Johnny Weir

At 39 years old, Johnny Weir has this physical status:

John Garvin Weir (born July 2, 1984) is an American figure skater, fashion designer, and television commentator.

He is a two-time Olympian, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, a two-time World Junior champion, and a three-time U.S. national champion (2004–2006).

He is also known for his sports commentary with Tara Lipinski, as well as his activism in LGBTQ rights.

Early life

Weir was born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, the eldest son of John Weir, a nuclear power plant engineer, and Patti Weir (née Moore), a nuclear power plant employee and home inspector. He is of Norwegian descent and has one brother, Brian "Boz" Weir, who is four years older. Weir was born in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, a rural town in Amish-dominated central Pennsylvania. His father had competed in English saddle competitions before. Weir was also a champion rider; by the age of nine, he had won several equestrian competitions and competed in the Devon Horse Show with his Shetland pony Shadow. His family moved to New Britain, Connecticut, in order to train. He later said that horse riding had given him body awareness, which helped him prepare for figure skating.

Weir began skating at the age of 12. His family moved to Newark, Delaware, in early 1996, so he could be near his training rink and coach shortly after. Weir attended Newark High School, where he graduated in 2002 and studied linguistics at the University of Delaware before dropping out.

Source

Competitive career

His parents bought him two used figure skates in 1992, which he used to teach himself to skate on a patch of ice in the cornfields near their house in Quarryville, after Weir and his family watched Kristi Yamachi win a gold medal at the Albertville Winter Olympics. As the weather was warmer, he did jumps on roller skates in his family's basement. After watching Oksana Baiul compete in the 1994 Winter Olympics, he was inspired to explore figure skating more. Figure Skating Championships have been held in the United States. His parents bought him a new pair of skates and a set of group lessons at the University of Delaware, 45 minutes from their house, for Christmas. He had a natural gift for jumping.

Weir had been playing single Axels for a week after a week of lessons; by the time he turned 13, he'd mastered all of the single and double jumps, as well as his first triple jump. He began training with Priscilla Hill, who had coached several skaters and earned national medals as a competitive skater when he was 12 years old. Weir was two or three years older when most elite skaters started training, according to sports writer Barry Mittan, although it wasn't a barrier for him. Weir opted to leave equestrian because he couldn't do both and his family couldn't afford both sports, and they moved to Delaware, so Weir could train with Hill.

During his first year of competition, Weir competed in both singles and pair skating; Hill paired him with Jodi Rudden to help him focus on other aspects of figure skating, such as spins, stroking, and artistry rather than jumping. Rudden and Weir won the South Atlantic Regionals and qualified for the Junior Olympics in juvenile pairs for the first year and in intermediate pairs the following season. Weir finished fourth in his first year of skating (1997), earning first place in the South Atlantic Regionals and again as a child.

Weir won regional and other minor leagues as a novice in single skating in the United States National Championships from 1997 to 1998, finishing third in third place in the novice division. Weir went from junior to junior during the 1998–1999 season. He competed in regional and minor leagues and finished fourth in fourth place at the United States Nationals, as the previous year. Weir said he wrestled with nerves during this time, which harmed his results, as well as his relative inexperience with fighting and a boost.

Weir qualified to compete in the Junior Grand Prix from 1999-2000, placing seventh and second in his two Junior Grand Prix debuts. He was the only one in the junior division who attempted a triple Axel in his short program at the 2000 U.S. Nationals, but the judges ranked him in first place despite losing. He dropped again during his free skate and finished in fifth place, while Evan Lysacek came in first in first place in the event, despite Lysacek's being in fifth place after the short program.

Weir won the Junior Eastern Sectionals in 1999 and 2000. For the first time in 2000-2001, Weir competed as a senior, placing sixth at the United States Nationals after "a bad hip flexor injury" and winning the Eastern Sectionals as a senior. He was the third alternate at the 2000 Junior Grand Prix final, finishing in sixth and second positions in his two Junior Grand Prix assignments, but not at 16, the gold medal at the World Junior Championships. He was the tenth American to win at Junior Worlds and the first American male skater since Derrick Delmore triumphed in 1998. Lysacek won the silver medal for the first time since Rudy Galindo and Todd Eldredge's 1987 appearances in first and second place; it was the first time since Rudy Galindo and Todd Eldredge met in first and second place. Weir was first to enter the free skate after falling on the simplest jump in his short program, a triple flip. Weir's free skate received the highest artistic awards, earning 5.7 points for presentation.

In 2001, Weir was ranked 18th-best in the world. In his two Grand Prix assignments from 2001 to 2002, he finished in seventh position and fourth position, as part of the Goodwill Games and a team pro-am competition, and he finished in fifth place in the 2002 Four Continents Championships.

He skated in one international competition, the Finlandia Trophy, and withdrew from the Cup of Russia in the 2002–2003 season, which figure skating reporter Lou Parees called "disastrous" for Weir. During his free skate from the 2003 U.S. Championships in Dallas, which gold medalist Michael Weiss characterized as "the most bizarre national championships ever." After the short program, Weir had a clean skate with all eight essential pieces. He felt confident going into the free skate but after starting, he crashed his blade between the ice and wall while doing a "simple crossover." He fell and hurt his back, but the referee allowed him to go where he had stopped. He stepped out of his first triple Axel and crashed on his second, injuring his knee so badly that he had to pull it out.

Helen McLoraine, a philanthropist who had been assisting Weir and other skaters financially for many years, died after a skating session in Dallas, contributing to his sense of "personal failure and...painful loss." Weir later disclosed that he died as a result of what he referred to as his "stupidity and hubris" in the United States. Figure Skating gathered his support for him; sports writer Barry Mittan agreed, saying that they had "basically given up on Weir."

"The turning point" for Weir was 2003–2004, according to Mittan, who characterized it as "an incredible comeback." He worked with Russian coach Tatiana Tarasova for six weeks at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut, in the summer of 2003. Sasha Cohen, Weir's friend and fellow skater, helped him contact Tarasova, who had waived her fees for her services. Weir had the confidence to recover from the previous season after working with Tarasova. He went from his long-serving rink, the more prestigious one at the University of Delaware, to The Pond, a less packed and not as well-known rink.

The only Grand Prix competition in the United States is in the United States. Figure Skating was sent to Weir for the second season, according to the Finlandia Trophy. He was one of two skaters to skate a clean short program with a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination, a "scratchy triple Axel," and the best spins in the field. He was first in first place after the short program, but he ended in second place overall, slightly behind Romania's Gheorghe Chiper. Weir exploded both his lutz and loop jumps, but he achieved his triple Axel loop combination as well as four other triple jumps. Despite a fall and securing a spot in the United States Nationals, he was forced to participate in the Eastern Sectionals for the second time again.

Weir had "something to prove" at the 2004 US Nationals in Atlanta. He came in first place, making him the first to do so by qualifying at sectionals since Rudy Galindo in 1996. It was his first national title. He was also the youngest male skater to win the U.S. Nationals at the age of 19, and he was also the youngest male skater to win in 1991, even at the age of 19. Weir's short course was not the most difficult, but he did have "a clean and elegant skate" with a triple toe combination, a triple Axel, and a triple flip, which all ended successfully. After the short program, he was in first place, with ratings ranging from 4.9 to 5.8. Even though he did not have a quadruple jump, he still won the free skate. Skating last, his program was "elegant yet packed with great jumps," including eight triple jumps and two combination jumps: a triple Axel-triple toe and his triple lutz-triple toe. Weir kissed his hand and pounded the ice with it as the audience applauded him, "I was extremely grateful for that and I was thanking the ice in Atlanta for allowing me to do my best." His ratings ranged from 5.8 to 6.0, with seven 5.9s for technical excellence and a 6.0 for presentation, the first perfect score earned by a man at U.S. Nationals since Weiss earned one in 2000; however, all but two judges placed Weir in first place. "It was a cool feeling to be written off and then come back to tell them what I am made of..." Weir also said about his appearance: "I hope I shut down anyone who counted me out."

The United States has a United States' longest president. Weir has been named to the US World Championships team by figure Skating. He finished in fifth place, and teammate Michael Weiss came in sixth. Weir began his short course with a triple lutz-triple toe loop pair, followed by a triple Axel and a triple flip, with earning marks ranging from 5.0 to 5.7. Neither Weir or Weiss made quadruple jumps in their free skating programs, though the top four placements all made quads in their quads. It was the first time since 1994 that no American male had medals at the World Championships. Weir, on the other hand, came back from seventh place after the short program by completing eight "elegant triples" in his long program, as he had at U.S. Nationals. His presentation scores were from 5.3 to 5.7, with his presentation scores as high as 5.8.

In the final ISU-sanctioned competition of the season, the 2004 Marshall's World Figure Skating Challenge, weir skated. We're in third place. He received awards ranging from 5.4 to 5.7 on his academic results, as well as 5.8 in his artistic scores, including a double jump and stepping out of a triple Axel. He toured with Champions on Ice in the summer of 2004, with Cohen, Irina Slutskaya, Elena Sokolova, and his "skating hero," Evgeni Plushenko.

During the 2004–2005 season, Weir continued to train with Hill and with Tarasova in Simsbury. He was given the NHK Trophy in Japan and Trophee Bompard in Paris for the Grand Prix season. In Moscow, he also competed in the Cup of Russia, but not for points towards the Grand Prix final. He was ranked fifth best skater in the world.

Weir captured the NHK Trophy, his first Grand Prix title and first time he competed under the ISU Judging System (IJS). In the free skate and 220.25 points overall, he scored 146.20 points, beating his runner-up Timothy Goebel by over 20 points. Weir's trip to Japan was the first time he met Johnny's Angels, a group of figure skating enthusiasts who adored Weir emotionally and financially. Despite finishing second in the free skate and behind French skater and European champion Brian Joubert, who came in second place overall, he won Trophee Bompard with a score of 208.10 points. Weir "skated gracefully" in his free skate but doubled his three planned triples in the second half of his program, which hurt his academic results. He did not include any quadruple jumps in his show but instead emphasized his creativity, spins, and pirouettes. Later, Weir said that his victory in Paris "speaks at my international fame."

After Plushenko at the Cup of Russia, Weir came in second, the first time they competed against each other after the IJS was introduced. Weir's "elegant" short program culminated in a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination, but he dropped on his last jump, a triple flip, scoring 71.25 points. Weir began his free skate with a triple Axel toe loop design and five other triples, but he stalled in his second triple Axel and missed his triple flip late in the game. His appearance was described as koshmar (the Russian word for "nightmare"). Overall, he received a score of 207.99 points. Weir won his second Grand Prix titles, but he had to cancel due to a foot injury.

The 2005 U.S. Nationals was the last time the 6.0 system was used at a U.S. Nationals. Weir faced "the heaviness of defending a title for the first time," but he was able to control his nerves and win his second Nationals title in a row, as well as the first repeat nationals championship since Michael Weiss in 1999 and 2000. Despite finishing only second behind Timothy Goebel in his short program, without a quadruple jump and a less-technical approach than Goebel, he was the most popular going into the free skate. Weir's presentation ratings were one of the top in his history, and his program was "full of innovative spins and intricate footwork." His results were encouraging but he was unable to get to the landings of his triple Axel and triple flip jumps. He earned him five 6.0s in presentation for his free skate, which did not include a quadruple jump but rather represented a "full range of perfectly executed triple jumps." In addition, he earned 5.8 points and 5.9 points on his technical rating. Weir's figures in his free skating program were the best among the male skaters since 1988, when Brian Boitano received eight 6.0s for presentation. Goebel came in second place in second place, and Lysacek came in third place. Weir and Goebel and Lysacek were selected to represent the United States in the 2005 World Championships.

Weir continued to suffer with his foot injury, which had caused him to miss the season and prevented him from participating in a quadruple jump to his season's free skate. He considered pulling out of the competition, but Tarsova gave him the energy to keep going despite the extreme pain he was suffering. He was given two injections an hour before starting his short course. Weir was disappointed with his first triple Axel in his short career, but we were able to produce a triple Axel loop combination, four more triple jumps, and high-quality spins. He also doubled a loop jump and singled out a flip jump. Weir came in third place, but "a human factor error" during the input of Chinese skater Li Chengjiang's scores was corrected, placing Weir slightly behind Li Chengjiang's scores and placing him in seventh position after the short program. His "respectable free skate" pushed him to fourth place. He had a good flow throughout his free skate, which included a triple Axel toe loop combo, six more triple jumps, and good spins. The first half of his program was solid, with five triples in a row, but foot pain caused him to restructure his circular step sequence, resulting in a slip during the sequence and a fall in the first three Axel's. Despite completing three previous triples, he was unable to complete two doubles at the end of his combination jumps. He came in fourth place, behind "surprise bronze medalist" and teammate Evan Lysacek.

During the 2005–2006 season, Weir continued to train with Hill and Tarasov, who were ranked seventh best in the world. He began the season with "a string of disappointing finishes," according to reporter John Blanchette, who called it a "minor calamity." After launching his short program, which was intended for the new scoring system, the judges told him at the start of the season that it was not difficult enough, so he had to rework it. His results were also affected by his personal struggles.

Weir's short program this season was based on an interpretation of Camille Saint-Saint's The Swan, which was traditionally danced and skated to by women. Since he first started working with Tarasova, he had been trying to develop a short program. Since his "naturally quiet and delicate way on the ice mirrored the mellow cello piece," she decided to introduce it during the Olympic season. The New York Times announced the costume and music he opted for for his short program, "a black-and-white costume that sparkled under the lights," as well as one red glove depicting a swan's beak." During a practice session at Skate Canada, he debuts the program, choreographed by Tarasova, Shanetta Folle, and Evgeni Platov. When reporters inquired about the red glove, he said it was laughter and that they had named it "Camille" in honor of the piece's composer, he later reported that it was laughter and that he told them that the initial reaction to it was laughter and that they had mistook it for laughter and that he told them. Weir was aware of the effects it would have on the public and in figure skating, and that it might damage his image among the judges; later, "Gender bending will take me into a whole new and very tabo area, where I would stand entirely alone." Though people were initially dissatisfied with the service, it would become one of the most popular programs and would "completely change the world's view of me." In the 2007 comedy Blades of Glory, starring Jon Heder and Will Ferrell, his appearance and swan costume were parodied.

Weir finished fourth at the 2005 Campbell's Classic in October; he popped both of his triple Axels and received 114.65 points. Weir was in second place after the short program, but he finished in seventh place in eighth place, after falling on his first jump and spraining his left ankle during the free skate. And though it was unlikely that he would make it to the Grand Prix final, he did participate at Cup of Russia a few weeks later in November. Weir, "on the comeback trail," took third place at Cup of Russia. He missed two triples in his free skate but came in third with 206.79 points, fourth in the short program with 75.15 points, and fourth with 131.64 points. Weir won the made-for-TV skating competition in Marshalls, the United States, in December. In Boston, Figure Skating Challenge is a competition. He won the contest, winning 66% of the supporters' votes via in-stadium voting, telephone, and the internet.

Weir, the first male skater to win three consecutive U.S. titles since Brian Boitano almost 20 years ago, was the first male skater to win three consecutive U.S. championships since Brian Boitano. Since the short program, he was in first place again, overcoming his nerves and achieving his personal record of 83.28, nearly six points ahead of Weiss, who finished in fourth place overall. He completed with four triple jumps, including his debut triple Axel and a triple toe loop combo, as well as a flying sit spin, circular step sequence, and his concluding spin; the crowds applauded him as he concluded. "They kind of sat back and had their cognac and cigarettes while relaxing and watching," compared to fellow competitor Ryan Bradley's quicker paced choreography to "a vodka-shot-and-a-snort-of-coke kind of thing."

Weir's free skate was "not without flaws," so his short program carried him to victory. Lysacek and Savoie were in third place in the free skate after losing by 142.06 points and a total of 225.34 points. He stepped out of a triple Axel, made too many combination jumps and consequently earned no points for one jumping pass, and did not complete his third jump of his three-jump team. "My mother is getting drunk right now," Weir told reporters after his victory. The United States has voted against the United States. Figure Skating reprimanded Weir and his mother Patti Weir for their drug usage and other remarks made during Nationals, but he and Lysacek and Savoie, who came in second and third place, were selected to represent the United States in the 2006 Winter Olympics, both for the first time.

Weir switched his free skating program mid-season, from "a medley" written by Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica to "Otoal" by Argentine pianist Ral Di Blasio, which Weir used the previous season. Although he had executed the program well, he was dissatisfied with it and thought it lacked passion and authority. Dick Button, a former Olympic gold medalist, confirmed that the newer scheme was "not right enough for him." Weir's coach and mother admitted that he was anxious about competing at the Olympics and was uneasy about playing against Plushenko, but that he was also named "the ultimate personality of the Games." It was the first time Weir's father, John Weir, who had trouble traveling after a disabling car crash in 1984, attended one of his son's championships since Weir was a child. During the Olympics, Weir was shot and sent "nasty e-mails" for several months after, as well as personal attacks that "targeted his passion for Russian and even his sexual preferences." Several American supporters were outraged by Weir's wearing "retro Soviet CCCP sweatshirts" instead of US clothing during the Olympics, according to Variety.

After his short stay in Turin, Weir was the only American male in medal contention, skating "well but not brilliantly." Weir began his short program with "a smooth triple Axel" as the first-scoring component of his scheme, a triple lutz-triple loop combination. His next steps were a circular step sequence and a triple flip "that was lacking in crispness." His final products were a sit spin, a straight-line step sequence, and a mixture spin. He earned his personal best score of 80.00 points, the third highest score of the new system, and second best behind Plushenko, who was in first place after the short program. Plushenko had a personal record of 90.66, the highest short program score since that time. Weir was ahead of the reigning world champion, Stéphane Lambiel from Switzerland, who came from third place, and world silver medalist Jeffrey Buttle of Canada, who was in fourth place.

Weir arrived late to the stadium for his free skate, blaming the bus from the athletes' village and not being informed of a schedule change that put him 90 minutes behind schedule. Weir was "out of shape for his long service and skated abysmally" as he went from second place to fifth, according to reporter John Crumpacker. On his first triple Axel, he made eight out of his planned 13 jumps, replaced a proposed quadruple toe loop with a double Axel, and was shaky on his first triple Axel. He also dropped another triple jump to a double, and he failed to complete a three-jump combo and a double-jump combination late in his program. However, journalist Gwen Knapp said that this artistry was the best in the field. He scored 136.63 points in his free skate, finishing fifth in fifth place for a total of 216.63 points.

Weir "did not do so well" at the World Championships. Plushenko did not participate in the Olympics after the Olympics, so the World was open to Weir, Lysacek, Lambiel, and Buttle to win the gold medal. During the warm-up for the free skate, weir had been suffering from back pain all week, which was exacerbated. He completed his triple Axel-triple Axel unit at the start of his program and attempted a quadruple toe jump, but he crashed on his triple flip at the end of the program, leaving him out of medal contention. He came in seventh place overall; Lambiel won the gold medal, Brian Joubert came in second, and teammate Lysacek won the bronze medal despite a tough fall during the warm-up. In between seasons, Weir toured with Champions on Ice for the second time, his longest tour with them to date; he selected Frank Sinatra's "My Way" "for its obvious symbolism" as his performance number. In addition, he appeared in an episode of "my entertainment TV debut" on My Life on the D-List with comedian Kathy Griffin, in which Griffin taught Griffin how to skate.

Weir began working with ice dancer Marina Anissina, who choreographed both his short program and free skate for the 2006-2007 season. "A black-and-white chess-themed costume that was restrained by his appearances," he wore for his short program, skated to "King of Chess" by Silent Nick. Weir disliked his costume and his program did not go over well with spectators and judges, and his free skating program, in which he portrayed Christ's life, was the worst of the season; He did not begin training for the season until August 2006, but injuries also hampered his preparation. He was the eighth-highest ranked skater in the country.

Weir began the season by assisting the US men's team in qualifying for the Campbell's Skating Challenge in first place. He took the bronze medal at Skate Canada. He had trouble with his spins and that he almost tripped during his step sequence during his short stay at college, and told reporters that he had trouble with his spins and that he almost tripped during his step sequence. He managed to complete a triple Axel, a triple lutz-triple loop setup, and a triple flip, bringing 76.28 points, less than two points behind Daisuke Takahashi of Japan, who came in first place after the short program. To win the gold medal, Weir needed a clear skate in his free skate, but he came in fourth place. Skating last, he put a hand down on his opening triple Axel, popped his second triple Axel, and fell out of his triple salchow. In his free skate and overall, he scored 122.42 points and 198.70 points.

After the short program at Cup of Russia, Weir finished in second place, less than two points behind Joubert. Weir successfully completed his runs but did not attempt a quadruple jump, according to the Associated Press, "generally seemed a little slow." He came in fifth place in the free skate with 121.38 points, less than Joubert's free skate record, and came in second place overall with a total score of 196.28. Weir competed in the Grand Prix Final, but had to pull due to a right hip injury from a fall. Weir later regretted his decision after "trash-talking" Lysacek for abruptly leaving due to an injury. He said his Grand Prix season had been "disastrous" and that he had not been skating well enough going into the 2007 US Nationals in Spokane, Washington.

Mark Lund, a former figure skater and analyst who was openly gay, speculated about Weir's sexuality on television, but Weir dismissed it as envy. Weir was hoping to win his fourth U.S. championships in a row after Boitano. Lysacek, his rival who had defeated Weir the last three times they had competed internationally, was competing for his first Nationals title. Both the press and the United States, according to Weir, both the press and the United States are involved. Figure Skating began to help Lysacek over the years and at the 2006 Olympics, and after his previous successes, he began to actively support him. "I couldn't outskate the negativity that followed me into the sport," Weir said.

Both Weir and Lysacek skated clean and were effectively tied for the free skate in the short course, but Weir and Lysacek had better footwork and Lysacek had better jumps. Weir began his short course with a fruitful triple Axel and a triple lutz-triple loop unit. His triple flip ended with a shaky landing, but his circular and straight-line footwork sequences were well-done, and he managed three level-four spins. Lysacek's 78.99 points were a slim victory over Weir's 78.14 points. After the short program, Ryan Bradley was in third place, with 73.58 points.

Weir was unable to defend his position, placing third overall; Lysacek came in first place, and Bradley came in second place. Weir skated right after Lysacek, whose appearance brought the audience up to their feet. Weir came in fourth place in the free skate, receiving 135.06 points. His triple Axel was a hit, but it was expected to be part of a two-triple jump team. He two-footed his quadruple loop, doubled a forecast triple-triple combination jump, launched a new triple Axel unit, and the entire program was in a triple loop. He also popped an Axel and turned it into a single jump, but he made three more triple jumps, high-quality circular and straight line footwork sequences, and good spins. He later admitted that being the defending champion bothered him, and that skating after Lysacek was difficult, especially after finding out that Lysacek had earned over 90 points in his element scores alone. Lysacek's final score of 219.21 points was 169.89, the highest score attained by a male skater at the US Nationals by nearly 19.5 points, and more than Bradley's final score of 219.21 points. "Evan didn't just beat me," Weir continued, and he called his free skate "probably the most difficult appearance of my career so far." The United States has been the home of the United States. Figure Skating selected three medalists from the 2007 and 2007 Four Continents Championships; Weir did not register at Four Continents, so fourth-place finisher Jeremy Abbott took his place in his place.

Weir finished eighth in eighth place at Worlds, his lowest finish at Worlds in four years. After the short program, he was in fourth place; he confessed to being hampered by his nerves, had trouble adjusting to competing in Tokyo, "forgot to breathe a little bit," he said. He received 74.26 points. He came in tenth place in the free skate, receiving 132.71 points and 206.97 points overall.

Weir appeared with Stars on Ice twice during the summer of 2007. With ice dance team Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov, one of his appearances included a combined skating routine, "Fallen Angels." (He fabricated the costumes for their free dance that season.) On the plane ride back from the World Championships, they came up with the idea for the routine, which was choreographed by Petukhov. They received a lot of resistance from the United States right away at first. Figure Skating, but the routine was on display at the Marshalls Showcase, a made-for-TV exhibit. The audience and commentators applauded their performance, and the following week, a YouTube video of their appearance earned over 100,000 views. People bought tickets to Stars on Ice just to see the routine up close and personal, according to Weir.

Weir came out with "a clean slate" and was "all business" in the 2007–2008 season. He voluntarily departed from his long-serving coach Priscilla Hill and replaced her with Galina Zmievskaya, who had worked with 1992 Olympic champion Viktor Petrenko and Weir's idol Oksana Baiul in both seasons. Weir recruited Zmievskaya because he needed more than Hill's "nurturing strategy" and that Zmievskaya's "drill sergeant-like demands for obedience and rigor" would help him grow and win championships again. He also changed his choreographer and training habits, and moved from his family's Newark, Delaware home to an apartment in New Jersey in order to train with Zmievskaya. He told reporters that he felt homesick and anxious after moving to a large city and living on his own for the first time in his life, and that he preferred sleeping with a kitchen knife next to his bed. He also said that the move taught him discipline and independence.

He worked on including a quadruple toe loop in his applications, as well as increasing his triple lutz and triple flip. He fabricated his own costumes and collaborated closely with his choreographers again. He collaborated with choreographers Faye Kitariev and Viktor Petukhov to produce a Russian rock opera based on Svetlana Pikous' song "Yunona I Avos." He worked with Yoav Goren of the pop band Globus, who helped him develop a routine to the group's song, "Love is War" during his free skating program. Weir called the costume he wore for his free skating program "a sparkly onesie"; Sports Illustrated called it "another of his bifurcated black and white, rhinestone-studded costumes with plunging backline." According to figure skating reporter Elvin Walker, Weir demonstrated a desire to win and a new passion for skating all season, skating with a passion that he lacked in previous seasons. He was ranked seventh best skater in the world.

Weir finished second in second place in the short program at Cup of China after Lysacek, earning 79.80 points. He did not include a quadruple jump but made a triple lutz-triple toe loop combo and had higher-scoring spins than Lysacek, but did not include a quadruple jump. With 151.98 points and "a near-perfect" results, he came in first place in the free skate. He earned 231.78 points overall, as well as "significantly raise" his personal record. Lysacek finished second, with two-time world champion Stéphane Lambiel of Switzerland coming in third. Weir also won the gold medal at the Cup of Russia, beating Lambiel by more than 11 points. He took first place in the free skate, which was described as "somewhat business-like and more suited for the skilled engineers than the artistic skater Weir is known to be." He began his career with a strong triple Axel toe loop combination, but he still missed his triple Axel, which was a step forward. He also did three level-four spins and solid footwork. His two Grand Prix victories made him eligible to participate in the Grand Prix Final in Turin, Italy, where he came in fourth place.

Despite severe back pain, Weir felt more prepared going into the US Nationals than ever before. Weir was "more about business in both his short and long programs," according to NBC, skating with "usual elegance, but not his fire." Weir took the short course, with 83.40 points and 1.35 points separating him and Lysacek. Weir was one of the few skaters to complete a triple Axel in his short time, and his triple lutz-triple toe loop combination was "done with ease and confidence." His footwork was "light and a perfect match for the music." Even though Weir had not skated a full session for almost two weeks due to his back pain, Weir and Lysacek were virtually matched in leaps. Both two-footed their quadruple jump (Weir attempted a quadruple toe), and they both had similar entrances to their jumps, and all had completed seven triples. Weir continued his quadruple toe with a triple Axel-triple toe set, as a triple lutz, and a triple Axel. Weir was also two-footed the landing on his triple flip, which was supposed to be part of a team jump, but it wasn't because he cut out a double-toe loop. Because he did not change skating edges in a subtle manner, he was given low marks for a decent spin.

At Nationals, Lysacek claimed his second straight gold. Lysacek finished first place with a total score of 244.77 points to Weir's 161.37 points). It was the first match at US Nationals after the introduction of the new scoring system. Despite demonstrations from Weir's followers and the public, including allegations of homophobia, the findings remained unchanged. Stephen Carriere, the 2007 World Junior champion, came in third place with 228.06 points. The United States is a nation of states. Figure Skating's Lysacek, Weir, and Carriere are eligible to compete at the World Championships.

Weir did not participate in the Four Continents Championships due to exhaustion; Jeremy Abbott, who came in fourth place at U.S. Nationals, was recalled by us. Lysacek had to leave Worlds due to injury, and Abbott had to replace him as well. Weir came in second place after the short program at Worlds. His triple lutz-triple toe combo was "sky high," as he did outstanding footwork and spins. The Chicago Tribune said his free skate "wasn't memorable" and that it was "conservative but remarkably error-free." His quadruple jump was downgraded to a double because he did not have a triple-triple combo, and his triple-triple jump was not included in his tripletuple combo. Weir gained his first worlds medal, a bronze, with a total score of 221.84 points, and three American men received three slots in the 2009 Worlds championship.

Weir's rookie season started in 2009, when he was ranked seventh best in the world, with skate boot issues; his blades were not properly aligned on the new skates he bought over the summer; and didn't have time to break in replacements. Weir competed in Skate America, the first Grand Prix competition of the season, for the first time in his career. He came in second place in the short program by less than a point behind Lysacek and finished in second place overall with 225.20 points. Takahiko Kozuka, a Japanese skater, claimed the gold medal at the competition, while Lysacek came in third place overall. Both Weir and Lysacek made minor mistakes in their short programs, but Weir did well, despite the fact that it was early in the season. Weir began his short course with three straight jumps. Lysacek and Weir had the same score on their triple lutz-to-e loop loop combinations, totaling 11.60 points, although Weir lost points due to a two-footed landing on his triple flip. Weir later told reporters that he was dissatisfied with his spins, but that his footwork sequences were "spectacular," and he earned 80.55 points.

Despite being cold, Weir came in second place at the NHK Trophy, earning a total of 236.18 points. Despite a drop, he came in second in the short program, receiving 78.15 points. He later said that his participation in the short program was "a major improvement" over his Skate America debut. He made all his jumps at the start of the program, but instead of a triple, and his triple flip turned into a single. He qualified for the Grand Prix final, where he earned the bronze medal. He was the first American to appear in a charity skating exhibition in Seoul, partnering with South Korean champion Yuna Kim; while there, he was hospitalized with the flu and lost eight pounds in a single day.

Weir and Lysacek had dominated U.S. nationals for the past five years, but Jeremy Abbott, who had won the Grand Prix final in December, ended that dominance and won the gold medal in 2009. Weir was unprepared for Nationals because he was "compromised" by his illness. Abbott finished first with 86.40 points, Lysacek was second, with 83.59 points, and Weir came in seventh place with 70.76 points. Abbott's overall record was 237.72 points, four points more than both Weir and Lysacek's personal records. It was Weir's lowest success in the short program as a senior skater at a Nationals in his career.

Lysacek finished third place in third place after the free skate, earning over 13 points more than second-place finisher Brandon Mroz, and Weir came in fifth place, according to the Associated Press (AP). To win a bronze medal, Weir had to perform during the free skate but instead he popped his first triple Axel, doubled his intended triple loop, and lost on his triple flip. His footwork was difficult, but the AP later said, he "appeared to just go through the motions with it." It was the first time Weir had not registered to compete in the Worlds Championship since 2003. Despite his loss, Weir was selected as the year's best skater by the readers of the United States. Skating Magazine, a figure Skating magazine.

Weir's documentary Pop Star on Ice premiered at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco in June 2009 and aired at film festivals around the United States. It premiered in Manhattan and aired on the Sundance Channel, which funded its filming and production in January 2010. Be Good Johnny Weir, an eight-episode documentary film that portrayed the "new ups and downs of his career," Sundance also commissioned and broadcast in January 2010. During the United States Nationals, a television commercial was broadcast; Weir later expressed his dissatisfaction with the United States' nationals; Figure Skating brought him to the Olympics based on the film and series's popularity rather than on the strength of his skating performances. "A fascinating portrait" of Weir, which was produced by David Barba and James Pellerito and took place over two years on three continents. Be Good Johnny Weir continued where Pop Star on Ice ended, after Weir as he tried to qualify for a spot on the 2010 Olympic team.

Weir was depressed and was planning to leave figure skating before the 2009–2010 season, but his mother encouraged him to participate and try to make the US team for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Despite his previous season's challenges, he had a lot to prove" going into the season; despite this, he came in eighth place in the world. He finished in fourth place overall at the Rostelecom Cup (previously Cup of Russia) after placing third place in the short program and sixth place in his "error-filled" free skate with a cumulative score of 198.55 points. His Russian followers encouraged him to continue and do better at the NHK Trophy, his next Grand Prix slot, according to he.

Despite a cold flight to Nagano, Weir came in second place in Japan. He skated a clean short program and put on his best showing of the season so far, with 78.35 points. In both programs, he was able to complete all of his triple Axels. With a triple flip bounce and a triple Axel-triple toe loop combination, he started off strong, but lost stamina in his free skate. On his next two combination jumps, his intended triple toe loop became a double jump, with him leaving off a double toe loop. Overall, he earned 217.70 points; the gold medalist, Brian Joubert from France, earned 15 points more than Weir.

All six qualifiers, including Weir, had skated in at least one previous final; Golden Skate said it was "one of the most closely matched fields in several years." Weir came in third place, with a total of 237.35 points. Both his short program and free skate were in fourth place. He scored 152.75 points in his free skate, a new personal record.

Weir came in third overall at the 2010 US Nationals, receiving 232.09 points. Jeré Longman, a sports reporter for The New York Times, who said Weir's costume dominated his skating, was questioned during his jumps before relining with a head-bopping playfulness." The free skate for Weir was also described as "oddly passive and stumbling," the longman said. Weir made three straight triple jumps but skipped his awaited second triple Axel and had trouble finishing the final step in his triple-triple combination jump. He finished fifth in the free skate but his short program, which was ranked third-best with 83.51 points, kept him in third place. Weir and first-place finisher Jeremy Abbott and Lysacek, who finished in second place, were among the top U.S. Olympic men's team since the 1980s; they were both invited to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Weir came into the Olympics "a legitimate medal threat," but he did not anticipate winning a medal and feared that it would bring an end to his competitive career. Despite wanting to remain at a hotel for security reasons, he stayed at the Olympic Village in Vancouver. During the U.S. Nationals, he had received "very serious abuse" from anti-fur activists for sporting fox fur trim on his left shoulder of his free skate costume. At the Olympics, he switched to faux fur for his costume, denying that it was in response to the dangers, although he wore fur at a news conference for the US men's team. Tanith Belbin, an American ice dancer, was his "longtime buddy." He also held a press conference to condemn two Canadian sports commentators' "offensive" remarks about him. A Quebec gay rights group considered filing a lawsuit; the commentators later apologized on air.

Weir was in sixth position and earned 82.10 points after the short program; sports writer Nicholas Benton called it a "flawless scheme" and reported that the audience "booed vociferously" when his scores were announced. He earned his sixth place in the free skate, a feat that later confessed to being physically more difficult. His overall rating, 79.67 points, was over six points higher than bronze medalist Daisuke Takahashi of Japan, but his program component score, 77.10 points lower than Takahashi's, was 7.4 points lower than Takahashi's. Weir's free skate made a "beautiful tradition," according to journalist David Barron, who said that his appearance "won the crowd to his side." There were seven solid triple jumps on the program, including two triple Axels, as well as solid footwork and spins. Overall, Weir received a personal record of 156.77 points and 238.87 points. The Christian Science Monitor revealed that the audience was confused over Weir's scores in the free skate and had dissatisfied with them. Weir finished in sixth place overall.

Although Weir was able to compete in the 2010 World Championships, he had to cancel due to a lack of preparation. According to CNN, Stars on Ice denied accusations that they did not recruit Weir for the year's tour because Weir was not "family friendly enough." The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) held a protest against the tour, alleging that it was "a clear jab at his perceived sexual orientation," but Smucker's, the tour's major sponsor, said that the GLAAD's statistics were inaccurate and that Stars on Ice did not have enough space for Weir.

Weir took time off competitive skating to concentrate on his personal life, figure skating competitions, a singing career, and celebrity appearances. He announced his retirement from the 2010–2011 season in July 2010, stating that he wanted to spend a year "to discover and reinvent myself as an athlete and artist," but he left open the possibility of returning in time for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He officially came out in early 2011, with the release of his autobiography titled Welcome to My World. He appeared in the Los Angeles Pride Parade for the first time in June 2011; he also served as the grand marshal. Weir resigned from the 2011–2012 season in June 2011, saying that he was unable to train for competition as a result of his "many obligations," but that he would compete in Sochi. Weir married Victor Voronov, a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and whose family roots were from Russia, in January 2012, five months after the state legalized same-sex marriages. Weir began writing a weekly column in the Falls-Church News Press, a newspaper published in the Washington, D.C. area, in 2013.

Weir began to prepare for a return to competitive skating in the fall of 2011. He declared his return in January 2012, despite the fact that it was not a publicity stunt and that he would not resign until the Olympics. Parts of his return to Russia was due in large part to his fame. He returned to working with Galina Zmievskaya, his former coach. Designers, developers, and costume seamstresses were all retained by the same off-ice educators, designers, and costume seamstresses as before. For his short run, he used music from Lady Gaga's "Poker Face"; she gave him lyrics; she gave him alternatives of the song without lyrics. Her choreographers collaborated with him, but the bulk of the choreography was created by Weir and Zmievskaya.

In order to be eligible to compete in the 2013 United States Nationals, Weir competed in small tournaments and qualifying events. He competed in the 2012 Finlandia Trophy, attempting a quadruple jump in both his short program and free skate for the first time and finishing in fourth place overall. He struggled with his first quadruple toe jump, which was downgraded, but his triple Axel and triple lutz-double toe combo was a hit in his short program, and he earned level-four marks for his flying camel spin. Since the short program, he was in fourth place, earning 69.03 points. He later told reporters that he was afraid, that his legs felt tense, and that this was the hardest thing he had ever done in his career. He also had boot problems to solve, but was pleased that he had done well. He finished in sixth place in the free skate, earning 132.39 points; overall, he earned 201.42 points.

The Rostelecom Cup and Trophée Bompard were the two Grand Prix slots for Weir in Paris. He re-aggravating his ACL, which he had suffered a month before in practice during a fall, and at Rostelecom. He made several mistakes, finished in 10th place, but decided that he wasn't in good enough physical shape to run in the free skate. He revealed a few days later that he would withdraw from Trophée Bompard due to a hip injury, putting his comeback attempt on hold. He didn't participate in the 2013 U.S. Nationals, but he did want to make the U.S. Olympic team in 2014.

Weir did not register for a qualifying event that would have qualified him for the 2014 US Nationals, effectively ending his chances of competing in Sochi. He was not eligible for a bye into Nationals because he did not finish in the top five at the 2013 Nationals or medaled at the 2013 Olympics or 2013 World Championships. Weir's amateur figure skating career came to an end, according to the Associated Press. In October 2013, he retired from sport and joined NBC as a figure skating analyst at the Sochi Olympics.

Broadcasting career

Weir resigned from sport and joined NBC as a figure skating analyst at the Sochi Olympics in October 2013. He refused to endorse calls for boycotting the Olympics in defiance of Russia's anti-gay measures, and both anti-gay and LGBTQ activists chastised him for his position. He appeared in the 2014 EPIX documentary To Russia with Love, which was about gay people in Russia and the United States. The film, which was produced by Robert Redford and Sundance Productions, was shot undercover during the Sochi Olympics and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.

NBC brought Weir together with Olympic gold medalist Terry Gannon and her good friend Tara Lipinski for their network's second team of figure skating commentators for their daily live broadcasts at Sochi. Weir served with Gannon at the men's festivals, and Lipinski worked with Gannon during the women's events. The threesome were determined to work together, and after realizing their "intuitive chemistry," they pitched the prospect of the three people teaming up to NBC; Lipinski said it "was sort of meant to be." "With their casual chatter and witty remarks against figure skating's staunch and exacting backdrop, sports writer Tom Weir, Lipinski, and Gannon "had instant comedic harmony," says sports writer Tom Weir, Lipinski. In addition, Tom Weir reported that the trio had the 10 best weekday daytime viewers in NBC's history.

Weir later told USA Today that it was a "worryful time" of his life; he was going through "a really bad divorce" from his partner Victor Voronov, with Voronov submitting a defamation lawsuit against Weir and much of their conflict being chronicled in the New York tabloids and TMZ. In Sochi, Weir depended on Lipinski for help, which strengthened their bond. "She carried me through work," he said. Somehow, my life was falling apart, we were killing it at work, and we were winning hearts around the country." At her 2017 wedding to sports producer Todd Kapostasy, Weir served as Lipinski's "bridesman." Weir, Lipinski, and Gannon were promoted to NBC's top figure skating commentators, replacing Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, and Tom Hammond. Weir, as well as Lipinski and Gannon, was an analyst at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The closing ceremonies in Pyeongchang, along with the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics, were hosted by Lipinski, Weir, and Gannon. They covered the 2022 Winter Olympics in Stamford, Conneticut, where they had been reporting events for many years due to the rise of COVID-19 cases worldwide and China's stringent COVID-19 regulations, which NBC found it "too difficult" to move broadcast teams to Bejing in person.

During the red carpet of the Oscars, Weir and Lipinski were recruited by NBC's Access Hollywood in 2014 to analyze fashion. He served as a reporter with Lipinski at the Beverly Hills Dog Show in 2017 and the National Dog Show in 2015–2019. (In 2016, Weir owned Tema, a Japanese Chin). In 2014-2017, Weir and Lipinski were working in the Kentucky Derby as "fashion and lifestyle experts" and "lifestyle and celebrity content" in 2018. We were event reporters for the Super Bowl pre-game show in 2015 and 2017. They were named "culture correspondents" for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Weir, a self-professed fan of the Eurovision singing competition, said he inspired him as a figure skater and that he had used its music in his performances, he hosted and reported the 2022 Eurovision semi-finals and finals for Peacock, a U.S. tv show.

The Washington Post announced that viewers' reactions to Lipinski and Weir were mixed; some thought they were "Olympic darlings—a one-stop shop for information, sass, and brass," while others were "mean, obnoxious, and distracting." Scott Hamilton, who was brought to NBC by Weir, Lipinski, and Gannon, called them a "phenomenon" and "such a breath of fresh air." "A Gladwell-ian ability to denystify figure skating for the uninitiated and an extreme candor for which they've gained some heat," GQ's commentator style described it. They attempted to market figure skating in a more appealing way to their fans, while still stressing the sport's more advanced aspects of the game but also emphasizing its "gossipy nuance." Weir responded, "I'm a commentator, not a complicitator," she said, "I'd never be able to do my job if I didn't have the truth about every facet of figure skating and the performances you'll see," she said.

Both Weir and Lipinski had "the ability to remain silent when a skater is on an elegant and error-free roll" and Weir had "a talent for constructing concise mental images when referring to figure skating competitions. Weir cited Olympic champion and long-time analyst Dick Button as an influence in his own broadcasting style, particularly Button's brutal honesty. When asked what he thought about Weir's reporting style, Button said he thought he was "very brilliant" and did not "step over his boundaries," Button told Olympic journalists that he did not "overstep his boundaries." Bill Goodykoontz, a sports writer, calls Weir and Lipinkski's zeal for figure skating their "call card." Despite Goodykoontz's statement that Lipinski and Weir "never stop talking" when describing Kamila Valieva's short program, who was allowed to participate despite failing a drug test prior to the 2022 Olympic games, but they were unethical while calling the Russian Olympic Committee's short program, who was able to participate despite failing a drug test prior to the 2022 Olympics. They chose to simply announce Valieva's rises and state that she should not have been allowed to compete after that. Later, Weir said it was "the hardest thing I've ever had to cover."

Both Weir and Lipinski told GQ that they will bring dozens of suitcases to the tournaments they announced, and that they will wear matching clothes rather than the same outfit twice. They took every piece of clothing they owned and would "sort it out" at the competition by the 2018 Olympics. They also reported that they helped Gannon with his on-air fashion picks.

Weir appeared on Dancing with the Stars for the 29th season, which premiered on September 14, 2020. Britt Stewart, the first Black female pro dancer on the program, was his partner. They made it to the semi-finals and became the tenth couple to be disqualified.

Weir and Lipinski hosted and appeared on several programs on Food Network in 2018, including two seasons of Wedding Cake Challenge. On the Fox network reality show MasterChef, he and his brother Brian "Boz" Weir competed for charity in 2019. Weir appeared on season two of The Masked Singer as "Egg" before being banned in the first week. On Peacock, he served as the United States commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

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Awards

• Reader's Choice Award (Michelle Kwan Trophy), 2008
• Philadelphia QFest Viewer's Choice Award, 2009
• Reader's Choice Award (Michelle Kwan Trophy), 2010
• NewNowNext Award Most Addictive Reality Star, 2010
• Human Rights Campaign "Visibility Award", 2010
• Main-belt asteroid, discovered in 1995 by T. V. Kryachko at the Zelenchukskaya Station named after Weir, at the suggestion of his Russian fans, 2010
• Grand Marshall Los Angeles Pride Parade, 2011
• Ice Theatre of New York Honoree, 2011
• Goodwill Sporting Ambassador to Japan, 2012
• Johnny Weir Winter Pride Award (named after Weir), 2013
• Delaware Valley Legacy Fund National Hero Award, 2013
• National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall Of Fame Inductee, 2013
• Cynopsis Media Award Best Podcast (Tara and Johnny Podcast), 2017
• U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, 2021