Welcome to My World by Johnny Weir - It's here, deal with it!

[snoopysnake]

I got the book yesterday from Amazon (arrived earlier than I expected.)

Anyone else have it yet? I'm about 1/2 way through (though I did skim the rest a bit last night.)

As I would have expected from Johnny's journal posts, it is very readable.

So far I am most at how he described Michael Weiss (not so much what Johnny thinks of him, but the words used.) Page 80.

The reason why he had to withdraw from the GPF in China (pp 116-117) - "Oh, Johnny!" - you hit the nail on the head, Patti!

There's lots of sweetness there too, though, including Johnny's first sexual experiences, and his deeply meaningful 2005 Worlds exhibition performance.

People who don't like Johnny now aren't apt to change their minds from what I've read so far, but those who appreciate all that he is are in for a treat.

Wait'll you see the baby bird photo!

[judiz]

I pre-ordered it for my Kindle but it hasn't been delivered yet. Eagerly awaiting.

[Roxanne]

What words did he use to describe Michael Weiss?

[UGG]

ooo dish on the Michael Weiss gossip!

[snoopysnake]

He called Michael "A big hulking and classless idiot with three national titles, two world medals, and two Olympic teams under his wide belt, he was a huge star and everything that the U.S. Figure Skating Association wanted at the helm."

I hope that Johnny is being facetious here, although I doubt it.

Big and hulking? I think not. But classless, I know that he is not. I have met Michael as a fan at four different events and he was absolutely warm and charming every single time, even the time I ran into him in the arena in 2003 right after he lost Worlds, medalless, at that, on his home ice. I told him that I could see that the entire audience loved him that night, and that was more important than any gold medal. Mike replied very sincerely, "Thanks, I appreciate that." I don't think someone classless would react that way.

Classless? I had the nerve at another event to ask him to say hi on my cell phone to a 92-year old skating fan friend of mine from church (knowing that he's a Methodist too!) He chatted with her for a minute and even told her how she could watch this event on TV. Classless? No way!

Perhaps Johnny would have reacted with equal grace in these situations, but I doubt that Mike would choose to write in a memoir with such a deliberate lack of tact about one of his competitors.

[reese]

He called Michael "A big hulking and classless idiot with three national titles, two world medals, and two Olympic teams under his wide belt, he was a huge star and everything that the U.S. Figure Skating Association wanted at the helm."

I hope that Johnny is being facetious here, although I doubt it.

If this is how he describes Michael, I can't wait to read some excerpts about Evan or Patrick Chan.

[Nomad]

He called Michael "A big hulking and classless idiot with three national titles, two world medals, and two Olympic teams under his wide belt, he was a huge star and everything that the U.S. Figure Skating Association wanted at the helm."

I hope that Johnny is being facetious here, although I doubt it.

...

It's possible that Weiss is nice to fans and a dick to his competitors.

[judiz]

Who knows what is said behind the scenes and in the locker rooms? Something must had gone down between Michael and Johnny for him to describe Michael that way. The only thing I remember Johnny ever saying about Michael was in one of his journals, Johnny was upset that Michael told him he still skated like a junior skater after he moved up to seniors and he shouldn't even be skating at the senior nationals.

[acraven]

I've never met Michael Weiss, but he's from my area. I've run into quite a few people--not all of them involved in figure skating--who know him, and the reports are 100% positive. Even aside from the training $$$ assistance his foundation provides to promising young skaters, Michael is clearly a class act.

However, it's possible for two people to respond negatively to each other, even if they are both "nice".

[genevieve]

People who don't like Johnny now aren't apt to change their minds from what I've read so far, but those who appreciate all that he is are in for a treat.

Oh, I don't know - I think he may lose a lot of fans, just based on what you've revealed here.

Johnny calling anyone else "classless" is pretty rich.

[chipso1]

Johnny calling anyone else "classless" is pretty rich.

Quoted for truth.

[museksk8r]

It's possible that Weiss is nice to fans and a dick to his competitors.

What Nomad said!

[jlai]

As I would have expected from Johnny's journal posts, it is very readable.

If it reads anything like his online journal, I don't think I'll buy the book

[overedge]

If Johnny thinks Michael Weiss is "big and hulking", Johnny must be smaller than he looks.

[psycho]

Michael "This is where the action happens" Weiss? So Classy, that guy...

[Willowway]

I want to join the folks who have good things to say about Michael. He has been nothing but polite (super polite) and gracious to me when we occasionally run into each other. I am no one special to him although he knows who I am, nor to his wife Lisa and yet, they have been just lovely. "Classless"? Not as far as I have experienced. And I think his Foundation work and the many skaters it has supported mean a great deal in the "class" department.

[REO]

I remember back in the day Johnny telling a story about, at one of his first senior competitions, a well known skater whom he admired came back after his performance and dumped all the stuffed animals and flowers he got into the garbage can. Johnny thought it was really lousy because people had paid money for those things and thrown them in appreciation. He had even brought stuffed animals to throw at his friends himself. I always had an inkling it was Weiss he was talking about but I was never sure. I'm getting surerer.

[genevieve]

I have a hard time imaging that Johnny ever admired Weiss

[WindSpirit]

There's no need to get defensive about what Weir said about Weiss or whomever else in his book and try to bring up examples that would contradict that. Different people have different experiences. We also interpret things differently. So Person A's experience with someone can be completely different than Person B's.

And it's not a thread about Micheal Weiss anyway.

[museksk8r]

I can imagine Weiss and his family didn't like Weir between 2004 to 2006 when Michael was soundly beaten by Johnny at Nationals. There have been many accounts that Michael's family was very disrespectful towards Michael's competitors and fans of other competitors at competitions. Weiss's unflattering comments towards Weir and Savoie at Nationals were well documented back in 2003. Of course, given that these experiences happened 7-8 years ago, it should all be forgotten water under the bridge now. I would question someone's sanity if he/she was still holding a grudge over any of it.