10 times Johnny Weir absolutely slayed
Johnny Weir, the Olympic figure skater turned television commentator who never fails to sparkle, returns to NBC Sports with bestie and Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski for live coverage of the Winter Games in Beijing, which begin February 4.
Millions of American viewers will once again, like South Korea in 2018, get their ice news and style cues from the duo’s smart analysis, witty banter, and coordinated on-air looks.If it seems like the platonic power couple already served Olympic realness just months ago, that’s because they did — they co-hosted the Closing Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Games (postponed until summer 2021 because pandemic).
Followers of Johnny’s social accounts will recall the madcappery of that trip: mugging with Michael Phelps, “soup can but make it fashion”, and a well-crafted clapback to haters.Related: Olympian Johnny Weir issues epic clapback to homophobic Trump officialKudos to Johnny for commanding respect in an industry lined with pink ceilings.
The sports world is not the queer-friendliest of places — as Johnny has acknowledged — even for a world-class athlete. That he’s blazed his own trail, both on and off the ice, is a testament to his authenticity and fearlessness, not to mention his sheer force of personality.
