SWTS: Spectacular! Weirvelous! Totally Sparkly! So Want To See (More)!

OK, this is the show I really want to see.
"Johnny." Every night on ABC. :)

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But until I have my JWe-TV (all Johnny all the time because too much is never enough etc. etc. need to start working on a network theme song BTW which clearly must include the line, "bunnies frolicking across a beautiful meadow..."), I will happily watch the "Meet Johnny Weir" intro piece from SWTS over and over and over. Except that the only place I can find it thus far is on Gawker.tv, a site kind enough to actually post the video, but who thoughtlessly failed to provide an embed code. (Dear ABC: Once again your watches appear to be set on geologic time. Did no one sit down and gently explain to you about Johnny's fans and our need to instantly mainline all pics/vids as soon as they have been captured, even if they're just blurry plixi uploads?) So if you need me, I'll be spending the day over there where they also have the video of his Poker Face performance...

OK then! Wow! We made it through the first episode of SWTS and no skate blades sliced any femoral arteries or anything. So yay!

And actually, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The production values were better than I expected, the routines were fun to watch, I found myself actually rooting for everybody because I am amazed at the risks--both physical and career-wise--these celebs have willingly assumed in order to do this show, and (except for the extraordinarily long commercial break about
three-quarters of the way through in which I finally looked up from texting absolutely everyone I've ever met and wondered if I had somehow accidentally changed the channel because where the hell was my SHOW), the episode really moved along rather briskly and all of a sudden it was over! Time to race to the computer to spend hours NOT being able to vote at ABC.com because according to their watches of course it was only half-past Precambrian--plenty of ice ages to go before they realized maybe their servers were on overload and they ought to FIX THEM. But at least I was able to vote immediately from every available phone in the house--four different cell phones and a land line--and yes, I spent all my votes on #TeamDenis!

OK, let's talk about that for a minute. Denis was absolutely superb, totally my fav among the pros. And I can see why they paired him with Sean, one of the weakest skaters on the show. Because only Denis, with his experience, strength, artistry, confidence, and sheer talent, could make the two of them seem flowing and elegant and in sync. But kudos to Sean: She's damn gutsy to be doing this at age 51.

I actually liked all the couples, though I thought Vince Neil was even less steady on skates than Sean. And I was really surprised at the harsh scores from all the judges for Bethenny Frankel. I'm not a Bethenny fan, but I did enjoy her and Ethan's performance and am kinda puzzled by the super-low marks. But then, as my Twitter friend @patinaglace noted, it wouldn't be figure skating without a judging controversy... (at least the math--BIG NUMBERS ON HANDHELD PADDLES LOL--was fairly simple to follow, though how the judges' scores combine with the audience votes and translate into the results smacks a bit more of the square root of the USFSA...).

Loved Tanith. Vernon Kay: Not so much.

But the highlight of the show was, of course, Johnny. From his brief intro piece, to his comments to the contestants, to his Poker Face performance (on that little teeny tiny rink OMG), he was dazzling. As always. He did seem a bit nervous to me--but then, I'm used to BGJW and all the unbridled warm crazy that goes on there. I know he mentioned in one of the AMA interviews (don't know which one! too many to keep track of!) that he was aware that this is ABC and Disney and family-friendly, and I think that may have accounted for some nerves.

Anyway: I was so excited when the show FINALLY got started!

And then there he was.

And it was like this whole year flashed before my eyes: Discovering Johnny via a random tweet of his Festa '09 Poker Face; Nationals and the fur freakout; frantically reading everything I could find to catch up on his entire career; Olys and the unbelievably appalling scores for which I still have no words; Dorothy Hamill's voice breaking when she had to ask him about those idiot comments; his press conference; withdrawal from Worlds; lots of red carpets; Russia; Skate for Hope; Japan; Dirty Love!; AIDS/LifeCycle; his year-off announcement, tweeting from his hotel in the middle of the night that he hoped his fans weren't disappointed in him; Lake Placid; more Japan; All That Skate; HRC Visibility Award; rumors about some Skating With the Stars show...

Is it wrong that all of a sudden, when I saw him, I got a little teary?

Because there he was, on a major network, in prime time, starring on a show that follows the number-one show in the entire country, poised and perfect and beautiful and funny, for all the rest of America and the world to fall in love with.

After one of the most wrenchingly bitter disappointments of his life some months ago--now he's here.

Wow. Just wow.

Mysterious ways. Who would have thought that NOT winning the gold would have opened so many doors for him?

So, so proud to be his fan.

And I'm just one in a number that keeps growing exponentially and way way faster than ABC could possibly keep up with, given that they're all still standing around wondering where the tech services guy is. Just since last night, he's gained 300+ followers on Twitter and another 300+ on Facebook. I'm pretty sure he's the number-one draw to keep viewers coming back for more on SWTS.

And that's not just my opinion. I leave you with a small sample of the Twitter feed from last night to roll around in while we wait for next week's episode (click for a more readable view):

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Catch the next episode of Skating With the Stars

this coming Monday, November 29,
at 8 pm EST / 7 pm CST!

Don't miss it!

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Yes! There are still VIP meet-n-greet tickets available
for Holiday Dreams on Ice,
the spectacular December 11 show starring Johnny
and hosted by Perani Ice Arena in Flint, Michigan!
The meet-n-greet is limited to just 50 guests,
so reserve your VIP tickets today with this form!

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Please remember to check out
Johnny's new official website!
It debuted last week to many rave reviews
on Twitter and Facebook,
so be sure to take a look around!
Love the intro page with the Swan photo
and handwritten note from Johnny. :)

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Designer T. Rains and Johnny have teamed up to raise money and awareness for The Trevor Project! This organization is "determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources." Proceeds from the "Army of One" t-shirt sales will go to The Trevor Project foundation. Order yours today! Your support is greatly appreciated!

For more information, please visit www.thetrevorproject.org.

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Yes! You can own a fine art print of Johnnyperfect for any/every room in the house! Prints of artist Peter Jurik's "Showtime!" are available for purchase from his website.More info here!

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Here it comes: Johnny's quarter-century memoir,Welcome to My World, will be availableJanuary 11, 2011--that's just two months away!You can preorder it now on Amazon!

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Please remember to register to receivethe JW Art Project's email newsletter!
They have great tidbits to offer,
and you get a special sneak peek at an exclusive photo
from the Artbook when you sign up!

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Special holiday offer!
In exchange for a donation to Toys for Tots,
Trish Aaron-Misiura will send you one handmade,
Johnny-inspired Christmas ornament! More info here!

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Please vote for Johnny as "Must-Follow Personality"in the Fourth Annual Mashable Awards!To vote, enter "@JohnnyGWeir" in the box after "I nominate,"and then choose "Must-Follow Personality"from the pull-down menu.You can vote once a day until Monday, November 29!The top five in each category will advanceto the finalists' round, which begins December 1.

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