Shephard Clark on EOE

[lemur]

His smile reminds me of Liberace! Anyone else think so?

[aftershocks]

His smile reminds me of Liberace! Anyone else think so?

Yes, there is perhaps some similarity in their smiles, at least visually.

Misty, my cat takes exception at any one refusing to recognize her as a person. ...

Misty Stillwell

[FunnyBut]

Attn Johnny Weir:
Please watch this video. It's you, 15 years from now.

[aftershocks]

^^ Hey FunnyBut, you might think that's funny, butt ...

Shepherd and Johnny have different personalities, different lives, different upbringings, vastly different skating careers, different physiques, have made different choices, e.g., I don't think Shepherd has ever been married, and I doubt Johnny ever seriously contemplated suicide, but in fact we do all have challenges to overcome in our lives. Also, Johnny's pets of choice are dogs, not cats. While both Shepherd and Johnny may be gay, love sparkly costumes, and are both very kind, self aware, and inspirational as people, so what? Surely those similarities are not why you say in "15 years" Johnny will be Shepherd in the posted video? Even Shepherd will not be the same as he appears in this video in 15 years.

I don't know if Shepherd and Johnny have ever met, but I'd be surprised if Johnny felt that the way Shepherd appears in this video is something to abhor, detest, be teased about, be afraid of becoming, or see as some kind of threat or downside to his own choices, his own identity or his own life. Right on, Shepherd! Right on, Johnny!

[apatinar]

I think all of the quirkiness and eccentricity is fun and cute when you are younger like Johnny - however when you get older - you just turn into that creepy older man - like Shepherd...

[aftershocks]

^^ Really? Ya think? Hmmm, so "when you get older," I guess "you [will] just turn into that creepy older man [or woman]" too, "like Shepherd..."

As if, Shepherd is all that old, in any case. Your comment makes me wonder just how old you are apatinar. Really old I think is when you reach 80s and 90s. If you live that long, I believe (having had wonderful friends in that stage of life -- and also having known one set of my grandparents), you become very wise if you have developed self-awareness and have a sense of humor. Or, quite often older people develop various forms of dementia (one form being Alzheimers), or experience strokes and/ or other illnesses. Everyone who reaches a grand old age, or just even their 50s, 60s and 70s will experience various forms of physical breakdown. As has always been said, the key to good health is eating right, staying active mentally and physically - taking good care of yourself, but also caring about others and giving in whatever way you can. Still, there is no guarantee that one's body or mind will not break down ... well, especially the body will deteriorate, that is a given. Oh the wonders of medical technologies which allow for hip and knee replacements.

BTW, apatinar, just in case you weren't aware, "quirkiness and eccentricity" just as "fun and cute" do not apply strictly to people who are labeled "gay" or "lesbian" or "bisexual" or "transgender" or _____________ (fill in the label).

[essence_of_soy]

I miss his style of skating.

[Morry Stillwell]

I think all of the quirkiness and eccentricity is fun and cute when you are younger like Johnny - however when you get older - you just turn into that creepy older man - like Shepherd...

Shepard never wore a foreign jacket while representing the USA. Johnny went beyond eccentric with that stunt.

[apatinar]

^^ Really? Ya think? Hmmm, so "when you get older," I guess "you [will] just turn into that creepy older man [or woman]" too, "like Shepherd..."

As if, Shepherd is all that old, in any case. Your comment makes me wonder just how old you are apatinar. Really old I think is when you reach 80s and 90s. If you live that long, I believe (having had wonderful friends in that stage of life -- and also having known one set of my grandparents), you become very wise if you have developed self-awareness and have a sense of humor. Or, quite often older people develop various forms of dementia (one form being Alzheimers), or experience strokes and/ or other illnesses. Everyone who reaches a grand old age, or just even their 50s, 60s and 70s will experience various forms of physical breakdown. As has always been said, the key to good health is eating right, staying active mentally and physically - taking good care of yourself, but also caring about others and giving in whatever way you can. Still, there is no guarantee that one's body or mind will not break down ... well, especially the body will deteriorate, that is a given. Oh the wonders of medical technologies which allow for hip and knee replacements.

BTW, apatinar, just in case you weren't aware, "quirkiness and eccentricity" just as "fun and cute" do not apply strictly to people who are labeled "gay" or "lesbian" or "bisexual" or "transgender" or _____________ (fill in the label).

Not really sure what gerontology has to do with the conversation however I am in my 30s and I am a gay male myself....
It has been mentioned several times in this thread that even though Shepherd is in his early 40s, his appearance and demeanor now looks as if he is someone in his 50s..even being compared to Liberace who was way over his early 40s in his prime... still not "old" by any means but older than twenty something Johnny Weir who wears avant-guarde fashion which is age appropriate and all of the other silly things he does that are indicative of a young person who is experimenting and finding themselves.... there is a reason that you don't see 50 year olds walking down the fashion catwalk.. Quirkiniess and eccentricity definitely are not limited to persons of the LGBT community-just making a comparison between Johnny who is young enough to get away with it and Shephed who now looks like the stereotypical crazy lonely old man with a cat..which is most probably why the earlier poster warned Johnny to take a look at Shepherd- get all of this stuff out of your system now before you get to the point of no return...

[aftershocks]

^^ Ah well, to each their own way of looking at life in three dimensions, apatinar. Good grief re all the inaccurate spellings of Shep's name in this thread ...

"Shephard" "Shepard" "Shephed" NOT! -- It's "Shepherd" as in "One who guards sheep."

In any case, apatinar, hope you enjoy your 30s while they last.

Morry Stillwell, hello! How is Misty doing? I ask because like Shepherd, I too love cats. BTW, did you ever ask Johnny why he wore a "foreign" jacket during practices at the 2006 Olympics? Were you also aware that Toller Cranston once wrote about the fact that Olympic athletes often exchanged uniforms as souvenirs? Johnny's jacket happened to be a gift from Tatiana Totmianina, and yes it probably was ill-advised of Johnny to wear it during practices, despite the "quirky" innocence involved (some might and probably do characterize his youthful "innocence" otherwise, I'm sure).

I think Johnny has moved on in his life quite a bit, and how refreshing to see how he has grown ... he's even happily married to a very handsome and seemingly very kind Russian gentleman. I wish them both well.

And I wish Shepherd well too. Thanks also to Shepherd for all his contributions to skating, to animals and to helping others in need.

[Morry Stillwell]

[QUOTE=aftershocks;3566437]^^ Ah well, to each their own way of looking at life in three dimensions, apatinar. Good grief re all the inaccurate spellings of Shep's name in this thread ...

"Shephard" "Shepard" "Shephed" NOT! -- It's "Shepherd" as in "One who guards sheep."

In any case, apatinar, hope you enjoy your 30s while they last.

Morry Stillwell, hello! How is Misty doing?

By walking on the keys while*************** I am writing she says HI.

[aftershocks]

Awww, Hi back to you, Misty! My cat Safira sends her meows too ********!#&! Safira is gray and white, Misty. May I ask your color(s)?

Perhaps you and Morry will enjoy reading about another gray and white cat whose name also happens to be Misty. Apparently, your namesake is quite advanced technologically. She is a secret agent cat who works for the government, according to her human friend/ companion:

http://cats.about.com/library/guest/ucfeature8a.htm

Best wishes, Misty and Morry

[Morry Stillwell]

Awww, Hi back to you, Misty! My cat Safira sends her meows too ********!#&! Safira is gray and white, Misty. May I ask your color(s)?

Perhaps you and Morry will enjoy reading about another gray and white cat whose name also happens to be Misty. Apparently, your namesake is quite advanced technologically. She is a secret agent cat who works for the government, according to her human friend/ companion:

http://cats.about.com/library/guest/ucfeature8a.htm

Best wishes, Misty and Morry

Great article. Back to Shepherd - I have known Shepherd since 1992 when I was team leader for Junior Worlds in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Shepherd was unique even then. You had to love his positive attitude. The exchanges between Shepherd and his coach, the great Carlo Fassi, at that competition, were awsome. BTW we won the Ladies with the help of Surya Bonaly.

[Doubletoe]

[QUOTE=Morry Stillwell;3567407]

^^ Ah well, to each their own way of looking at life in three dimensions, apatinar. Good grief re all the inaccurate spellings of Shep's name in this thread ...

"Shephard" "Shepard" "Shephed" NOT! -- It's "Shepherd" as in "One who guards sheep."

Thank you, the misspellings of his name were bugging me, too, LOL! Yes, he's quirky, but he is very sweet and the enthusiasm and joy he continues to have for figure skating is rather inspiring.