TSL interview with Ilia Malinin

[Toshsk8]

There's such a thing as using, "It's just a joke," as an excuse for insensitive, snarky behavior. A lot of people have forgotten, or probably never saw the episode about four years ago, where Dave and Jonathan both went snark-all nasty on 16-year-old Starr Andrews. I'm not going to go into specifics because it's old news, but they brought in hearsay stuff about her mother, and criticized her programs in a racially-insensitive way (also saying negative things about Jason Brown, Boyang Jin, and some other skaters). I don't know what if anything ever happened to that episode -- it was in general a competition review episode where they inserted what they thought was a humorous takedown of Starr and her programs, coupled with gossip and hearsay referencing her mother. I compiled and posted a transcript of their vile parody and people were shocked. Of course other people made excuses for them. Then Dave & Jonathan went all, "Who Us? We're not..." We're all familiar with the defensive litany.

While I personally never accused D&J of being the unwanted 'r' word, they were certainly skating the line with their OTT, uncalled for comments about Starr, her program choices, and her mother. In order to smooth things over, for their next episode, Dave & Jonathan purposely did a whole feature focused on being critical of Eteri's baby ballerinas. LOL! Their attempt to backtrack and to make it look like they were equal opportunity criticizers of teenagers was so obvious and pathetic. Not a whole lot of people were paying attention, or cared, and the snafu blew over. For awhile though, D&J continued to be negative toward Starr, which doesn't mean every skating-related critique they have made isn't valid. Still, they have voiced overly negative attitudes toward Starr on a number of occasions, and they made nonsensical, unwarranted critiques about her program choices too, in addition to criticizing the old YouTube video her mother posted when Starr was 7, that went viral.

In recent years, I've noticed that D&J's comments about Starr have become less negative and more balanced (because it ain't cool to snark and pile on a young melanated skater who has achieved a measure of success in a sport that lacks significant diversity).

I remember this quite vividly! It was mean, insensitive, and very condescending. I find it interesting that one could criticize so harshly when they've never experienced, or understand the difficulty in achieving, especially as an African descent skater which is less than 1% in the entire world! Starr's music is a reflection of her experiences through her culture. Her music choices are not only relational, but a message to mankind. When other skaters of different nationalities skate to black music, it is never questioned. It is simply "Cultural Appropriation", praised and excepted! Dave and Jonathan have no class unfortunately and thrives off the tune of bashing other people. Let's hope one day they will look for the good and sparkle in every individual and bring light to a dying planet of negativity!

 

[karne]

What 'next competition' are you speaking of exactly? Although, I would love for Jason Brown to skate gorgeous competitive programs forever and a day, I doubt that he will be returning for another season post the 2022 Olympics.

Joke's on you, Jason's already suggested he'll continue another year or two.

 

[sjchilly]

At the Olympic Games, you won't be ranked by what you did during the season and last season. You will be ranked right there on the Olympic ice. Ilia beat Jason soundly at nationals. Chances are Ilia will beat Jason again at their next competition.

If you don't believe any pre-judging goes on at ISU events you haven't been watching figure skating. The pre-judging starts with use of international ranking for short program start number. Those with higher ISU ranking start later in the competition with judges normally saving the higher scores for them.

 

[moonvine]

Let's not forget the time he called Liza Tuk fat.

In a sport where eating disorders are rife, he and the other guy thought that was appropriate and funny.

He also spread rumours about Aliona K that if true should have been cause for concern, not mockery. But he and the other guy thought it was bloody hilarious.

I've blocked them on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube and if tomorrow they were the only way to watch skating I'd rather quit watching the sport then give them a single click.

I wish all the skaters out there would boycott TSL and that they'd disappear forever.

Same. He acts like a vile human being.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Joke's on you, Jason's already suggested he'll continue another year or two.

Yay!!! I'm stoked to hear that. I missed hearing Jason mention this. I wish there was better coverage of figure skating domestically and internationally, like a news round-up show. I also wish there was better access to event press conferences.

 

[cheerknithanson]

I thought this was a thread discussing Ilia Malinin's interview on TSL....not on horrible stuff or other stuff......

 

[Tinymavy15]

I watch TSL on the regular--sometimes I agree with Dave sometimes I don't. I don't appreciate the snark.

I also don't appreciate the clear battles lines about Jason/Ilia. I'm sorry that Ilia went on the show and have not watched, nor do I plan to watch the episode. I feel like Dave was trying to "use" him to support his own opinion that the olympic team was wrongly decided. Ilia is naive and likely flattered for the attention but any thing that can be misconstrued as his being a "sore looser" etc won't help him in the end and especially this year, who knows. One skater tests positive and hes' on the Olympic stage. He shouldn't be entertaining this fake drama.

 

[Jammers]

Joke's on you, Jason's already suggested he'll continue another year or two.

To be honest with 2nd tier skaters skaters like Camden and Tomoki struggling and not knowing if someone like Alex Torgashev will ever come back and live up to his promise he showed at times they need someone like Jason to hang around for another year or so if Nathen is done and Vincent goes off to college. Having a 17 year old carry the US men is asking a lot of someone even as talented as Ilia.

 

[cheerknithanson]

I feel like this thread has gotten so far off topic...should it be shut down?

 

[TontoK]

I watch TSL on the regular--sometimes I agree with Dave sometimes I don't. I don't appreciate the snark.

I also don't appreciate the clear battles lines about Jason/Ilia. I'm sorry that Ilia went on the show and have not watched, nor do I plan to watch the episode. I feel like Dave was trying to "use" him to support his own opinion that the olympic team was wrongly decided. Ilia is naive and likely flattered for the attention but any thing that can be misconstrued as his being a "sore looser" etc won't help him in the end and especially this year, who knows. One skater tests positive and hes' on the Olympic stage. He shouldn't be entertaining this fake drama.

You have some pretty strong opinions about this for someone who didn't watch the interview and do not plan to.

Never once, not even in passing, did Jason (or any other skater) come up in the conversation. (Edit: on reflection Nathan did come up. Ilya said when he visited Raf's camp he wanted to skate well on the same ice as Nathan) The Olympic selection never came up. His silver medal finish did, and Ilia was proud of what he'd accomplished in terms of skating clean, but had no expectations coming in about placement.

Lease asked about training with Raf, they talked about how he needed to get the World minimums, they discussed whether he would move to California. Ilia talked about his talented little sister, and training with parents as coaches. There was nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, that could be interpreted as "battle lines" or "sore loser" or "fake drama."

He's a talented young skater, just had a potentially career changing competition, and has garnered lots of attention and new fans. It's not like a 20-minute intervew is some sort of blasphemy.

I get from your tag line that you're a Jason fan, So am I. But not everything is about Jason. This interview certainly wasn't.

 

[Amei]

You have some pretty strong opinions about this for someone who didn't watch the interview and do not plan to.

Never once, not even in passing, did Jason (or any other skater) come up in the conversation. (Edit: on reflection Nathan did come up. Ilya said when he visited Raf's camp he wanted to skate well on the same ice as Nathan) The Olympic selection never came up. His silver medal finish did, and Ilia was proud of what he'd accomplished in terms of skating clean, but had no expectations coming in about placement.

Lease asked about training with Raf, they talked about how he needed to get the World minimums, they discussed whether he would move to California. Ilia talked about his talented little sister, and training with parents as coaches. There was nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, that could be interpreted as "battle lines" or "sore loser" or "fake drama."

He's a talented young skater, just had a potentially career changing competition, and has garnered lots of attention and new fans. It's not like a 20-minute intervew is some sort of blasphemy.

I get from your tag line that you're a Jason fan, So am I. But not everything is about Jason. This interview certainly wasn't.

I'm glad to hear that TSL and Ilia didn't get into a debate about Jason, Jason is a fed favorite and it wouldn't be a good career move to be seen as attacking a favorite or the fed's selection process for Ilia << Which was my concern with him going on TSL who loves the tabloid rag drama (I did not watch because it would be supporting TSL financially and I refuse to support them any longer).

 

[TontoK]

I'm glad to hear that TSL and Ilia didn't get into a debate about Jason, Jason is a fed favorite and it wouldn't be a good career move to be seen as attacking a favorite or the fed's selection process for Ilia << Which was my concern with him going on TSL who loves the tabloid rag drama (I did not watch because it would be supporting TSL financially and I refuse to support them any longer).

It's all good. When I posted this interview on another thread, my comment was "watch it or don't" acknowledging that some people choose not to support TSL in any capacity. It truly doesn't make any difference to me if anyone watches it or not. I enjoy their interviews with skaters, coaches, choreographers, etc... but I'm not interested in other offerings.

Choosing not to watch is a far cry from not watching the interview, and then spreading gross misinterpretations of what transpired.

Edit: @Amei if you're interested my Post 47 in this thread provides a summary of my recollections from the interview. That way, you can read what was discussed without supporting TSL with clicks.

 

[Amei]

It's all good. When I posted this interview on another thread, my comment was "watch it or don't" acknowledging that some people choose not to support TSL in any capacity. It truly doesn't make any difference to me if anyone watches it or not. I enjoy their interviews with skaters, coaches, choreographers, etc... but I'm not interested in other offerings.

Choosing not to watch is a far cry from not watching the interview, and then spreading gross misinterpretations of what transpired.

Edit: @Amei if you're interested my Post 47 in this thread provides a summary of my recollections from the interview. That way, you can read what was discussed without supporting TSL with clicks.

Thank you!

 

[el henry]

I watch TSL on the regular--sometimes I agree with Dave sometimes I don't. I don't appreciate the snark.

I also don't appreciate the clear battles lines about Jason/Ilia. I'm sorry that Ilia went on the show and have not watched, nor do I plan to watch the episode. I feel like Dave was trying to "use" him to support his own opinion that the olympic team was wrongly decided. Ilia is naive and likely flattered for the attention but any thing that can be misconstrued as his being a "sore looser" etc won't help him in the end and especially this year, who knows. One skater tests positive and hes' on the Olympic stage. He shouldn't be entertaining this fake drama.

If my friend TontoK had not said anything, I would not have noticed your tagline. I like it!

I also will not be supporting Dave with clicks at this time. But I have heard, from Tonto and others, that the interview was reasonable, Ilia was forthright and talked about his training and his family and not the Olympics.

That said, I don't blame you for your skepticism. Dave has been beating the "Iliawuzrobbed" drum louder and longer than anyone. (and I don't mean, I love daring young men and I like Ilia better, of course everyone has different opinions, I mean beating the drum in the way only Dave can.) My simple wild guess, based on nothing, is that Dave was told by Ilia's team not to ask about the Olys as a condition for the interview.

Which appears to have made for a better interview.

 

[moonvine]

To be honest with 2nd tier skaters skaters like Camden and Tomoki struggling and not knowing if someone like Alex Torgashev will ever come back and live up to his promise he showed at times they need someone like Jason to hang around for another year or so if Nathen is done and Vincent goes off to college. Having a 17 year old carry the US men is asking a lot of someone even as talented as Ilia.

Alex Torgashev has retired. I wouldn't expect him to come back (but would be pleased if he did). Vincent has walked back his retirement talk as has Nathan to a degree.

 

[moonvine]

I feel like this thread has gotten so far off topic...should it be shut down?

It's called thread drift. It happens a lot.

 

[el henry]

Alex Torgashev has retired. I wouldn't expect him to come back (but would be pleased if he did). Vincent has walked back his retirement talk as has Nathan to a degree.

Alex Torgashev was a slip of the keyboard from the OP, I believe.

Andrew Torgashev, my beloved Andrew T., plans to return to skating. He has spent the past two seasons recovering from injury

My wild jumper Alex Krasnozhon is retired and presumably attending college in Texas.

 

[moonvine]

Alex Torgashev was a slip of the keyboard from the OP, I believe.

Andrew Torgashev, my beloved Andrew T., plans to return to skating. He has spent the past two seasons recovering from injury

My wild jumper Alex Krasnozhon is retired and presumably attending college in Texas.

Yes I meant Alex Krasnozhon! I hope Andrew comes back as well!

 

[sheetz]

To be honest with 2nd tier skaters skaters like Camden and Tomoki struggling and not knowing if someone like Alex Torgashev will ever come back and live up to his promise he showed at times they need someone like Jason to hang around for another year or so if Nathen is done and Vincent goes off to college. Having a 17 year old carry the US men is asking a lot of someone even as talented as Ilia.

Nathan did it when he was 17, so it's not too young if Ilia is truly destined for greatness. In any case Vincent has confirmed he plans to continue, though I've not heard anything definitive from either Jason or Nathan yet.

 

[Amei]

To be honest with 2nd tier skaters skaters like Camden and Tomoki struggling and not knowing if someone like Alex Torgashev will ever come back and live up to his promise he showed at times they need someone like Jason to hang around for another year or so if Nathen is done and Vincent goes off to college. Having a 17 year old carry the US men is asking a lot of someone even as talented as Ilia.

This probably sounds mean and will get the thumbs down from Jason fans (which BTW I don't dislike Jason) Jason will likely be the same skater next year that he is this year - without a consistent quad so whether he still competes or not, if Vincent and Nathan retire then Ilia is still carrying US Mens skating for big competitions, a quadless man is not independently competive at the big competitions.