Adam Rippon’s defiance of Mike Pence and–more importantly–skating ability have captured the attention of the world, and made him a role model for LGBTQ athletes everywhere, one of the few athletes in the world who could stand up both to the competition and the trolling of the vice president of the United States.
The Washington Post ran a weird post downplaying the association between the flamboyance of figure skating with gay men. Frankly, we’d like to own that association, not flee from it, even if it is in part a stereotype. While the underlying notion that all male figure skaters are queer is of course bollocks, WaPo seemed to go out of its way to deny the existence the accomplishments openly gay skaters while ignoring Rippon and Eric Radford and acknowledging only two: Brian Boitano and Johnny Weir.
Speaking of Johnny, the out-gay champion skater (who once skated to Lady Gaga in competition, no less) turned NBC commentator has provided some of the smartest and most entertaining moments on this year’s Olympic telecasts, due in no small part to his Elton John-style fashion choices. Johnny took over the spot with pal Tara Lipinski back in 2014 after his retirement from competitive skating. In an awesome twist, their commentary proved so popular, NBC booked them as permanent commentators on everything from fashion to the Kentucky Derby. Chalk one up for the flamboyant, and the unapologetically authentic.
Johnny’s schmoozing with co-commentators Terry Gannon and fellow former Olympian Tara put on a show of their own every time the get in front of a mic. As such, we’ve thrown together this little retrospective highlighting some of Johnny’s best looks that simply cannot be denied.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Maybe after the Olympics, he could nab a spot on Project Runway…
1. Hunger Gays
2. Going for the Bling
3. Close Knit
4. Cruella Called
Get those puppies. Or did he already?
5. String of Wisdom
Related: Johnny Weir has some very choice words for Tonya Harding
6. Butch Babe
7. Globe Trotting
Johnny & co-commentator Tara Lipinski attended the Golden Globes together this year in matching gowns.
8. Eye Line
9. Santa Baby
10. Street Walking
Check out Johnny’s commentary on NBC’s coverage of this year’s Olympics, and as a recurring commentator for NBC Sports.
thisisnotreal
This is probably going to heavily border on some type of homophobia or whatever the word is nowadays but I really don’t like johnny weir, way too effeminate for my taste but more power to him for doing his own thing.
Mick406
Too effeminate is an understatement. I nearly fell out of my chair the first time I saw him doing commentary on TV. All his mannerisms are exactly as that of a woman. I couldn’t believe NBC would hire him (or, is he an ‘it’?) and allow him to put his hair up like a female, wear make-up, roll his eyes around and smirk like a ‘Valley Girl’ while being on their set.
I nearly puke every time I see him. I felt uncomfortable thinking of a family watching this on TV and their young children seeing this display of gay flaunting. I can’t imagine the questions kids asked and the answers their parents had to give them. This is the kind of thing that sets back acceptance of gays.
Just when ordinary people are beginning to realize it CAN be ‘ordinary’ for a male to have gay tendencies and they are starting to accept that . . . along comes this queen showing how bizarre some gay people are. It’s a purposeful ‘in your face’ kind of thing, and it is disgusting!
Tanengrin
Preach
happiness17
When I first saw Johnny Weir I thought he was a woman. It’s obvious by looking at the pictures of him and articles about him that he probably wants to be a woman.
happiness17
Johnny weir is the same person who created so much drama when him
and his husband got divorced. He’s definitely a drama queen.
demetreus
SMH, people in these comments calling Johnny bitchy and queeny, but they don’t realize how bitchy, catty and queeny their comments are. These comments read like 12 year old girls wrote them. You grown ass men should be ashamed of yourselves. So Pathetic.
SiamSam
Indistinguishable from Queerty writers then?
ChrisK
@demetreus
Then tone down the kissing of Weirs ass and make it more balanced next time.
DCguy
I know I should be dealing with the here and now, but I see Adam Rippon all out and proud and can’t help but remember closeted Johnny Weir, talking about how great Russia was, refusing to say anything about the anti-lgbt crackdown there, and when he was finally done with his skating career he still played coy with his sexuality until he could put it in a book.
Just left kind of a bad impression.
mhoffman953
My comment was removed from this blog post as well for saying that Weir looks like a gay Dracula in those pics
I guess if you don’t agree with Queerty, they’ll remove your comments. What’s the point of having a comment section then?
cavasa22
I’m a grown gay man, and I find this guy over excentric, his “hunger games” look is really boring and I don’t think he is a good example for gay men or gay kids watching television. I’m sure there are gay men out there who do not ridicule themselves in order to have an “audience”. His outfit yesterday, Sunday Feb 18, was like “What?”. Please don’t glorify him, there is nothing to glorify on this guy.