Pop-Up Torino, AKA "Johnny Weird" Takes the Ice

A lot of words have been used to describe U.S. champion figure skater Johnny Weir: "Entertaining."  "Eccentric."  "Flamboyant."  "Confirmed bachelor.  OK, I made up that last one.

But you get the picture.

Johnny and "Camille" dazzled last night in Torino, finishing a surprisingly strong second after the short program.  But as the media have tip-toed gingerly around any overt suggestions about Johnny's sexuality, I decided to ponder those code words a little more deeply.

MalcoVision brings you the result of those ruminations, a sort of "Pop-Up Video" – Olympics style.

Don't worry, purists: I have provided his performance in full, defiling only NBC's pre-skate profile of Johnny.

[Watch video – 9:27, WMV format, high bandwidth]

[Watch video – 9:27, WMV format, low bandwidth]

RELATED: A song whose title has a word that rhymes with "Weir."  [H/T: Queerty]

Comments

[John]

I think its just me...but, I kind of have a thing for the flamy guys.

My favorite is how he dismissed criticism of his wearing of a Soviet warm-up jacket at practice (a gift to him by a Russian skater). "It would be the same as someone wearing a Madonna t-shirt."

And am I the only one that thinks Bode Miller comes off as kind of gay?

[Myackie]

oy! he is too cute. I'm glad the US has this little twinkie to represent us, and I like that he's not afraid to talk.

[Queer Conservative]

He's an excellent skater. After listening to him describe himself though, I find him to be a bit immature. Of course he's only 21 (I think?).

[steve]

Steve Sailer asks whether Russian male skaters are as gay as their US rivals at isteve.com

[Malcontent]

I'd totally do Johnny if I were single. Assuming he'd do me, which he probably never would. I LOVED him strutting around with his Fendi scarf, Louis Vuitton bag and Chanel (?) sunglasses!

SHH!! Not too loud ... Jack Malebranche might hear me ...

[Queer Conservative]

I wonder if Bjork knows he stole parts from her Swan dress to make his outfit?

[Aatom]

well, i love androgynous boys, so he's mine bitches. Jack can have Bode.

[Dan]

Wow. I guess we shouldn't be suprised that my taste in men is also a 180 from Mal's :) Don't get me wrong, I've seen him in interviews and love him. Great sense of humor and very talented... But if i feel like I have to card the guy, it isn't going to work. Give me Bode... or if it has to be a skater, this guy.

[Dan]

... and of course the guy I link to is just shy of 21. Fuckit. Close enuf :)

[Myackie]

Dan...the laws are different in Europe!

[Chad]

I see enough of his attitude in Chelsea and the Meat Packing District. Mal, I question your taste. He's obviously got a touch of the gay, but the only way he'd find himself in my bed was with duct tape over his mouth and a toupee on each pec to at least give the appearance he's gone through puberty.

[Aatom]

very kinky, Chad. i love it.

[Aatom]

so i just finished watching the clip, and I have to say that I was pretty impressed. the glasses and fendi scarf are a bit much, but his performance was breathtaking. and as raw and unformed as his little rebellious streak is, it's nice to see a confident gay man out there speaking his mind, instead of burying his personality in his performances and hoping no one asks him about his nelly behavior. you could do a lot with a man (er, boy) that can spin like that, too.

[Chad]

Aatom, I have yet to come across any gay man here that isn't confident and speaking his mind. I don't think he's at all unique in that fashion.

[PSMike]

See...this is why the entire concept of gay pride is so silly. There's nothing about this kid that makes me proud. But he's still a beautiful skater.

[Yum Yum]

He is really pretty. That's all I can say.

[Aatom]

I was actually thinking of the professional skating world in general, Chad. It's always been a cultutral joke that most of the men are extremely gay, but they act shy or reserved on camera, as if they don't want any attention paid to them except for on the ice. It's the same impulse that drives some men to do drag, I think. Whatever, I still hate sports, even the really gay ones. I'm afraid I'm a terribly typical homo.

[Chad]

Ok... in that context, I can see what you're saying Aatom. What would Brian Boitano fuck? At the time, we couldn't be sure.

Johnny makes it clear.

[Jay Croce]

John, you are not the only one who gets a hit on his Gaydar from Bode. I don't think it's just wishful thinking. He continues to stress that he keeps an open mind about "things", and that he won't live by anyone else's standards. He's hot, and I envy anyone who gets him, male or female.

Johnny Weird? No, he can't be gay! Neither was Liberace. Much.

[Jordan @ The P15 Club]

I almost wet myself when you pink triangled the air quotes in the pop-up video. Priceless.

Also, where was the pink arrow pointing at the bubble ass front and center when Johnny takes a spill? He doesn't do it for me, but that was making me rethink myself.

I'm so glad the announcers got to say both "camel to an outside edge" (which sounded all-too-muck like "camel toe an outside wedge") and "sit-and-spin" in the same sentence. I heart figure skating.

[CS]

How do I cut the clip so that it's only the performance part? I'd like to save it to my hard drive.

[Robbie]

Use Windows MovieMaker. It's usually packaged with XP these days.

[CS]

Thanks, worked like a charm.

[Bob Dodge]

I loved Scott Hamilton's quote last night (Wed.) on Johnny's enthusiastic fans: "We're here, we're Weir, get used to it."

[Bob]

He makes me VERY proud. All of him. What a great character.