Johnny Weir officially retires + joins NBC as skating analyst

[chuckm]

Johnny has done commenting before----this was not his first time. I think he does an excellent job.

 

[ice coverage]

Tomorrow (Wednesday), Johnny Weir will appear on the fourth hour of the Today show on NBC. (On the east coast, it begins at 10 am.)

@JohnnyGWeir

Watch for me tomorrow morning live on @klgandhoda! Love those girls!
8:14 AM - 29 Oct 13
https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/395207094032670721​

Now for some wild speculation on my part:
Kathie Lee Gifford has been away the first two mornings of this week. So far, Hoda Kotb has co-hosted with a different KLG fill-in each morning.
I wonder whether KLG still will be away tomorrow morning, and if so, who her fill-in for the full hour will be.
(Monday's was Jenna Bush Hager, who is a Today show correspondent/regular; and today's was actor Anthony Mackie. The show seems to be casting a wide net, so who knows who will take the seat tomorrow?? )

 

[Bluebonnet]

Tomorrow (Wednesday), Johnny Weir will appear on the fourth hour of the Today show on NBC. (On the east coast, it begins at 10 am.)

@JohnnyGWeir

Watch for me tomorrow morning live on @klgandhoda! Love those girls!
8:14 AM - 29 Oct 13
https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/395207094032670721​

Now for some wild speculation on my part:
Kathie Lee Gifford has been away the first two mornings of this week. So far, Hoda Kotb has co-hosted with a different KLG fill-in each morning.
I wonder whether KLG still will be away tomorrow morning, and if so, who her fill-in for the full hour will be.
(Monday's was Jenna Bush Hager, who is a Today show correspondent/regular; and today's was actor Anthony Mackie. The show seems to be casting a wide net, so who knows who will take the seat tomorrow?? )

Oh, a full force like rocket shooting speed into NBC network? I don't think so.

 

[Skater Boy]

I am not a huge fan of Tara's as a commentator. I wonder what else she does for a living or did she already make millions and saved it?

 

[Mathman]

I think she is financially secure.

 

[ice coverage]

Oh, a full force like rocket shooting speed into NBC network? I don't think so.

Bluebonnet is right: my speculation was wrong. KLG will be back on Today on Wednesday.

https://twitter.com/klgandhoda/status/395366213586407424​

Weir simply will be a guest.

ETA:

Update: Weir participated in a short quiz segment about the Sochi Olympics. Audience members tried to answer the multiple-choice questions. Weir's role was to give the correct answer (also shown on screen) and to add a few words of explanation/commentary. The questions were relatively superficial -- not Weir's fault.​

 

[dorispulaski]

I caught part of this segment at lunch. Johnny says he will have sparkles on his clothes when he sits in his little commentators' chair in Sochi.

 

[ice coverage]

Nastia Liukin will have an NBC role in Sochi of the same nature as Belbin's:

2008 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Nastia Liukin To Join NBC Olympics in Sochi
Russian-Born, 5-Time Medal-Winning Olympic Gymnast to Serve as Reporter for NBC Olympics

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 30, 2013 – Former U.S. gymnast Nastia Liukin, a winner of five Olympic medals including gold in the all-around at the 2008 Beijing Games, will join NBC Olympics for its Winter Games coverage in Sochi, Russia, it was announced today.
Liukin, a dual Russian-U.S. citizen who was born in Moscow, will serve as a reporter for NBC Olympics’ multi-platform coverage and will present daily features for The Olympic Zone, NBC Olympics’ 30-minute daily show for NBC affiliates covering all aspects of the Games.
http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2...-nastia-liukin-to-join-nbc-olympics-in-sochi/​

Hat tip to @nrarmour of AP.

 

[Olympia]

How lovely that Nastia will be there! I liked her a lot as a competitor, and it makes sense to have someone bilingual to give us insights into the events, the competitors and the local culture.

 

[ice coverage]

@Tara_Lipinski

So excited to be judging #MissUniverse at #CrocusCityHall in Moscow Russia next weekend! Tune into #NBC on Nov 9th. @MissUniverse
7:25 AM - 2 Nov 13
https://twitter.com/Tara_Lipinski/status/396644228216156160​

So .... has Lipinski had this kind of quasi-high-profile role (unrelated to skating) in recent memory?
Or is NBC making a recent push to increase her "celebrity" cred and Q rating?

Not saying that judging the Miss Universe pageant is akin to performing at the Super Bowl (random analogy that popped into my head), but Lipinski's fellow judges include Steven Tyler and Carol Alt. Mel B is a co-host. So Lipinski will be rubbing elbows with some much bigger names.
(OTOH, the names of some other judges do not mean anything to me.)

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_Ne...erse-pageant/UPI-16061383340978/?spt=rln&or=2​

I am making a not-too-far-fetched assumption here that NBC is involved -- along with pageant management -- in selecting the judges.

 

[Mathman]

I am making a not-too-far-fetched assumption here that NBC is involved -- along with pageant management -- in selecting the judges.

Absolutely. Anyone who has a network gig is pushed into doin all kinds of stuff on the same network, even if it is no more than appearing in the audience of dancing with the stars.

OT -- Cool avatrar, golden411.

 

[ice coverage]

Absolutely. Anyone who has a network gig is pushed into doin all kinds of stuff on the same network, even if it is no more than appearing in the audience of dancing with the stars.

OT -- Cool avatrar, golden411.

Agreed. Corporate "synergy," as they say. :yes:
Because the pageant is in Russia and the Olympics there are fast approaching, I guess it makes particular sense for NBC to take advantage of the opportunity to get the name and face of Lipinski (as opposed to any other talent in the network's firmament) out there. And I suppose that American viewers will see some Road to Sochi promos during the pageant broadcast.

OT reply: Thx for noticing my avatar, Mathman. Prob. impossible to tell that I used a photo of Zhang/Bartholamay to show a little support for them re Cup of China.
But it's already time to make a new avatar in anticipation of NHK ...

 

[Dragonlady]

This is the first time ever that I have watched figure skating on US television and not been ready to shout at my TV. Great, insightful commentary from both Tara and Johnny, no unnecessary talking, and no one telling me that the judging system is too complicated for mere fans to understand. Not only that, but they packed a lot of skating into an hour and a half, and no fluff. Sounds like the producers have been reading the skating forums.

 

[wordsworthgirl]

I just watched the NBC coverage of Cup of China and was SO impressed with the commentary! Terry Gannon is the "straight man" but he is also very knowledgeable, is on top of both the history and the current scene in figure skating, and asks great questions. Tara was much better than I'd expected- her voice is less annoying, and she is explaining the nature of mistakes clearly. Johnny was simply fabulous! The most insightful commentary I have seen since the days of Dick Button. This is exciting!

 

[Olympia]

I mentioned on one of the Cup of China threads how much I was enjoying Johnny Weir's commentary here. This has turned out to be an excellent choice on the part of the network. He's informative and sympathetic.

 

[AllYouDoIsTalk]

I feel as though a lot of times Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic is having a competition on who can gush more, I dunno, ostentatiously. So I wouldn't mind Weir replacing Scott Hamilton at all.

To be fair, it's one thing dubbing the color commentary and analysis on a playback, but to deliver it on the spot or live is another.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Add me to the long list of fans of Johnny's commentary. I actually learn things when he is commentating a program, such as when he was talking about how Kozuka uses the entire length of the blade when the skates and that's one indicator of his fine skating skills. It is neither dumbed-down nor explained in a way that would confuse a casual fan. Having a COP skater commentate is a great idea and I think Johnny will make the sport approachable to a wider audience.

 

[smontgomery]

I agree, I enjoyed both Tara and Johnny. Great job!

 

[ciocio]

I'm very happy to hear that the Johnny does a great job as commentator, maybe for once in his competitive career Plushenko won't be portrayed as Russian Communist Villain by NBC. :yes:

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I'm very happy to hear that the Johnny does a great job as commentator, maybe for once in his competitive career Plushenko won't be portrayed as Russian Communist Villain by NBC. :yes:

As long as there is a top American or Canadian competitor, the other skaters will be demonized by Scott and Sandra. Hearing Johnny and Tara has made me realize how useless Scott and Sandra are. The latter would never discuss air quality and how that could explain a string of poor performances in CoC.