Death Threats for Johnny

Eeyora · Jul 24, 2006

I think it's sad that people can't be themselves if they are perceived as being different. Johhny moves to the beat of his own drum. Actually since the Olympics I have learned to appreciate him more.It is unfortunate that people consider a top five finish at your firts IOlympic games a dissapointment. Scott Hamilton was fifth in 1980, Brian was fifth in 84, Urmanov was fifth in 92 and Alexei was fifth in 98 as was Irina Slutskaya. Remember how proud Meno and Sand were in 94 when they finished fifth?

SeaniBu · Jul 25, 2006

Eeyora said:
I think it's sad that people can't be themselves if they are perceived as being different. Johhny moves to the beat of his own drum. Actually since the Olympics I have learned to appreciate him more.It is unfortunate that people consider a top five finish at your firts IOlympic games a dissapointment. Scott Hamilton was fifth in 1980, Brian was fifth in 84, Urmanov was fifth in 92 and Alexei was fifth in 98 as was Irina Slutskaya. Remember how proud Meno and Sand were in 94 when they finished fifth?

That is a great point, ah, the "fair weather" fan.

Vash01 · Jul 25, 2006

(From this article) he sounds confused. I am confused too. I think it is perfectly possible that he gets hate mail- there are many crazy people out there. However, receiving death threats in Torino and JW not reporting it to the authorities does not make any sense to me. If he received explicity death threats he should have most certainly reported them to the right people. If they were implied death threats (e.g. I hope your plane crashes- terrible thing to say to anyone, BTW) they may not have posed harm. The hate mail though could really get to one eventually. IMO Johnny needs to delegate the task of opening his mail to someone trustworthy and get rid of the junk. If there is a serious threat in any of the letters, they should be reported to the police.

I am still confused by the fact that he did not say anything publicly about this whole thing until now. May be there is an explanation?

Vash

Ladskater · Jul 25, 2006

I don't know...could just be a good publicity stunt.

blackrose050 · Jul 25, 2006

Ladskater said:
I don't know...could just be a good publicity stunt.

If he wanted publicity he could have said something around the time of Worlds. The reporters would've been all over him.

I think the journalist who wrote the article is maybe making a bigger deal out of it than Johnny is.

antmanb · Jul 25, 2006

Norlite said:
I don't agree. I think that the fact that these things are finally being discussed prove that it's a more open climate.

It may be more open, in that people are discussing things more openly but i don't think its any more accepting. Open conversations allow both sides to be vocal including the ones against homosexuality or any semblance of equal rights.

Ant

Suzy · Jul 25, 2006

mmscfdcsu said:
IMO his switch to the awful Mvirca mess helped to seal his fate last season. He looked lost on the ice before the music even started. The poor kid might as well have been skating to "I'm a Little Teapot"

I thought he looked as if he had a hang over at the Olympics free program. Too much partying with the Russians the night before. Let's hope he's learned a valuable lesson.

antmanb · Jul 25, 2006

Suzy said:
I thought he looked as if he had a hang over at the Olympics free program. Too much partying with the Russians the night before. Let's hope he's learned a valuable lesson.

This is the first time i've heard this! Where did you hear that?!?!

Ant

BittyBug · Jul 25, 2006

Suzy said:
I thought he looked as if he had a hang over at the Olympics free program. Too much partying with the Russians the night before. Let's hope he's learned a valuable lesson.

You're joking, right? There was no partying with the Russians the night before. :disapp:

chelseamp · Jul 25, 2006

With regards to whether he acknowleged this publicly, he actually did, here: " I want to make a special note for everyone who has decided to take it upon themselves to be original and write Johnny Weir a hate mail. I've heard "pussy," "disgrace," "narcissistic," "******," "princess," "mentally unstable," embarrassment," "queeny," "I hope we're not related," "out of control," "retarded," "stupid," "queer," "ugly," and many many other lovely things, so try to be more original at least. Oh and F*** You too!
http://www.figureskatersonline.com/johnnyweir/journal.html

Having read these comments I don't know how anyone can make the assertion that the backlash at Johnny didn't have an at least partially homophobic context.

I also wish people wouldn't be so quick to accuse him of exaggerating since I can't find any quotes where he specifically refers to what happened as 'death threats' in the articles that mention this. There must have been some press conference or something Sunday the 23rd, but those comments he supposedly made are not quoted anywhere. Kathy Griffin referred to them this way, but if Johnny did the papers aren't quoting him thusly.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jul 25, 2006

Eeyora said:
I think it's sad that people can't be themselves if they are perceived as being different.

But is THAT the reson for the threats? I do not think it is clear what the reason is for the threats. There are several different speculations.

terisalyn · Jul 25, 2006

Joesitz said:
But is THAT the reson for the threats? I do not think it is clear what the reason is for the threats. There are several different speculations.

I don't see the people who sent the hate mail jumping forward to tell us their reasons for sending it. However, other athletes were expected to do better than they did at the Olympics, and I don't recall hearing that they got hate mail.

cygnus · Jul 25, 2006

terisalyn said:
I don't see the people who sent the hate mail jumping forward to tell us their reasons for sending it. However, other athletes were expected to do better than they did at the Olympics, and I don't recall hearing that they got hate mail.

I'll bet Bode Miller did!

RoaringMice · Jul 25, 2006

Although Johnny is known to be dramatic, I feel there is truth to what he said. I know of several athletes who, when their performance didn't measure up to a fan's standards, received threats and etc. The article mentions Apollo Ohno. I also remember a (Brazilian?) football player who was killed when he returned to his country after failing in an international.

I also know of many people who receive threats and who never report them. Some feel that they can deal with them on their own, that those making the threats aren't truly serious. There are lots of potential reasons for not reporting. I do wish he had done, though, because it would be easier to stop it if it had been reported from the start.

Someone else mentioned Rudy Galindo, and that he didn't receive threats. One of the major differences between Rudy and Johnny, in addition to those that others have mentioned, is the accessibility of the Internet and public records now. The Internet, and the anonymity it seems to offer, sometimes makes people say things that they'd never say in person or in a real letter. It also makes info like Johnny's parent's phone number much easier to get. The Internet really wasn't as much of a force during Rudy's time.

dizzydi7 · Jul 25, 2006

Johnny...................

I like Johnny Weir's skating. But.....................he is a person who constantly must be in the spot light, quite a diva in my opinion.

It seems to me that if he was that concerned about death threats, the last thing he would do is to give them any merit by making them public. Perhaps he is immature and not very smart. Why in the world would a logically thinking person fuel the fire by whining about it in public.

How disappointing!

Dizzy

antmanb · Jul 25, 2006

RoaringMice said:
Although Johnny is known to be dramatic, I feel there is truth to what he said. I know of several athletes who, when their performance didn't measure up to a fan's standards, received threats and etc. The article mentions Apollo Ohno. I also remember a (Brazilian?) football player who was killed when he returned to his country after failing in an international.

I also know of many people who receive threats and who never report them. Some feel that they can deal with them on their own, that those making the threats aren't truly serious. There are lots of potential reasons for not reporting. I do wish he had done, though, because it would be easier to stop it if it had been reported from the start.

Someone else mentioned Rudy Galindo, and that he didn't receive threats. One of the major differences between Rudy and Johnny, in addition to those that others have mentioned, is the accessibility of the Internet and public records now. The Internet, and the anonymity it seems to offer, sometimes makes people say things that they'd never say in person or in a real letter. It also makes info like Johnny's parent's phone number much easier to get. The Internet really wasn't as much of a force during Rudy's time.

I think it was the Columbian football team and i think it was reportedly a couple of players who were killed following the world cup, i think, around 8 years ago.

To be fair i think the internet was going pretty strong by 1996 and the time of Rudy's Nationals success and world medal. It may not be the medium it is now but still information could easily be found on the interent. I think the main difference was that Rudy was never skating at an Olympics with a medal in his grasp. His world bronze was considered an amazing feat and one that he deserved, but one that he skated lights out to get. Johnny was someone who was sat in second after the SP at the Olympics and being very vocal at the Olympics providing reporters and the public with funny non-PC/non-skating fluff sound bites who then failed to deliver the quality of skating required to win a medal and dropped off the podium. In that respect i don't see how their situations are similar save the fact that both are, in the words of Cher, "flamboyant gentlemen"!

Ant

Wolfgang · Jul 25, 2006

Johnny would do himself a world of good if he fired his costume designer, that's for sure.....

SeaniBu · Jul 25, 2006

Joesitz said:
But is THAT the reson for the threats? I do not think it is clear what the reason is for the threats. There are several different speculations.

That was my thought as well, not sure what prompted these "threats" to come Johnny's way. Anyway you look at it people can be really ridiculous.

As far as the "Russia house party" the night before, this is something I heard of as well. I thought the press (once again) was over exaggerating by throwing the word "party" in the mix - more likely a get-together or say hi and be friendly with competitors. But there were several comments made during the games that he was spending more time over in the Russian dorm area then in the USA. I vaguely remember them also saying that he was there for most of the night - the night before the LP but did sleep in his room after coming home as some might say "late." But sleeping the night before that might have been difficult any way. I have seen "party pictures" of him that were "supposedly" in the "Russia housing" and there were "drinks" in hand. Anything beyond that would be speculation. I really doubt anyone would be that stupid as to get toasted the night before the big event. I manly recall that he was getting a little "shop-aholic" with the stores, but can you blame him It's Italy.:agree: People are sensationalists sometimes, I fall guilty to that at times myself.

Matryeshka · Jul 25, 2006

Ye skating gods. You KNOW your image needs some polishing up when you get death threats and even some of your supporters start wondering if they're real.......I hear Tom Cruise's former agent is available.

As for the threats, I'm just as bad as everyone else. If he had said something right after the Games, I would have totally believed him, because people are insane, and no sport seems to bring out the crazy in the Winter Games than figure skating. But saying it five months after the fact makes me a bit suspicious. I have three theories, only one of them vaguely supportive-- something new happened and he wants to give his fans a reason why they might not be able to see him personally/get his autograph after a performance (which if you think they're real, surely he'll be spirited away or heavily guarded), he's setting up reasons early for poor performances (let's face it--death threats are WAY more interesting than bad ice), or more likely he's exaggerating a few less than complimentary emails/letters in order to call attention to himself.

In some ways, I really hate that I doubt his statements, because it's such a serious matter and death threats should never be taken lightly. On the other hand, it's Johnny Weir, and he is a bit fond of the drama, and I just can't quite take anything he says seriously.

sk8er1964 · Jul 25, 2006

Lanie said:
BTW: I hope you all realize your "pro war freaks" and "maniacs" comments and crap like that just really makes you guys look immature. I'm a Republican. I voted for Bush. OMG!!! And, gasp, I like Johnny's skating. Johnny needs to learn he can say most things and get away with it but as a representative of the USA at the Olympic Games it's another story.

I am Republican too, and I voted for Bush too, and I like Johnny too. I agree that name calling only makes the name-caller look bad.

However, you must admit that there are some pretty outlandish people on the far right fringe of our party, just like there are some pretty strange people on the far left of the Dem party. It would not surprise me in the least if some of the hate mail came from people on the right fringe.

Re the death threats -- isn't it only the blog and the article that specifically called them "death threats". Everywhere else I've seen the term "hate mail" used.

Death Threats for Johnny

Eeyora

SeaniBu

Vash01

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~

blackrose050

antmanb

Suzy

antmanb

BittyBug

chelseamp

Joesitz (RIP)

terisalyn

cygnus

RoaringMice

dizzydi7

antmanb

Wolfgang

SeaniBu

Matryeshka

sk8er1964

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