Publicity = fans = money. He doesn't have to win anything to have a successful comeback.
That's what I meant. His fame depends on his being a skater, so he needs to skate. And skating needs a big name like Johnny. While I would love to see him get back in form and make it to the Olympics, it seems unlikely - but he can still prolong his fame and bring fans to the competitions he's in.
A quad is hard for anyone.