The Best of Binky's Johnny Weir Blog

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Kayso I Just Have to Ask....

... seriously?

You still haven't bought your ticket for Ice Dreams?

Really?

Imma help you with that:

Johnny's Heartbroken performance from Prague.

Johnny's Bad Romance from Prague--and one of his

best performances of this program, IMO.

You can see how much the warm response from the audience
energizes him while he's skating.

This is also the YouTube video
that he tweeted last night:

"A quiet evening in Prague. [LOL.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvtF6WcZPcA

Icedreamstour.com Come and get it..."

Which means yay Jenn!! He watched your upload!!

Yeah.

That's what I thought.

Yes, go! Buy your ticket!

Do it now! I'll wait. :)

Because I know there's just no way you want to miss this chance to see all that dazzling beauty and ice-melting power and sizzling I-don't-
even-have-a-word-for-it-so-let's-just go-with-OMGIDIE Right. In. Front. Of. You.

I went to Ice Dreams last year (I may have mentioned that once or twice or a thousand times or so ...). The Edge Arena is what we call your more "intimate" venue--which fortunately is just what you're looking for when you want to spend the evening with your favorite skater of all time in this and any other universe with a "u" in it as in U. Must. See. This. There's not a bad seat in the house--so no matter what ticket price works for you, you're guaranteed to be able to hear his blades slicing across the ice, see the incredible speed with which he skates, and feel those eyes bore right into yours with that laser-like intensity as he passes by your end of the rink.

Just ask Luisa Lotka, who provided us with the glorious screencaps above from the show she saw on Friday that was then broadcast on Czech TV the following Tuesday because those people in Europe don't believe in wasting any time when they've got something this amazing to put on the airwaves. (Here we wait MONTHS for an ice show to end up on TV. There? FOUR DAYS. #winning) I think Luisa would say, "YES. YES. GO. WHY YOU STILL STAND HERE?" Although she'd kinda be saying it out of the side of her mouth because there's no way she'd tear herself away from the screen long enough to look at something or someone who wasn't Johnny ...

OK! So! Now that you're consumed with panic because you can't believe you've let it go this long sweet Weirsus WHAT were you THINKING and OMG ARE THERE ANY TICKETS LEFT, you're in luck!

For the next 3 days (but counting down fast), you can take advantage of a special offer through Groupon, a super-cool deal-of-the-day site. Sign up for a free account at www.Groupon.com/Chicago, and buy your general admission ticket today for $15 off the regular price--and for your $25 you'll also get a free photo of Johnny, autographed by Johnny, with Johnny's fingerprints on it, that you can clutch to your chest and sleep with under your pillow until you get to see Johnny in person next Saturday night.

(Pssssst: Here's another deal: If you already have a collection of 9,847,526,492 photos of Johnny plus his autograph in all 12 of the books you bought at every one of the book signings you attended so maybe you can forego the photo, you can get your general admission ticket for half price through the Ice Dreams website--just enter the coupon code "johnnyweir" on the order screen and click "apply.")

So really, at these great prices, can you afford NOT to go? Of course not. What a silly question. Like those nonsensical math problems where "If Johnny boards a plane in Newark to go to LA after having slept a total of five hours in ten days in twelve time zones, and Tara goes to her office to cut fifteen more CDs worth of music for Ice Dreams while jazzed up on eight ventis from Starbucks, how many phone calls will Josh have to make in order to be sure that the kids' costumes have not accidentally been shipped to Belleville, WI, rather than Bensenville, IL ...?"

And don't forget that Johnny's premiering his Little Black Dress capsule collection for eDressMe at Ice Dreams ... Oh, and the crew will be there filming for BGJW Season 2, so of course you might have a chance to say hi to Butch and Grämz too ...

... BTW there are just ten VIP tix left ...

See you there!

Coming soon:

Yes, Nancy has posted 1,000 quotes

on "The Quotable Johnny Weir" blog!

So that means it's time for another Johnny trivia quiz!

~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~

Please order a shirt today to help the people of Japan!

For more ways to pitch in, please see this article.

Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross.

More info on the Ice Dreams website; buy tickets here!
Want a half-price ticket?
Chleo' C-bladez Glitter Jr. can't go this year
and is willing to sell hers for $20!
Interested? Contact her on Facebook or send me an email
and I'll forward it on to her!

Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!

Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!

Please help Johnny meet his goal
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.

You also can get 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!)

Johnny tweeted recently:

"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.

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!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Beautiful in Budapest

Johnny performs "Heartbroken" in Kings On Ice,

Budapest, Hungary, April 14, 2011

(click any photo for a larger view).

So today we're just going to take a Zen moment to relax ... breathe ... empty our minds ... and focus only on what is immediately in front of us: some of the most stunning photographs of Johnny I have ever seen.

Because, for me, that's what fandom is all about: Johnny.

The photos are courtesy of the lovely and talented Rita Szoboszlai, the same "fodrika" on YouTube who also brings us the exceptional Kings On Ice videos of Johnny's performance to Edvin Marton's "Memory," posted on Saturday's blog, and of "Heartbroken":

You can view Rita's entire KOI photo gallery on Picasa. I first found the link on the KOI Hungary Facebook page, which is also a treasure trove of videos from the Hungarian press conference, thanks to Jeanette Gebri. :) Please be sure to stop by and enjoy Johnny's impression of Patrick Chan in the video titled, "KOI Press Conference 6"....

And now: Johnny.

Skating to Edvin Marton's "Memory."

"Heartbroken."

From the show finale.

More video from Rita (thank you!). Here is the KOI finale that includes the sequence from which these group photos were taken:

Coming soon:

Yes, Nancy has posted 1,000 quotes

on "The Quotable Johnny Weir" blog!

So that means it's time for another Johnny trivia quiz!

There's still time left to bid on Johnny's donation to Figure Skating in Harlem's charity auction! Up for bid just until Wednesday is his Poker Face costume from the premiere of Skating With the Stars, autographed by Johnny. It's a fabulous item for a worthwhile cause! #epicwin

~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~

Please order a shirt today to help the people of Japan!

For more ways to pitch in, please see this article.

Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross.

Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!

Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!

You also can get 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!)

Johnny tweeted recently:

"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.

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!

Monday, April 18, 2011

"There Are Things I Never Forget"

Johnny performs "Heartbroken"

at the Edge of Heaven ice show in Prague.

Photo from the gallery at EraSport.cz.

Special to the blog: Last Friday my friend and faithful blog reader, Luisa Lotka, saw Johnny perform live for the first time ever at Edge of Heaven in Prague. Johnny had come to Prague before, but, as she wrote on his fan page, she wasn't able to see him then: "I just remember I was in hospital, when Johnny was in Prague (three years ago I think). I was crying and I really speculated what to do to leave hospital secretly. :-)." [Luisa, I think we've all been there in one way or another....] She was thrilled that he received such a warm welcome from the fans at Friday's show: "I was surprised in arena, when some fans around me were like, 'OMG Johnny, there is Johnny!' when he appeared. I thought I'm only one who will be dying for him. :-)."

Luisa wrote to me after the show to tell me about her experience--she not only enjoyed every moment of the skating, she got to meet Johnny afterward! I loved her account so much that I asked her if it would be OK to share her thoughts here, and she was kind enough to say yes. She also asked me to edit her English, but I thought it was pretty much perfect the way she had it, so I only added a comma here or a tiny word there--because the poignant beauty of what she wrote is not only in what she says, but how she says it. ♥

So here in her own words is Luisa's night at the Edge of Heaven.

The show was fantastic, fabulous, incredible. All skaters were great and I loved all performances. I had fun all the time and I will remember it for long time. But there are things I never forget:

1. When I saw Johnny first time in my life. All skaters were waiting for show opening. I recognized very well-known face among them, and my heart stopped for while: Johnny in black "Fallen Angel" costume. They all went to ice, and Johnny in his costume shined and sparkled that I believed I see an angel. So strong and fragile together.

2. When I heard him skate first time in my life. The sound of blades on ice when he skated "Heartbroken." If you watch figure skating only on TV or computer, you never can hear it. I loved all emotions in that program. I was really touched by all his feelings. Johnny skated all his heart out ... And his shoulders are wonderful. And his red soles too. [He performed in his Louboutin skates for the first time, I believe, on this trip.]

3. First "Bad Romance" in my life. When I heard first notes of "Bad Romance," I started scream like some sociopath. And all crowd did too, surprisingly. I wondered how people will react, because I thought Czech figure skating fans are conservative. But people loved it. They were cheering, screaming, clapping, and whistling so so much! (include my husband!). Johnny was incredible.

4. Johnny face-to-face first time in my life. Do angels exist? Can I meet an angel? Are angels beautiful inside and out? YES, YES, YES. I loved his eyes, his lashes, and his look directly into my eyes. I loved his quiet voice, his smile, his kind words. I asked him if he did get flowers I sent him to the hotel, and if can I give him some gift. He was so nice and said that flowers smell beautifully. He said, "Thank you so much!" several times, and I said, "No, I thank YOU!" several times. Johnny signed my book and gave me the best hug ever. My brain leave my head and didn't return till now.

(Binky, I'm so sorry I didn't send you any pics or videos. I thought I try it, but I forgot everything. [Totally understand.] On Tuesday 4/19 it will be on Czech TV.) [BRB subscribing to Czech TV....]

Unexpected things happen in our lives, but life never ask what we want. I got tickets for both shows, but I wasn't able to go to the second show.

I was blessed to have a chance to see Johnny skate in person, meet him, see his angel's face, and feel his angel's soul. There are several billions people in the Earth who will never have this chance. I never take for granted how lucky I am.

(Thank you, Johnny, for that last sentence, and for many other things.)

[And thank you, Luisa, for this. ♥]

Johnny's "Bad Romance" in Prague.

Photo from the gallery at EraSport.cz.

More "Bad Romance."

Photo from the gallery at EraSport.cz.

Mobbed as always, Johnny greets fans
and signs autographs in Prague.
Photo posted by Anna Kotarbová
on the Nebeské Hrany Facebook page.

Relive the magic: Here are Johnny's performances from Prague!

Heartbroken from April 15, 2011.

Includes extended interaction
between Johnny and the show's emcee

after his performance. :)

Bad Romance.

I THINK this is from Saturday's show.

Bonus! The opening number from Friday's performance!

Watch for Johnny in his black "Fallen Angel" costume

waiting backstage at around 1:23, and then

making his entrance onto the ice at about 2:06.

More Johnny sprinkled throughout,

and again toward the end starting around 3:40.

Double bonus! Coming soon:
Flashback to Kings On Ice in Budapest with
yet more gorgeous photos!

~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~

Please order a shirt today to help the people of Japan!

For more ways to pitch in, please see this article.

Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross.

Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!

Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!

You also can get 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!)

Johnny tweeted recently:

"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.

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!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

"If Angels Can Skate, They Do It As Johnny Does"

This beautiful headline comes to us from Luisa Lotka, my dear Czech Republic friend on Twitter and FB, who saw Johnny in the "Edge of Heaven" show in Prague Friday night.

She also wrote: "Just returned home from the show. My soul and heart are full of love, beauty and sparkles, my head is empty."

Yes. This.

And by the modern miracle of YouTube, here is a glimpse of what she experienced--a tiny slice from the edge of heaven, where the angels skate as Johnny does....

Johnny's "Heartbroken" performance in Prague.

Johnny's "Bad Romance" from Prague.

We also are lucky enough to have another brief clip from Thursday's Kings On Ice in Budapest, in which Johnny skates to a performance by the amazing violinist Edvin Marton. Thank you to Krisztina Gurga of the "Kings On Ice Hungary" Facebook group for the video, and to Tatiana Edrenkina for first posting it to Johnny's fan page!

UPDATE: More video of Johnny skating to Edvin Marton!
(Because we can never have too many videos of this or of anything Johnny, really....)

And, because a rainy Saturday makes for a perfect afternoon to spend at the movies with Johnny, here's one more, a lovely new montage that I found in one of my YouTube searches, simply titled, "Johnny Weir--My Inspiration."

Lost in translation no more: Hey, remember this link from yesterday? Kind reader Vicky Klinko, whom I met at Ice Dreams last year and who speaks Hungarian (!), offered to translate for us so we could know what was really said at the press conference in Budapest(thank you SO much, Vicky!). Click here to read why Johnny wore his Sochi jacket, how he feels about not skating competitively this past year, and who he thinks will win at Worlds ...

~ Our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are with you ~

Please order a shirt today to help the people of Japan!

For more ways to pitch in, please see this article.

Yes, Ice Dreams is happening again
in Bensenville, IL, on April 30!
For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to
the Japanese Red Cross.

More info on the Ice Dreams website;
tickets are still available!

Yes! At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!

Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!

You also can get 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!)

Johnny tweeted recently:

"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.

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!