Friday, November 15, 2013

Random Funday Roundup

Beautiful Johnny and his ever-present 
necklace of charms. 
For super-size photo and a closer look 
at the charms, please click here
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.



UPDATE! Yes, we have video of Johnny’s
commentary on Trophée Eric Bompard!
Men’s event here.
UPDATE: Women’s event here.
(We also have another update: a fab video 
from Johnny’s Instagram below.)


Reminder: Johnny is commentating 
on all the Grand Prix events!! 
Tune in to NBC’s coverage of Grand Prix Russia
this Sunday, November 24
at 2 pm EST / 1 pm CST.


UPDATE! Photo tweeted by Johnny 
late Saturday night: 
“Night shift with @taralipinski. 
Céline Bags akimbo for GP France
on NBC, Sunday at 4:30 EST.”



So in a fascinating new column for the Falls Church News-Press this week, Johnny revealed some of his spiritual beliefs in “Johnny’s World: I Talk to Spoons, Part 1”:

I am not necessarily a God-fearing man; however, I reserve the right to attend a church, believe in a greater existence, pray when I feel like I need someone to listen, and wear religious icons around my neck for protection. I am more of a mystical person. I am a believer in witchcraft, supernatural energy, evil, ghosts, and things that in general can’t and/or aren’t to be explained. I have worked with healers and people with the special ability to see things most can’t for many years. I have worn a red string of protection since before Madonna made Kabbalah a trendy thing. There is so much in this world that can’t be explained by the good book or by science that I have always felt it appropriate to keep an open mind.



So his column spurred me to go off on a quest for a recent-ish picture of the charms on Johnny’s necklace because so many fans have asked about them (read more about his necklace on Johnny’s Q and A), and in digging around in the Enormous and Hallowed Archive of Photos I Just Haven’t Gotten Around to Posting Yet Please Don’t Hate, I discovered some fab pics from late last year that are now proudly displayed in this blog post even though they actually have nothing at all to do with the stuff we need to discuss today, which is the unexpected explosion of Johnny-ness that’s headed our direction since apparently he’s not taking that whole “retirement” thing very seriously. So scattered among today’s Important Johnnouncements are a few random photos in a gold-tinged theme because I’ve been feeling nostalgic about all the gold medals he’s won and all the ones he should have won which is always the subtext of any discussion of figure skating in which I might engage and also he looks really pretty. Here’s one now:





So first up, we have your weekly Friday reminder, as noted above, that he’ll be on NBC again this Sunday doing commentary on Trophée Eric Bompard. This week’s broadcast is scheduled for 4:30 to 6 pm EST (check local listings), which is shorter than usual and thus guaranteed to further piss off the fans who have already been lamenting (and rightfully so) NBC’s complete lack of pairs and ice dance coverage in their standard weekly segment. Plus we got spoiled last week with two full hours of Johnny (ICYMI: here and here). But still, it’s Johnny on our TVs, which brings me to...



...something so shocking, so unbelievable, and so completely American Horror Story: Coven that I fully expect Jessica Lange to come sauntering through my door next week to join me in witnessing this spectacle to be broadcast from the hell dimension (check local listings) known only as:




(eeeeek clutching charms.....)


Apparently Johnny is one of the guests on next Thursday’s episode of Bethenny, the eponymous (of course) talk show of one Bethenny Frankel, the mere mention of whom gives me the kind of nightmarish flashbacks that necessitate placing mirrors under the bed (Johnny explains). According to the announcement on her website (yes, I visited it. BRB enjoying another Silkwood-style scrubdown just in case there’s any lingering trace....): “For the first time since they rubbed each other the wrong way on Skating with the Stars, Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and Bethenny are face to face!”

Oh, isn’t that a cute way to put it.

For a refresher on the whole Bethenny Outrage Which Lives On Forever In Fandom Infamy, please see the blog archives for November and December 2010

[tl;dr: She refused all advice; announced that she and her partner were skating for “America,” not for the judges; verbally attacked Johnny backstage after one episode in a headline-making incident; told the media she was the woman Johnny wanted to be; and did nothing to discourage her fans from slinging homophobic tweets at Johnny, who took command of the situation as head judge by bitchslapping telling her crisply on live national television: “To me, it’s very clear: You don’t care what we think, and I don’t really care to watch you actually perform anymore because you aren’t listening to our critiques.”]

So this should be... interesting. Of course I have no doubt that Johnny can more than hold his own with her, in the most charmingly devastating way possible.

Bethenny’s show is syndicated and generally carried on local Fox stations. Per her website, Johnny’s episode is set to air on Thursday, November 21, on Fox 5 in the NYC area at 11 am (in Chicagoland, on Fox 32 at 4 pm).

(Desperately hoping for an air date soon for his Dora episode—it’s this? maybe?—as a sort of Bethenny antidote...)

OK, clearly we need another photo stat. Apply directly to your entire person. Just to be safe.


Johnny, please do feel free 
to lower your index finger in this pose 
as needed during photo ops on Bethenny’s show.



BEST BIG NEWS: Evgeni Plushenko’s wife, Yana Rudkovskaya, tweeted a poster yesterday for Plushenko’s upcoming post-Sochi tour, scheduled for March and April 2014:




And YES, that is Johnny’s name on the list there next to the US flag! The full cast list in English, kindly linked to by @PlushenkoNews on Twitter, includes:


Evgeni Plushenko
Irina Slutskaya
Ilia Kulik
Stephane Lambiel
Brian Joubert
Johnny Weir
Tomas Verner
Fiona Zaulda & Dmitri Sukhanov
Sergei Yakimenko
Ekaterina & Alexander Chesna
Edvin Marton
Nikolai Baskov
Dima Bilan
Yana Rudkovskaya


But the best part is contained in a small snippet of video from a Eurosport interview that Plushenko did last month. Listen closely beginning at about 1:06:




“The plan right now: competition. And after the competition, I have tour in Russia, around 40 shows, maybe more, in Japan, China, Korea, maybe United States, Europe. I will be busy.”

OMG “MAYBE UNITED STATES” YES PLEASE BRB DAYDREAMING FOREVER.... (although let’s take a short break for this:)





And finally, a brief housekeeping note: Please oh please oh please could we get a mediator in to fix the sadly broken relationship between Johnny’s Twitter and his Facebook? His tweets stopped showing up on his Facebook Monday evening, and since then Facebook fans who don’t have Twitter have been languishing in that dark netherworld next door to The Bethenny Hellscape and tragically moaning, “What is he doing and why is he not saying anything...?” FB fans, whilst you continue your desperate vigil of hope, please enjoy this:





Random Bonus Round 
of Random Stuff

Two of the best things to come out of SWTS
This gif of Johnny and Uncle Dick...


...and Johnny’s incredible performance 
in the show’s finale.



Photo tweeted by Johnny: 
“With one of my talented students from Tokyo, 
Nagisa-chan! She’s so cute! 
渚ちゃんのスーパースター” 
[Superstar Nagisa-chan!]


Photo tweeted by Johnny: 
“Thank you Yuka Kagayama for bringing 
your wonderful students, Nagisa-chan 
and Momona-chan to me for choreography!”



(Momona explained in Japanese on her Twitter that she cried when it was time to say goodbye to Johnny. Follow her here!)



Johnny and co-commentator Tara Lipinski 
hard at work watching TEB live and 
taping their commentary for NBC’s broadcast! 
Photo posted to Instagram by Tara L: 
“@johnnygweir what do you thinking 
we are watching at this moment?”



#ThrowbackThursday photo tweeted by Johnny: 
“Cleveland circa 2000 
when I thought I could be blonde-ish.” 
Love.



UPDATE! New Instagram video tweeted by Johnny: 
“Memory lane with the incomparable Rudy Galindo. 
Sochi? #2006 #ManPair”



And one more: Poker Face video
“Just cuz. #ThrowbackThursday.” 
My fav, and the one that started it all 
when a friend innocently tweeted this performance 
to me back in December 2009...



Exclusive photos © David Ingogly.



On Johnny’s website, 
linked to his retirement statement
Thank YOU, Johnny!



All four segments of Shigesato Itoi’s 
wonderful interview with Johnny are up:
Part One – Marriage 
Part Two – Balance
Part Three – Olympics
Part Four – Life
Plus a special message from Johnny 

about his retirement from competitive skating
is included at the end of Part Four.
Please go read it all now!



Also on the blog:
“...That Boy With Wings on His Heart.”
Johnny, Fallen Angel, Vancouver 2010.
“The most beautiful performance I have ever seen. 
Inspired a young theater group in Brazil...” 
A poignantly uplifting story, now updated 
with a special postscript.



All of Him Is My Treasure.”
Fans react to Johnny’s graceful exit 
from competitive skating.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.
Please click twice for larger image.



“Practice Is Perfect”
25+ exclusive photos of Johnny’s 
Sun Valley rehearsal.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.


“Dear Johnny...”
Selected black-and-white photos of Johnny’s 
hauntingly beautiful Schindler’s List debut.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.



“Something Beautiful Today.”
Johnny at rehearsal in Sun Valley — Part 1 
(much more to come!)
Exclusive pics plus practice video featuring 
his gorgeous triple axel.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.



“Sun Valley Sneak Peek: 
‘A Rare Human So Breathtaking....’ ”
Johnny debuts his Schindler’s List program 
in this stunning simple white costume. 
Exclusive pics and HD video.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.



Photo essay of 40+ starkly beautiful 
black-and-white pics featuring Johnny at rehearsal 
as young skaters watch, spellbound.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.



Quiet photo essay of exclusive black-and-white pics 
paired with Johnny’s quotes from his 
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.



Johnny’s latest column for the 
Falls Church News-Press.
His columns are published every Thursday 
in the “National Commentary“ 
section—don’t miss a single one! 



I discovered recently that there are 
brief rehearsal clips of Johnny on my cell phone 
that I had totally forgotten I had. 
The footage is blurry and jumpy, but as I re-watched 
this one for the first time in months, I suddenly realized 
that that doesn’t really matter at all....
Video link.
International fans video link.



A number of Johnny’s auction items 
have been relistedwhich means if you missed out 
the first time around, you’re in luck: 
It’s not too late to own a piece of Weir Gear! 
Go check it out and see what treasures 
you could take home!



Please alert absolutely everyone you’ve ever met 
to “like” and follow the new 
on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr
Because he should be on all the things. 
With or without ice. 
But definitely with Viacheslav.



Please click to vote for Johnny 
once a day as “Best Sportsman”
Because he retweeted Luisa Lotka  to tell us he wants us to! 



Need to see Seasons 1 and 2 all over again? 
Watch episodes online anytime on Logo!
Please be sure to check in with GetGlue a
nytime you’re watching the show... 
or thinking about watching the show.... 
or wishing you were watching the show....



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



Johnny tweeted:
“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!”
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 2013 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved

1 comment:

aaaack said...

Johnny is looking great, dare I say younger?, in these most recent photographs. Perhaps the stress of competition and finances has lifted.

I always thought that some of the Betheny-Johnny conflict was made-for-television drama. Betheny was overbooked as a new mom, but the program needed big names who had the ability to skate, a scarce combination. Johnny is a stickler and critical perfectionist for his sport, who leaves nothing behind on the table.