Jason Brown

[centerpt1]

Really. Jeremy needs to focus on training. Jason needs to focus on setting himself up for the next few years.

That said, Jeremy has always been treated as the poor relation when it comes to promotion. He is not a USFS "chosen" one. Truthfully, I doubt Jason was a "chosen" one either. Jason just has better connections.

 

[Mrs. P]

So I was watching Jason's video and I stumbled on this one:
http://www.arseniohall.com/video/interviews/1480_Arsenio_s_History_with_Intern_Jordan/index.html

It's a nice video with Jason's older sister Jordan, who interned with Arsenio this past summer. It features a clip of her when she appeared on the show at 18 months (and also showed a clip from when they put a camera at the hospital after she was born). Arsenio said that when Marla was pregnant and was at the producer booth, he would go to her and talk to her belly. "Oh you're going to like MC Hammer!" So cute.

 

[apgold]

Glad to see Jason on Arsenio's show and the audience waving their US flags for him. How many times did they show Kori Ade in the audience? More than his mom, LOL.

I hadn't heard about Jason's car accident right before Nationals. He is very lucky to have not been injured - he must have angels watching over him.

ETA: Mrs P, thanks for posting that video of Jason's sister with Arsenio. You can tell how close he is to the Brown family and how proud he is of both kids. Very heartwarming.

 

[Gymfan15]

Did you see that bit where they showed Jason's mom and dad at the hospital? Jason looks SO much like his dad when he was younger; I didn't realize! Spit and image.

 

[Mrs. P]

Doris P's pointed out earlier that the skaters at Nationals generally choose their music before they perform and how some of it was appropriate to the skater, such as Ross' "Sweet Caroline" as a warm up to his Boston Strong program or Keegan Messing playing "The Entertainer" by Billy Joel.

I was curious what was playing before Jason's skate.

It was the song "Pompeli" by Bastille, a British alternative band.

The lyrics in the chorus goes as follows (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90Cw4l-8NY#t=01m02s):

But if you close your eyes,
Doesn't it almost feel like nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes, does it feel like you've been here before?
How am I going to be an optimist about this?
How am I going to be an optimist about this?

I'm not sure if Jason chose this song (probably? Is there a skater who opts not to do so?), but the chorus oddly suits Jason to a tee! He talks a lot about his goal to skate the program like he trains them (i.e. "nothing has changed at all"). He also made a point during his interviews that he wants the mindset that Sochi will be like any other competition, i.e. he's "been here before."

That was a fun exercise.

ETA: Jason's FS is officially over 3M! (3,010,337, to be precise. )

 

[dorispulaski]

I expect Team Jason chose it, since arena choices are typically stuff everyone knows.

 

[samson]

^I didn't appreciate that that song was by Bastille. Jason has great taste in music! (but that's something I kind of new based on his competition choices)

 

[noskates]

Just curious Samson - why didn't you appreciate it?

 

[Mrs. P]

^I didn't appreciate that that song was by Bastille. Jason has great taste in music! (but that's something I kind of new based on his competition choices)

I assume that it was a typo and that you did like it?

 

[ice coverage]

... Truthfully, I doubt Jason was a "chosen" one either. Jason just has better connections.

What are Jason's better connections (plural)? If you are referring only to Jason's friendship with Arsenio Hall, please note:

[1] Jason's story is interesting on multiple levels, including but not limited to: (a) his spot on the Olympic team -- when at age 19, he is in his first season competing as a senior internationally, no less; (b) his success in competition without a quad; (c) his commitment to his first and only coach Kori Ade .. and (d) oh, by the way, approx. 3 million views of his viral FS video. His friendship with Arsenio is not the reason that the media at large have taken notice of Jason.

[2] Arsenio did not interview Jason only because they are friends. If their friendship had been the primary reason, Arsenio could have conducted the interview months ago, as soon as his show relaunched. Arsenio did not interview Jason until after items (a) and (d) made him newsworthy.

[3] I strongly suspect that other national TV shows had inquired about interviewing Jason. My hunch is that he naturally chose his friend Arsenio for his first appearance (ETA: or one of the first?) of that type. (Nothing wrong with that. That kind of choice happens all the time.)​

Regarding samson:
Maybe s/he was using the word "appreciate" in the sense of "realize?" And not in the sense of "like?" As in, for example, "I did not appreciate until today that I can get $50 back by filling out the rebate form." Well, of course, I always like the idea of getting $50 back. But I did not realize until today that it is possible to get $50 back.

 

[noskates]

I think the "connections" Jason has are (1) HARD and relentless work; (2) a good coach and choreographer; (3) a supportive family; and (4) mad talent!

 

[BusyMom]

I think the "connections" Jason has are (1) HARD and relentless work; (2) a good coach and choreographer; (3) a supportive family; and (4) mad talent!

Plus he has a very exceptional group of fans who shower him with passion, royal and unconditional supports.

 

[ice coverage]

That said, Jeremy has always been treated as the poor relation when it comes to promotion. He is not a USFS "chosen" one. Truthfully, I doubt Jason was a "chosen" one either. Jason just has better connections.

I hope it will please you to see that in the USOC montage at the link below, the photos of Abbott and only two other athletes are at the largest size. (The others are Julie Chu and someone else -- if I had to guess, I think she is [ETA, Rev. 1] Kelly Clark, a snowboarder.) The photos of Davis, White, Wagner, and Gold are at the next smaller size than Abbott's photo. Maia, Alex, Jason, Castelli, Shnapir, Bates (and others??) are at the smallest size.

@USOlympic

It’s official. Meet the 230 athletes headed to #Sochi as the 2014 @USOlympic Team! http://usaoly.us/t04ja #GoTeamUSA pic.twitter.com/hIkgYX2yZi
10:54 AM - 27 Jan 2014
https://twitter.com/USOlympic/statuses/427877218937622528​

And one more little thing about Jason. As discussed in other threads, he idolizes Michelle Kwan -- with whom Arsenio Hall is socially acquainted. But how did Jason eventually have a chance to meet Kwan? Not through Arsenio.
Jason captured Michelle's attention completely on his own merits: she said that she "got to" congratulate him after his FS in Boston. And now they are Twitter pals.
LOL, so much for "connections."

 

[emma]

I loved seeing Jason on Arsenio, thanks for sharing that link! How cool must it be to have Michelle Kwan congratulate you after a great nationals!!!

So, I love Jason's skating, A LOT. But, It's also so much fun to seem him having so much fun!

 

[babyskate]

This is a radio interview aired on NPR this evening. Typical adorable Jason.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=267203674&m=267203675

 

[Mrs. P]

This is a radio interview aired on NPR this evening. Typical adorable Jason.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=267203674&m=267203675

Audie Cornish! Wow...that's big, to get interviewed by All Things Considered! I hope I get to hear this on the radio on my way home! (There's still something fun about listening to stories on the old fashioned radio).

Here's a blog about the segment: http://www.npr.org/blogs/theedge/20...real-figure-skater-jason-browns-road-to-sochi

ETA: Just took a quick listen to my local NPR station and thanks looks like I will get to hear Jason's story twice on the radio if I wanted to (yes I realize I could listen to it many times online). It's airing at 4:40 (a few minutes from now) and 6:40 p.m. PST.

 

[babyskate]

Jason is going to be on Entertainment Tonight this evening!!! How exciting. I cannot believe that this skater I have been following since he was in juniors is getting all this well deserved attention. I have to believe that he is still maintaining his focus on training. I cannot wait for him to wow them in Sochi. I don't care what happens with medals, just want him to skate how he can and entertain.

 

[Mrs. P]

Jason is going to be on Entertainment Tonight this evening!!! How exciting. I cannot believe that this skater I have been following since he was in juniors is getting all this well deserved attention. I have to believe that he is still maintaining his focus on training. I cannot wait for him to wow them in Sochi. I don't care what happens with medals, just want him to skate how he can and entertain.

Wow talk about extremes.... from NPR to Entertainment Tonight! Incredible. It is pretty awesome to see Jason get so much attention. It goes to show that us fans were right about something.

 

[noskates]

I seriously doubt that Kori would allow him to be too distracted. She - and therefore he - seems to be very disciplined about training. This is great for figure skating!

 

[gmyers]

Jason is going to be on Entertainment Tonight this evening!!! How exciting. I cannot believe that this skater I have been following since he was in juniors is getting all this well deserved attention. I have to believe that he is still maintaining his focus on training. I cannot wait for him to wow them in Sochi. I don't care what happens with medals, just want him to skate how he can and entertain.

Commercial says he's a prime contender for gold.