I risk jail time just going there, but the Olympics are not the place to make a political statement. I’m not a politician and I don’t really talk about politics. You don’t have to agree with the politics, but you have to respect the culture of a country you are visiting… It’s pretty obvious that I’ve been gay my whole life. I don’t need to break any laws or wear a rainbow pin to show people that I support gay rights. I think I’ll do that just by being in Sochi and supporting our people there and know they are not alone.”
— Johnny Weir on what to expect from his upcoming job as a figure skating analyst for NBC during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in a New York Times profile
Kamuriie
He’s a total sell-out. Despicable.
MikeE
He’s worse than a sell-out. He’s a hypocrite.
He denied being gay for years. Suddenly, he’s been gay all his life? And he uses that as some sort of demonstration that he supports gay rights?
He’s a disgusting little weasel. That is for sure.
yaoming
This guy is kind of a joke, isn’t he? There was all that talk about him being so gay and competing and winning medals, and then we hear he didn’t even make the team. Now he’s going to be there as a commentator? Why?
Polaro
Now he is just a total whore. Shame.
Stache1
@yaoming: Just damage control PR for NBC. Nothing more.
litper
Respect the “culture” of Putin nazis beating gay teens?
Louis
Smh people like this are the most hypocritical of them all.
You do not TOLERATE or IGNORE hate and intolerance especially the extreme kind that our LGBT brothers and sisters are facing enduring and experiencing in Russia.
He could have easily did what Wentworth did to show solidarity and respect and care for all those there suffering who are lesbian bisexual and transgengender and declined the invitation.
I cant stand people like him nothing but narcissistic selfish and self absorbed people who only care about themselves period.
jimbryant
Johnny Weird is a disgusting creep.
DarkZephyr
“I think I’ll do that just by being in Sochi and supporting our people there and know they are not alone.”
In what way is he going to be “supporting” them if he is doing nothing but “being there”??
@litper: EXACTLY. There is NOTHING about that “culture” that we “have” to respect. WHAT a douche Mr. Weir has turned out to be.
iMort
He makes a valid point and I have always liked him. His antics at skating competitions have been epic! Cut him some slack.
Stefano
Is it me or that doesn’t make sens ?
Stefano
By going there, he is making a political statement anyways. He is just saying that he agrees on the not respecting gay rights in Russia.
DarkZephyr
@iMort: A “valid” point?!?! Oh I remember you. You are the same guy who insisted that Thomas Bridegroom committed suicide. I am starting to see a pattern here.
WhyteRabbit
@litper: exactly… you know… a culture of hate is still a culture. and obviously johnny is cool with that. maybe they’ll keep him.
Stefano
As for me, i would have gone to Berlin just to respect the Nazi Culture. Putin Culture is not Russia Culture…
Pistolo
Revolting. I can’t even believe people are bothering to glean a sensible motive for this money-grubbing chump. The only reason he isn’t being targeted and picked off by homophobic poachers is because he’s a celebrity. What about the regular gay citizens? The people who didn’t spend their whole lives and all their family’s savings perfecting a triple-axle whose lives are in danger all the time and don’t have some extravagant, court jester masquerade to hide behind?
Fitz
Sear it into your brains, brothers. Remember who Johny is.. These olympics will be over soon, and this creature will soon be looking to get embraced by the gay world. So if he disgusts you now, as he does me, don’t go applauding him when he is opening a club or GM’ing a parade.
MK Ultra
Johnny Weir isn’t doing anything different than the gays that were quick to defend the Catholic church a few weeks ago when they made their self serving PR statement.
The Russian government is significantly more progressive than the Catholic church.
Why the hypocrdcy, Catholic gays? Why do we need to be “understanding” with the church, but for Russia all you have is namecalling, hate, intolerance?
Garth
His explanation of his reasons for not speaking out in Russia are lamer than his Olympic attempts.
litper
@MK Catholic church doesn’t call for violence against gay people and tries to establish a dialogue while Russian officials and Russian church:
1) compare homosexuality to satanism and pedophilia;
2) want to take children away from parents accused of homosexuality;
3) call for violence and murder of gay people.
I don’t see anything progressive here.
MK Ultra
@litper:I speak both Russian and English. I’ve NEVER heard any government agent officially advocate violence against gays. Maybe you can point out for me in the Russian law where it sanctions beatings and murder for gays?
In fact, no official has said anything different from what the CC has already said. Putin has been way more diplomatic than the pedophile haven CC.
As for violence, Why not take a look at anti-gay violence in America? Are you really implying that churches preaching every week that gays are “disordered”, ” are after your children”, and “will cause the downfall of America” have NOTHING to do with that violence?
As for pedophilia and satanism, churches across America say the EXACT same thing. Even worse.
As a famous bald woman once said, “Fight the REAL enemy”
skoc211
He’s a coward, a fraud, and a kapo.
CalgaryBill
He’s like a lot of asses who state that boycotts don’t work in spite of the success against South Africa’s apartheid. It wasn’t the only factor but it was an important one. Weir, stop being an Uncle Tom.
ChiChi Man
There’s just so much to criticize.
First, was his career all that? For years, he was just another flamboyant-could-be-gay skater. He won the US Nationals ages ago, medaled once at the Worlds. When he failed at the 2010 Olympics (coming in last, I think), he came out of the closet and voila – continued to be newsworthy without winning anything. He’s not an Orser, Boitano, Eldredge, Stojko, or a Hamilton. His greatest skill appears to be self promotion.
To Johnny’s defenders: no political movement has EVER been helped by silence. By going to Sochi and smiling at the camera, Weir is aiding the monsters who tyrannize LGBT people. They will use him to prove that their laws aren’t so bad (“See? The queers just have to be quiet and they’ll be fine.”). But sadly, he doesn’t care. He’ll do anything for a camera opp.
I was going to write that his next career should be porn, but porn actors give me greater pleasure and do far more for LGBT rights than Johnny ever will.
litper
@MK Russian law makes being openly homosexual or speaking against anti-gay violence a crime with jail time up to 15 days and fines up to 1 million rubles, while government officials DO call for anti-gay violence, including the head of Putin propagandist machine (which controls RT, by the way) going as far as calling to burn and bury the hearts of gay people. Is violence at gay protests and hundreds of videos of Russian gay kids beaten and tortured by nazi gangs while Russian police quietly supports them not enough for you?
MK Ultra
A Russian tv personality called for violence. He’s no different than televangilists or any number of GOP members that have said the same or worse over the years. It’s certainly not the law. If some take matters into their own hands that’s a personal choice, no differnt than homophobes in America taking the law into their own hands.
Gays can’t be openly gay in Russia. Gays couldn’t be openly gay in America until recently and there are still places across the nation that it’s not possible.
Your point is basically – the catholic church is uber gay friendly and we should be grateful for any garbage they spew at us. No violence has even been thrust on gays because of their anti-gay animus. Also, America is homophobia free and has no violence against gays. But Russia is evil and Russians are monsters and Putin is pure evil.
Well gee golly gosh, I’m sure that hateful and intolerant POV will convince Russia and things will definitely get better for Russian LGBT.
litper
A russian TV personality… who happens to be the deputy head of the russian state propaganda channel with more than hundred millions of viewers. But nevermind, it’s all good…
Tommyboyinaz
Plus I thought his partner/husband was Russian. Is this why he keeps trying to play this all down???
MK Ultra
@litper: Oh, that fact just erases all the homophobia from the rest of the world, including America.
The fact is, as long as LGBT continue to cherry pick who gets a pass from homophobia and who doesn’t, nothing will get better.
If the Catholic church gets a pass when their homophobia spans nearly the entire globe (wheras Russia’s homophobia is contained in Eastern Europe), then expect to be called out for it when you go on a vengeful tirade against a foreign country for doing the EXACT same thing.
People here claim they care about Russian LGBT. They don’t. That is obvious. Most, like you, are bloodthirsty and want to take some kind of revenge against “evil” Russia and punish them, no matter the cost to the health and saftey of Russian LGBT.
Greg Garavani
Never liked him, hopefully he gets his ass beat down there to learn a lesson. I bet him and his partner aren’t really even gay, they’re probably just crab people.
MikeE
@MK Ultra: You realize that none of your arguments make the slightest bit of sense?
no one should complain about the way LGBT people are treated in Russia… because they’ve been treated badly in the past elsewhere?
no one should complain about the Russian gov’t and its homophobic stance… because the leader of the Catholic church recently treid to open a dialogue with the LGBT community?
no one should complain about the Russian anti-gay laws… because you believe the Russian propaganda machine?
You are one SERIOUSLY screwed up person.
Or a troll.
Take your pick.
MK Ultra
Also I wanted to add that Johnny is a russophile. He seems to have found some acceptance from the Russian media and his Russian in-laws that is satisfactory to him.
No different than most of the people here searching for acceptance, even if it’s pseudo acceptance that comes with many strings attached, from larger groups with whom they indentify or wish to be a part of, like political, religious, or social groups, heterosexual men, celebrities, corporations…
Has that longing for acceptance from a group Johnny desires to be a part of clouded his jugement and rationality? Perhaps. Perhaps it’s clouded the jugdgement and rationality of most people here, too.
jimbryant
There’s a difference between being a gay man and being a penis addict. Gay men care about their fellow man. Penis addicts care only about themselves. I’ll leave it to you as to which category Johnny Weir belongs.
DarkZephyr
@MK Ultra: I think you are pretty much “Oggity oggity, pthht pthht pthht” in the head. I don’t think I will ever be able to take another word you type seriously. MikeE pretty much summed it up best however, so I will just refer you back to his words, you lunatic.
Dxley
Johnny Weird? First time I’m hearing of it and I already despise it. Respect what culture? Killing of gay people?
Cam
MK Ultra is just another apologist for Russia trying to deflect from the main topic. Ignore the douche.
As for Johnny Weir, lets see.
Never came out until his career was over, then wrote a book to get some press. Has defended Russia, Has said not to boycott. And now claims that the Olympics are not the place for political statements. His going there and being totally supportive of Russia is a political statement.
Using that tired line of “The Olympics aren’t a place for political statements” is just cover so the IOC can accept the largest bribes and place the Olympics in any country no matter how despicable their policies, and then try to avoid criticism.
Johnny Weir has shown he supports an anti-gay country where currently the abuse and murder of gays is not even investigated by the police. He has gone from being a closet case trying to cash in from the gay community to an opponent of gay rights.
GlitterKidder
Puss…
BJ McFrisky
Don’t like Weir or what he stands for, but ask yourselves: How many of us would turn down a seven-figure paycheck to go to Russia and talk into a TV camera? I’d bet most of us would come up with some sort of rationalization like Thomas Roberts or Johnny Weir to line our coffers.
Cam
@BJ McFrisky:
So BJ, I see you have now gotten more subtle. You’ve changed from attacking the suggestion of a boycott in Russia to merely trying to rationalize people going there and supporting them.
BJ McFrisky
@Cam: It really is beyond you to be a civil human being, isn’t it? Literally—impossible. Every response has to be a vicious little snarky stab. Newsflash: I’m not your Daddy, so there’s no reason to continuously berate me for your unhappy existence. Understand your anger doesn’t stem from me. Man up and stop being a teenage girl wielding a keyboard as a weapon. I was beginning to have respect for you, but you just can’t help your catty little self from slinging mud. So, I’ll be skipping over any comments you post. Likewise, don’t bother responding to anything I write, because it too will be ignored.
Later.
DarkZephyr
@BJ McFrisky: And is this something you consider admirable?
Cam
@BJ McFrisky:
The only person being emotional is you. I pointed out quite correctly that you were once again, as always finding a way to either take the side of anti-gay bigots, or in this case to explain away and defend somebody taking their side.
The fact that you consider somebody pointing out clearly the connectivity in your comments as a vicious uncivil attack is invalid as it isn’t factual. You are crying about civility and yet have no concern for the incivility of anti-gay bigots attacking LGBT’s. Apparently their attacks aren’t uncivil, but our taking issue with them is.
2eo
Seriously, I called it weeks ago. The guy is a spineless traitor, another only useful as a statistic in the obituaries.
DarkZephyr
@2eo: I don’t wish him death, but I have figured him for useless since he first opened his mouth about the suggested boycott in the first place. I have wanted to smack him for a long time.
2eo
@DarkZephyr: I don’t wish him death, I merely posited people like him are only of use to our community if they suffer at the hands of those they actively choose to protect.
Like Goproud members being shot in Texas as another example.
DarkZephyr
@2eo: His obsession with Russia is mind boggling. He remains devoted to it and in love with it despite these terrible laws.
2eo
@DarkZephyr:
All this negativity, we should all be taking the Harry Potter Click & Drag contest.
http://imgur.com/gallery/LwUKY
Best Friend: Lord Voldemort
Lover: George Weasley
First Kiss: Hagrid
Enemy: Fred Weasley
Twin Wand: Lord Voldemort
Killed By: Hagrid
Rockery
LOL at everyone expecting Johnny to take a political stance.
Johnny only cares about his hair, his fame and being bitchy.
Stache1
@Rockery: Yup and that picture Queerty chose says it all.
DarkZephyr
@2eo:
Best Friend: Dumbledore
Lover: Fred Weasley
First Kiss: Harry Potter
Enemy: Belatrix Lestrange
Twin Wand With: Fred Weasley
Killed By: Belatrix Lestrange
MinnieCopas
as Clarence replied I am alarmed that a student able to make($)8920 in a few weeks on the internet. look at this now,,, http://smal.ly/4WYqe
Stefano
@DarkZephir @cam @2eo : you made the good choice…just ignore “you know who”…it is the better thing to do. Love you guys ! 🙂
iMort
@DarkZephyr: It is so easy to take the moral high ground when you personally have no vested interest career or otherwise aside from your armchair criticism of another persons choices. I have no love for anyone who supports the winter olympics in Russia in any way. We all have the freedom to be an ass.You are no exception nor am I.
Dawson
Well here’s a shocker. I watching Skate Canada this weekend and Johnny Boy was one of the commentators. I have made no bones about finding almost everything about Johnny as either stupid, reprehensible or ego driven. Well Johnny Boy was actually insightful as a commentator. He actually, when he isn’t talking about himself and his horrible costume design—yes he is designing skating costumes, I wouldn’t call them outfits—provided a skaters knowledge of the sport.
Should we expect Johnny Boy to be the poster boy for gay rights during the Olympics and is it fair? Of course it is. Change the ethnicity or group and wouldn’t you find a way to provide the same insight you just provided as a commentator to a much bigger audience as to how we are no different than anyone else? It doesn’t have to be on a platform but as a matter of conversation. As we know no one really wants to be preached to. Johnny Boy you have this one time to do the community right. Here is your moment.
Bring it up Johnny Boy, for example say that history has had many famous gay people in the world many of them who just so happened to be Russians. Just look at music and the other arts. Johnny Boy you could easily mention during someone’s preformance that the person they are preforming to was gay. JUST BRING IT UP!
Johnny Boy is going to drive many of us nuts during the competition because whether he likes it or not he is going to be the poster boy for all things gay. The press is going to eat this up because Johnny Boy loves the camera. He will wear fur I will bet money on this. He will make RuPaul look straight during the Olympics. He will say outrages things that will have us throwing things at the TV. But will he do the right thing and mention that as an American Gay man that he is offended by Russia’s policies towards people like himself?
Will Johnny Boy do the right thing for once in his life? Let see how the story plays out.
DarkZephyr
@iMort: You are clearly no exception, I agree. I can certainly be an ass,everyone can be, but taking you to task for your bullsh** isn’t an example of it.
iMort
@DarkZephyr: WHATEVER!!! (valley girl voice)
DarkZephyr
@Stefano: Thanks Stefano, love you too! 😉