The Best of Binky's Johnny Weir Blog: Rise Like a Phoenix

Johnny.

Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.

More photos from this

exquisite series below!

Yes!! Summer touring is upon us!

Johnny heads to Japan in less than a month for the first
Fantasy on Ice tour performances plus
“Together on Ice” with Yuzu! Then, get ready:
the Weibocalypse of Artistry on Ice happens in July and
August. Please see Johnny’s official website for all
his performance dates this summer!

Dear Johnny,

we believe in you,

we support you, and
we love you always. ♥

http://bit.ly/WeLoveYouJW

Note: Candles last only 48 hours, so please visit often

to keep the love and light shining...

Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.

Here it is: the Johnny news you need now!

(1) A fantastic announcement from Artistry on Ice, courtesy of lovely Chinese Panda Haohewuyin:

Artistry On Ice 2014 declares that @JohnnyGWeir will perform a new number called “When Love Fades Away” with Zhao. @JohnnyGWeir will be YuJi (the king’s lover), and Zhao Hongbo will be BaWang (the king). “When the Love Fades Away” is the theme song in movie “Farewell My Concubine.”

OMG.

The announcement also got a writeup on China Ice, which says (very very roughly translated):

Since the inaugural 2010 [Artistry on Ice] show, Johnny Weir has always come every summer and met fans in China as promised. This year he will be paired with a mystery guest [Binky’s note: it’s rumored that the other candidate to be his partner is Zhang Hao] for an interpretation of the classic theme song “When Love Fades Away” from the film Farewell My Concubine. This bold new performance may become one of Johnny Weir’s future landmark programs.

BRB dying.

Then booking travel to China... (hello, Haohewuyin!).

(2) In addition to his upcoming episode of Hollywood Game Night (airing Thursday, July 17!), Johnny also has signed on to appear in season 2 of Sundance TV’s outstanding reality show, “Dream School,” which is just incredibly awesome. The new season is slated to premiere this fall, and Johnny will participate as an instructor for Physical Education and Communications.

BRB recovering from PTSD at the very mention of “PE” class. Later I’ll be spending my evening in the richness of imagining how different junior and senior high school might have been had Johnny been my PE teacher.

(3) Johnny’s Falls Church News-Press column is back! He tweeted Monday:

Writing my first column in months for @fcnp and hoping my editor likes it.
— Johnny Weir (@JohnnyGWeir) May 19, 2014

YES! Johnny, we’ve missed your column very much! So happy you’re writing again, and so looking forward to reading your thoughtful essays soon!

And now, a brief but breathtaking new picspam series from the vault.

These were taken at a dress rehearsal as Johnny did a run-through of his Ave Maria program. He’s wearing his second “Phoenix” costume in an extraordinarily dark rink; the clumps of people watching him are mostly obscured except in one photo below, in which bright camera flashes and lighted phone screens are visible.

Despite the continuous stream of jarring paparazzi-esque moments, Johnny filters it all out.

He remains intensely focused only on what he’s doing.

Much of his life has been lived in the glare of an often heavily biased and sometimes unwanted spotlight—contrary to a popular stereotype of him as a “media whore.”

Through it all, he has answered only to himself, and has sought to live a life of deep personal integrity, true to himself.

He has had tremendous ups and downs both professionally and personally, as his fans know.

Yet again and again, like a phoenix, he rises up and soars to even greater heights...

These may take a moment to load, but are well worth the wait. Please click any photo twice for the full-size image. Some of these are huge and hauntingly detailed.

Exclusive photos © David Ingogly.

Adversity is like a strong wind.

It tears away from us

all but the things that cannot be torn,

so that we see ourselves as we really are.

— Arthur Golden

Expect to have hope rekindled.

Expect your prayers to be answered

in wondrous ways.

The dry seasons in life do not last.

The spring rains will come again.

— Sarah Ban Breathnach

Bonus pics!! My favs from Instagram and Twitter this week.

Via Johnny: “Got to wish a bunch of young skaters

from The Pond FSC good luck before their tests today!”

Via @danidove14: “Met one of my idols today!!!!

#selfie #olympian”

UPDATE! Via @jacoblfitzpatrick: “Today I met

@johnnygweir !!!! He was so nice!!!! His skating is amazing!”

Johnny also signed Jacob’s skates.

UPDATE! Via @lawgirl215: “Thanks so much Johnny Weir!

You were a sweetheart! The kids were so

excited and appreciative!”

So exciting! Got to meet @JohnnyGWeir today! Thank you, Johnny for being so gracious and allowing the kids to spend some time with you!
— ICU_CCRN (@ICU_CCRN) May 23, 2014

@fadiapierre @JohnnyGWeir he was so great with the kids! What a kind hearted person! He truly made so many kids happy today!
— ICU_CCRN (@ICU_CCRN) May 23, 2014

My daughter had her skate autographed by @JohnnyGWeir !!! pic.twitter.com/xv4getxKyZ
— ICU_CCRN (@ICU_CCRN) May 23, 2014

Via @k_liz11: “Uh uh I kinda just met Johnny Weir

#ily #olympian #johnnyweir #skater #lgbtqplus #lgbtq #lgbt

#holyshit #fangirling #fangirl #mylife”

Please do check out her other two adorable posts

here and here about this momentous encounter, of which she writes:

“DID I MENTION HE WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME

WITH MOMMA WEIR” and “I WAS SQUEELING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL

I WAS FANGIRLING SO HARD MAN SO HARD

THE GARLIC FROM THE PIZZA BURNED

JOHNNY LAUGHED AT ME OMGOSH”

BTW Johnny’s been working out A LOT

to prepare for his summer tours.

Via his Instagram today: “Slaying. @ The Studio”

And also today: Via Carolanne Leone, owner of The Studio,

who has worked with Johnny previously as a trainer

and choreographer: “More than just feathers. @JohnnyGWeir”

Indeed.

Please do check Johnny’s Instagram

for more workout pics...

Via Johnny: “I love my boy. ❤️

#Тёма #japanesechin”

And my absolute favorite photo of the day /

week / month / year thus far. Via Johnny: “Watching birds

out the window with Тёма. #japanesechin”

Johnny and Tara’s brilliant commentary

segment from Late Night With Seth Meyers!
Video link.
Watch their interview with Seth here.

Johnny and Dora!!

Watch his spot over and over again
here, here, or here!

On Johnny’s website,

linked to his retirement statement.

Thank YOU, Johnny!

ICYMI: Johnny plans to discuss his personal difficulties just once,

in an exclusive interview with Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush.

The three-part interview is available at these links:

Johnny Weir Opens Up On Dramatic Divorce, Part 1
Transcript here.

Johnny Weir Opens Up On Dramatic Divorce, Part 2
Transcript here.

Johnny Weir: Why He Went Public With His Divorce
UPDATE: Transcript here.

Johnny Weir & Victor Voronov: No Reconciliation!

UPDATE: In response to a rash of erroneous reports in the media,

Johnny spoke briefly with Access Hollywood again

to set the record straight.

Before you point your finger at me, try to do some fact checking. Speaking for myself, I keep my private struggles private. #ArmyofOne
— Johnny Weir (@JohnnyGWeir) May 20, 2014

Also on the blog:
“Favorite Fairytale”
Beautiful Johnny being happy on the ice.
Exclusive photo © David Ingogly.