I’ve noticed over the last month that the No. 1 search question leading people to our blog is whether figure skater Evan Lysacek is gay. Over the last 30 days, five of the top 15 search terms leading people to Outsports have involved Lysacek: evan lysacek gay (2), is evan lysacek gay (5), evan lysacek (6), evan lysacek gay? (11), is evan lysacek gay? (15). Others showing up: evan lysacek is he gay, lysacek gay, is evan lysachek gay, evan lysacek pretending to be straight, evan lysacek gay or straight, and so on and so on….
So whether Lysacek is straight or bisexual or a closeted gay man, I can understand why he’d get a little bitchy that his nemesis, Johnny Weir, would hint something about Lysacek’s sexual orientation (by the way, search terms for Johnny Weir being gay do not show up in the top 50 search terms for Outsports, but the search term “Johnny Weir” is No. 1). Still, for Lysacek to tell Us magazine this week that being called gay is “hurtful” is a bit much for me to take. His quote after the jump.
Since the Olympics, I’ve dealt with Johnny’s questioning my integrity and sexuality, and I’ve never spoken out on my own behalf no matter how hurtful those things may have been. I should have known better. Best wishes and congratulations to Johnny as he opens the new season of Ice Theatre of New York. I wish him well in all of his future endeavors.
Somebody obviously showed Lysacek the really bad press his nasty, false comment got him.
Some people wonder why so many gay men like Weir and loathe Lysacek. The comment above is a great example. You never hear Weir say being called gay is “hurtful.” You never see Weir lash out at someone because they intimated that he’s gay or bisexual or straight or transgender. Lysacek, on the other hand, seems to handle it with anger. It seems to be his honest, natural reaction, but I think that’s what a lot of gay men and women respond to. Not all, but a lot.
I do wish I had some magical power to get these two in a room, sit them down, and make them talk through all of their mutual angst. It sucks to see two talented athletes drag each other into a cat fight like this. If that conversation ever happens, charging admission could set them both financially for life.
Where is Celebrity Deathmatch when you need it?
Hat tips to Aaron S. and Towleroad.
on May 4th, 2010 at 3:23 PM
To add a little fuel to your argument, Evan was given his first perfect score on “Dancing With the Stars” last night for his “manly” tango where he was finally able to rid himself of his “lyrical arms.” Basically, he was rewarded on television’s number one show for passing as straight. The monotone covering up any potential vocal femme flames was in full effect. However, there was a glimpse of the real Evan when he almost got all girl friendly with Neicey Nash in the group dance rehearsals.
on May 4th, 2010 at 5:49 PM
I think this is a rather ungenerous reading of Evan’s comments.
None of us would have wanted to be thrown out of our closets, back in the day. Hopefully, we were each able to navigate that tricky transition on our own terms. Assuming Evan is gay, he’s definitely in the closet … and either Weir is privy to that fact — and his statements were violations of a trust ( hurtful, no? ); or Weir is speculating about a colleague’s very private life in a very public way — for his own pleasure/advancement ( also hurtful, no? ).
on May 4th, 2010 at 7:32 PM
Evan queens out on ‘DWTS’ all the time, who does he think he’s fooling?
to be closeted is to be miserable, you live a lie every day and it eats away at you. I hope that getting the love of the blue-hairs in mid-America and faking it for Scott Hamilton and co. are worth it for him….
on May 4th, 2010 at 8:00 PM
I have to say, I agree with this bit:
“I do wish I had some magical power to get these two in a room, sit them down, and make them talk through all of their mutual angst.”
I wish it too. It’s very hard work being a fan of both of them right now. D:
on May 4th, 2010 at 8:07 PM
It is hurtful to be dragged out of the closet when you are not ready by someone who you once maybe considered a friend. If he is in the closet and is not legitimately straight. WHAT ABOUT THAT DON’T YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. No one has the right to drag people out of the closet. What is this PEREZ? Wtf?
on May 4th, 2010 at 8:11 PM
Gayblogs are starting to make me legitimately angry because of this issue. Making it seem like everyone has to come out or face the firing squad and I think that this is part of the negative spin you put on his statements. It happened the same way with that guy from White Collar. They dragged him through the mud because he wouldn’t talk about his private life. Gayblogs are vile when it comes to this kind of thing worse than even straight press.
on May 4th, 2010 at 8:25 PM
Johnny could go in on Evan much more than he does. Evan is constantly digging at Johnny for being so “flamboyant” and how his skating is much more masculine in contrast.. So it’s not like Evan is this poor innocent closet-case. He basically makes fun of Johnny for being gay.
I agree Evan is constantly queening out on DWTS. But it surprises me how clueless straight people are. Especially ladies that watch these shows. Lots of women still think Anderson Cooper and Zach Quinto are straight.
on May 4th, 2010 at 9:06 PM
Johnny’s interview with Chelsea Handler was blown way out of proportion. In hindsight, winking was a miscalculation, but based on his body language during the interview and what I know of his personal politics, I suspect it was more an effort to navigate an uncomfortable interview – to be coy, like always, and to change the line of question. He shouldn’t have done it, but I don’t think that he intended to throw Evan out of the closet or to imply anything that might conflict with his carefully constructed image. Intention aside, I also don’t think the interview even had that effect or really significantly changed how anyone thinks about Evan. Johnny addressed the issue, by the way.
I also doubt, as a commenter suggested above, that Evan has revealed any personal information with Johnny Weir and that Johnny’s wink represented a betrayal of trust – the two men have been rivals since they started competing as Juniors, and though they used to at least be cordial with one another, they were never friends. That has been made clear by both men. Evan has made insinuations about Johnny’s sexuality for years, has been underhanded and condescending about Johnny’s unconventional sense of masculinity, and has worked hard to strike himself as Johnny’s complete opposite. His entire media image revolves around being more “masculine” and “heterosexual” than Johnny Weir — coming straight from the USFSA. One of the main reasons Johnny has had so many problems with the USFSA is because he refused to butch himself up to make figure skating less gay, or whatever. Evan sold his soul to the federation, and it worked out wonderfully for him.
Do I respect Evan Lysacek? Not one bit. I remember what it felt like to be trapped in the closet, terrified that someone would discover or out me. And I understand that acting more “straight” than Johnny has had seriously positive effects on his career – undivided support from the USFSA, endorsements, tours. But the way he handles himself with regards to sexuality? Unnecessary. The way he lashed out on Johnny – apparently, by his own account, in response to that wink – suggests to me that any kind of affront to his sexuality is THE WORST THING OF ALL TIME, which… maybe he’s just incredibly self-loathing, but he is in the public, and he has a responsibility not to, you know, imply that being gay is the worst thing ever. My sympathy for him only extends to a point.
on May 4th, 2010 at 9:11 PM
I do respect Evan Lysacek a great deal. He worked so hard to win that Olympic gold medal. I respect that immensely. Most people won’t work that hard to get what they want. I respect him as an athlete and as a person.
I don’t think he has to come out of the closet, if he is in fact gay. No one here is dragging him out. But people are seeing him on DWTS and then going online to see if he’s gay. That is happening. It was his choice to do DWTS – he didn’t have to. And I think his actions and mannerisms on that show are valid points of conversation.
on May 4th, 2010 at 9:32 PM
Your saying Johnny’s wink was blown out of proportion, I think your blowing Evan’s statement out of proportion. That statement could be read two ways and you guys are reading it the most negative way possible. Anything he does will be seen a negative light because he’s not out or a self-hating gay man. This is the trend on most of the gay blogs now. Vilify anyone not out of the closet.
on May 4th, 2010 at 10:42 PM
For the people saying Evan’s statement was taken out of context and he wasn’t implying being called gay in itself was such an awful hurtful thing. If this was in fact a singular comment made by Evan your theory would hold more weight, the fact that when you look at the history of this situation you see that Evan has on many occasions made snide comments and digs at Johnny about his sexuality and him being too flamboyant and sparkly and not manly enough on the ice tells another story.
He has constantly played into the fact that Johnny being so flamboyant makes him a less talented and worthy skater than him, (who was on a mission to bring some kind of manliness’ back to the sport). He looks down his nose at Johnny and this was confirmed when he said Johnny was not considered good enough for SOI, completely disregarding all of the achievements Johnny has made throughout his career and bypassing the fact that what Johnny had responded to was the whole not being invited to SOI for not being ‘Family Friendly’ issue which was actually the question asked to Evan.
His then statement where he apologised for stating what he believes and still ignoring the whole ‘Family friendly’ issue, which was a serious one speaks volumes about where he is coming from. Also his latest comments to Movieline are really not helping his case, when asked about being compared to Johnny
“People I know really don’t compare us anymore, without sounding — [Laughs] — that’s a negative thing to say. We’re in two different worlds now”
Another underhand dig at Johnny who he thinks he is clearly so beneath him. Funnily enough it’s because his digs are so subtle people often don’t seem to get them.
Maybe it’s because like he said he lives in a bubble so does not have to deal with realities like discrimination or financial issues and as such is unable to empathise with people who do have to deal with these things on a daily basis. Or maybe he sees no problem with marginalising a whole community while making digs at Johnny and in turn believing he is reaffirming his masculinity, who knows! All I know is that now I have zero respect for him.
In saying of that I am so over the two of them digging at each other, they definitely need to go to some kind of couple/family therapy sessions to work through their issues. Idea for the next reality show!
on May 5th, 2010 at 12:09 AM
Sass, every comment made about the hating sequin was said about the sport in general not about Johnny.
People love to make everything Evan says about Johnny but it’s simply not true and a lie and I am tired of seeing it every time this discussion comes up.
If you can actually find a quote where he says Johnny is beneath him for liking sequin I will back you up but I simply believe it is not true.
People say it to make Evan look like a homo hater but it is really really stretching it in my opinion.
Johnny himself has said that he wanted to make his own programs more masculine as well. I guess he’s a homo hater too then if you are using that criteria.
on May 5th, 2010 at 5:26 AM
No preference used to be a legitimate category.
on May 5th, 2010 at 10:29 AM
Years ago Michangelo Signoreli and his group used to put up posters all over the city outing celebrities…Jodie Foster, Sherman Helmsley, Linda Ronstadt, John Travolta…people who were just living their lives, not hurting anyone. I just never got it. Celebrities don’t owe it to us to come out. If and when they do, kudos to them.
If Evan is gay and wants to live his life in the closet, who cares? Evan Lysachek being out and proud isn’t going to change anyone’s life other than his own. Are more young gay boys going to think it’s okay to become a figure skater because of Evan? Are they being scared away from skating because he’s not gay or at least out? You guys do all these great stories about out and proud college and high school athletes…let’s keep the focus on them and try to steer clear of all the Perez Hilton-type of innuendo. The obsession with his sexuality is beginning to border on insane.
on May 5th, 2010 at 10:36 AM
Technically Evan is the better skater (but in no way would I call this technique butch–hello?), but Johnny Weir is conceptually the better skater. He gets that it is a crowd pleasing performance with athleticism tossed in in great measure. He also becomes a character in ways few skaters, male or female, ever have.
Many male skaters are very bothered that the sport is perceived as very gay (Elvis Stoiko anyone?), but then there is the gay-at-first-glance Todd Eldridge who is a major first class pussy hound and is in great demand on any tour in which he appears because some of the ladies in the company get lonely. Being slim and graceful and in a girly sport doesn’t seem to bother Todd. Rudy Galindo said as much in an interview.
Let’s be candid, Evan does raise his own rainbow flag on Dancing With The Stars and whenever he opens his mouth a very stylish purse falls out.
As for the Stars on Ice tour being anti-gay and purses falling out of mouths, has anyone ever heard that cute Jeffrey Buttle speak? If he is straight then so is Johnny Weir.
on May 5th, 2010 at 12:25 PM
George, these are gay people masquerading as straight people. That hurts gay people. Good for Michaelangelo. We need more of that. I am 100% in favor of outing homosexuals pretending to be heterosexuals. There is nothing more homophobic than that.
Visibility is everything.
on May 5th, 2010 at 12:27 PM
“Lots of women still think Anderson Cooper and Zach Quinto are straight.”
Oy.
on May 5th, 2010 at 12:33 PM
“Evan Lysachek being out and proud isn’t going to change anyone’s life other than his own.”
Wrong on so many levels.
“Celebrities don’t owe it to us to come out.”
Yes they do.
“If and when they do, kudos to them. ”
Yet we have to read about George Clooney’s and Britney Spears’ love life?
You’re thinking is only because it makes you, and America uncomfortable…or maybe gay people, who are closeted, in America uncomfortable, not anybody else.
on May 5th, 2010 at 1:20 PM
I gotta agree w/ kyle. why shouldn’t we gossip on gay people’s love lives the same way we gossip about straight people’s love lives? so what if they are hiding what they are doing? celebs like A-Rod and Kate Hudson lie about who they are dating all the time, it doesn’t stop people from reporting on it. as much as I hate Perez Hilton I think his dragging out Lance Bass, Neil Patrick Harris, Meredith Baxter, etc. has done more good than harm.
Outsports should consider following his lead.
on May 5th, 2010 at 1:53 PM
We’ll comment on what is out there, but we’re not going to out anyone.
on May 5th, 2010 at 2:13 PM
First, outing someone who is not doing us harm is wrong. It is an emotional period and could result in people harming themselves. I am against it.
Second, I think Chelsea Handler answered all questions last night. Weir is lying about the editing of his interview on Lately to make it look like he was inferring Lysacek is gay even though Weir says he wasn’t. Lately put that to rest last night. And Weir comes out looking like a mean liar.
Third, We should out people like Rev. Rekers or Larry Craig. They try to destroy us while having an active gay life on the side.
And for the last time, flamboyant does not equal gay. I like football and college basketball. My family all watch Lacrosse on Memorial Day for the NCAA Championship. And I like musicals and to cook. Being gay does not even mean all that. It means that I fell in love with a man. That last night we had sex and even made love sometimes. It means that I want to commit my life to a man and be a family with him whatever we decide that to mean. It means I was born the way I am.
The idea that someone “queened” out or is flamboyant does not mean they are gay. And we above all should be better that.
on May 6th, 2010 at 7:32 AM
Well for what it’s worth, last night I saw Evan being interviewed by NBC sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak (an extremely hot woman I’d almost switch teams for) and he acted gayer than the steam room at the Y.
on May 6th, 2010 at 8:48 AM
THEY TALK ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION OF EVAN IS TO MY GREAT REGRET!!! EVAN IS TALENT, THE BEST SKATER OF THE WORLD , MORE THAN PLUSHENKO, JOHNNY ETC. THE GOLD MEDALIST OLIMPIC.
on May 6th, 2010 at 11:34 AM
Who cares? Have you watched Evan on DWTS? He has about as much personality as a tree stump.
on May 6th, 2010 at 11:52 AM
The best policy is to agree with what orientation a man says he is. It’s called respect.
on May 6th, 2010 at 10:28 PM
Ossurworld is the only one who has said something I agree with. The rest of you are just speculating. But I think gay blogs are going to continue to go after him like a dog with a bone even if he isn’t gay. It’s what they do now because they know it brings page views. Who cares if it’s tacky. Outing people or implying someone is gay is a goldmine for these vultures. I’m gay and I find it a sickening trend. We shouldn’t eat our own especially the ones who are doing very little harm. Apparently, it’s open season on Evan because Johnny is outspoken about his sexuality. We all can’t be like Johnny. That’s just reality. Everyone of you knows why and I bet most of you haven’t come out fully. Not at your jobs at least. I bet most of you are a bunch of hypocrites.
on May 7th, 2010 at 10:30 AM
I watch evan in DWTS .he deserve be win. he is good dancer.my vote is him.
on May 7th, 2010 at 11:02 AM
OSSURWORLD: sorry… what´s wrong? are you crazy? CHRIS is Evan´s fan. not enemy, do you heard me. she defends Evan!! she loves him.
on May 7th, 2010 at 2:44 PM
Gay or straight, I think Evan Lysacek is a HUGE personal fraud; He has been trained by his media people to portray himself as this, (please- I HAVE to assume) very shy, humble, nice, and yes straight guy, and he’s not. Every single off the cuff interview and/or vid I have seen of him has been awful! I don’t know if he hasn’t figured out TMZ or Utube yet, but he has no trouble letting out his nasty, the guy has an enormous ego! I can totally see why Johnny Weir would call him two-faced.
So in the final analysis, I’m not disgusted by his life in the closet nearly as much as I am by his intent to portray himself as something he’s not- and that ugly red-headed girl he keeps sporting around isn’t helping his cause any.
on May 7th, 2010 at 4:17 PM
Two faced? I don’t like Lysacek. I don’t like figure skating. But this is ridiculous. It is as if Weir can do no wrong. You guys are not being fair and it is disheartening.
on May 7th, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Hey- don’t misunderstand me- I don’t like Weir AT ALL. He’s the worst kind of silly famewhore. I just have a huge contempt for Lysacek these days.
on May 7th, 2010 at 6:51 PM
The thing I hate about Weir is he the worst kind of liar.
1. He refused for so long to talk about himself.
2. Then he talked about Lysacek.
3. Then he lied about Chelsea Lately’s the editing of his appearace to make it appear he said Lysacek was gay.
4. Then he lied that he never intimated that Lysacek was gay.
He is a mean person.
on May 7th, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Does anyone here actually know Evan or Johnny personally? If not stop this “he’s not a nice person” crap, because you don’t know. Johnny supports his family and puts his brother through school. Evan does a lot of charity work as well.
They’ve been competing against each other since they were 10 years old; and they are very different people who seem to have very little in common other than both being great skaters, who know they’re nearing the end of their competitive careers and need to make as much money as they possibly can now. Evan makes more money being the boring/masculine one, and Johnny makes more money being the interesting/effiminate one. I don’t think either image represents the true person; they’ve both been put into a box. I feel sorry for them.
on May 8th, 2010 at 6:09 AM
The author’s an idiot. That was a stupid comment. That gay people loathe lysacek because he says being called gay is hurtful. If you were straight and somebody said you were gay, you’d be okay with it. Wouldn’t you wonder why people thought you were gay. I don’t think there’s a straight man that would be offended if even one person thought they were gay. And if Weir said it just to get back at him then that may be hurtful to him. It appears that Weir was rejected for being gay and he wanted the same to happen to Lysacek..Idk I didn’t read the full details. It doesn’t really matter. But being called gay when you’re not…can be hurtful, offensive, whatever.
on May 8th, 2010 at 1:29 PM
“But being called gay when you’re not…can be hurtful, offensive, whatever.”
In America, Gay = Nazi.
on May 9th, 2010 at 2:15 PM
SUpporting your family and contributing to charity does not make you a nice person necessarily. I think most NFL players do both of those and many are not nice.
I stand by my last post. Weir is a mean liar, in my opinion.
on May 10th, 2010 at 2:40 PM
I hope he isn’t gay because he is a real jerk.
on May 10th, 2010 at 3:55 PM
since when gay is offensive?? my brother is gay.he´s nice guy , I´m proud him.I love him so much!!
on May 10th, 2010 at 11:44 PM
Gay is not offensive. But the nudge nudge wink wink of Weir about someone else is. Coming out is a personal thing and Weir is a wanker for his attitude about what he did on Lately.
on May 11th, 2010 at 12:22 AM
What the heck? Does it matter if he’s gay or not? The REAL question here is – is this any of our business? I am not gay, btw. Look at you people, writing big long paragraphs about your opinion. Wow. Get. A. Life. Go out get a job do homework. I don’t know. Just stay out of his business this is his, not the world’s. If he is gay, he can tell us when he’s ready. Either way, my strong admiration for him won’t change. You fellow overthinkers out there will wonder why I even clicked on the link. I was curious about all the ludicris, crazy, far-fetched, misconceptions you people would make. BTW I’m a 12 yr old. Like my vocab? Yeaah. I read at a 12th grade level too so suck on that.
on May 11th, 2010 at 11:42 AM
ok folks! I just posted one comment. it´s my opinion, all right? It´s called respect too.
on May 11th, 2010 at 11:22 PM
Cyd, PLEASE let this go already. All you are doing is providing more fuel for all the idiots like the relentlessly obsessed Bubba E. who insist bitchy queen Johnny is “outing” poor Evan (which he has never done).
Evan has made his entire career on pretending to be straight in order to placate US skating officials who are horrified by their own sports’ gay reputation. He has a gold Olympic medal hanging around his neck forevermore just for selling out and playing straight, despite skating no better than the sixth place finisher at the Olympics, the “flamboyant” Johnny Weir, who got screwed by skating officials and judges for refusing to fake it.
Evan has the big-paying starring spot with homophobic Scott Hamilton’s skating tour, Stars on Ice, while Johnny cannot perform in North America except for a few small, single shows. Evan has the commercial endorsements from companies like Coca-Cola that would never support gay-acting Johnny, and he has the spot on Dancing with the Stars. He got it all for pretending to be straight when Johnny wouldn’t, and spouting off to the media over and over about how HE wants skating to be more MASCULINE and HE would HATES sequins and HE has a HOT GIRLFRIEND.
So hooray for Evan. He got it all just by selling our community out. Now PLEASE stop sullying Johnny by insisting that he is trying to out poor Evan against his will, because the last thing Johnny needs is more crap for not being a fake.
on May 11th, 2010 at 11:28 PM
Bubba E., please find another hobby already. I think everyone is pretty sick and tired of your repetitious attacks on Johnny Weir. If you care as little about him as you claim, I cannot imagine why you haunt every single article about him just to repeat yourself over and over and over in the comment section.
You have nothing new to say, you just keep monotonously repeating how much you dislike Weir, how everyone who disagrees with you is blind and thinks he can do no wrong, and how he is a horrible person who is trying to drag Evan Lysacek out of the closet.
We get it. You dislike Weir. Maybe you should try paying less attention to him and sparing everyone your boring, monotonous diatribe.
on May 11th, 2010 at 11:58 PM
I really doubt that any readers are asking if Evan is gay. Cyd is. Very few readers of Outsports care enough about Evan one way or the other to even wonder.
Cyd and the ever-boring Bubba E. are far more obsessed with this whole subject than anyone else could ever hope to be. Perhaps the two of them could take up a private email fight and spare the rest of us any more articles about how Evan was outed by Johnny on Chelsea Handler, WHICH NEVER EVEN HAPPENED.
on May 18th, 2010 at 5:44 PM
Evan is a true professional and wants the focus to be on his skating or his dancing. He is truly fortunate to be blessed with fantastic good looks, and the camera and the fans love him. Who knows, he may love women, but prefer to sleep with men. He might be waiting and saving his love for the right person. Either option, he tops my list as one of America’s most eligible men. He is a winner!
on May 18th, 2010 at 11:11 PM
his paso doble on DWTS last night was gayer than anything on Bravo and Logo combined!
on May 21st, 2010 at 7:29 AM
johnny wier is an abomination. he’s a silly twink queer who is nothing more than a jealous queen. i am a gay man and am ashamed of such a mess as miss wier.
on Jun 7th, 2010 at 10:22 PM
Can we put this story to bed? and put Evan in bed with whomever he wishes…
on Jul 2nd, 2011 at 9:57 AM
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on Dec 23rd, 2011 at 4:09 AM
I’m sorry i’ve been a fan of evan since he first went senior, and when is at his best he is phenomenal. Was he inconsistent while getting to the top? yes. But he peaked at thew right time, when Weir decided to drink and smoke instead of staying in shape. Once upon a time, I would have counted on Weir being in stars on ice. He is a very decorated skater, as much as i dont like his style. However that bears no matter in the fact that he isnt as good as he once was.
And to the “hurtful” comment, it wasnt about what was said, its that Weir has to resort to things like that to fuel the flame (heh) of speculation. Im sure if Evan is gay, he’s out to family and friends, but why does it have to be an issue for us to talk about? it’s his PRIVATE matter (as much as i would love for him to sweep me off of my feet.) Also, having met both in person, the attitude being thrown around by weir to everyone he encountered was nauseating. Be as flamboyant as you want, but you dont need to be throwing stereotypical bitchy ass shade around. Im pretty sure, as being a rival, Evan got his share of shade being thrown at him, whether in private, or in Public (see: Chelsea Handler) and he wanted to finally lash back. Was it the right thing to do? no. But wouldnt you do the same thing after putting up with the same drama for YEARS?