You Know You're a Figure Skating Fan When...

[CaroLiza_fan]

...when you watch the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert (as you do every New Year's Day), and you get all excited when you hear the name of the Prima Ballerina in the dance routines this year, Maria Yakovleva, because she has the same surname as one of the skaters you have adopted.

To be fair, I had come across her name before, because whenever go looking for videos of Stafania to post in her Fan Fest, I always get a lot of videos of Maria in the search results (when searching for videos, I tend to search for just the surname, so that there is more chance of catching all the videos). But, I never watched any of them.

Although Maria and Stefania are from the same city, I very much doubt if they are related. Saint Petersburg is a big place.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[yesterday]

...you watch "Beauty and the Beast" as it just popped up on TV today here. I would not usually watch this genre, so Kao it's your fault! But I'll probably watch his future performances with a different perspective.

 

[iluvtodd]

You watch the Rose Parade on ABC & smile when you still hear the music that ABC used for all of its figure skating coverage from the mid 1990's through the mid 2000's. For that matter, Terry Gannon was a co-host for the parade about 15 years ago. I don't remember if he co-hosted it more than once, but I was delighted to see him in that role.

 

[labgoat]

You are still hunting for a particular skating video from 1979 - A clip of a 13 year old ponytailed (?) Elaine Zayak winning the 1979 US Junior Figure Skating title skating to 2001 Space Odyssey with those triple jumps she was famous for. It was epic and perfect for the triple jump mania she unleashed. The clip aired at the tail end of ABC coverage of 1979 US Nationals Gala.

 

[Ladskater]

You haven't skated in about 5 or more years, but you dust off your favourite pair of figure skates and join a drop in adult skating session just to see if you can still skate in your old age - lol.

 

[jgg220]

I recently binge watched season one of The Traitors UK and kept wondering why all the music seemed to be emo covers of old pop songs performed by women who sounded like they were on methadone. Needless to say, I was reminded of dozens of skating programs from the past few years.

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

You know you're a figure skating fan when you know the names of your favourite skaters' cats.

 

[Anna K.]

You are still hunting for a particular skating video from 1979 - A clip of a 13 year old ponytailed Elaine Zayak winning the 1979 World (?) Junior Figure Skating title skating to 2001 Space Odyssey with all those triple jumps she was famous for. It was epic and perfect for the triple jump mania she unleashed. The clip aired at the tail end of ABC coverage of some other skating event.

Sounds epic indeed. Let us know when you find it!

 

[MiraiFan]

You practice brackets while waiting for the train in the morning.

 

[labgoat]

Sounds epic indeed. Let us know when you find it!

Sadly I fear it has been lost. I have been looking since the early 2000 years.

 

[Ladskater]

It's 3 am and you are still watching the Canadian Nationals on your iphone...lol

 

[TT_Fin]

While listening to music in the car you say to your husband: I think this could be perfect for FS, I don't know if anybody has used this but somebody should. And that's not all, you have made your husband who is not huge FS fan, to think about same way and ask questions like this "Has somebody used this, this would be good".

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

While listening to music in the car you say to your husband: I think this could be perfect for FS, I don't know if anybody has used this but somebody should. And that's not all, you have made your husband who is not huge FS fan, to think about same way and ask questions like this "Has somebody used this, this would be good".

This reminds me of something that happened before Christmas, and which I meant to post in this thread, but I forgot to. So, here goes!

...when you are watching an episode of "Pointless" while eating, and it reaches the new round where they give a clue and 6 answers, of which:

• 2 are correct, but score points
• 2 are pointless answers
• 2 are incorrect

The clue was "names of skateboard tricks" and, before the options come up, your Dad says "there's one called a 'something twist', isn't there? What is it? Is it a 'Triple Twist'? Yeah, that's it!"

Clearly he has absorbed something when sitting reading the newspaper while I am watching figure skating on the TV.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[yume]

When you're reading a book from Denise Bombardier and suddenly wonder if she's related to Fiona Bombardier.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

When you're reading a book from Denise Bombardier and suddenly wonder if she's related to Fiona Bombardier.

Funny you should say that. When I came across Fiona, I wondered if she was any way connected to the Canadian company Bombardier, which owned Belfast aircraft manufacturer Shorts for 30 years, until a couple of years ago.

But, she is actually the daughter of 2 former skaters, Singles skater Josée Chouinard and Pairs skater Jean-Michel Bombardier.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

...when you watch an episode of "MASH" (Series 3, Episode 7: "Check-Up"), and you pick up on a figure skating reference.

The story is that one of the main characters is leaving (I won't say who, so as not to give away any spoilers), and a leaving party is being held in the Officer's Mess. The various groups within the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (the nurses; the enlisted men; and the hospital staff) have each grouped together to provide presents, and Hawkeye Pierce (played by Alan Alda) is giving them out.

Here is how Hawkeye described the third present when handing it over:

"And from the hospital staff, a record album for those quiet evenings after the day's surgery has been botched. Sonja Henie sings 'Figure Eights' for you".​

Now I'm wondering if Sonja ever released any records. @norwegianfairytale, do you know?

By the way, the picture of her that you are using as your avatar would make a great album cover!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[norwegianfairytale]

...when you watch an episode of "MASH" (Series 3, Episode 7: "Check-Up"), and you pick up on a figure skating reference.

The story is that one of the main characters is leaving (I won't say who, so as not to give away any spoilers), and a leaving party is being held in the Officer's Mess. The various groups within the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (the nurses; the enlisted men; and the hospital staff) have each grouped together to provide presents, and Hawkeye Pierce (played by Alan Alda) is giving them out.

Here is how Hawkeye described the third present when handing it over:

"And from the hospital staff, a record album for those quiet evenings after the day's surgery has been botched. Sonja Henie sings 'Figure Eights' for you".​

Now I'm wondering if Sonja ever released any records. @norwegianfairytale, do you know?

By the way, the picture of her that you are using as your avatar would make a great album cover!

CaroLiza_fan

Sonja had many talents, but I don´t think singing was one of them. Or maybe it was? If they made this up though, figure eights makes an interesting title. Do you think it´s a reference to figure skating?

Indeed the avatar could be a album cover

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Sonja had many talents, but I don´t think singing was one of them. Or maybe it was?

She sure did have a lot of talents. But, I think you're right when you say singing wasn't one of them. I just found this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1hU69Gf8Qw

That was taken from "Sun Valley Serenade" (1941). Her partner is John Payne.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of her films yet. Although, since the pandemic started, I have got really hooked on a classic film channel, Talking Pictures TV. And I am hoping that they will show one of Sonja's films some time.

If they made this up though, figure eights makes an interesting title. Do you think it´s a reference to figure skating?

I think that is exactly what it was!

I did a bit of digging, and I found out that there is another episode ("Baby, It's Cold Outside") where they are watching one of Sonja's films in the camp cinema. And it just happens to be the film that the clip I linked to above is from! But, it will be a while until I get to it, as it was in Episode 9 of Series 7. And I'm only in Series 3.

I have to say, I am absolutely loving the series. It is so funny! I can totally understand why it was so popular, and went on for so long.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

@norwegianfairytale - just wanted to let you know that in the latest episode of "MASH" that I watched (Series 4, Episode 18: "Der Tag"), Sonja Henie got another mention!

Here's a quick summary of the context. Major Margaret Houlihan had been away to Tokyo on leave, and when she got back to camp she was greeted by her (married) lover, Major Frank Burns. They went back to her tent and, after practically eating each other, she wanted to know what had been happening while she was away.

Margaret: "Tell me everything. Tell me EVERYTHING!"

Frank: "Everything? Oh, it's been el boro. I trimmed the hair in my ears one night. It's the only time I stopped thinking of you. And they showed that Sonja Henie hygiene film 'Of Ice And Lice'..."

Margaret: "My poor baby!"

Frank: "Well, the Marines stole 'The Jolson Story', and they won't give it back"

Margaret: "Awww, well now that I'm here, we'll make our own fun".​

I'll leave the rest of the scene to your imagination.

One of the writers / producers / directors is clearly a fan of Sonja's!

Although "The Jolson Story" was a real film, somehow I think "Of Ice And Lice" was made up...!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[skatedreamer]

@norwegianfairytale - just wanted to let you know that in the latest episode of "MASH" that I watched (Series 4, Episode 18: "Der Tag"), Sonja Henie got another mention!

Here's a quick summary of the context. Major Margaret Houlihan had been away to Tokyo on leave, and when she got back to camp she was greeted by her (married) lover, Major Frank Burns. They went back to her tent and, after practically eating each other, she wanted to know what had been happening while she was away.

Margaret: "Tell me everything. Tell me EVERYTHING!"​

​

Frank: "Everything? Oh, it's been el boro. I trimmed the hair in my ears one night. It's the only time I stopped thinking of you. And they showed that Sonja Henie hygiene film 'Of Ice And Lice'..."​

​

Margaret: "My poor baby!"​

​

Frank: "Well, the Marines stole 'The Jolson Story', and they won't give it back"​

​

Margaret: "Awww, well now that I'm here, we'll make our own fun".​

I'll leave the rest of the scene to your imagination.

One of the writers / producers / directors is clearly a fan of Sonja's!

Although "The Jolson Story" was a real film, somehow I think "Of Ice And Lice" was made up...!

CaroLiza_fan

MASH always makes me laugh! Some of the dialogue seems really sexist from today's perspective but I can forgive a lot because the show is so hilarious over all.

The "Sonja Henie" episode that I remember best is the one where they show one of her films and Col. Potter says something like "watch, she's gonna do a triple axel." That drives me nuts -- Henie was the 1st woman to perform a 1A in competition (1920s) but as any skating fan knows, she sure never did triples, at least not in competition. Even doubles didn't happen until decades later: Dick Button did the 1st men's 2A in competition (1948) and Carol Heiss followed for women in 1953. Midori Ito landed the 1st women's 3A in 1988.

Lots of basic Axel history in this article:

Axel jump - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And yeah, this probably means I'm a figure skating fan...