"Japan I love you, I miss you and I will be with you very soon.
I pray for you every day and I believe in you."
March 17, 2011.
Many of you may already have read Johnny's beautiful message to his Japanese fans, which appeared on the blog of "FiguAhiru" (or "FigyuAhiru"), an agent with one of the leading Japanese travel agencies and an avid figure skating fan (his blogger name is a play on "figure skating" and "duck," which loses something in the translation but does explain why he has a cute duck icon on his blog). The message is posted below for any who might have missed it.
I received it via email from my dear friend Akiko Nakata, who explained that Tara had emailed Johnny's message to FiguAhiru's travel agency, which had organized the fan meetings, and had asked the agency to pass it on to all those who had applied to go to the meetings and to those who had worked so hard to put it all together. FiguAhiru wrote that he decided to send the email first to the fans who had applied, so they could read it before it appeared on his blog several hours later.
Akiko writes:
According to the blog, FiguAhiru began to organize the fan meetings in early January. He wanted to include for the fans Johnny's practice in a meeting. In Japan, we have no opportunity to see Johnny practice "closely" as you did in Lake Placid and in other local rinks. (So I wish to go to LP someday.) [Yes! Sweet Weirsus, let's make that happen somehow!] FiguAhiru knows this well, and he tried to book a rink in January, only to find that he should have done so at least six months earlier. He was told, "Well, on that day our rink will be available from just midnight," or "Starting at 7 a.m. would be OK." With jetlag, maybe Johnny wouldn't mind practicing at midnight here, and we fans wouldn't mind either, but ... LOL. Finally, thanks to FiguAhiru's hard work, for the first time in Japan a fan meeting (in the daytime), including fans' watching Johnny practice at a local rink, was to be held. It was a sort of miracle event ...
Which, of course, is not happening. Or at least not right now. I am very much hoping that all the events that had been planned for Johnny's trip can be rescheduled so that his beloved Japanese fans can have this opportunity about which they were so excited.
In the meantime, Johnny tweeted this last night:
Instructions on how to donate are available on the Japanese Red Cross site.
In addition, LivingSocial.com is offering a 100% match on $5 donations (thanks to Karen Weeks and Wendy Stevenz for the link!). As of last night, this was a limited-time offer set to expire today at 11 a.m. EDT / 10 a.m. CDT, so please jump on it, if you are able to do so, and double the power of your dollars! As of this writing, they've raised $1,204,910.
Following is Johnny's message.
I am very sad that I have to write these words, but it is now a situation where I can't not write them. My heart and my tears are with Japan in this dark hour and I am constantly with you in spirit.
Since my first knowledge of Japan as a child, I have understood that Japan is a nation of strong, intelligent and orderly people. Having traveled to Japan numerous times now as an adult, I can say that the impression I had of Japan as a child, still remains true. Japan has such a special ability to be the most inviting country in the world, but at the same time so strong as a nation in upholding national culture and tradition. Japan's ability to fight through any circumstance, and her peoples abilities to remain calm and quietly push against any foe to achieve a maximum result are things that I have been inspired by on so many occasions.
Through tragedy, Japan has been able to rise from the ashes like a phoenix, and prove to the world that she is great and powerful and can overcome any obstacle. I believe this historical statement still to be true, even in this time of uncertainty and in a time of apocalypse. I believe that the people of Japan will defeat this natural disaster, and will come out shining, as they always do.
I have never felt the same support and love from any nation, like I do in Japan. For all these years when Japan has rooted for me, lifted me up and given me wings, I have never understood how to say thank you or show you my appreciation, but now I hope this note can lift your spirits, and make you strong. I would never have become who I am without the support of your nation, and I support you full heartedly now.
I will do as much as I possibly can to help from my side of the planet, and I urge everyone in Japan to help your fellow countrymen and foreigners who are in Japan at this time. The world is with you, the world is behind you, and we believe in you.
I am thankful to God as we get word that many of my fans and friends have made it out of this tragedy as survivors, but my heart sinks with every day we don't hear from someone or bad news comes our way.
Be strong, angels will protect you. "This too shall pass."
Japan I love you, I miss you and I will be with you very soon. I pray for you every day and I believe in you.
Ganbatte!!!!!
— Johnny
And now, for Akiko and anyone else who needs a little something to smile briefly about after one of the most unimaginably difficult weeks ever, may I offer, courtesy of the fabulous Jenn Kittler, the Gift of .Gifs -- A Happy in Two Parts:
Part 1. RuPaul's Drag Race: The Gift That Keeps on .Gifing
Guest judge: Johnny Weir!
"Thanks for having me. I'm TUCKED in anticipation!"
Shangela gets a "Hall-le-lu!" from judge Johnny.
But Johnny was less than impressed
with Shangela's runway performance,
declaring it "just kind of 'wah wah.'"
Judging you.
Aaaaaaand it's over way too soon ...
Part 2. Random .Gifs of Johnny Laughing (Mostly Featuring George Lopez) Because These Are Good for the Soul.
From March 2010: I don't even remember
why he's laughing here,
but I love that he and George Lopez
crack each other up so much.
Same episode: He's thrilled that George is prepared
to fulfill his dream of riding a yak.
From January 2011, during the Welcome to My World media tour:
Johnny and George discuss the "shocker" revelation
in Johnny's book that he's gay.
Although George points out that he already knew that
from last month's issue of No Shit, Sherlock magazine.
And finally: This ROCL (Rolling On the Couch Laughing) moment
from the Howard Stern interview. ♥
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.
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross
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!
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.
(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome
Columbus Gay Pride Parade--win-win!)
"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.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
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!
9 comments:
hee hee! Johnny .gifs!!
i love how he shimmies his shoulders all the time. very cute & sexy and it makes me smile.
yup, Japan needs money (please donate!) and they also need our love and support right now.
so love love them, please
xo Robin
"From March 2010: I don't even remember
why he's laughing here,but I love that he and George Lopez crack each other up so much."
George just told him-after watching a clip of BGJW-that his a** isn´t shaped like a heart. It´s more like an exclamation mark. That set Johnny off laughing.
Thanks for posting Johnny´s heartfelt letter to his Japanese fans, and all people of Japan.
It´s excruciating to watch the news right now.
You make me laugh and cry every time. Not necessarily in that order. (This is meant for you, Binkalicious, but now that I think about it, it applies to Johnny too. :O)
OH! And Tell Jenn she ROCKS OF FABULOUSITY!!
What a beautiful message to Johnny's Japanese fans...I hope they get to see him skate soon and I pray with everyone for their country.♥♥♥
Beth
Our hearts go out to Japan....
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong, is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong, it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair." Douglas Adams, (1952-2001, author of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
Hope that the lessons learned from Japan's tragedy will help the entire world to be safer when using nuclear energy and to expect the unexpected. And to harness the safer solar and wind energy.
Thank you, Johnny, for your love of Japan and heart-felt wishes to see her rise again after a momentary stumble.
Binky, thanks very much again for this beautiful blog, for running Johnny's heartfelt letter (and my backstory). I had thought I knew how much Johnny loved Japan and how considerate he was for his fans, but this letter was beyond that. I wish all the people in Japan, especially those in the severely damaged areas and those who have lost their loved ones, could read this letter. I think this was written to all the people in Japan, to all his fans in the world, and all the people in the world, for this is a letter of love and humanity. It compensated the cancelled fan meetings, and did much more. Arigato!!
I'm deeply grateful to Binky, Karen, Wendy, and all the people who encourage donating to Japan. And thanks again Binky and Jenn for those happy vids of Johnny. Thanks to you all, together with the thoughtful comments above, I can believe, "This too shall pass."
Love the .gifs! Thank you so much for posting them MM! I still haven't seen the RuPaul show, so I'm seeing that for the first time!
I read Johnny's beautiful message to his Japanese fans last night! So touching! Amazing all the effort people like FigyuAhiru put into things like setting up the fan meeting! Thank you so much Akiko for letting us all know what was going on! Thank you again MM for putting everything down on your blog in such a beautiful, touching way!
Johnny, just like everything else you do, your letter to your Japanese fans was written with your whole heart. I know that you will be able to visit your Japanese fans again soon and you will be able to enjoy each others company again. All of our hearts and prayers are with Japan.
Post a Comment