree of difficulty from start to finish, thereby raising his score. This was what the judges were looking for. Whether or not the TV audience was “looking” for this, is of no relevance. As far as who is or is not “out” I do not think that it is necessary for Johnny Weir or Evan Lysacek to publicly comment about their sexual orientation unless they themselves choose to do so. Period.
on Apr 19th, 2010 at 1:07 AM
Does it really matter if Evan is gay or straight? Why would it matter and what difference would it make? Why not just appreciate his talent and enjoy the fact that he’s an Olympic Gold Medal skater and let him live his life with whomever he chooses.
on Apr 25th, 2010 at 10:05 PM
I highly doubt Evan is gay. If he was, these women wouldn’t publicly agree to dating him,post pictures of them with him on their sights, goon over him, etc. I don’t understand why people think he’s gay. I admire Evan and his skating greatly, and I doubt he’s gay….. gay men are not hot like he is. As for Johnny, I’ve always liked him and his skating, but he almost shows off his homosexuality without admitting to it. I think he’s trying to make people think Evan is gay to get attention off him. If Johnny wants people to think he’s not gay, he should say he isn’t. Furthermore, Evan’s facebook says he’s straight.
on Apr 27th, 2010 at 12:02 PM
Like my screen name indicates “anonymous” I choose to stay that way. I was a competative male skater for the USFSA, and throughout my skating carreer I too was scored poorely (under the old scoring system) because my routines were too “feminine”. I was encouraged to compete as a couples skater If I wanted any chance at the olypmics, so that my image as “straight” would be believable. I did, & wasnt happy. Wanted to do my type of skating my way, feminine or not it is figure skating were grace and poise are key. How can you not look feminine and be gracefull. Shame on the USFSA for not condoning Homosexuality when a great percentage of there revenue and FANS are gay! They sure like the money they make from the gays, don’t they. But yet shun them for being out. I have trained with many A-list skaters who are in fact gay but have to hide it. Even those with supposed “wifes” . It is a game and if you had the opportunity to make millions and secure your future wouldn’t you. I choose the path of enlitenment and knew I could not live a lie, even for the money. I have a little more personal and artistic intergrity. I know Evan personally & is a wonderfull person inside and out! He has priorities and goals he has set for himself and has achieved them. It’s irelevant what his sexual orientation is. So stop trying to figure it out.. Enjoy his style of Artistry and skating, not his personal life. That’s his business. Yes johhny is quite queer and A little immature, also a brilliant skater (he is 23 after all). kuddos for sticking to his guns and breaking the “rules” of skating and having artistic integrity. both very different skaters and both equally brilliant in there own ways. It’s unforunate that society and the USFSA cant handle the gay’s in this day and age. Hopefully Johnny’s quest to be himself will somehow open doors and opportunity’s for other skaters. He apparently has been damned.. what a shame. For now I quess we have to stick to our own “GAy Olympics” until society accepts us into mainstream Events.. why does there have to be a “GAY” Olympics. An athlete is an athlete no matter what they do behind closed doors!
on Apr 28th, 2010 at 11:06 AM
@Triple Axel
“They adored Johnny when he was in the closet and winning.”
Uh, when was Johnny ever remotely “in the closet?”
He’s been prancing around and pinging everyone’s gaydar since the first time he’s skated publicly. To say that the judges have ever considered Flaming Johnny anything other than gay is pretty disingenuous. And sadly, people buying into his very-calculated “it’s because I’m gay” pre- and post-Olympic pity-party are giving him what he wants…some kind of justification for not getting what he wants.
Johnny, and his fans, can’t seem to accept that Evan became a better skater, so the most convenient reasoning for it, certainly can’t be the fact that he’s just not as good as Evan…. NOOOOO…. it must be this “sudden” realization that Johnny’s gay.
Please.
There’s no doubt in my mind, that as Princess Johnny slowly started to realize he couldn’t keep up with Evan, he needed pre-emptive excuses, like all big-ego’d athletes, so he cranked the prancing up into pink-high-gear, to try his hardest to link any unfavorable outcome to that blatant gayness…the very gayness he just can’t seem to come right out and admit to.
I agree with those who say he wants it both ways. Wants to use his gayness as a reason he doesn’t get medals, doesn’t get shows, doesn’t get endorsements, etc…but at the same time claims he doesn’t have to utter the words “I’m gay.” And the reason he hasn’t uttered those obvious words are for the same reason he’s condemning Evan, the “marketability” game. Sorry, Princess, you have to pick a lane.
That said, I think Johnny’s an excellent skater. I think he got absolutely screwed at the Olympics landing behind Lambiel and Chan. On the merits of his skating, he should have had a bronze, 4th at worst. But poor judging and placement is nothing new in figure skating…just ask Sale and Pelletier, Torval and Dean (or any non-russian ice dancing team until 2003) or Elvis Stojko (who got screwed at the 94 games). Were all those questionable results because of homophobia, too?
Also, I’m a bit disappointed in Evan, too. I thought he handled bitter Plushenko’s comments with a lot of grace, when Plushenko whined about not getting the gold, that he absolutely didn’t deserve. So to hear Evan say Johnny’s not good enough for SOI is way off the mark, and catty as well. I agree that Johnny comes off as whiney, and all his little spotlight-seeking-flame-fests haven’t made things any better, but Evan should have exhibited the same restraint and grace when discussing Johnny’s comments. Hopefully he’ll just stop discussing anything to do with Weir, and stop giving the little Princess any attention he so desperately needs.
In short, Evan is wrong to say Johnny’s not good enough for SOI (because Johnny clearly is) and petty in the way he said it. But it absolutely pales in comparison to Johnny’s tired and histrionic hypocrisy.
on May 2nd, 2010 at 12:07 AM
Sorry, but I’m not understanding Johnny’s obession with outing Evan when he can’t out himself. Dresses like a clown, acts like a Queen, then expects that he will be respected and wanted to be representative of a sport that some unfairly think is composed of nothing but feminine gay men. Gayness is not welcomed in any sport, so while very unfair, Johnny needs to shut up and live his life as he chooses. The consequences he suffers are of his own doing.
Why he wants to try to ruin Evan’s post Olympic glory is beyond comprehension. Even if Evan is in the closet, and I don’t give a damn if he is, now is his time to have fun and cash in on sponsor and other kind of offers. He has worked his ass off for years, and his work ethic and professionalism make him attractive fodder for all kinds of offers. Additionally, he is very physically attractive (to many at least), and that counts with people like Ralph Lauren. Johnny sponsored by Ralph Lauren??? Give me a break. Never will happen,
Johnny needs to be supportive of what’s going on in American skating right now. He seems more interested in destroying other skaters and boasting of how comfortable he is in his own alternative skin. If his behavior towards Evan is an example of how comfortable he is includesbeing mean and vile, than he needs some therapy.
Many successful men remain in the closet because of society’s homophoba. It’s sad that is necessary, but it is. If Evan needs to come out of the closet, he surely will not do it now, and Johnny has no reason to be concerned about the issue. Evan plays by the judges’ rules because he wants to win. What is wrong with that? Johnny is a beautiful artistic skater. His behavior off the ice is transferring to poor scoring, lack of sponsorship, etc. He has to decide what is more important. And he needs to keep his nose out of other people’s business. At least Evan doesn’t prance around with a designer handbag and dead animals hanging from his body.
Evan’s comment regarding his thoughts why SOI doesn’t invite Johnny to partipate should have been a “no comment”. But he’s exhausted by his overwhelming schedule and a concussion (having a bad one myself, I know it takes awhile for judgment and cognition to return). He probably could have said much worse, but was fed up with the Princess’s inappropriate comments over the years, and he couldn’t withhold something snide in return. Maybe we should ask the same question of all the other performers in the show. I don’t think he’s wanted by anyone. Michael Weiss? Sasha Cohen? And definitely not Smuckers. Even if homophobia played into their decision, and they aren’t going to admit it if it was), there were obviously other reasons. They want “all-American, boy/girl next door” types. Johnny gets F- in that regards.
So do your thing Johnny. Many people admire his willingness to do so, but be prepared to suffer the consequences (and he wonders why people stay closeted?).
on May 11th, 2010 at 11:00 AM
Well here’s a thought…
I’m wondering how someone (Mr Weir) can spend so much time and effort defending people’s right to be “themselves”, even if this is not “mainstream” or in line with most people’s expectations and yet… Apparently he will be a “judge” at Miss USA 2010. Ah, because beauty pageants are SUCH healthy forums for promoting let’s see, um, healthy body image, female empowerment, alternate images of women to Barbie cut-out cover girls, women with such semblence of intellegence. Good grief, this has to be one of his more stupid decisions. Let’s go and celebrate a nation/international stereotype. This is about as far from his supposed ideals as I ever thought he would slide. And for all that he bangs on about it being time to break down stereotypes of men and masculinity…
Clearly it’s OK to reinforce female stereotypes however…
Mortified. Amazed. Horrified.
on May 11th, 2010 at 9:26 PM
Why are gay men so desperate for attention and validation? Be men and choke it down.
on May 21st, 2010 at 7:14 PM
Thanks, Jewel, for the long comment. It clarified a lot of things for me. I want to disagree with those who think Evan is a better skater than Johnny. It is true that in the Olympics Evan executed programs of a greater of difficulty and he may be a better skater technically, but it is no accident that Johnny was the only skater to receive a standing ovation from the audience. He skates with far more artistry than Evan (or that doltish Russian). He is a major talent, though it may be that he does not play the “game” well and that he will never receive the recognition he deserves as a skater because of his “effeminacy.” In any case, in my subjective opinion he is a great pleasure to watch on the ice, while Evan is not.
on Aug 7th, 2010 at 11:53 PM
Johnny Weir was grossly underscored in the 2010 Games. It was so obvious that it can’t even be questioned…assuming a person knows anything about FS.
Yeah, Evan is one classy dude:
http://gendertestthis.wordpress.com/2010/08/07/olympic-gold-medalist-shows-his-true-colors/
on Jan 22nd, 2011 at 10:37 PM
Whatever, I just want more nude photos of Evan.
on Mar 5th, 2011 at 1:24 AM
Outing gay celebrities who don’t wish to come out is a form of homophobia. Please show more respect.