Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Ganbatte!

Just when I thought he couldn't possibly be more amazing,
Johnny has partnered with designer Tadashi Shoji
to help raise money for disaster relief in Japan.
All proceeds from the sales of the T-shirt they created
will benefit the Japanese Red Cross.


OK, I'm going to have to make this quick, because my Internet service "provider"--and by "provider" I mean in the proud tradition of Frank Gallagher from Shameless--has apparently gone on a bender tonight and keeps cutting in and out on me, so putting this together is currently like trying to blog in Morse code, all blips and blurps with empty spaces in between during which my ISP simply stares vacantly out the window and wonders if there's any whiskey left in the secret spot in the laundry room cupboard behind the extra cat-litter liners...

So let's just get right to the important stuff, which is this: PLEASE BUY A SHIRT AND HELP JAPAN! Here's the design, inspired by the beautiful Japanese flag, or "hinomaru," a word I learned from my lovely friend Akiko Nakata:

The shirt created by Johnny and Tadashi,
who was born and raised in Sendai, Japan,
one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunami
earlier this month.


And here's a twitpic shared by Tadashi last night, which he captioned, "The 1st sample just arrived!":


You can order by calling 1-877-TADASHI, or through Johnny's website via PayPal. The PayPal option allows you to pay by either logging in to your PayPal account if you already have one, OR by instantly creating a new PayPal account and then paying with a credit or debit card.

The shirts come in unisex sizes XS, S, M, L, and XL, and are $25 each plus $6 shipping per order (so if you order two shirts in the same size going to the same address, it's still just $6).

I love everything about this project, including that the shirt has Tadashi's signature on it. :) But most of all, I love Johnny's big heart and his willingness to devote his time and effort to help people, whether it's through Figure Skating in Harlem, Skate for Hope, the 'nPlay Foundation, and so many others--and now, to give back to Japan, home to thousands of fans who are some of his staunchest supporters. (I still crack up over the scene in Welcome to My World where the lovely Japanese ladies have been waiting for two days at the airport for him, and he's astonished because his own mother wouldn't wait in the car for him for half an hour. And that's exactly how you get a kid who is both humble and generous. #PattiFTW. )

So please join Johnny in sending aid to Japan at a time when it seems the news has already moved on to other stories, and yet there are millions in this small, brave country who have only just begun to dig out and try to make sense of lives that have been irrevocably altered. There's no "us" and "them" here--there's only us, all of us, depending on one another to get through this life as best we can, and needing each other every step of the way.

And now we can wear awesome shirts while we're at it. ♥

Johnny's beautiful PSA for the Japan Relief project.



~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~
Please order a shirt today to help the people of Japan!
For more ways to pitch in, please see this article.



Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross.
More info on the Ice Dreams website
and the Ice Dreams Facebook page!
Young skaters: Sign up here to audition!



Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!
Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!



Please help Johnny meet his goal
of raising $10,000 for breast cancer research
by visiting his donor page! Any amount
you can give will help Skate for Hope
in the fight against cancer.
You also can get tickets NOW to see Johnny
perform in Skate for Hope on
Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!
(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome



Johnny tweeted recently:
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
Please buy the song from Johnny's website,
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!



Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!


copyright 2011 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

But Wait--There's More!

In light of our customers' overwhelming response to last week's Skate Wars movie promo, we are pleased to announce this new Skate Wars Action Figure series! By popular demand! You wanted it--we've created it!

Just take a look at everything you get!



Fully posable figures come pre-loaded with all your favorite phrases! Or: Pull each figure's string twice quickly, and they refuse to speak to one another for an hour!

Optional accessory pack includes matching his-n-hers fur coats plus tiny take-out boxes of Korean BBQ, miniature glasses of pomegranate juice, and beautiful cod sandwiches. (None of which Johnny Skyskater will eat. Although sometimes you can get him to sip the juice.)

Yes, it's all the wit and wisdom of Jedi Master Galina in one petite but powerful package! Additional phrases include:

Feel like dish for macaroni. (Describing the bottom of Johnny Skyskater's boot, from moving the blade.)

For this you work, hard work, like horse work, yeah?

Tired, don't tired, doesn't matter. Need a skate.

Like for bull, you know. Like toreador. Johnny shaking Red Square.

You need to die here so you can move on.

Look like, not for eat. (Discussing Korean BBQ.)

He will be drink before competition. (While mixing pomegranate juice.)

Who is Versace? Who is Chanel? Stephanie right now person number one!

Must be make it funeral ceremony for this is fox.

Some judge give joke marks.

I think for Johnny, international ... Olympic ... it Johnny time. I think he will skate perfect.

And of course this beloved fan favorite:

If he believes in himself, he can do anything.

Order yours today!

1-800-JOHNNIK-IS-REAL-MAN


Very special thanks to Jenn Kittler
for her invaluable help with Galina-speak! :)


~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~
Please consider donating, if you are able,
to help the people of Japan.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation
that will appear on your phone bill.
Or support Lady Gaga's donation efforts
by purchasing her special "We Pray for Japan" bracelet
for just $5. You may include an additional amount
with your bracelet purchase if you wish;
all proceeds go directly to Japan relief efforts.
For more ways to help, please see this article.



Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross
More info on the Ice Dreams website
and the Ice Dreams Facebook page!
Young skaters: Sign up here to audition!



Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!
Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!



Please help Johnny meet his goal
of raising $10,000 for breast cancer research
by visiting his donor page! Any amount
you can give will help Skate for Hope
in the fight against cancer.
You also can get tickets NOW to see Johnny
perform in Skate for Hope on
Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!
(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome



Johnny tweeted recently:
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
Please buy the song from Johnny's website,
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!



Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!


copyright 2011 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Friday, March 25, 2011

“I Heart Quarryville”: Johnny Talks About His Hometown

BB Johnny during his Quarryville days. ♥


Flashback: Having returned from Skate Wars LOL-apalooza NerdFest 2011 with sense of humor firmly intact but cinnamon-bun hairdo slightly askew, we now pick up where we left off with an interview translation courtesy of my dear friend Akiko Nakata.

This two-part series appeared in the November 2010 issue of Figure Skating Days Plus. In part 2 below, Johnny reminisces about growing up in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, and discusses how his life is different than it might have been had he never left. At the end, the interviewer offers her own perceptive observation.

Another translation of this interview is available on the fabulous blog of Yoko Takeda (@coddycoddy88 on Twitter). :)



“I Heart Quarryville”:
Johnny Talks about His Hometown

Text and Photos by Fusako Suzuki
Figure Skating Days Plus
(November 2010), pp. 58-59

Johnny Weir talks about the appeal of Sex and the City, an American TV show that also was a hit in Japan: “As you know, I’m from the East Coast. As Tokyoites are proud of Tokyo and people from Nagoya take pride in Nagoya, people in the East Coast are proud of everything from the East Coast. Sex and the City is set in New York … I love that New York, my town, is depicted in such a beautiful way in the show.” Johnny has lived in New Jersey for three years. He often goes to Manhattan, located 15 minutes away by car from his apartment, and enjoys the city life.

Driving for three hours or so from the center of Manhattan, a landscape far from the metropolitan noise spreads before our eyes. How high and blue the sky is! On both sides, the green cornfields go on forever. In some places among the green are silver silos where grain is stored. An Amish buggy passes closely by us. The murmuring wind sways cornstalks as tall as a man and reminds me that this scenery, so much like a picture book, is real. This small village, whose simple beauty charms us, is Johnny’s hometown: Quarryville, Pennsylvania. Johnny was 12 years old when he left this town to train in Delaware.

When I told him we were going to publish an essay featuring his hometown and childhood, Johnny’s eyes shone brightly.



Please tell us about your childhood.
I remember that I was really happy when I was little. Living in the town was like living in a bubble. I didn’t know anything. When we moved to Delaware, I heard pop music for the first time in my life, and I went to a school where there were people of different skin colors. Until then, I hadn’t met any African-American, Asian, or Jewish people. I was in a world of only Caucasians, isolated from others, and we children knew nothing outside of Quarryville.

I only remember being in the bubble. There everything was perfect and everything seemed as if it was made for kids. We were happy running, jumping, and playing in the woods. Then I began horseback riding, and I loved it. I was crazy about it. After that I was no longer a child, I think, when we moved to Delaware. I felt a completely new life had begun. (In a darker tone) Everything was different. Different sounds, different feelings, different neighbors--I feel as if I lived two different childhoods. In a bubble, and in the real world outside of the bubble. So my childhood was very interesting. I don’t remember feeling dissatisfied with anything in Quarryville. The memories of those days always come back to me. Every morning I woke up at five and then I was off and running in the woods.

Now you are a New Yorker. Do you miss your hometown?
I live near New York and I love the place where I live. I love living in New Jersey, and I’m happy that there are a lot of things to do there. But I think I will come back to my hometown because that’s my home, no matter how long I have been away from it. Even if my hair is different, even if I wear something that nobody wears there, it’s still my hometown. In Quarryville, everything is beautiful, everything is green, yes, everything is like it is in fairytales. So I will return to Quarryville someday. But now I’m in New York. Next maybe in Moscow. And when I’m old, I’ll be in Quarryville. (He smiles shyly, probably because he is suddenly aware of his enthusiastic manner, and then resumes in a quieter voice.) Anyway, that is my dream. My childhood was happy. There was nothing I wanted. I could dream there. (He sounds as though he misses it.)

You are so calm and not at all restless. I think you fit the landscape there.
In the country?
Yes.
Since you went to Quarryville, now you understand, don’t you? All the important things are there. Yes, you’re right. I’m not a city boy at heart. I’m just enjoying the city. I’m a country boy.

You looked very happy while talking about your hometown. I felt your deep affection for the place. I think you would have lived a normal life there if you hadn’t begun skating. What did you get from skating?
Thanks to figure skating, I awoke to many things. Skating opened my eyes to the world. If I had stayed in Quarryville, I wouldn’t have gone to Russia, Japan, Korea, France, Czechoslovakia, or any of the other countries I visited. Figure skating made me grow up much faster than usual. I had to learn the value of money, and I had to learn about nutrition and health, how to be in good shape, and many other things like that. Moreover, as I began figure skating, I had to learn about music, culture, and society. In the US, figure skating is a sport for wealthy people. But I’m not from a wealthy family, so I had to learn something about the differences in society, and the fact that there are differences. Thanks to figure skating, I was able to have a totally new worldview. If I had stayed in Quarryville, I wouldn’t have been the same self that I am now. I’m sure I would have been different. I mean, I love my hometown, and that won’t ever change. But if I hadn’t left Quarryville, I might have been an “ugly American,” one of those people who are ignorant about what is happening and what is going on in the world. I’m happy that I learned so much, so that I would know, see, and understand things.

Figure skating changed your life. Is there anything you miss, on the other hand?
I miss living a simple life: waking up in the morning, going to school, coming back, watching TV, going out with my friends, and going to bed, and then doing it all again the next day.

I miss my life the way it was in my hometown. Here in New Jersey, I sometimes see guys my age walking with their moms, or younger kids, 17 or 18 years old, choosing clothes for school with their dads. Seeing them almost makes me want to cry because I’m far away from my family. But it doesn’t matter that I gave up a normal childhood to become a figure skater. I don’t think I have lost that much. I have experienced much more in my life than most people experience in theirs. And my life has just begun.

At the moment that Johnny said this and smiled at me, it came to me what I was feeling while surrounded by the idyllic landscape and caressed by the fresh breeze in Quarryville. His innocent yearning for his hometown, which has a permanent place in his heart, contrasted with his smart and objective views--I felt I could find in these a secret reason why Johnny Weir so absolutely fascinates people.



The screencap of BB Johnny above is from this
fab interview by Cat Greenleaf of "Talk Stoop." Must see!



Hey, Johnny has been nominated
for Universal Sports' "Tweet of the Week" again!
(Clear your cache to vote over and over again ... )
#WINNING



~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~
Please consider donating, if you are able,
to help the people of Japan.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation
that will appear on your phone bill.
Or support Lady Gaga's donation efforts
by purchasing her special "We Pray for Japan" bracelet
for just $5. You may include an additional amount
with your bracelet purchase if you wish;
all proceeds go directly to Japan relief efforts.
For more ways to help, please see this article.



Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross
More info on the Ice Dreams website
and the Ice Dreams Facebook page!
Young skaters: Sign up here to audition!



Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!
Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!



Please help Johnny meet his goal
of raising $10,000 for breast cancer research
by visiting his donor page! Any amount
you can give will help Skate for Hope
in the fight against cancer.
You also can get tickets NOW to see Johnny
perform in Skate for Hope on
Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!
(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome



Johnny tweeted recently:
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
Please buy the song from Johnny's website,
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!



Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!


copyright 2011 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

Thursday, March 24, 2011

This Is What Happens When You Tweet Stuff and Then Leave Us Alone Together on Twitter

We interrupt our publication of tasteful and thought-provoking interviews translated from the Japanese and covered with delicate cherry blossoms to bring you this exciting trip into Geekdom because we are really really missing all the media coverage of Johnny during Fashion Week and we've already browsed through all the Russian photo galleries like 400 times and we're beyond desperate for him to post more videos to his Official Johnny Weir YouTube channel so we had to amuse ourselves by spawning endless ridiculous silliness from his weather-tweet yesterday:


What movie is this? Why of course it's:


A major motion picture event coming soon to a theater near you!

Trailer:

A long time ago in an ice rink far, far away....

It is a period of serious ennui.

Lackluster competitors, skating from bases around the galaxy, have won victories from the evil Federation Empire.

During the battles, well-dressed sparkly spies teetering in seven-and-a-half-inch Louboutins managed to steal secret plans of the Federation's ultimate weapon, the DEATHLY UNEXCITING STAR, an asexual performer with enough raw snooze factor to destroy the entire sport.

Pursued by the Federation's sinister agents, Princess Tara races home aboard her new pink Riedells, custodian of the stolen plans that can further enhance her really gorgeous hair while restoring elegance and scorching, gender-bending sexuality to the galaxy's ice rinks….


Unfortunately, Princess Tara is soon captured by the Federation's evil agents, who torture her by refusing to allow her visits from Eric, the Royal Beauty Ewok, or even to use a small amount of Poof. (Honestly, it's Eric who puts the "tress" in "Super Agentress." How is she supposed to cope or coif without him?)

But still the resourceful princess manages to smuggle out a message via a small orange brobot. Desperately she hopes it will reach its intended target somehow...

"Help us, Obi-Weir Johnobi.
You're our only hope."


Cast:

Johnny Weir
Obi-Weir Johnobi / Johnny Skyskater / John Solo
(Yes, he gets to be all the heroes.)

Tara Modlin
Princess Tara

Stéphane Lambiel
Lambiel Calrissian

Galina Zmievskaya
Yoda

Uncle Dick Button
Uncle Owen

Nameless USFS Judge
Darth Vader

Patrick Chan
R2D2

Evan Lysacek
Various Droids / The Dapper Wookie Who Says the Sky Is Falling


Soundtrack by Richie Rich and the Villionaires, featuring the hit single "Know Me." Boom. (Seriously, if you haven't downloaded this from iTunes yet, you MUST. DO. IT. NOW.)

Also coming soon: The remake of ThunderSnow and Skatefoot! (Bonus points and a free pair of reading glasses if you are old enough to have any idea what pop culture reference I'm making here ... )

And don't miss the new Showtime series: Skateless! Follow the misadventures of a happily dysfunctional group of skaters during one competitive season. Booze, sex, drugs, fraud ... oh wait, those aren't the skaters ...

(BTW Johnny was right: Shameless is awesome. I added Showtime to our Children of the Corn Cable Company package just for that.)




Many thanks to all the tweeters who participated
in last night's Star Wars-themed
LOL-apalooza NerdFest 2011... :)
And very special thanks
to whoever made the Star Wars pic of Johnny.
("Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a Photoshopper!")


~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~
Please consider donating, if you are able,
to help the people of Japan.
Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation
that will appear on your phone bill.
Or support Lady Gaga's donation efforts
by purchasing her special "We Pray for Japan" bracelet
for just $5. You may include an additional amount
with your bracelet purchase if you wish;
all proceeds go directly to Japan relief efforts.
For more ways to help, please see this article.



Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross
More info on the Ice Dreams website
and the Ice Dreams Facebook page!
Young skaters: Sign up here to audition!



Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!
Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!



Please help Johnny meet his goal
of raising $10,000 for breast cancer research
by visiting his donor page! Any amount
you can give will help Skate for Hope
in the fight against cancer.
You also can get tickets NOW to see Johnny
perform in Skate for Hope on
Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!
(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome



Johnny tweeted recently:
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
Please buy the song from Johnny's website,
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!



Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!


copyright 2011 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved