Johnny Weir's "Positive" Qualities

I love Johnny's skating. It would be great if we could discuss Johnny's positive qualities.

Now let's start! I am really happy that he looks so determined this season. I feel that he looks shinier than the last season.

What do you like about Johnny's skate? Mine includes the beautiful spin positions and the great axel.

Putting aside his skating, physical features, and persona for now, one thing that I really like about Johnny is that he feels very real to me. He's an interesting guy with a number of faces that are often contradictory and very human:

For example:
Competitive, Hardworking, Determined
Loud, Opinionated and Screw-what-you-think
Introspective, Quiet, and Sensitive
Shopping, Christina Aguilera, Fashionista
Romantic, Idealist, Naive
Gracious, Caring and Kind
Cute, Witty, Silly
Charming, Femme, Boyish

What Johnny does isn't always "right" (arguably), but I get a strong sense that he tries to live by what he thinks is "right"-- his version of "right". That's a quality that I admire a lot about him. :agree:

And since this is Johnny's Happy Thread...


Happy Johnny! Haha. Keep on shinin', Johnny.

Johnny Weir is a good skater, and I hope he skates his best in the forthcoming competitions.

Joe

Happy Thread on Johnny Weir

I have always loved Johnny's style of skating which I would describe as graceful, elegant and musical. He stands out among the men because he has beautiful arms which he uses to enhance the program rather than waving them around in an attempt to look artistic. Johnny is an artist without effort.

I hope he continues to have a good year. He is a pleasure to watch when he is "on".

Dizzy

I admire Johnny for taking the risk and switching coaches so he can be a better skater.

It's been great so far this season. I've had an excuse to drink and celebrate all the time. (Whereas last season I had to bring out the Disney to get over the post-FS depression, haha.)
I so love both the programs this year, both costumes, and gosh even his hair, which at first killed me, is now looking adorable with these outfits.
So yeah, a happy shiny Johnny is keeping me happy as well.
The thing that's especially wonderful... well, it's been a while since I really got to enjoy his long programs, and now I've gotten the chance to thoroughly do so at every competition so far.

And, well, all the qualities that a lot of people seem to hate Johnny for are, curiously, some of the things I love most about him. It's rather astonishing how people can see things so differently.
Even when he's being bitchy and/or queeny sometimes, coupled with all his other qualities, I find these things charming and attractive most of the time. That was the Johnny I first fell in love with, anyway.
That he can say that men's figure skating is boring as hell and a lot of the men look alike. That he explains the reason he skated a program poorly was because his aura was black. And then not fear the reactions and general backlash and everything that comes with not shutting up for fear of saying something regrettable or stupid or wrong, but instead saying exactly how he feels at the moment. The consequences of such honesty... you know it's brutal. And it's not like Johnny doesn't contradict himself constantly. 'What's on the top of his head and on the tip of his tongue' indeed. And then he has the audacity to go and still be like the rest of us, lay himself out there just like he is with all his faults, be a perfectionist, be a snob, make mistakes and b^tch and mess things up and then be completely vulnerable afterwards and get hurt. And yet still be sort of unapologetic about it all. Maybe it's just an illusion, but to the casual observer he seems like the living proof of 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. Whether he annoys the hell out of you or not, he's exactly like most people would desire to be if only they had the balls. I guess I've just spent too much time fearing what others might think or say. So I cannot admire this quality enough. I don't know. Is it naive. Is it unwise. Wrong? It's not safe, sure - you can see the consequences every time he speaks up or is direct. But I like it!
(So, I even sort of understand where some of the dislike for Johnny is coming from; a lot of it makes sense in my head. But I guess I'm just wired differently? )

So, and then, when he says stuff like this, even half jokingly...
It's broken! Who broke your heart, Johnny? - Everybody.
... it kind of makes me melt and feel like someone stabbed me at the same time. lol

Here's a pretty screencap to brighten this thread even more.

One of the many things I like about Johnny's skating is how he interprets his music. Very few skaters can interpret and always be right on the music as Johnny.

Thanks for starting this thread, Bennett . I have enjoyed all your posts about Johnny on the other threads.

Yes, I am so much for Johnny in this competition; he is absolutely my favorite. I love his skating, because it is so beautiful, and yet so uncompromisingly athletic. I love the way his blades caress the ice. There is no substitute for good edges and true fluidity of motion. His approach to the ice is of a very rare kind. Most single male skaters just land their jumps; his have an exquisite outflow, and that is a kind of skating that is so hard to find. He is truely an artist on the ice.

I enjoy his personality, because he actually has one. In the movie, "Bull Durham", the script shows how most U.S. athletes are taught to take the safe road, and only spout time-worn cliches when interviewed. When skaters do that, it is not only boring; it is also insulting to the intelligence of the audience. Johnny always treats his audience with respect by being himself instead of hiding behind such cliches. He may overestimate the intelligence of his audience by doing this, but I find it very endearing. I love to read his interviews, and to watch his fluff bits and after-skate interviews on TV.

I love Johnny's internationalism. He is into the whole world, and I think he makes a great ambassador for the U.S., unlike stuffy, jingoistic types. Some people act as if they want the Cold War back again, God forbid! I think the U.S. is lucky to have someone like Johnny as a cultural ambassador. One time I met a young lady, a USFS member, and she told me that Johnny's skating style is "too Russian". What does that mean? That it's too graceful? That the edges are too good? Her attitude truly shocked me.

With some skaters, the behind-the-scenes view is very different from the bland public image. With Johnny, he gives the public a chance to get to know him, "warts and all".

I love it that Johnny's beautiful skating came from the heart, not from a cold calculating of points. I love it that he has now made the painful adjustment to current competition conditions. I could kiss Galina Zmievskaya for helping him with that.

I could go on and on, but other posters have already said much of what I would say. Let's just say I am a Johnny Weir fan, happy to have him back training full programs, and I want him to win the GPF, because I really care about *quality* of skating. Whether he wins or not, he will still be my favorite male skater at this competition; he *finishes* his moves (which is very hard to do under CoP and its emphasis on stuffing as many positions as possible into a program), and he obviously still cares more for skating a *clean* program, than for skating a mathematically busy one. I believe he will not insert a quad in his programs until he feels confident that a fall on it won't occur and mar the wholeness of the program. He is a superb athlete, as his gorgeous triple axel demonstrates, but he is an artist, as John Curry was, a man of rare and beautiful talent.

"Go, Johnny, go!"

Oh, I must contribute to this thread, since some of the stuff I've taken the time to read has, frankly, bordered on ridiculous. In short, different strokes for different folks. I can understand why Johnny's off-ice behavior may annoy some, but I personally find him humorous. Reading Johnny's journal entries is on my short list of things to do when I need a giggle. I think he has a good sense of humor about things, and he's not afraid to reveal all the sides of his personality. No one is completely nice, or completely bitchy, all the time, and Johnny is no exception. Aside from his skating technique, which I think most everyone can agree is top notch, I adore the fact that he genuinely seems to appreciate other cultures. It's an admirable endeavor, especially while living in a place as insulated as the United States. Thus ends my short essay on why I root for Johnny Weir. GO FOR THE GOLD, JOHNNY!!

Johnny's skating to me is like a cool breeze on a summer night making one yearn for more. I have had the privilege of seeing Johnny skate live. His line and technique, really is beautiful. I take his journal entries with a grain of salt and a chuckle. I appreciate the time he takes to communicate with his fans and to let us in on what is going on with his life. Gotta love Johnny!!!!

Happy Thread on Johnny Weir

I've had the opportunity to meet with and speak with Johnny Weir on a couple of occasions and he is a total hoot. He has a wry sense of humor and, contrary to people who find him arrogant, was kind of self-deprecating. During our conversation, I mentioned I took up skating in my mid 40s (I am w-a-y past that now but still skate) and he couldn't have been more encouraging -- said he thought it was totally cool that I am still out there clunking around (my words, NOT his.) It seemed to me that while he takes his skating seriously, he doesn't take himself too seriously at all and certainly doesn't buy into the fluff and superficiality that sometimes surrounds the sport. In short, I adore him as a funny and savvy guy who not only "gets" the joke, he creates it. And it skating is simply spectacular.

How do I love Johnny? Let me count the ways . . .

He has a unique combination of power and grace that never ceases to take my breath away. We all know Uncle Dick said, "Johnny Weir skates like liquid gold." He also said, "He is athletically graceful beyond belief." That's what does it for me.

He skates with a seemingly effortless ease and abandon. His edges are secure; his blades are kind to the ice; his jumps are powerful and landed on a running edge; his spins are gorgeous (his sit spin position is eye-popping); his footwork is beautifully executed and lacks frenetic armwork; and he actually manages to bring a depth of feeling to his programs instead of just checking elements off of a mental CoP list. In a system that is all about the big tricks, Johnny is one of very few men whose programs don't feel like skate-skate-jump-flail-repeat. His skating is passionate, not formulaic.

A few other things I love about Mr. Weir . . .

* He's not afraid to show emotion, whether it's pain, elation, fear, anger, dejection, or passion.

* He's self-deprecating and willing to laugh at himself.

* He speaks his mind instead of sticking to the USFS script, even when it means having to go to media training. Again. (I hear they have good bagels).

* He wears the occasional over-the-top costume, knowing full well that he'll take heat for it. But he has the balls to do it anyway because he's trying to tell a story, dammit!

* He's not afraid to skate programs that are masterpieces of grace and beauty, because people who think men shouldn't be graceful and beautiful are DEAD WRONG.

* He is willing to step outside of his comfort zone.

* He is unwilling to let other people define him.


Abby Haight said it best:

"Whenever Weir speaks, it's Johnny Unplugged. In a buttoned-up sport in which skaters choose their words more carefully than their costumes, he is unabashedly, unapologetically his own man."


And Thank God for that! Go, Johnny, Go!!!

Brandi_DeLain said:

But he has the balls to do it anyway because he's trying to tell a story, dammit!

Click to expand...

Channeling Paula Abdul? :chorus:

Petunia said:

I've had the opportunity to meet with and speak with Johnny Weir on a couple of occasions and he is a total hoot. He has a wry sense of humor and, contrary to people who find him arrogant, was kind of self-deprecating.

Click to expand...

You posted this while I was writing my (long) post. I'm glad you found Johnny to be self-deprecating. He's always come across that way to me. He seems very critical of himself sometimes. I guess that comes with being a perfectionist.

1cmarie said:

Channeling Paula Abdul? :chorus:

Click to expand...

You know Johnny could sell that line better than Paula.

Brandi_DeLain said:

* He's not afraid to skate programs that are masterpieces of grace and beauty, because people who think men shouldn't be graceful and beautiful are DEAD WRONG.
And Thank God for that! Go, Johnny, Go!!!

Click to expand...

Wordy McWord, Brandi! And then there's his attitude...
I realize that this is probably a minority opinion, but I've really enjoyed watching Johnny shoot off at the lip for the past few seasons. The kid isn't afraid to be real - warts and all - and I respect that immensely. It's also marvelously entertaining.
I'm so glad to see Johnny skating well this season, and I hope he continues to do so. I'd love to see him win his National title back next month. Those of you who've been here a while remember that I write parodies, and tend to go a little overboard with them in January, during Nats. I didn't do a single skating song last January, and I realized that when Johnny has a bad year, I don't get very inspired!
So go! Go, Johnny, go! Meanwhile, you may sing this to the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home":

When Johnny wins back the gold again, huzzah! huzzah!
I'll start writing skating songs again, huzzah! huzzah!
There aren't many rhymes for Lysacek
But dreck, and blech! And what the heck,
But I'll write for days when Johnny wins back the gold!

xoxo
Rave

Ravyn Rant said:

When Johnny wins back the gold again, huzzah! huzzah!
I'll start writing skating songs again, huzzah! huzzah!
There aren't many rhymes for Lysacek
But dreck, and blech! And what the heck,
But I'll write for days when Johnny wins back the gold!

Click to expand...

Good one, Rave!

Bravo Rave!

I was never a Johnny fan until I saw him skating in COI in 05. That performance did something for me that none of his performances on tv ever did. I can't describe it but it was like looking at something through a jar and then taking off the top and looking again. The realness of his skating came through for me.

I love that he speaks his mind and I love his comparisons. The one he did comparing his skating to Matt Savoie's during 06 Nats had people shocked and appaled, but it was dead on to me. I love that he is an origional. What a skater.

please do not post photos that you do not own the copyright on OR have permission to post.

Click to expand...

Sorry. I thought you could post a pic if you credited the photographer. I will post a direct link to the original site, instead.

Johnny Weir pic on Yahoo Images