Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Close to the Vest: Part 2

The Conclusion of
       an Untold Skate-for-Hope Story--
             Well, Untold Until Now, Anyway

Starring denizens of the Haus of Weir: Fairy Godmother, Ninja Girl, and Fresh New Designer (Notorious F'nD). Featuring cameo appearances by Glitter Yak and Glen Coco.



We interrupt our story to bring you this brief word from our sponsor:

I just have to say how much I loved the fabulous tweet-a-thon with Johnny via Bluefly.com yesterday, during which he responded to more than 100 of our tweeted questions and kept answering us for 20 minutes longer than he was supposed to. Because he's wonderful to his fans like that.

One of our cats broke my alarm clock a few weeks ago and you know I don't really go to bed until about 6 a.m. and then I get up around noon CDT (which would be about the time this thing was supposed to end), so I wasn't sure I'd even make it, but an alert Facebook fan who I met at Ice Dreams was kind enough to give me a wake-up call on my cell so I wouldn't miss it. :)

So I watched the whole thing and got the failwhale like three or four times ("Twitter is over capacity! Please try again later! Or just shoot yourself now because you are missing out on words that are coming to your computer directly from Johnny Weir and by the time these stupid little birds dump my giant fat ass back in the water it'll be too late!"), but mostly I kept up really well.

I loved reading all the questions and answers. My favorite one was this:

@JohnnyGWeir @bluefly_com What will your last words be? (Sorry if that's creepy!) #bfclosets

@hanssen_ @bluefly_com #bfclosets I love you. I hope

What a beautiful thought.

But I was too shy to ask him anything of my own. I spent much of the time with my fingers poised over my keyboard, having a failwhale of my own as I tried but could. not. type. anything. Like that thing where all your words get stuck in the back of your very dry throat along with all the leftover r's you mispronounced in high school French class--only in the tips of your fingers.

So I am an idiot. But a happy one, because it was really fun to watch the tweets flying back and forth and to picture him taking time out of his day, fresh off the ice in his leggings and orange tank and skates, to interact with his fans.

And wouldn't we all love love it if he would do this like, oh, say, once a day week OK month? :)

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.




When last we saw Ninja Girl and F'nD, they had a nearly finished one-of-a-kind fashion creation to bring to Skate for Hope and give to Johnny. We rejoin our story already in progress, in which Ninja Girl is now in Columbus, Ohio.

Waking up that Saturday morning wasn’t difficult. To wake up, first one must have slept. This did not happen as Ninja Girl’s super-chic hotel room was apparently possessed by Satan, and the moment her eyes would finally decide to shut, Beelzebub would start banging on the very hipster exposed ductwork with a lead pipe while whistling Dixie. Awake and upright are two different things.

As rough as her night was, F’nD’s day would have made a saint weep. He arrived at the hotel on the day of Skate for Hope around 1:30 p.m., slim, impossibly lovely, and only slightly rumpled from his flights that day. Also he was almost nearly done with the vest.

Almost.

Due to school and the fact that he actually had his priorities somewhat straight re: passing his FIT finals (by way of contrast, Ninja Girl had cancelled a business trip and gleefully tapped into her savings to have what could easily be described as one of the Top Ten Best Days of her life—so no regrets, baby!), there were only a few finishing touches to go before they could give Johnny his vest.

The lovely fans of Facebook had planned a pre-show dinner to get to know one another, hold each other, laugh, cry, and rub glitter on all the bits that are hard to reach on your own. So Ninja Girl’s ever-patient roommate, Glen Coco, went on ahead to alert others that they would be along soon. As F’nD’s needle flew through its paces and Ninja Girl rolled on the bed watching SpongeBob, the time started ticking away. But they had it, right? Right!

Wrong! They arrived at dinner just in time to shovel down a few bites of salad like pigs, down half a margarita (bonus points for contributing to the delinquency of F'nD!), and wave frantically at everyone before dashing back out the door to run screaming to their room to fetch the vest, and to primp. The screaming was from Ninja Girl. Earlier she had thought to herself, “Heels are so pretty! I must wear them to meet everyone!” not realizing the cobblestones, hills, and heat would turn her feet into something resembling sliced roast beef. If beauty is pain, she should now look like Megan Fox.

Finally primped and prepped, they eventually found their tickets and limped into the arena.

Unbeknownst to them, security had a policy of taking larger gifts from attendees to give to the skaters during intermission. If looks could kill, there would be one less security guard working in Ohio. F’nD and Ninja Girl were both somewhat crushed.

As they surrendered their gift, they could hear the opening music playing, but naively hoped that maybe, just maybe, they hadn’t missed those first few moments of Johnny Weir skating into their lives.

They had.

Though Ninja Girl did almost make her own on-ice debut when, in stumbling though the dark to her seat, she missed the last step and nearly faceplanted the rink.

But their moods were lifted considerably as skater after skater came out to perform. The children were beyond precious, and Ninja Girl was very impressed with everyone who had the guts to get out there and show their support for such a wonderful cause.

And then there he was.

Johnny’s performance of Heartbroken seemed different from his previous skate at Chelsea Piers. The program was less skated than attacked and bludgeoned to death with a giant hammer. It was so powerful and so beautiful. Ice was flying off his skates, and after he finally, furiously stomped his last step and gently collapsed to the ice, it looked like a bomb had gone off. It was as if perhaps all of his frustration and anger and grief at the fresh loss of his grandfather poured out of him and turned the rink upside down.

Ninja Girl didn't cry. She didn't breathe either.

Intermission consisted of Ninja Girl and F’nD texting each other from across the rink, since their seats were not together, still in sad disbelief that they were missing the golden moment of Johnny opening his gift, but thrilled and nervous that it was finally in his hands.

Finally skating resumed with more adorable children and an incredibly moving performance dedicated to the spirits of four of the performers’ mothers.

Then Johnny returned for Bad Romance.

Seemingly in a better mood, he plopped down on the ice and faced, she swears to sweet Weirsus, directly toward Ninja Girl. (Yes, everyone in VIP seating will say the same, but let’s let her have her moment.) And he did the cutest little “grrr” fingers. He was flawless, of course. His speed, grace, and skill were tempered with a little humor--not the usual super-feisty man fans know, but so much more than Ninja Girl or anyone might expect from someone in his circumstances.

He finished his skate and did something Ninja Girl had not seen him do before, and which broke her heart: He took his bows, on all sides--on his knees. Maybe he has done this at other times, but it was as if he just couldn't bring himself to get up.

He truly gave all that he had and then some; it was, without a doubt, appreciated.

After the show, he started his last lap to greet the fans, and the VIP group was (sort of) informed on what to do. F’nD eventually located Ninja Girl, and they wandered aimlessly around the arena until a security guard took pity on them and pointed to where they should go, which was roughly three feet away from where they were currently standing. After a very long waiting period which consisted mainly of waiting and then being told that there would be a bit of a wait, after which there was more waiting and not a chair in sight, which was unfortunate because next there was a lengthy wait: They waited. Approximately three years later, groups were separated out and sent back ten at a time to the meet-n-greet.

Ninja Girl can proudly say that the first words she ever said to Johnny were, "You're beautiful."

And he is. Of course he said he looked a mess with pink still all over him, but she just shook her head and told him he was amazing.

Then he saw F’nD.

Someone turned up his wattage because Johnny’s face lit up a little closer to the man we know, and before a word could come out of F’nD’s mouth, Johnny stared him straight in the eye and thanked him for the beautiful vest. And told F’nD that he wanted to wear it to an upcoming premiere that he would be attending! And then F’nD and Johnny started jabbering about stitching, sewing, needles, lots of stuff about which Ninja Girl had no clue, and it was wonderful. Then they segued into spending an inordinate amount of time gossiping about The Simple Life, filmed in the town from which Ninja Girl hails and thus a subject about which she had many clues, and also about how amazing Eric Alt is. Then pictures were taken and there were very enthusiastic JWe hugs.

And then it was over.

Overall, it was mission success. F’nD gave his work to one of the most incredible, beautiful creatures on earth who will, hopefully, one day wear F’nD’s work in front of the cameras. And maybe this small token was enough to put a little light back into the heart of a man who gives his fans everything he has, even at one of the most difficult times of his life. He always puts his fans first, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

And though they didn’t get to see him open the gift, in the end, all that matters is F’nD’s gesture to Johnny in appreciation of Johnny’s inspiring artistry, and Ninja Girl and Fairy Godmother’s support of two wonderfully talented young men.

Dear Johnny. From Ninja Girl, F’nD, Fairy Godmother, Glitter Yak, Glen Coco, and all the rest: We love you, we appreciate you, and we will always support you--no matter what.

So this made me realize what a market
there would be among us for a Johnny paper doll!
He would come with all his favorite fashions
that we could put on him with those little fold-down paper tabs,
and then of course take them off again ...


Facebook fans Wendy Stevens and Li Mann
have graciously compiled all or nearly all of the tweets
from Johnny's Bluefly gig and put them in the Discussions tab
on Johnny's Facebook page!
And you can still watch the video of his closet
on Bluefly.com's "Closet Confessions" if you haven't yet!

Coming soon: More Twitter madness!
Olympic Tweeters, we need you
as we launch our comprehensive campaign
to tweet Johnny onto DWTS!

PLEASE KEEP VOTING for Johnny as Skater of the Year
in USFSA's 2010 Readers' Choice poll
(voting ends July 15)!

Please also vote here to tell Pepsi
that you want them to donate $250,000 to Just Push 'nPlay!
Johnny is on the board of the 'nPlay Foundation,
and this funding would help to provide physical activity
programs to nearly 20,000 kids.
Let's help make this project the top vote-getter!
(voting ends today!)

Special thanks to Ninja Girl for her invaluable help
in writing most of this post!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Close to the Vest: Part 1

An Untold Skate-for-Hope Story--
      Well, Untold Until Now, Anyway

Starring denizens of the Haus of Weir: Fairy Godmother, Ninja Girl, and Fresh New Designer (Notorious F'nD). Featuring cameo appearances by Glitter Yak and Glen Coco.


[cue Mission Impossible theme]

dun dun DAH DAH dun dun DAH DAH dun dun DAH DAH dun dun ... 


Great moments of inspiration sometimes come from the most unexpected places at the most surprising times.

Thus the idea hit Ninja Girl whilst in the bath.

Some weeks earlier--May 6, 2010, to be precise--Johnny had attended the 88 for AIDS benefit in support of AIDS Walk New York. At the beautiful reception for which Ninja Girl would have cut off several limbs to attend, he met Fresh New Designer (aka Notorious F'nD), an FIT student wearing a particularly dazzling vest covered in peacock feathers that F'nD had designed and sewn himself:

Notorious F'nD models his peacock-tastic creation
at 88 for AIDS!


Johnny was so stunned at the sheer brilliant awesomeness of the vest--as was everyone else in attendance--that reportedly he cooed, "I want to rip that off your body." (How often do we get to hear that come out of his mouth? Sweet Jesus, not nearly often enough. But we digress.)

Johnny and F'nD at 88 for AIDS after Johnny apparently decided
not to rip F'nD's clothing from his body.


So while Ninja Girl was sudsing up and certainly not thinking anything inappropriate about any figure skater in particular, it hit her that since she was headed to Ohio soon to see some random figure skater of whom she would never think inappropriately, she needed to find a gift for Johnny! Er, for some random guy, we mean. Or girl. Don’t hate.

Ninja Girl had not previously spoken to F'nD--whom she had friended on Facebook soon after seeing his picture with Johnny, because there’s nothing Ninja Girl loves more than a small, well-dressed gay man--but she flung herself at the computer to explain her idea to F'nD and beg for his help. Happily, she was able to secure an enthusiastic thumbs-up, despite the fact that finals were fast approaching and F'nD was just the tiniest bit swamped with trying to survive FIT.

Then came the mission to find Johnny's measurements. Because you can't create custom-fitted clothes simply by making assumptions and microanalyzing hundreds of pictures while holding up a tape measure to a computer screen. That involves math, and for Ninja Girl, that shit is not happening. So she sought the help of Fairy Godmother, who was thrilled to be involved in helping to create such a special gift.

Then came no small degree of panic and many tense days of waiting. And waiting. And then panicking because they had no idea how fast F'nD could sew (actually pretty damn fast, as it turns out).

[Here follows a brief abstract of the mission to figure out Johnny's measurements as approved by Weirlandian Homeland Security:

REDACTED and REDACTED Fairy Godmother REDACTED and REDACTED REDACTED. Then REDACTED also Glitter Yak! Because REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED. After REDACTED, plus of course REDACTED REDACTED, and then, REDACTED both Fairy Godmother and REDACTED Glitter Yak REDACTED. So finally, REDACTED REDACTED, and at last REDACTED. There. Don’t you feel all REDACTED now? ]

So the heavens parted and everything was underway!

Over the next few weeks, this project brought together some of the most creative, incredible people Ninja Girl had ever met. Acquaintances became close friends and close friends became best friends. One of the many things that is so amazing about Johnny Weir is that he draws to him wonderful people similar to himself. Artistic, sweet, giving, brilliant—these are just a few words that describe both Johnny and F'nD.

So then there were the questions: What's Johnny’s favorite color to wear? Are peacock feathers really a good idea? What if F'nD added a crazy liner? Should the front have a zipper closure? Or maybe buttons? Does Johnny need a pocket? Who doesn't need a pocket?!

Back and forth and back and forth. F'nD relied on Ninja Girl and Fairy Godmother's extensive knowledge of / obsession with Johnny to create what all involved thought would be a perfect example of F'nD's skill and Johnny's taste.

The collaboration resulted in a truly stunning piece of couture that everyone very much hoped Johnny would adore. Behold the creative process:

We begin at the beginning ...


Wow. It looks like some sort of math may in fact
have been involved. Which did not in any way snare Ninja Girl
in its ugly grasp, for which she remains forever grateful ...


 The vest begins to take shape...

F'nD at work in his artist's garret ...


A rockin' pink lining, and yes! A pocket!


The nearly finished one-of-a-kind original ...


Physically getting the vest to Johnny--and, in fact, the Skate for Hope event as a whole--was an adventure all its own. Join us tomorrow for "Close to the Vest: Part 2" to get the rest of the story!


Please join Johnny for LIVE TWEETING
and the video of his closet on Bluefly.com's
"Closet Confessions" today! You can pre-tweet questions
to Johnny starting at 11 a.m. EDT; be sure to include
the hashtag #bfclosets in all your tweets.
Live tweeting runs from 12 noon to 1 p.m. EDT--don't miss it!

Coming soon: More Twitter madness!
Olympic Tweeters, we need you
as we launch our comprehensive campaign
to tweet Johnny onto DWTS!

PLEASE KEEP VOTING for Johnny as Skater of the Year
in USFSA's 2010 Readers' Choice poll
(voting ends July 15)!

Please also vote here to tell Pepsi
that you want them to donate $250,000 to Just Push 'nPlay!
Johnny is on the board of the 'nPlay Foundation,
and this funding would help to provide physical activity
programs to nearly 20,000 kids.
Let's help make this project the top vote-getter!
(voting ends Wednesday!)

Special thanks to Ninja Girl for her invaluable help
in writing most of this post!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Here's Just a Little Teaser Clip ...


... with which we can amuse ourselves by pressing "play" repeatedly until the BGJW finale airs tonight. Which currently is hours from now. Sigh. Yes, I already watched it via On Demand, but it's just not right until all the kittens have seen it and we can all purr together over every fascinating facet of Johnny and mew plaintively over Vancouver and try not to claw out the eyes of the Olympic judges and eat them for our little kitten supper.

Oh. Never mind. Obviously they're already blind. Not to mention morally challenged.

[Programming note: Watch for former Olympic judge Jon Jackson in the finale and revel in his courageous on-screen comments. Then go order his 2005 book prophetically titled On Edge: Backroom Dealing, Cocktail Scheming, Triple Axels, and How Top Skaters Get Screwed while you're on Amazon pre-ordering Johnny's book.]

And for further amusement because only five minutes have passed (unless you're busy pressing "play") and the finale is STILL hours away, here's the clip again as a .gif:




Pros: It repeats over and over by itself--no need to click the "play" button. So now you can have both hands free to do stuff like wipe away that little bit of drool running down your chin. Or whatever else you might need two hands to do.

Cons: No audio of Johnny's sweet-silky-sexy voice intoning, "Hello, boys ... and welcome to Vancouver ... " again and again and again.

Well. That will never do. So here's the audio clip below. Press "play" once, and it will loop endlessly until you tell Johnny to stop (as if anyone would do that).




Bonus points if you can clearly imagine Johnny saying your name instead of "boys" in the clip.

Also: Here are two tweets to help you pass the time today in your happy place. The first is from www.bluefly.com (remember the photo with the bow in his hair?):


Yes! Footage from whence all those twitpics came! And LIVE TWITTER Q and A WITH JOHNNY this Tuesday! (I'm guessing they mean 12 noon to 1 p.m. EDT). Imagine the tweeting possibilities ...

And second is this fabulous invitation from Johnny today to everyone:


OMG. He wants to spend the whole day with us! I wonder if he can hear our collective purring from there in New Jersey? And how much Pledge this will involve ... ?

[Programming note: Watch for multiple cans of whipped cream inside Johnny's refrigerator door during the finale. Thanks to alert Facebook fan Natalie Maxwell for pointing this out. Then ponder his invitation anew ...]

All righty then. We're all set for hours of entertainment until finale time!

Wait--you still need something more with which to occupy your mind and prevent your slow descent into utter finale-deprived madness?

OK.

Please analyze the graphic below carefully for hidden meanings:


Alert Facebook fan Krystal Pacheco notes that the skates are hanging up ...

Of course, your results may vary, depending on personal bias / hopes / wishes / Johnny-infused dreams and/or fantasies. Especially if you stare at it long enough while that distracting audio clip is playing ...


You can catch Johnny on MTV's When I Was 17
again today at 8:30 a.m. EDT, and throughout this week!
Click here for additional air dates/times!

Check out Johnny's new blog entry on SUNFiltered!
He'll be posting entries there throughout June and July!
And PLEASE KEEP VOTING for him as Skater of the Year
in USFSA's 2010 Readers' Choice poll
(voting ends July 15)!

Please also vote here to tell Pepsi
that you want them to donate $250,000 to Just Push 'nPlay!
Johnny is on the board of the 'nPlay Foundation,
and this funding would help to provide physical activity
programs to nearly 20,000 kids.
Let's help make this project the top vote-getter!
(voting ends June 30)

Tubey Awards voting has ended for Be Good Johnny Weir,
but THIS WEEK ONLY you can vote here
for Johnny's Foot Massager, nominated for
Best Performance by an Inanimate Object!
It's listed among categories 13-16.
Only the top 10 vote-getters in each category
will make it to the final round of Tubey polls!

Coming soon: Olympic Tweeters,
we need you for our DWTS campaign!
And also: An untold story from Skate for Hope!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Necks, Sighs, and Autographs: One Johnny Fan's Story

Johnny performs at Skate for Hope
in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, June 19, 2010.


(Note: While my thoughts and prayers are very much quietly with the Weir and Moore families this week in the loss of Johnny's grandfather, Robert Moore, my über-stan-ness and sense of humor remain here on the blog, where there are still finales over which to squee and more voting to be done and upcoming performances for which to consider taking a second job at the Crack Island Casino [motto: "Happily separating you from your money since 1992!"] in order to be able to afford to attend ... )



Today's guest blog comes to us from Facebook fan Lauren Ashbaugh, who agreed to share her Ultimate Fan Moment from Skate for Hope here to say thanks to everyone who helped @EricAltSalons reach 200 Twitter followers last night and thus win a bet!

When I was younger, I remember listening to my friends’ stories about meeting their favorite musicians at once-in-a-lifetime concerts. Some told exciting stories of how they experienced an awesome moment that culminated in a photo with and autograph from said musician. However, most stories focused on the annoying quirks and strange habits fans were forced to accommodate to even have a chance to spend five minutes with their idol. I remember hearing about such irregularities as only being allowed five minutes to say hello; not being able to say certain words; only being able to stand on the “left” side of the singer; and only being allowed to offer photos to be autographed that had been purchased at the event.

When I discovered Johnny Weir, I quickly learned that this figure skater is proud of who he is and is not afraid to show it. He has a wonderful personality, makes all his fans feel comfortable, and shows everyone the same amount of respect that he expects for himself.

I wasn’t even expecting to meet Johnny at Skate for Hope. But thanks to an incredibly generous fellow fan, I was able to attend the VIP event after the show.

During the course of my meet-n-greet, I was privileged to receive a hug from Johnny, after which I cautiously asked him if it would be possible for me to smell his neck.

Imagine my tremendous surprise when he turned slightly to his left and presented his neck to me.

I stood there in shock and awe for several seconds before I stepped up next to him, closed my eyes, and slowly inhaled.

From this point on, I was in some kind of daze. I don’t even remember the minutes between the time I got my photo taken with Johnny and the time I received this autograph from him.


As he handed my book and pen back to me, I realized that Johnny didn’t have to let me smell his neck. He could have just as easily stood there with his hands on his hips, his brow furrowed and a confused expression on his face, wondering what kind of fan I was to ask him that kind of question.

But Johnny’s not like that. He’s willing to give his fans the most amazing memories to take with them. And that was the kind of memory I was allowed to leave with: The rich, dark, hazelnut aroma of Johnny, subtly applied ever so precisely, and blending beautifully, in my mind, with a shimmering layer of inner glitter.

Several weeks ago, Johnny gave an interview in which he likened himself to a Twilight vampire, presumably because they sparkle in the daylight. However, I’d like to suggest that while Johnny does in fact glitter in the sunlight--and in the moonlight, for that matter--he also glitters from within his soul.


Check out Johnny's new blog on SUNFiltered!
He'll be posting entries there throughout June and July!
And PLEASE KEEP VOTING for him as Skater of the Year
in USFSA's 2010 Readers' Choice poll
(voting ends July 15)!


Please also vote here to tell Pepsi
that you want them to donate $250,000 to Just Push 'nPlay!
Johnny is on the board of the 'nPlay Foundation,
and this funding would help to provide physical activity
programs to nearly 20,000 kids.
Let's help make this project the top vote-getter!
(voting ends June 30)

Tubey Awards voting has ended for Be Good Johnny Weir,
but THIS WEEK ONLY you can vote here
for Johnny's Foot Massager, nominated for
Best Performance by an Inanimate Object!
It's listed among categories 13-16.
Only the top 10 vote-getters in each category
will make it to the final round of Tubey polls!

Yes! The season finale of BGJW airs on Sundance
this Sunday, June 27, on Sundance at 9 p.m. EDT
(although it's already available
via On Demand in some cable markets)!
You also can catch Johnny on MTV's When I Was 17
this Saturday, June 26, at 11 a.m. EDT,
or again on Sunday, June 27, at 8:30 a.m. EDT!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Sunday, June 20, 2010

To All the Dads Who Are Getting It Right: Happy Father's Day

Johnny and his father, John Weir,
in a scene from Pop Star on Ice.


First, please let me say: Dear Patti. I am so very sorry that you lost your father just a few days before Father's Day. My heart goes out to you, especially today, and your family is in my prayers.

Secondly, because it's Father's Day, my thoughts naturally turned not to my father, who wasn't much of one, but to Johnny's dad, a high school football hero who went on to marry the sparkling spitfire head cheerleader and have two beautiful boys. They named their firstborn son "John" after his father, and their younger boy "Brian" for football legend Brian Bosworth (I understand they mostly always call him "Boz" for the same reason).

The elder John Weir is a man who shies away from the spotlight and seems happy to let his wife take the lead there, but who is clearly just as powerful a force of parenting goodness as the indomitable Patti. Whenever Johnny speaks of his childhood, he always praises both his mother and his father for encouraging him to be fully himself. From his speech at the EQCA event: "I can only say thank you to my family for raising me in such a way that I can completely believe in everything that I do. [As the crowd cheers loudly] Yes: For Patti and John!"

But I don't know a lot about John Weir, who chooses to remain a very private figure, other than through these rare glimpses of him:

(1) A fascinating interview with Johnny and his parents in the Washington Post on the eve of the 2006 Olympics, one of the few articles which includes John Weir. My favorite quote is the one with which the writer chose to end the article:

      "My child's not weird," [John Weir] told a reporter when
      queried about Johnny's reputation. "Everyone else is."

I am very much reminded of Kurt's remarkable dad on Glee.

(2) The screen cap above, the only scene (I think) in Pop Star on Ice in which John appears, when Johnny returns to Quarryville Elementary for a meet-n-greet with the kids. I love the postures of father and son. Johnny is listening to a sort of pep talk from the school principal, but in that moment as captured here, it's like his eyes are gazing ahead with anticipation and excitement to his future: his goals, his ambitions, his dreams, everything that he hopes to accomplish; and he's determined and raring to go. While his father's gaze--as he leans forward, bracing himself against a chair in an attempt to ease his excruciating chronic back pain--simply, gently, rests on his son.

(3) The .gif below, from the same section of Pop Star on Ice. After the pep talk, Johnny heads toward the gym to meet the kids. But he stops in the hallway here, with his dad, and they hug each other. His father, a burly guy compared to the slim, lithe Johnny, kisses his son's cheek, envelops him for just a moment, then lets him go. He steps back, and Johnny moves on to the journey that lies ahead of him.


These three moments say it all to me. This is what a real father does: He is his child's champion, speaking up on his son's behalf; he stands firmly behind his child; he holds him tight with all the love in his heart; and then--he lets him go.

I can't imagine a more beautiful or powerful Father's Day message.

Dear John, thank you to you and Patti for showing us what good parenting is all about: Loving your child fiercely enough to let him go be who he is, wherever that may take him--and standing behind him all the way.

Best wishes to you this Father's Day and always.


Congratulations to Johnny for an
awe-inspiring appearance at Skate for Hope last night!
We so very much appreciate his performing
under such difficult circumstances.

And congrats also to Johnny for winning
NewNowNext's "Most Addictive Reality Star"!
 PLEASE KEEP VOTING for him as Skater of the Year
in USFSA's 2010 Readers' Choice poll
(voting ends July 15)!

Be Good Johnny Weir also is up for a Tubey Award
for Best Candid Reality Show! Vote here!
(The show is listed on the second page among categories 5-8)

Coming soon: More info about the spectacular
Crème de la Crème Runway Fashion Show on Ice
in Detroit featuring Johnny
next Sunday and Monday, June 27 and 28!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Skate for Hope ... and for Love ... and for Life

Johnny is scheduled to perform both his
"Heartbroken" and "Bad Romance" programs this evening
at Skate for Hope, Nationwide Arena,
200 West Nationwide Blvd., Columbus, OH 43215.
The show begins at 5 p.m.; tickets are still available.


Yesterday we learned of the passing of Johnny's maternal grandfather, Robert Moore, in one of the most poignant 140-character messages I've ever read. By 11 a.m. EDT, Johnny had tweeted again to let everyone know that despite his family's loss, he would be performing tonight at Skate for Hope as planned.

Soon after the news began to spread, fans were asking what they could to offer support to the Weir family. In response, Agentress Tara has let us know that Johnny would most appreciate it if fans could donate to Skate for Hope, which raises money for cancer education and research, in memory of his grandfather.

If you'd like to make a donation, please go to Skate for Hope's main page and click "Donate" on the top menu. From there you can choose either "Support SFH with a general gift" or "Click here to give directly." Both will take you to the same donation page in which you can include a personal note to indicate that your gift is on behalf of Johnny Weir and his family in memory of his grandfather, Robert Moore.

Of course, in these challenging economic times, a donation may not be doable for everyone, so the gift of kind words of comfort and love is equally welcomed. Many fans have left condolence messages on Johnny's Facebook page and have also tweeted them to him. We can be sure that all these gestures are very much appreciated by Johnny and his family.

Carolyn Bongirno, the truly lovely director of Skate for Hope, offered this when she learned of Johnny's request that fans donate to Skate for Hope to honor his grandfather: "I am deeply moved by this most gracious gesture from Johnny. All I can say is thank you. I am in awe of Johnny that he is thinking of others during this time of sorrow."

Me too.

Johnny's selflessness and grace in performing under these difficult circumstances is both humbling and inspiring. All those who are lucky enough to be in Columbus tonight will be truly blessed to see him skate live. It is a breathtaking experience not to be missed. Hopefully the outpouring of love that he will feel from all the fans there will offer him strength and courage in his performance.

I so wish I could be there. But since I can't, I'm counting on everybody else to post tweets and photos and videos as soon as possible so we wallflowers can live vicariously through you.

In the meantime, I've been reading the messages streaming in from fans to Johnny, which are all beautiful, including this one from Wendy Stevens: "Your grandfather lives on in many ways, including through his children and grandchildren. We get a glimpse of him when we see you."

And while I was pondering how Robert Moore had to be a really wonderful man, because he's the guy who helped give the world the amazing Patti Weir, who in turn with her husband John brought us our beloved JWe, Johnny tweeted once again late yesterday in true Johnny fashion:

Calling all Ohio residents. Big show tomorrow, Skate for Hope in Columbus. I am performing. Tickets at the door. Pride reveling LGBT Come!

I love that. Especially that last part. Because also taking place this weekend in Ohio is Columbus Pride 2010, one of the most successful and popular annual Gay Pride festivals in the country.

And so tonight's show will go on with Johnny as a headliner.

And he will skate for hope.

And for love.

And for heartbreak, and loss, and beautiful memories ...

And for life, so unbearably precious.

And I know his grandfather would be very, very proud.


Congratulations to Johnny for winning
NewNowNext's "Most Addictive Reality Star"!
 PLEASE KEEP VOTING for him as Skater of the Year
in USFSA's 2010 Readers' Choice poll
(voting ends July 15)!

Coming soon: More info about the spectacular
Crème de la Crème Runway Fashion Show on Ice
in Detroit featuring Johnny
next Sunday and Monday, June 27 and 28!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Friday, June 18, 2010

With Deepest Sympathy


photo: "The Tree," Lancaster County, Pennsylvania


Johnny tweeted about 3 a.m. EDT today that his grandfather, Robert Moore--Patti's father--has passed away.

Johnny, I'm so sorry. May beautiful memories and God's everlasting love surround and comfort all of you at this difficult time.


copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Finally! The NewNowNext Awards Are, Like, NOW!


Here's a NewNowNext teaser clip that includes
the opening number from the show
in which host Cheyenne Jackson sings to/about Johnny!
And you can see Johnny and Tara in the clip!
(The fun starts at about marker 2:14) 


Yes, at LAST: The NewNowNext Awards from more than a week ago (which aren't really new or now or next at this point, actually, but I'm still overly excited about them) will be revealed tonight!

The awards show, taped last Tuesday, June 8, will air on LogoTV. Pre-show is at 9:30 p.m., followed by the awards at 10 p.m. and again at 11:35 p.m. (all times EDT). If, like mine, your cable company maintains an overbearingly parental attitude toward you as its customer, patting you on the back and gently but firmly redirecting you toward I Love Lucy reruns every time your hand hovers over the remote trying desperately to find RuPaul's Drag Race somewhere on your channel lineup, then you can join me in watching the awards on www.logotv.com, a delightfully progressive website that has moved beyond reflecting the patriarchal values of 10th century Afghanistan, which is to say, the ones they embrace there today.

So now we can FINALLY all come out of the closet where we've been hiding since June 4 after we finished tweeting 100,000+ #realityWEIR votes for Johnny and hoping that that was enough for him to win "Most Addictive Reality Star," a hope that grew even stronger after we saw his tweet from 2:30 in the morning last Wednesday about the show that's tonight in which you can watch him enjoy whatever happened nine days ago that we think we know but we can't be sure until we watch him do whatever he did that night, tonight--at which point our reality can finally catch up with his. Because it's like he's been living nine days ahead of me since last week, enjoying celebratory luncheons and then moving on to merrily Windexing his balcony, while I'm still wondering what will happen newnownext, which he already knows.

(That reminds me: Johnny, did you get my e-mail where I asked you to buy me some Powerball tickets for the day before yesterday to hang onto while you wait for me to catch up with you in the future, which would be later this evening ...?)

You may have guessed by now that SyFy movies about time travel make my head hurt.

Anyway: Here are some screen caps from the awards show to pass the time while you're waiting to go back to the future of last week tonight.

Johnny enjoys host Cheyenne Jackson's opening number
from his front-row seat.


Johnny and Tara react to Cheyenne Jackson's lyrics:
"Lady Gaga's here / Oops, that's Johnny Weir..."


In the meantime, alert Facebook fan Wendy Stevens notified us yesterday that Johnny will be appearing in an episode of MTV's When I Was 17, a show he taped earlier this year that will be broadcast on Saturday, June 26, at 11 a.m. EDT, and rebroadcast on Sunday, June 27, at 8:30 a.m. EDT. The show is a look back at when he was 17, which was like nine years ago, and it was filmed about three months ago, and I've now set my TiVo to pick it up on my future recordings list.

So now I'm thinking that when Johnny declares, "The future is mine!" which is the title of the season finale of BGJW that will air on June 27 at 9 p.m. EDT on Sundance and which will offer a look back at this year's Olympics and all the stuff that happened after that as well as (I think) what his upcoming plans are: He's not kidding.

The future IS his. He's already been there. Just waiting patiently for the rest of us to catch up to his indescribably wonderful, glittery, eye-opening, boundary-breaking, gender- and mind-bending reality.

Which, BTW, is indeed MOST addictive ...


PLEASE KEEP VOTING HERE for Johnny to win
the 2010 Readers' Choice Skater of the Year Award
(voting ends July 15)!

Hey! Facebook fan Julie Findon has two
extra tickets to Skate for Hope this Saturday!
She wants to sell them and donate the proceeds
to our Ride for LIfe project!
More info is available here!

copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved