Johhny-help or hindrance? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Johhny-help or hindrance?

Bijoux

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 8, 2004
I am guessing her fees were enormous and they had n american champs and faves to invite. Maybe 1 yuna costs 4 others! I wondered too. Maybe she would not want to travel by bus around usa. She is so rich she likely would need her own bus and maybe security detail. I'm guessing it came down to money. I don't think she wants a 40 city tour. She just does a weeks worth of work, brings in world skaters and makes a bundle for 3 nights. Anyone have any idea what the gross was on her recent Festa?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
IIRC it had something to do with contract agreements between her agents and IMG - SOI's backer.

as for Kurt - he gives praise in many forms, if that's what he said about Yuna he wasn't 'gushing' he was just stating fact as he called it. - it doesn't hurt she's coached by one of his friends/idols.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
IIRC it had something to do with contract agreements between her agents and IMG - SOI's backer.

Yeah, I have forgotten the details, but there is a lot of bad blood between IMG and IB Sports, Kim's agent. IIRC Kim was once with IMG Korea, but her Mom thought that Yuna was being neglected, so she switched over to IB sports (IB Sports is huge in Korea, representing baseball, golf, and most everything else.)

There were various contractual disputes and bad feeling about the switch. IMG does not allow their skaters (Mao Asada and Miki Ando, in addition to many American skaters (Mirai Nagasu, for instance) including the whole SOI gang) to participate in Yuna's shows, and vice versa.

Michelle Kwan is one of the few U.S. big-timers who has independent representation (Shep Goldberg), so she was able to skate in Yuna's show in Korea last summer.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
I am guessing her fees were enormous and they had n american champs and faves to invite. Maybe 1 yuna costs 4 others! I wondered too. Maybe she would not want to travel by bus around usa. She is so rich she likely would need her own bus and maybe security detail. I'm guessing it came down to money. I don't think she wants a 40 city tour. She just does a weeks worth of work, brings in world skaters and makes a bundle for 3 nights. Anyone have any idea what the gross was on her recent Festa?

I thought I heard before that one of her dreams was to travel around the world doing shows (BTW, I don't think that she needs her own bus if she's travelling with other skaters. How come it can be dangerous for her if the passengers are all fellow skaters?).

If that's the case, I think it important to be casted in a big, traditional, authentic show like SOI. She does not have to be in the entire touring of the SOI, but can just pick and choose a few big cities to participate.

Even though she does have the funding to organize her own shows in the US or Europe, she really needs strong local collaborators that have publicity among the general public (e.g., Michelle Kwan in the US, Stephane Lambiel or Plush in Europe and Russia). Although she was chosen as the most influencial person in the world by an internet poll, it's just not the case.

Shizuka has been pretty successful as a show skater and a commentator. It worked well for her because of the younger generation of Japanese skaters to commentate on. But I think that Yuna is too young and too big a name to work as a commentator. The Korean public would want to see her as a star and there is no knowing if the public remains interested in FS if Yuna ever retires. But doing her own shows only in Korea would not be challenging enough for her to keep her motivated for the many years to come.

I think that Canada may be a good place for her to start organizing her own shows. She has strong connection to Canadian skaters and the public would accept her more as an insider of the country because of her long-term relationship with the country.

Or why doesn't she collaborate with Johnny? Both are not joining the SOI. She has that enormous funding and Johnny has the name in the US.
 
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Wrlmy

Medalist
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Yeah it might do wonders to both of them to work together. But first of all, Johnny needs a better, more professional representation. It seems like Ms. Modulin is ruining whatever's left of his career. And Yuna would need a local rep in NA.
 

sunny0760

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
I'm guessing it came down to money. I don't think she wants a 40 city tour. She just does a weeks worth of work, brings in world skaters and makes a bundle for 3 nights. Anyone have any idea what the gross was on her recent Festa?

As other posters say, she seemed to have donated the Festa on Ice guarantee for the victims of the recent S.Korean warship accident. She recently did other charity things too.
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?29910-Yu-Na-news/page41

I think it important to be casted in a big, traditional, authentic show like SOI. She does not have to be in the entire touring of the SOI, but can just pick and choose a few big cities to participate.

As she did not announce whether she retires or not, I don't believe that SOI even contacted her for participating this time. If, as Mathman says, IMG does not allow their skaters to go to Yuna's show and vice versa, it's not likely that she will participate in SOI even after her retirement. But who knows? DOM/SHA belongs to IMG but they have just done FOI a few days ago.

I don't think that she needs her own bus if she's travelling with other skaters. How come it can be dangerous for her if the passengers are all fellow skaters?

:laugh: Agreed. I don't think she is particularly a diva. She stayed in 3 stars hotel at olys and once she won, she went into the same room where other Olympians stayed. If she started work as a pro, she would do what other companions do.

The Korean public would want to see her as a star and there is no knowing if the public remains interested in FS if Yuna ever retires. But doing her own shows only in Korea would not be challenging enough for her to keep her motivated for the many years to come.

I think that Canada may be a good place for her to start organizing her own shows. She has strong connection to Canadian skaters and the public would accept her more as an insider of the country because of her long-term relationship with the country.

Or why doesn't she collaborate with Johnny? Both are not joining the SOI. She has that enormous funding and Johnny has the name in the US.

Interesting assumption but too many possibilities. As for connection to the Canadian skaters, Chan and Shae- Lynn Borne come to mind because they performed with her at the shows more than once (last year and this year) and the existence of Orser. Johnny used to perform at the shows of Korea too. Jeff seems to come to Japan more often than others and many Canadian skaters came to Japan this year. So I don't know.
 
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Mafke

Medalist
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
To get back to the topic:

Of course Weir is a tremendous help to the sport. He's a star in a sport that needs stars, burdened by a federation ruled by fossils and cultural retrogrades.

As to whether his .... flamboyance might scare away some delicate straight boys from becoming skaters. Who cares?

No, really. Figure skating owes a tremendous debt to gay men (as competitors, choreographers, coaches and fans). It's digusting and hypocritical that the establishment is so hesistant to acknowledge this little fact.

If some guy dislikes gay men so much (or is so afraid of people thinking he's gay) then chances are approximately 99 to one that he won't have the competitive nerve or drive needed to succeed.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Interesting assumption but too many possibilities. As for connection to the Canadian skaters, Chan and Shae- Lynn Borne come to mind because they performed with her at the shows more than once (last year and this year) and the existence of Orser. Johnny used to perform at the shows of Korea too. Jeff seem to come to Japan more often than others and many Canadian skaters came to Japan this year. So I don't know.

Yeah, I remember that. Johnny and Yuna were cute together.

Jeff indeed comes to Japan very often. He has long had a very strong fan base in Japan and, after doing the pair with Mao and kissed her, he has become even more popular.

But I thought that he was also popular in Korea and that there was a Korean Jeff fan forum on the net. I think that joining Yuna's show would be good for both. Jeff has been choreographed by David Wilson and it would be cool for them to tie up together and create a show that have good cohesiveness, rather than different pieces put together. They also could do the pair and ice-dancing together.

I read that Yuna will create programs whether or not she continues to compete. So it seems that she at least continues to skate anyway. Yuna can always do ice shows even as an amatuer. And turning to pro and coming back are also pretty flexible these days. Hope Yuna tries whatever she wants to and has some fun.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Figure skating owes a tremendous debt to gay men (as competitors, choreographers, coaches and fans). It's digusting and hypocritical that the establishment is so hesistant to acknowledge this little fact.

I agree with the first part. I am not sure if the establishment is hesitant to acknowledge it. It depends on where you are, I guess. Isn't it just an open fact?
 

Wicked

Final Flight
Joined
May 26, 2009
I agree with the first part. I am not sure if the establishment is hesitant to acknowledge it. It depends on where you are, I guess. Isn't it just an open fact?

I think it's the elephant in the room.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
I think it's the elephant in the room.

This is a new English expression I've just learned from you. Thanks!

It does not seem to be like the don't tell policy in the US military. There are many who neither make all the efforts to specifically hide it nor say it aloud. The skating community is not the biggest community in the world and people tend to know each other well. Yet, the elephants do not necessarily seem to damage their careers.
 

Wicked

Final Flight
Joined
May 26, 2009
Elephants usually don't damage people's careers as long as they're ignored. It's when someone says, "I have an elephant" that the problems start.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
I find that elephants make wonderful pets. I've had the most luxurious bathing experiences ever since bringing 2 elephants into my household. Their trunks have officially replaced my shower head. Very highly recommended.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I believe we must wait and see if any major TV network is interested in picking up Figure Skating. Are we sure the cable showing Universal Sports will be in business in the future? Is Icenetwork still viable after dying out on major events?

Universal Sports is a subsidiary of NBC. However, not all cable operators have contracted for it... I just wish it was in HD.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Universal Sports is a subsidiary of NBC. However, not all cable operators have contracted for it... I just wish it was in HD.
Yes, but NBC is out of the market for figure skating, and I was just wondering since Unisport was started to get people interested in the Olys, will it continue to exist? I have no idea, if it is making money.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Well for what is worth, Toller Cranston (who was a very controversial skater here in Canada) was ahead of his time and did not mind causing an uproar in the skating world. The fans loved it. Toller is still one Canada's great male figure skating legends and helped to break the mold in men's figure skating in his day. Johnny Weir is no different and definitely adds drama to the sport.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I wondered whether Toller was controversial in Canada. Interesting to hear about his reputation at the time, Ladskater.

Certainly he did Canada proud, with his long string of national championships and his Olympic bronze. More than that, he can probably be considered, along with John Curry, one of the two pillars of modern men's skating. These two rivals were both as athletic as they were artistic, in command of their jumps as well as musically expressive. Toller's problem was mainly his weakness in school figures, as I recall. I think he was something like ninth after school figures in the '76 Olympics, but he dramatically pulled himself up to a bronze medal after the long program. The efforts of Curry and Cranston (and I'm sure that each thought of the other as his main competition) made the men's event, to my mind, one of the most memorable in Olympic history. (In fact, I think I'll go check the "great rivalries" thread to see if their names have been mentioned.)

I can see why one might compare Toller to Johnny in terms of the bohemian quality both bring to skating, but so far Toller has had more of an impact. For one thing, as several of us have said, during his time he was indeed a pathfinder who really advanced the discipline of men's skating. For another, he spent many years as a professional skater, both in televised events and in ice shows, including one in which he headlined. I hope Johnny has an equally long and illustrious career, but for now he hasn't reached that level of consistency.

As for whether Weir's particular outrageous style is damaging to skating, I can't see that it is. A lot of people who are down on skating think the whole sport is a bit on the frilly side, I'm afraid, and even if Johnny started skating in a Michael Weiss muscle shirt, they'd continue to think that way. Preconceptions are hard to overcome. One great thing about TV dance shows like Dancing with the Stars is that people who were not previously exposed to dancing come to see that it's got strength and athleticism as well as sequins. They might start realizing that this is also true of skating. (A fan can dream!) I personally think that Maksim Chmerkovsky will turn out to be a boon to figure skating. (The fact that Evan Lysacek is currently on the show can't hurt, either!) But I confess I'm greatly disturbed by the lack of television coverage in the U.S. IceNetwork? What casual couch potato is going to come across that? We need to be on Wide World of Sports, flanked by auto racing and downhill skiing. How'd the USFSA and the ISU let major network coverage slip away?
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Jim McKay first retired & then died and Wide World of Sports is no more-can I say I really miss that show :love: ?

ABC is not the same without Jim.
 
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