Are Feathers and Fur Not Family Friendly?

The Washington Post, The Huffington Post and other news sources have reporting that the Stars on Ice figure skating tour has decided not to sign skater Johnny Weir because, well . . . you figure it out. Read the Washington Post. Read the Huffington Post.

The tour issued a statement that it's not about "gender identity or sexual orientation." They just don't have room for everyone. No room at the rink, eh? Like the show can't get trimmed some place?

Weir says that the tour didn't include him because he's "not family friendly." What's not family friendly about sequins, feather, faux fur and a crown of roses? Evan Lysacek made the cut. Are his sequins just straighter?

Weir hasn't come out as gay, so we're all presuming here. Which makes this even harder to swallow.

The irony is that, if you go with the assumption, men's figure skating, in the Olympics or Holidays on Ice, has depended on gays. Is Weir just too over the top?

--Gay Guy


13 comments:

Molly Louise said...

The men's figure skating is the event that I really love to watch (I stayed up incredibly late during the week to watch Lysacek win the gold - and watch everybody else skate) and I really enjoy watching Johnny Weir because he is incredibly artistic and turns something that is normally very technical into something that is very personal and expressive. Stars on Ice needs to respect the fact that Johnny is Johnny in all his glory, and that's how he skates. They just need to buck up and accept it.

Oddyoddyo13 said...

I don't see how he couldn't be family friendly and how they couldn't cut a bit of the show-the theatrics alone could probably allow several skaters to perform.

Betsy said...

I'd say he's too over the top...his competition performances and costumes really push the envelope, and you must know even those are probably subdued to conform to all the amateur rules. Imagine what he'd come up with unleashed on an exhibition tour, lol.

In '99 Brian Orser's contract with SOI wasn't renewed and he said publically that he felt it was because he had come out the year prior. They denied it of course, but strange coincidence, hmm?

Straight in Upstate said...

Don't ask, don't tell didn't originate with Clinton - it's how many people prefer to live with gays. Confirmed bachelors and mature single women with the same female roommate for 30 years are okay, flamboyant male florists are pretty much okay, but ixnay on the kid with the roses on his head. No gays in ice skating. Nope. Not one. Haven't seen any around here. Lalalala - I can't hear you!

Straight Guy said...

Why is everyone dismissing the possibility that he might just be a royal pain the the ass? No one wants to spend every day on a tour bus with that (or the creepy Russian lady that lives at his side).

Banning gays from Stars on Ice is like banning potheads from a Phish concert tour.

BosGuy said...

SG could be on to something. We're always quick to assume racism or prejudices (and maybe w/ good cause), but the idea that Weir was not included because he's believed to be gay is a strange conclusion since there have been plenty of men on that tour in the past who's orientation was presumed to be gay.

Jen said...

Aren't all the guys in men's ice skating gay?

Straight in Upstate said...

Well put, SG - wish I'd said it first! I've been accused, at times, by lesbians of being anti-woman/ anti-lesbian toward someone when in fact I just thought the person was a PITA.

Straight Guy said...

I think we need break down of all these lesbian run-ins, SIU. Be careful out there.

Gay Guy said...

I don't make or endorse any claim that Stars on Ice is discriminating against Johnny Weir based on an (undisclosed) sexual orientation. I have my suspicions, but I'm just reporting on the reporting.

Totally agree that he defines "high maintenance." I'm not sure I could spend a lot of time with him. I'm worried that I'd get pushed out of the way by his steamer trunks full of costumes and glitter.

kathryn said...

Wow....I started off with one opinion...and then after listening to all of you, I'm honestly not sure anymore.

Maybe he IS a PITA. How would we know? Gay Guy? Can you did up some dirt, please?

Moonrayvenne said...

I think he is a little over the top, but that is just him. I've watched a couple of his shows & have seen him on tv a little & I like him! Now, his Russian coach, even if she is one of the best, still seems pretty rough.
I tend to think that they were afraid to put him on a family-oriented show because of his flamboyant ways.

Murr Brewster said...

If they accepted Tonya Harding in that god-awful outfit she, gosh, designed herself, they must take everybody. Of course, you don't want to get on Tonya's bad side.

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