Weir hopes his skating will be the last word

It figured something Johnny Weir said would make the Olympic News Service’s "Quotes of the Day’’ for two days running.

One, a lubricious discussion of athletes' backsides and underwear, isn’t fit for a family blog.

The other, about whether he agreed with Canada’s Patrick Chan that skaters practicing the quad were trying to intimidate other skaters, was classic – and appropriate for general consumption – Weir.

"I’m not intimidated by anything, except maybe PETA standing outside with a bucket of blood,’’ Weir said.

 The reference was to the animal rights group sending Weir hate mail because he had been using fox fur on his free skate costume.

He removed the fur after last month’s U.S. Championships to avoid having it be a distraction at his second Olympics, where the men’s competition is to open with the short program Tuesday.

Yet his bringing it up without prompting only emphasized the idea that Weir is spending more time on distractions than he is on his skating.

That perception irritates the three-time U.S. champion, even if he understands why people would feel that way about an athlete who considers the outrageous normal, as evidenced in the episodes of his Sundance Channel reality show, "Be Good Johnny Weir.’’

"There is a lot of talk about things overshadowing my skating, and I have no problem with people talking about that,’’ Weir said.  "Nobody knows how I feel, and I don’t feel that anything overpowers my skating.

"My goal is to skate well and compete well.  That’s something that is not often talked about because there are so many other crazy things that I do and say that can be talked about, especially when I don’t skate well.

"For me, this costume controversy was silly.  It didn’t change my opinion about anything.  It didn’t change my life.  It just added something else people were talking about while I was in my rink, training hard, preparing for the Olympic Games.’’

Weir said he has a haven from the distractions at the rink in New Jersey, where his stern coach, Galina Zmievskaya of Ukraine, draws what he called an "iron curtain’’ between the skater and the outside world.

"Everything that I’m feeling or I’m anxious about gets left outside, and we work,’’ Weir said.  "That’s something I wish reporters talked more about, how hard I do work.

"Yes, I have other interests.  I have other stuff going on.  But I’m an Olympian none the less.  I work hard enough, and I’m good enough, and that is something very underappreciated about me.’’

Weir was second to Evgeny Plushenko after the short program at the 2006 Olympics, only to have an underwhelming free skate and finishing fifth.

Since then, the most compelling thing about Weir has been his thoroughly entertaining personality rather than his skating.

No one should doubt how hard he does work at his skating.

But sometimes it seems he spends too much energy being a piece of work.

-- Philip Hersh reporting from Vancouver, Canada

Photo: The fur won't fly. Johnny Weir, with his bronze medal from the U.S. Championships, has chosen to remove it from his free skate costume at the Olympics. Credit: Elaine Thompson / Associated Press

Comments

[GogoSF]

We love you Johnny! And I disagree that he spends too much energy being "a piece of work." He is what he is...a prince clad in foxtails.

[kuruc]

he is better looking than most girl skaters. his hard work has results.

[Lisa]

He's a breathe of fresh air to this sport and I also think He'll do amazing things in the world of Fashion- And... I Still like Wearing Fur too- even if it's not PC!

[James Sullivan]

How many medals did he win?

[PumaJ]

Based on the sheer number of reports, articles and comments about Johnny Weir's "persona", costumes and comments, it seems to me that it is folks in the media who either can't accept Mr. Weir as he is, or are intent on using him as a tool to create a "controversy" that will attract viewers/readers.

Mr. Hersh, I find your comment, "But sometimes it seems he spends too much energy being a piece of work", rather presumptuous. Perhaps, for you, it would take "too much energy" to present yourself to the public in a manner similar to Mr. Weir's therefore it is beyond your comprehension that for Mr. Weir that ability may be as natural and easy as breathing.

Mr. Weir has commented that in his everyday life he is somewhat different than how his Figure Skating persona presents. I don't find that to be an anomaly, for I'm certain that most of us have work/social personas that we don that are somewhat different than the persona we are at home or with or most trusted and close friends and family.

Johnny Weir has been a competitive figure skater for many, many years. Although he didn't win an Olympic medal this year, he has won other national and international medals during his career. Certainly, he skated well enough in the nationals to qualify as part of our nation's Olympic Team.

I am sad that he didn't win at least a Bronze. He has skated more complex routines in previous free skates during other competitions so I was puzzled that he didn't do so this time. Even so, his skating was beautiful and, as always, wonderfully engaging to watch. That he earned a standing ovation from the audience for his free skate reflects the overall quality of his skating despite the "leave outs" that took points away from his scores.

In general, I've been bored for years by men's figure skating. The only highlight has been Mr. Weir's beautiful skating, artistry and showmanship. If I wanted to see men proving themselves as "he-men" I would watch other sports that thrive on such stereotypes.