The Best of Binky's Johnny Weir Blog: everything will be OK in the end--if it's not OK then it's not the end

Johnny is facing one of the toughest decisions of his career,

with a deadline looming June 21: The date by which

he must tell USFS whether or not he wants

a Grand Prix assignment this fall.

According to Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune,

Johnny "has yet to make such a request."

Photo © David Ingogly.

Phil Hersh's interview with Johnny, in which they discuss the burning question of will-he-or-won't-he return to competing, came out yesterday. Johnny told Phil he was still unsure about a comeback.

Here are some of Johnny's thoughts from the article:

"I'm working very hard to not be a flash-in-the-pan celebrity. People know my name because I was in the Olympics. Now every project I do has to be at an Olympic level."

"I've been trying to find out what hoops the federation will want me to jump through [to come back]. I shouldn't be treated differently from anyone else. The question is whether I want to jump through the hoops."

(Editorial commentary: Sigh. This is at least the second time he's mentioned trying to find out exactly what USFS would want from him in order for him to return to competing; he also addressed the question in the Q and A on his website ["I’ve actually begun calling to see how all of this works in hopes of formulating a plan for my competitive return. I don’t know how it all works."] Why the f*ck doesn't USFS JUST TELL HIM how it works? As he says, he's not looking for special treatment--just answers, an explanation of the steps involved, of the requirements that must be met. Why is it not possible to get a simple, clear-cut response from the federation? USFS ought NOT to make this difficult in any way, IMO. They so NEED Johnny. He's the most popular figure skater ON. THE. PLANET. I can't help but notice that their sport kinda sucks a bit without him. Even Phil wrote, "The world of figure skating is a more joyous place with Johnny Weir on the scene."

So why is this hard? In the fantasy world where I like to live sometimes, they're emailing and calling HIM every day, leaving little love messages on his voicemail--"Hey Johnny! Just wanted to let you know that we've filled out all the paperwork for you! We're going to FedEx you a packet that contains everything you need plus answers to all your questions--just put your beautiful cursive signature on the forms and send 'em back in the prepaid envelope! Oh, and we included a little $500 Swarovski gift card, just, you know, just because. And one for Tara, too. We miss you! Say hi to your mom for us! Call us back when you get a chance!"--really, doing everything short of sexting him daily to make it clear that they love him, they miss him, they need him, they didn't mean all those things they said before, and they really really want another chance to work things out. Have I mentioned that I think they're idiots?

Also: How delicious would it be to watch USFS try to cope with the only openly gay figure skater on their roster, who's also their most loved, most well-known, most recent three-time champion, and their biggest draw? The thought of the squirming alone makes me deliriously happy.)

"I can see a place where I fit in well. My ace in the hole is that even if I am a little older, I didn't start skating until age 12, so my skating body isn't older than the other men."

[On whether or not he's inspired by Plushenko's comeback in 2010] "Evgeny is a very different person than me. He will fight like a dog for medals, which is also something I admired in Evan. I was more about performance than points. I'm more artist-athlete than athlete-artist."

"I would want to come back and make people cheer and cry. I missed my chance at a medal in 2006; that was my time to shine. Maybe if I came back without that pressure, I could just enjoy the journey."

In reading these quotes, I can't even begin to imagine how agonizing this decision must be for Johnny. So many variables to weigh; so many questions, and not enough info to go on at the moment. He knows all too well the tremendous sacrifice it would require to return; and he recognizes also the sacrifice it would be to walk away from Sochi.

There's so much at stake. So much that's gone before. And so much that's unknown.

And it breaks my heart that he thinks he missed his chance in 2006.

I wish I could fix it all for him. As does everyone who loves him. We all wish we knew what the answer was, and that it was easy, and obvious, and that it would all work out perfectly.

For many fans, the story always culminates in a gold medal for him in Sochi--even if he waits another season or two before returning. For others, the happy ending is a dazzling post-competitive career in which he reaches Lady Gaga-level global popularity, unencumbered by the pathetic and willfully clueless USFS, which is left stamping its foot like Rumplestiltskin and shrieking: "No! You can't wear sparkly onesies or be gay!" right before it splits in half and disappears in a puff of smoke.

Of course none of us knows what the future holds. For Johnny, or for ourselves.

But, to borrow a phrase from Oprah, there's one thing I know for sure--about the journey, the process, and the love that guides and supports us all:

Clarity, and peace, will come exactly when he most needs it.

And he will make the decision that's right for him, at the time that's right for him.

I also know one other thing for sure:

Whatever he decides, I'll just be over here cheering him on.

No matter what.

"I'm a figure skater, first and foremost.

I would come back for the sheer joy

of competing and performing."
Photo (c) David Ingogly.

Please help Johnny meet his goal

of raising $10,000 for breast cancer research

by visiting his donor page!

And buy tickets NOW to see Johnny

perform in Skate for Hope on
Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!

(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome

Columbus Gay Pride Parade--win-win!)

UPDATE: Johnny will be performing
FOUR times at Skate for Hope!
He'll be in the Headliners' Opening and Closing numbers,
and also will skate two solos!