Death Threats for Johnny

[76olympics]

Mathman, that was my thought too. I don't think the "climate" is more repressive than 1996. If anything, I would think the contrary. I also wouldn't think that many anti-Johnny types would even be aware of him. There have been many Olympic disappointments over the years and many of them were more highly publicized sports than figure skating. That said, any figure who gets any press at all can attract a lunatic fringe and that is always awful. The actress who played in "My sister Sam" was hardly a major player, but she got the attention of the wrong person.

 

[mmscfdcsu]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't buy it. Johnny always has a reason for not skating well - this time, death threats. :sheesh:

I used to really like him, but he's developed into a bit of a whiner.

I certainly believe it, and not just because I'm his fan. I don't think it was from the general public, I think it was from many of the socalled fans that post on the boards. There are some really sick people out there. Check out the Michelle vs Irina vs Sasha threads. I've gotten death threats from a very sick poster in rep comments. How much more likely is someone like Johnny to become a target?

 

[guinevere]

I definitely believe that Johnny got a lot of nasty calls and emails - there are lots of screwed up angry people who think that their opinion over an event they participate in only by watching is somehow relevant. I can also believe (although I think it's disgusting) that someone told Johnny "I hope your plane crashes". But that's not the same as an actual death threat. A death threat would be "I'm coming for you", or "Your plane WILL crash on the way to Worlds". If Johnny did get these types of threats during or right after Olys, I would think and hope he'd have mentioned it to SOMEONE.

I do hope his parents get a private number - I was shocked to have the article spell out that their # is currently listed.

 

[blackrose050]

Wouldn't his parents' number be found in the local phonebook? I mean, this personal stuff is always available somewhere. I don't think he was giving away any big secret by saying that.
And for all we know, his parents HAVE changed their number.

I do think it's a little strange that he just decided to talk about this now. Maybe he was afraid people would think it was an excuse for not skating well at Worlds. And after he got all the crap for supposedly making in excuses in Torino, that wouldn't be surprising.
But anyways, if he said that he received death threats, then I believe it. He hasn't ever lied about anything to the press as far as I know, so I don't see why he would make this up.

 

[mmscfdcsu]

I don't know that he meant to let this death threat information out there. I think this information was put out by Kathy Griffin in her Blog. That is the first place I saw it. The recent article may have picked up on that. Johnny might have been having what he thought was a private conversation with her and it ended up in the blog. She also called him one of her Gays. I doubt that he gave her that information for publication either

 

[NorthernLite]

I wonder why his parents didn't report the threats. I would if it were my (adult) kid and he hadn't taken the initiative.



Oh, and OT: The blurb at the bottom:

Kwan has not said whether she will compete in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Well, that would depend on how she skates at 2010 Nats.
Oh wait.

 

[BittyBug]

I definitely believe that Johnny got a lot of nasty calls and emails - there are lots of screwed up angry people who think that their opinion over an event they participate in only by watching is somehow relevant. I can also believe (although I think it's disgusting) that someone told Johnny "I hope your plane crashes". But that's not the same as an actual death threat. A death threat would be "I'm coming for you", or "Your plane WILL crash on the way to Worlds". If Johnny did get these types of threats during or right after Olys, I would think and hope he'd have mentioned it to SOMEONE.

I agree. While we don't know what other types of comments Johnny received, I wouldn't characeterize the examples cited as threats, vile though they may be, because there is no implied action or consequence.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't buy it. Johnny always has a reason for not skating well - this time, death threats.

You might have a point if Johnny had disclosed this stuff before he skated, but it's only coming out now, so what exactly is he making an excuse for? A bad hair day?

 

[Alsace]

The part about Michelle still receiving treatment was more disturbing than the 2010 speculation.

 

[Spun Silver]

About this being a more gay-friendly climate than in Galindo's day, I think that's only partially true. The debates over gay marriage in Congress and the Episcopal/Anglican church have led to a new level of polarization. It seems like a climate where anti-gay attacks would increase.

 

[psycho]

During the Olympics, some right-wing nut posted an article how Johnny is anti-troops (WTF?!) and other nonsense like that. She encouraged her followers to send him hate mail. I am not in the least surprised about this news. Don't underestimate the lunatics.

 

[Norlite]

About this being a more gay-friendly climate than in Galindo's day, I think that's only partially true. The debates over gay marriage in Congress and the Episcopal/Anglican church have led to a new level of polarization. It seems like a climate where anti-gay attacks would increase.

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

 

[Spun Silver]

Hope you're right!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

According to an interview with Angela Lansbury whom every loves, she has to pay a high insurance premium on her life because she is a celebrity. Now no one has it in for Ms Lansbury but the insurance company insists there's always someone out to get a celebrity for whatever reasons.

I still consider Johnny's worry about death threats a little bit over the top. If someone was going to kill him, they wouldn't warn him first. Think Monica Seles.
I also don't think this has any gay overtones.

Joe

 

[Skate Sandee]

Dunno about Oksana, but wasn't Kwan being monitored by the FBI in Paris during one Lalique? (Or was it the first Champions series final? ) She'd gotten some pretty ropey fan mail I believe at the time.

You remember correctly. It was Champion series final in France.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpa...eference/Times Topics/People/K/Kwan, Michelle

I believe Johnny, like many celebrities or athletes, recieves hate mail. But he's not a household name. So I'm inclined to agree with those that think that the threats are not from casual viewers of figure skating that just watch during the Olympics and are anti-gay. I think it's coming from within skating echelons. Just a guess on my part.

And I was skeptical at first. Johnny is so open about the minutiae of his life and revels in his candor, that it doesn't make sense for him to mention it in a random interview. But then, it makes no no sense for him to exaggerate it.

 

[Misplaced Gymnast]

Remember, reporters can spin/write an article any way they want to. Possibly the reporter asked Johnny one of those lovely questions like "How did you feel about losing the gold for America?" and Johnny mentioned the death threats, and the reporter took it and ran with it.

Similarly, maybe s/he asked Johnny if his parents' number was listed.

 

[Tonichelle]

During the Olympics, some right-wing nut posted an article how Johnny is anti-troops (WTF?!) and other nonsense like that. She encouraged her followers to send him hate mail. I am not in the least surprised about this news. Don't underestimate the lunatics.

ok one, how do you know this person's political leanings? Why is it that anyone who is "anti-Johnny" is considered a right winger? just because Johnny said it, it doesn't make it true


I want to know why the article is just now getting out, why is it such a big deal now? Because it's still happening? As others have pointed out, he's not the only one out there who has gotten nasty mail. Everyone in the public eye does.

I am not calling him a liar, and I'm sure it is annoying, frustrating, heartbreaking etc... I just want to know how "I hope your plane crashes" is considered a death threat. If the person had said "I am making sure you plane crashes" or soemthing like that I could understand...

I think this is the press, and not really Johnny, who's making the big deal about this whole thing. Apparently the author was bored with the typical skating article that they were given to write and went with something 'new'.

 

[dragonfly]

I want to know why the article is just now getting out, why is it such a big deal now? Because it's still happening? As others have pointed out, he's not the only one out there who has gotten nasty mail. Everyone in the public eye does.

Because Kathy Griffin mentioned it in her blog last Wednesday. That's the kind of thing that gets the attention of the press. So they called him and asked him about it, he answered, (it doesn't sound like he actually said much about it), and they spun it into an article. And then lots of other papers picked the item up. It's the kind of juicy thing they like.

I think this is the press, and not really Johnny, who's making the big deal about this whole thing. Apparently the author was bored with the typical skating article that they were given to write and went with something 'new'.

Exactly.

 

[psycho]

ok one, how do you know this person's political leanings? Why is it that anyone who is "anti-Johnny" is considered a right winger? just because Johnny said it, it doesn't make it true .

errrrrm.... because she specified that she was a republican and she was asking her republican supporters to send him hate mail.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

errrrrm.... because she specified that she was a republican and she was asking her republican supporters to send him hate mail.

Johnny Weir is out to bring down America. Republicans know!

 

[Tonichelle]

errrrrm.... because she specified that she was a republican and she was asking her republican supporters to send him hate mail.

well that's different... lol... I apologise for jumping... it just really annoys me that political leanings should have anything to do with what sports/athletes one can enjoy