Comments on ESPN coverage

[SeaniBu]

I couldn't agree more - I couldn't and still can't stand Michael Weiss and all his homophobic efforts....

I don't remember seeing Michael in the coverage? Was he? And if so what did he say last night that brought this up,? I just didn't see that so that is why I thought it was a stretch to bring up "homophobia." I do agree with comments about him being homophobic as a general observation that I never bothered thinking about but can see why, but I think it has more to do with his religious beliefs - that is just my thought.

And Mike remember, it is do unto others as you would have them do, not as they have done, and forgive (for what YOU might conceder a sin) and show the love buddy. Let God be the judge of that.

 

[Alsace]

•And how many people is it going to take before the camera operators figure out that the skates are VERY important to show. This amazes me at the stupidity here. For example Kimmies replay of her foot work at the end of the Ladies broadcast was saying this is what really clenched it like the play of the day. So here they show her doing her footwork with a banner covering her skates and the banner even says straight line footwork, AS IT COVERS THE SKATES.:banging: I swear there has got to be some moron running that editing booth. Just start running the banners on top / sides and compensate for the "ticker" on the bottom and all will be grand. Is it really that tough camera / editor / director? This is where one has to wonder if they even care.

I totally agree, but would like to add that it is also important to get the head of the skater in the picture. Memo to camera operators: the skater will stand up after the sit spin, so be ready to widen the focus. The skater will also raise one or both hands overhead. I'd like to see the choreography, please.

 

[dutchherder]

Ugh. I'm so done with homosexuality talk.


Skating, please!

 

[Piel]

I couldn't agree more - I couldn't and still can't stand Michael Weiss and all his homophobic efforts to prove his masculinity (thus all the emphasis on his ability to produce children) same goes, imho, for Evan - one day he will awaken to discover his true self - At least Weir doesn't try to hide it. I admire his forthrightness.

Huh??? What does this mean? Is Evan hiding something? As for Weiss......an Olympic eligible skater having a successful marriage and children is a rarity. Why not show it? Mike skated at the top level for a long time so to long time viewers it would be boring. New viewers might find it intersting. how many times have we heard about the supportive Hughes family? Every time Sarah is at a competition the always show her reactions to Emily skating. We had a basketball player at WVU last year that was married and had a baby they were always showing that. All of the top skaters are going to be fluffed. One man's feather boa is another's hot blonde...........they show what they have to work with. If Johnny's modeling is seen as something other than what it is (a job) the problem is how the viewer perceives it not that the information was given.

 

[Mathman]

I do agree with comments about him being homophobic as a general observation that I never bothered thinking about but can see why, but I think it has more to do with his religious beliefs - that is just my thought.

What possible evidence do you bring to support this bash against Michael Weiss? What has he ever said or done to make anyone think he has a homophobic bone in his body?

 

[R.D.]

Ugh. I'm so done with homosexuality talk.


Skating, please!

who cares? I don't get it.

 

[Doggygirl]

I couldn't agree more - I couldn't and still can't stand Michael Weiss and all his homophobic efforts to prove his masculinity (thus all the emphasis on his ability to produce children) same goes, imho, for Evan - one day he will awaken to discover his true self - At least Weir doesn't try to hide it. I admire his forthrightness.

In case clarification is appropriate, my own references to Michael Weiss had nothing to do with a perception that *he* did anything other than compete. My perception (rightly or wrongly) is that some combo of the media and USFSA found it important to showcase his heterosexual life, and make a big point of it (i.e he's NOT homosexual). I believe my perception (and yours, and everyone's) is important, as we are talking about public media coverage, and how these things are positioned to the public at large.

I am not an "insider" to ESPN/ABC/USFSA. So I have no way of knowing what went behind any of these things - past or present. All I can talk about are my perceptions, and since ESPN/ABC/USFSA have a vested interested in viewer perceptions, I'm commenting.

DG

 

[Piel]

In case clarification is appropriate, my own references to Michael Weiss had nothing to do with a perception that *he* did anything other than compete. My perception (rightly or wrongly) is that some combo of the media and USFSA found it important to showcase his heterosexual life, and make a big point of it (i.e he's NOT homosexual). I believe my perception (and yours, and everyone's) is important, as we are talking about public media coverage, and how these things are positioned to the public at large.


DG

I don't see it as trying to portray him as a straight man but rather a happily married proud father.

 

[Mathman]

At the NBA finals last year, whenever there was a time-out they showed basketballer Tony Parker's girlfriend in the stands. I don't think they were trying to make any particular point except Eva Longoria is hot.

 

[rain]

I think people are making way too much of the coverage of Tanith during Evan's skate. You know why they did it? Because romance makes a good storyline and Evan and Tanith are young and gorgeous to boot. I don't think it was any kind of comment on anybody's sexual preferences (which I, too, could really care less about). As for Weir, he is outspoken and likes to make outrageous comments and the like. Posing in drag is going to give you some notoriety — not much point in doing it if it doesn't. The guy likes the limelight. He's got to expect people to talk.

In general I'm not a fan of fluff — give me more skaters and I'm happier. The demonstrations of moves etc. I find interesting, but take a bathroom break during the far-too-numerous personal interviews that almost never have anything of substance to add.

 

[twinsissv]

One of the "huh?" things for me about the Evan / Tanith / Dating thing was this. Do you know who lots of other skaters in the competition are dating? Who is Ben dating (or not)? Who are all the others dating (or not)? Personally, I don't WANT ESPN/ABC/USFSA wasting valuable TV coverage time telling me who ANY of these people are dating. Why do they think it's so important that we know who EVAN is dating, but not very many others????

I think they were VERY CLEARLY trying to make a point. Unfortunate. :scowl: Will we EVER get beyond this issue?

 

[Piel]

Evan was the only gold medal winner dating another gold medal winner.............it is a sweet story.

 

[R.D.]

heh? say what? I really could care less who's dating who. Whatever.

I didn't watch the men's coverage but I assume there's nothing wrong with a brief mention or two.

 

[yelyoh]

Years ago I believe it was in an interview, Weiss' former coach, Audrey, mentioned that Michael was uncomfortable around some gay skaters of hers. Right after that, at a relatively young age, Michael got married and within a couple of years at every comp he was showing off his kid(s). They even did some fluff piece with him and on a tour of his house, he pointed to the bedroom and said something to the effect of "that is where the magic happens." I got the impression that Michael was trying very hard to illustrate his being hetero at every chance he got. And at every televised comp commentators had no problem mentioning Weiss' wife/choreographer and kids .

And now we have Tanith and Evan. What if Johnny were dating another elite skater, say Eman or Jeff Buttle, and he was in the stands? Would we be seeing him and would comments be made about them? Of course not. Beause we live in a hetero hegemonic society and the media is illustrative of that. As a gay man it bothers me but for the time being that is the way it is. Of course, I couldn't care less what someone's sex orientation or whom they are dating as I am into the sport first and foremost.

And for the record, not every man dating a woman is necessarily totally het or even het at all. Sexuality can in some cases be a very fluid thing. Believe, me I was in show biz for years and boy did I find that out at young age. Things are not always as they appear.

And BTW, congrats Evan on a great skate and a well-deserve Gold.

 

[Doggygirl]

Years ago I believe it was in an interview, Weiss' former coach, Audrey, mentioned that Michael was uncomfortable around some gay skaters of hers. Right after that, at a relatively young age, Michael got married and within a couple of years at every comp he was showing off his kid(s). They even did some fluff piece with him and on a tour of his house, he pointed to the bedroom and said something to the effect of "that is where the magic happens." I got the impression that Michael was trying very hard to illustrate his being hetero at every chance he got. And at every televised comp commentators had no problem mentioning Weiss' wife/choreographer and kids .

And now we have Tanith and Evan. What if Johnny were dating another elite skater, say Eman or Jeff Buttle, and he was in the stands? Would we be seeing him and would comments be made about them? Of course not. Beause we live in a hetero hegemonic society and the media is illustrative of that. As a gay man it bothers me but for the time being that is the way it is. Of course, I couldn't care less what someone's sex orientation or whom they are dating as I am into the sport first and foremost.

And for the record, not every man dating a woman is necessarily totally het or even het at all. Sexuality can in some cases be a very fluid thing. Believe, me I was in show biz for years and boy did I find that out at young age. Things are not always as they appear.

And BTW, congrats Evan on a great skate and a well-deserve Gold.

Ditto the congrats to Evan - that was a captivating performance. I realize I didn't say enough about that - and also cudos to Ryan.

I appreciate every single word of your post. There is a part of me that truly hopes I'm just over sensitive with a wild imagination. The more "street wise" part of me is having a hard time accepting the "way things went" with the commentary as pure coincidence. And of course what the commentators do (IMO) often has little to do with what they skaters would like to have portrayed. (if it did, I bet we'd see a whole lot more white picket fences, whether they exist or not!)

Thanks again for the good discussion!

DG

 

[BravesSkateFan]

And now we have Tanith and Evan. What if Johnny were dating another elite skater, say Eman or Jeff Buttle, and he was in the stands? Would we be seeing him and would comments be made about them? Of course not. Beause we live in a hetero hegemonic society and the media is illustrative of that. As a gay man it bothers me but for the time being that is the way it is. Of course, I couldn't care less what someone's sex orientation or whom they are dating as I am into the sport first and foremost.
.

This is true, but that doesn't mean that they are trying to promote Evan's sexuality and degrade Johnny's. They are just saying "hey look who evan is dating," not "hey look evan is not gay becuase he is dating Tanith Belbin and since we aren't showing Johnny's SO he is gay and that's bad"
I don't see how you can get that out of a passing mention.

 

[JACJR]

I thank Doggygirl for the post. I agree with you.

I believe the intent of coverage of Evan versus Johnny had an obvious subtext, gay versus straight. It was made abundantly clear that Evan was dating a girl. And the point is????

His arch nemisis, Johnny, was the odd, excentric, unfocused skater, not the three time defending champion he is. I guess it adds to the drama, but has no place in sports commentary.

Evan deserves his title, he skated like a champion. However, his performance watching Johnny is the K&C were not the actions of a champion. His smirking and smiling should not be part of the sport.

Kurt Browning's comments were personal and irrelevant attacks made to bolster a "manly" heterosexual image of male skaters. And his point is... Hetero good , Gay bad.

Please, dressing both the Brian's in military uniforms for their epic olympic competition had nothing to do with skating and everything to do with a repressed, homophobic notion of male skaters. I wonder, if Kurt makes similiar comments about his skating peers?

And, I for one, would have loved to see Toller Cranston's reaction to Kurt's campaign of sniping and innuendo.

 

[Doggygirl]

This is true, but that doesn't mean that they are trying to promote Evan's sexuality and degrade Johnny's. They are just saying "hey look who evan is dating," not "hey look evan is not gay becuase he is dating Tanith Belbin and since we aren't showing Johnny's SO he is gay and that's bad"
I don't see how you can get that out of a passing mention.

One of the reasons I find this topic personally interesting, and passionate to a point, is ALL about how we percieve what the media/USFSA is presenting us.

A WHOLE lot of money is spent by all of these folks to convince *us* of something. I personally felt I was getting a biased message (homophobic) from a couple of organizations that I already percieve in that way. It's obvious that others didn't percieve these same events in the same way at all, and that is very fair too!

LOL - If someone can run down the list of top international contenders, who they are dating, and link pictures and give details of their personal lives, then this DOL (Dirty Old Lady) will be well occupied, at least through 4CCs.

DG

 

[yelyoh]

Ditto the congrats to Evan - that was a captivating performance. I realize I didn't say enough about that - and also cudos to Ryan.

I appreciate every single word of your post. There is a part of me that truly hopes I'm just over sensitive with a wild imagination. The more "street wise" part of me is having a hard time accepting the "way things went" with the commentary as pure coincidence. And of course what the commentators do (IMO) often has little to do with what they skaters would like to have portrayed. (if it did, I bet we'd see a whole lot more white picket fences, whether they exist or not!)

Thanks again for the good discussion!

DG

DG you are most welcome. I appreciated your post a lot!

 

[yelyoh]

This is true, but that doesn't mean that they are trying to promote Evan's sexuality and degrade Johnny's. They are just saying "hey look who evan is dating," not "hey look evan is not gay becuase he is dating Tanith Belbin and since we aren't showing Johnny's SO he is gay and that's bad"
I don't see how you can get that out of a passing mention.

The point is, no gay skater could have his or her BF or GF shown at all in any context in that instance and that prospective omission is by its very nature a statement that yes het is good and gay in bad. Johnny is automatically degraded by the very nature of who he is and Evan and his dating a woman is automatically considered normative and therefore his GF considered worthy of airtime.