http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainm..._shop-able.html... Johnny Weir, 25, is on the phone shortly after the 2010 Winter Olympics, where he achieved a new personal-best combined score of 238.87, but finished in sixth place overall.
"I did everything that I could to have a good performance and I was strong and I skated well, and … I made my fans and my family so proud, and that's really what I could control," Weir says. "Of course, I wish I had a medal. But I can't control the judges."....
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0032303012.htmlBy NANCY ARMOUR The Associated Press Tuesday, March 23, 2010; 5:49 PMFuture undecided, Weir enjoying spoils of OlympicsJohnny Weir has gotten the gold medal treatment since the Vancouver Olympics, going to the Oscars, hanging out with Jay Leno and Larry King and, in the ultimate sign of star status, having his outfit picked apart in Us Weekly.
Not bad for a guy who finished sixth.
"The comments I'm getting from people is that they really could connect with my Olympic experience," Weir said Tuesday from Los Angeles. "It's incredible. I know my fans have always supported me. But just the amount of people that are now supporting me, everyone's behind me."
Weir has long enjoyed huge followings in Russia and Japan, where fans wait for him at the airport and shower him with gifts. But it took the Vancouver Games for most of the United States to discover the quirky, colorful and wildly entertaining figure skater.
He roomed with U.S. ice dancer Tanith Belbin at the Olympic village, taking charge of the decorating and cleaning. He skated the best he has in years, with clean performances in both the short and long programs.
He also gracefully handled derogatory comments by two Montreal broadcasters, who said the three-time U.S. champion was hurting figure skating's image and suggested he take a gender test. Rather than firing back, Weir said he hoped the incident would encourage understanding of people who are different and make people think about what they say.
"It was a perfect place for me to talk about being different and how it's not a problem. I have a beautiful life," said Weir, who has steadfastly refused to discuss his sexuality.
"In my own small way, I helped the next generation who, hopefully, won't have to deal with these same people saying terrible things about them."
But the Olympics did take their toll.
Despite skating cleanly, Weir finished behind Switzerland's Stephane Lambiel and Canada's Patrick Chan, both of whom had major errors. Weir admits he was discouraged by the placement, and it contributed to his decision not to compete at this week's world championships.Weir was replaced by Adam Rippon, winner of the last two junior world titles. The men's competition begins Wednesday with the short program.
"When you work that long for that, when you do everything you can personally and then you're not rewarded, it's very sad and it's very depressing and it's very hard," he said. "I fought my whole career. After the Olympics, the fight kind of left me."
Weir still will have a hand in worlds, doing commentary for Universal Sports. He'll then fly to Russia for two shows with 2006 Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, returning to the United States on April 1 for "Ice Dreams" in Chicago, which also features fellow Olympian Rachael Flatt.
Though his "Be Good Johnny Weir" reality show wrapped up Monday night, a new episode is coming in June and he's in talks for a second season. He's also trying to line up sponsors for an ice show of his own in the United States. And he recently sat down with officials at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
"People really are showing me so much love, and that's worth its weight in gold to me," Weir said.
Oh, he's also going to the Kentucky Derby next month.
"I want to wear a giant hat," he said. "There's somebody who is going to be styling me, but I hope there's a hat involved."
All this off-ice fun doesn't mean his competitive career is over, however.
Weir's new exhibition program is to "Bad Romance" by idol Lady Gaga, and he jokes it's a perfect fit for how he feels about the figure skating establishment these days. But the 25-year-old also has told U.S. Figure Skating his preferences for Grand Prix events next season, and said he felt like a "fish out of water" when he talked to FIT about school.
"(Skating) has been my life since I was 12 years old. It's what I woke up for every day - it's still what I wake up for every day. That's what made me me," he said. "It's difficult to imagine my life without those things, without the constant competitiveness and constant travel and drama. It just seems really weird not to have that in my life."
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http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/20...eno-a-kick.htmlMarch 23, 2010 1:44 PM ET'The Tonight Show': Johnny Weir gives Jay Leno a kick
Weir talked about his childhood in the Amish country of Pennsylvania, his thoughts on the Olympics and the controversy of being excluded from "Stars on Ice."
Of course, Weir brings his own special charm to the interview with a high kick and it's endearing how chummy he gets with Leno's earlier guest that night, former NBA player Charles Barkley. He also announces that he's in talks to create his own skating show, which he'd love to have Elton John and Lady Gaga join in on!
Johnny Weir @ The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 03/22/2010 [ part 6 ] also Charles Barkleywww.youtube.com/watch?v=qzYTvF-NWHc
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When this photo was taken?
