Weir trades in his skates

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 10:29am

Two-time Olympic athlete Johnny Weir is trading in in his skates for a microphone, with NBC Olympics announcing that Weir will join 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, and 2006 ice dance silver medalist Tanith Belbin for its Winter Games coverage in Sochi, Russia.

Weir, who formally announced his retirement from the sport yesterday, and Lipinski will serve as analysts, while Weir will serve as a reporter for NBC Olympics' Sports Desk and will present features for The Olympic Zone, NBC Olympics' 30-minute daily show for NBC affiliates covering all aspects of the Games.

Weir and Lipinski will appear on NBC this Sunday at 4p alongside Terry Gannon on the network's telecast of the 2013 Skate Canada International featuring performances from the men's and ladies' free skate competitions.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 10:37am

Love the Olympics. Does this mean no Scott Hamilton?

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 10:46am

Aren't we boycotting?

[Roscoe]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 10:54am

Weir's participation is just another reason to avoid NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics.

[tazber]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 11:08am

I don't know if it's an "official boycott", but I'm not going to watch or be involved in any way with the Olympics or any Olympic parties that friends are having.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 1:55pm

The question of a boycott is complicated, and longtime gay activists are split. Most are on the side of boycotting, even though the effectiveness of any boycott is doubtful.

Russian Lesbian activist Masha Gessen makes some very persuasive arguments in favor or boycotting here:

http://www.towleroad.com/2013/09/gessen.html


But this Agence France Presse article contains the voices of closeted and semi-closeted gay Russians who are against the boycott:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/14/russia-gays-sochi-boycott-_n_4093864.html


Articles like these are depressing, because of the palpable despair in the voices of these Russian gay men and lesbians. They sound defeated and hopeless, like Jews clinging to their German homes in the mid-1930s. Masha Gessen feels like she and her family must flee Russia before the law is passed allowing the government to take children away from any parents who are found to be gay. (The vote on the law was postponed till after the Olympics, but still...)

Andy Cohen turned down the assignment of hosting Donald Trump's Miss Universe contest (for NBC, like the Olympics), but out-gay MSNBC correspondent Thomas Roberts jumped at the chance, issuing bombastic statements like this, quoting Harvey Milk, fer chrissakes:

http://www.today.com/news/thomas-roberts-will-host-miss-universe-russia-despite-anti-gay-8C11422724


His "bravery" landed him on the cover of the Advocate, asking the gay community (most of whom have no idea who he is) to "have a little faith" in him.


http://www.advocate.com/politics/media/2013/10/23/thomas-roberts-russia-have-little-faith-me?page=0,0

Frankly, I think the best thing that could happen would be if Russia lived up to its laws and arrested one of these NBC employees and an international incident occurred, embarrassing Putin and Russia and the other 121 countries that discriminate against gays and lesbians. Seeing Johnny Weir arrested in his beloved Russia or Thomas Roberts's Ken-doll-pretty face bruised could conceivably do more for Russian gays than a boycott. But neither Weir or Roberts is planning on doing anything to confront Russian officials.

There is no solution.

Updated On: 10/24/13 at 01:55 PM

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 2:14pm

"Now, Weir, not for the first time, may surprise everyone. Despite his sexual orientation, despite his marriage to a man in 2011, despite his long track record of (not always wisely) saying what is on his mind, Weir said Wednesday that he planned to hold his tongue in Sochi, at least when it comes to speaking out against the Russian law.

“I risk jail time just going there, but the Olympics are not the place to make a political statement,” he said. “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.”

Sorry Mr. Weir, but if the culture of the country you are visiting is oppressive than you absolutely do not have to respect it.



Outspoken Weir Will Be Quiet on Russian Law Updated On: 10/24/13 at 02:14 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 2:17pm

Johnny Weir's way of saying things is deliberate provocative--and annoying--but would you say the same thing to a gay or lesbian tourist going to any of these corntries?

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 2:20pm

Say what same thing?
Also I think your average tourist is a little different. They don't have the ability to be in the media spotlight like Weir does.
I would probably ask a gay or lesbian tourist going to one of these countries why they hell they are going there in the first place.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:26pm

Probably for the country and its historical sites. You go for a short period of time not to live there.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:31pm

The first thing I check when considering a place for travel is their treatment of LGBT people. There have been a couple of lovely tropical locales that we've taken off of our possible list.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:32pm

Do what you have to do.

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:32pm

“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.”

SMART MAN

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:41pm

I do what I have to to protect my family. I am sure you can't even imagine what it's like to know there are places where you can be arrested just for holding your wife's hand. My tourist dollars are more than welcome, but we have to present ourselves as "friends". No, thank you.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:44pm

I agree Jerseygirl. Why would I do anything to support a country that would throw me in jail for who I am?
I've been wanting to go to Jamaica forever. But would never spend any of my money there.

Updated On: 10/24/13 at 03:44 PM

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:48pm

I would never go to a country where i would be forced to wear a head scarf and walk behind a man. but if i wound up there for some reason i would be smart enough to do it. not because i agree with it, but cuz i dont want to be "stoned" or thrown in jail. its common sense

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:48pm

I was actually shocked to here Weir retired. I don't plan on tuning in anyway. Tara Lapinski, no. I'm still not happy about her '98 Olympic gold.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:48pm

Nothing to see here, folks! Move along.

Updated On: 10/24/13 at 03:48 PM

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:50pm

Oops! Sorry! Fixed :)

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 3:54pm

oop

Updated On: 10/24/13 at 03:54 PM

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 4:53pm

JOEY , Thanks for posting that map.

As you can see Neither Russia or Ukraine or any former Soviet Union is on that list. I hope this puts to bed finally the smear about former Soviet Republics being anti gay.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 5:27pm

Back to OP: A stint in CHICAGO can't be far behind.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 5:38pm

The former Soviet Republics are the only non-third-world nations on that list. The violence being perpetrated in the Ukraine and the other former Soviet states is nothing less than fascism reincarnate.

It should be remembered that the people of the Ukraine willingly and savagely slaughtered Jews for 240 years before offering up their Jewish neighbors to the Nazis. Many Ukrainians took part in the slaughter of Jews at Lviv, willingly, happily and with bloodthirst.

As such, they are beneath contempt.

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 5:54pm

Not accorring to your map Joey. The one you yourself posted.

I remember you speaking very eloquent Joey about not judging history on todsys concepts and values
. It mightve been about Tommy Jefferson and slavery or the Indian slaughter though I'm not sure.

Same should apply here. At that time Ukraine was part of Soviet Union. Lets not forget that Soviet Union was fighting the Nazi while USA was sitting on the sidelines enjoying the end of Prohibition. Lets also remember how USSR caught and killed Hitler and saved all those Jews from being gassed.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/24/13 at 5:58pm

The Russians were also fighting for their life

Putin is the problem pure and simple. Did you expect an ex KGBer to react any differently? He was not freely elected either.

Updated On: 10/24/13 at 05:58 PM