Johnny Weir as commentator at US Nationals

[soxxy]

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.

This is exactly how I feel. I want to write him a fan letter. I think he even made Tonia better....not so boring.

[luenatic]

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

What are you talking about? Jeremy is not wearing wing-tip style skates/shoes. He's wearing spats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spats_%28footwear%29

Think Hello Dolly, darling. Not swing.

[Carolla5501]

I am sorry, but

1. I don't care about the "good use of purple in his costume"
2. I don't care about the "hairdo"
3. I don't care about the eyebrows.....


What he's teaching is that "the look" is just as important as the skate (And if that were ACTUALLY true and his view counted he would have that Gold Medal!)


Until he quits acting like a "fashion commentator" in addition to a skating commentator BOO!

[cameron]

I loved Weir's commentating. I agree that it was a bit too much at first and a bit disjointed...as if he ran to get there on time and was nervous and out of breath (which may have been part of it actually). And, I can see a little less emphasis on fashion and hair; and NONE Of it during a skate. But, he was so good at calling and explaining elements; so good at comparing and contrasting; so informed about about each skater and other things - like coaches and music. So good at pronouncing names. Seriously, I hope IN and NBC and I don't know who else make him full time. I know he wants to compete, but my gosh, he is a great commentator.

If he could hold back just a little more on detail during a skate - especially when it is a top skater - so we could get into and enjoy the program too, that would be great. But, best element caller and quality explainer; best COP commentator; best replay and wam up commentator I have ever heard. And, I love Button; in a different way love PJ Kwong too. But Weir is hands down fabulous and knowledgeable about this sport and its judging. And really he was so supportive of each skater and style too. That surprised and pleased me.

I agree that after they got used to each other, he made Tonya better. She is fine - but he is far more articulate (although you could hear her catching up and getting better, so kudos). Anyway, thanks IN - loved it!

[Charlini]

eurosport does it best

ITA!

[UDelpairs2012]

He seamed to just love the gays and hate on the straight ones...

[BittyBug]

He seamed to just love the gays and hate on the straight ones...

Really? Because he seemed to love on pretty much everyone. It's one thing I enjoyed about his commentary - he pointed out a positive aspect of each competitor's skating. (Unless, of course, you're implying that they're all gay. ).

[doubleflutz]

He seamed to just love the gays and hate on the straight ones...

Keegan "Honey Badger" Messing is gay?

[UDelpairs2012]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg this is where Johnny got the honey badger quote from

[n*ice mom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg this is where Johnny got the honey badger quote from

I think the honey badger is used in a current commercial too. It is supposed to be synonymous with 'fearless.' Where do you get anything else? Nevermind, don't answer that... you have taken us off-topic and are clearly reading too much into Johnny's commentating.

[Ajax]

I think those of us who enjoyed his commentary should tweet at Johnny to let him know I liked it, there were some laugh-out-loud moments there. Definitely better than Tonya/Mr. Nancy or the horrid Scott/Sandra combo!

[Marty]

I did not enjoy Johnny's comments during the program.

His comments took away from the importance of the event. To the skaters, the event is not a joke...it is important.

Think about it...if any other of the commentators had said the comments about the costumes, people would have been up in arms. If it is inappropriate for others, it is also for Johnny.

Someone earlier in this thread said that overly sensitive people would not like what he said...I do not consider myself overly sensitive, just a figure skating fan who doesn't think the event should be trivialized (sp) by the commentators.

[olifaunt]

I liked Johnny a lot. A little mouthy at times, yes, but he's new at this, and most everything he said had a point. I think he gave me real insight on what it's like to compete and train, much more than Tonia does. Like when he was talking about jumps vs. steps and how fun jumps are to train vs. steps. Talking about costumes had a point, like when he said that Jeremy's spats broke up his line. Positive, honest and funny.

[museksk8r]

I did not enjoy Johnny's comments during the program.

His comments took away from the importance of the event. To the skaters, the event is not a joke...it is important.

Think about it...if any other of the commentators had said the comments about the costumes, people would have been up in arms. If it is inappropriate for others, it is also for Johnny.

Someone earlier in this thread said that overly sensitive people would not like what he said...I do not consider myself overly sensitive, just a figure skating fan who doesn't think the event should be trivialized (sp) by the commentators.

I think Johnny is just reveling in the fact that as a commentator, he can lighten the mood of such a stressful environment as Nationals, the Worlds and Olympic trials, the most important event of the season for the skaters in North America. As a competitor, Nationals was "do or die time" for him; as a commentator, he can be as colorful, comedic, and relaxed as he wishes to be and he has earned that right. I think he tries to extinguish the stereotype that skating is filled with old, uptight, prim and proper snobs and he wants to open the sport to a younger, more fun audience (I'm not saying that older people can't be fun) and, IMO, there is not a thing wrong with wanting to change that perception. You don't have to take yourself so seriously all the time.

[ryanbfan]

Keegan "Honey Badger" Messing is gay?

LOL no, he is not. For the record.

[taf2002]

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

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.

Going off-topic: Yes they were spats but IMO not appropriate to the program. Jeremy was doing big band which was mostly 1930's-40's; from Wikipedia: "Spats were primarily worn in the late 19th and early 20th centuries." By the time of big band, spats had mostly died out. Also in what century were high-water pants fashionable? I think Jeremy's costume is pretty bad.

I did not enjoy Johnny's comments during the program.

His comments took away from the importance of the event. To the skaters, the event is not a joke...it is important.

Think about it...if any other of the commentators had said the comments about the costumes, people would have been up in arms. If it is inappropriate for others, it is also for Johnny.

Someone earlier in this thread said that overly sensitive people would not like what he said...I do not consider myself overly sensitive, just a figure skating fan who doesn't think the event should be trivialized (sp) by the commentators.

Did you also think Dick Button trivialized the skating events? He said things like calling Sokalova "cupcake", he used rusty hoot, he wanted to put Nicole Bobek over his knee, etc. Being lighthearted about things doesn't mean you don't take them seriously. And I don't think the majority here would be "up in arms" if some other commentator made a few jokes during their commentary.

[luenatic]

Johnny is the honey badger of figure skating commentator!

[BigB08822]

I was annoyed at first but then I just accepted it and began to think it was quite fabulous. He talked a little too much, though.

[Frau Muller]

I loved Johnny's commentating. He's a Dick Button for the 21st Century!!! More - more - MORE Johnny, puh-leeze!

[pinky166]

He seamed to just love the gays and hate on the straight ones...

Lol he seems to love the youngins. We all know he's obsessed with Hanyu and kept going on and on about how wonderful Jason Brown and Josh Farris are. And I'm not saying that they aren't wonderful, they are, but Johnny's comments about Jason being bright and shiny and Josh having such a romantic interpretation of Claire De Lune made me giggle .