Olympic ice skater Johnny Weir sparked a heated debate earlier this year when he announced his decision to attend and join NBC’s commentary panel at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, despite the fact that his mere presence could have had him arrested.
Well, it turns out there was a method to his madness after all.
EPIX has announced the October release of a new documentary called To Russia With Love, shot secretly on location at the 2014 Olympics with LGBT athletes who participated.
The film will reportedly “examine human rights through the lens of LGBT athletes” and analyze the media’s coverage of Russia’s strict antigay laws ahead of the Games. Weir, who shot scenes for the doc while in Sochi, will act as host and interviewer throughout.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Noam Gonick collected the footage without consent from the Russian government in order to protect his subjects. The film will feature a number of LGBT athletes who participated in the Sochi Olympics, Olympic legends Billie Jean King (one of the Obama-appointed gay delegates who attended the Olympics) and Greg Louganis, and even actor Stephen Fry and Jason Collins, the first active player to come out in a major American sport.
To Russia With Love is set to premiere October 22 on EPIX.
DB75
Good thing I haven’t purchased a subscription to EPIX. I’m over Johnny Weir.
QJ201
@DB75:
Hate JW all you want, but what a stupid trolling comment
Love when trolls make such claims…as if you ever had any intentions of subscribing to EPIX
Cam
Weir pissed off the gay community by attacking gay activists, calling them idiots.
“He then referred to the activist protestors as “idiots like the ones outside tonight, dumping vodka in the streets.””
http://nypost.com/2013/12/04/nbcs-johnny-weir-in-hot-water-over-comments/
He is now trying to regain some standing in the gay community and hopes voicing something like this will help.
modernfamilyfan
yes because we all know that in the United States you are entitled to freedom of speech…unless you are Johnny Weir
Teeth
That’s what’s pathetic about him– he slammed everyone for caring about gay rights in Russia, and now this? I wouldn’t take CPR from him.
Cam
@modernfamilyfan: said…
“yes because we all know that in the United States you are entitled to freedom of speech…unless you are Johnny Weir”
___________________________
Oh I get it, Weir has the freedom to say whatever he wants, but NOBODY else has the freedom to tell him that they think he is a sell out, and an enemy of gay rights for supporting Vladimire Putin and the Russian govt. that is supporting the torture of gays and turning a blind eye to their murders.
What type of an idiot do you have to be to not understand that freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from people disagreeing with your speech. If that is the level of intelligence of you Weir fangirls then no wonder he thought he could get away with throwing the gay community under the bus.