Johnny Weir as commentator at US Nationals

[Jenna]

I loved his commentary, for the most part. He was honest, insightful, knowledgeable and downright hilarious. I literally laughed out loud several times. I wish he would cancel his comeback and commentate for IN full time!

[BreakfastClub]

Johnny is the only commentator who could yak through the entire program and I wouldn't care. Pink flowers and sparkles, eyebrows, honey badgers and insightful about the skating too... could listen to him all day!

[Sylvia]

I noticed Priscilla didn't have any senior men at this event. Actually, any seniors at all in any discipline?

Alex Zahradnicek (last year's Junior silver medalist) withdrew from the Senior men's event. She coached Tony Lu (Novice) in San Jose and then went to Euros to caoch Viktor Pfeifer there.

[doubleflutz]

I was pleasantly surprised by how sharp he was as a technical commenter, actually. For all his trash-talking and professed ignorance of COP, he was actually better at breaking down aspects of step sequences or spins that could affect levels, unlike Tonia. Better analysis of the jumps, too, which is something she goes on and on about, without always being very insightful. His comments about how Mroz just didn't trust the landing on his 4T, and then again on the 3A, reminded me a lot of what Dick Button said about how you don't "commentate" skating, you have to "narrate" it, create a story about what's going on for the audience. When he wasn't trying to show off how clever he was, I thought Johnny did an awesome job of that, and that's probably something a general audience can relate to more than Scott Hamiltons grunts, squeals, and incoherent babbling.

[RockTheTassel]

I love Johnny on this Backstage show with Peter Carruthers. He can talk, talk, talk here!! Just pipe down some and it will be all good.

MTE. His comments about skating are often quite thoughtful and he had some lines, but sometimes I just want to watch the skater skate and listen during warm ups, replays, and KnC time instead.

That said, I did enjoy his commentary and think he could be really good.

[iarispiralllyof]

did he have a bitter fallout with priscilla?

[midori]

I am not really a fan of Johnny but his commentary is BEST!! I do not mind he talks too much because I have another broadcast source to record without commentary.

It is funny, warm and very informative, from elite skater-point of view to eyebrows. That makes me even wish him not coming back next year but keep commentating.

[Sasha'sSpins]

Just got done reading the men's SP threads (thank you everyone for PBPs!) Congrats to Jeremy, Adam, and Armin.

That being said I was PML at Johnny's comments!! The posts read like Tonia was the 'straight' man to Johnny's zany comic!!
'Honey Badger' 'Pink and Sparkle's' 'Eyebrows'

[Cheylana]

I thought he was hilarious and insightful! Already rivaling Dick Button in the zany quotes department. I think he did an excellent job of critiquing without ripping skaters to shreds.

[Jaana]

I thought it was kinda funny and definitely sort of a dig at Priscilla. Johnny is a master of the passive-aggressive doublespeak

Is that something that should be appreciated in a person?

[leigh466]

I echo. He is a top-notch commentator. He teaches the audience why one performance outscores another while always staying positive about what a skater has just put out there. He is what has been missing in skating commentary for years. Loved his comments about Razzano and about Keegan Messing, showing an appreciation for wildly contrasting, yet both entertaining and nearly top-of-the pack performances. Good for Johnny!

[sk8ers]

LOVING!! Completely entertaining and spot on in program critique. I almost wish we didn't have to go to live NBC feed over the weekend!!!! You get everything with Johnny--ranging from Sparkles and Hair to the comment during Jeremy's short: when a skater of his caliber/talent doesn't go to Worlds it looks bad on US Figure Skating!! He doesn't hold back!!!

[Wyliefan]

And most of his comments are really about him.

I'm shocked, SHOCKED.

[leigh466]

However, Jeremy's shoes are completely appropriate and fit his costume and theme perfectly even if Johnny does not like the swing shoes boot covers:

http://www.dancestore.com/Aris-Allen...SC_Google_Base

[rfisher]

Weir was funny. I suspect he offened the overly sensitive, but who cares. I laughed out loud multiple times and thoroughly enjoyed every snarky remark.

[Marlowe]

His campy commentary doesn't work for me, but it's good to know that so many are enjoying it.

[Lacey]

I believe Jeremy's boot covers were spats, and if I am correct, they were totally appropriate for the rest of his costume, his music and program, and it was the only wee little thing Johnny was wrong about all night. He was fabulous, colorful and informative. I learned more from him in one night than in years of listening to others, and there was room to spare--he did not talk all the time, just a lot, which I didn't mind at all. Great performance, sort of hope he doesn't return to competition and can do this instead for all competitions for a long time.

[iarispiralllyof]

"My comeback is entirely for personal gain. This is kind of a vanity project. I want to get back on the ice and be thin and beautiful ... I don't know why but I have a quite high public profile for a figure skater. My time for an Olympic medal may have passed in 2006. This is kind of to put figure skating back on the map for pop culture."

X_X

[crzesk8dad]

Overall, Johnny did a good job with the commentary, as long as he stuck mainly to what was happening on the ice.

A few appropriate snarks (oxymoron) were very good, but during the first half of Senior men; the never ending hair comments were just too much for me. I didn't count, but I would guess he made over 20 hair comments during skaters 1 to 10.

Johnny, we like (or love) you for who are...you need to don't shove it in my face while I'm watching footwork!

It did appear to me, that someone from IceNetwork may have said something to him, because he seemed quite a bit more focused and together in the second half.

Maybe it was nerves, in the first half, that led to his motormouthing. Once he felt comfortable and was in the zone, he was much better. At that point, he was very, very good.

Overall, I must say, he did keep things entertaining.

[semogal]

I really enjoyed Johnny's commentary last night. He seemed to understand that IN viewers are skating FANS and not casual viewers. I laughed out loud several times and that NEVER happens with Peter and Tonya!! However, he could have done less talking during the skates. I like to just enjoy the moments. I usually hate it when IN adds commentary to competitions but they can bring back Johnny anytime!