I, Tonya

[jenniferlyon]

Don’t for next year. The big 25th “Silver” Anniversary.

But it's not an Olympic year like the 20th anniversary was. The larger world will not be paying so much attention to our fine sport. However, since Nationals will be held in Detroit, I expect there will be some kind of local hype here.

 

[berthesghost]

YMMV but I'm always surprised how often casual viewers bring up Debi, Midori, Tonya and Surya. Casual fans seem to love the "outsiders".

 

[LarrySK8]

Question for you Tonya, as you are out there - what do you think when you see Rika Kihara doing 3 axel-3 toe and 3 axel in her programs at age 15? Hers is gorgeous and so secure - better than yours.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The buzz here today is that Margot and Frances are the ones who are considered tied to win tomorrows SAG award for best actress.

 

[VGThuy]

The ones I want to win never do. Sigh.

 

[jenniferlyon]

YMMV but I'm always surprised how often casual viewers bring up Debi, Midori, Tonya and Surya. Casual fans seem to love the "outsiders".

I've noticed this too. Men in particular have a respect for female skaters who have landed a triple axel. In a similar vein, I have noticed that casual fans who are involved in dance or theatre often bring up Oksana Baiul. Casual fans who are involved in politics often bring up Michelle Kwan.

 

[HSCluv]

In an earlier post I had asked about (because I have always wondered but never seen or heard it mentioned) about Tonya's skating record as a novice or junior or any level besides senior really. I don't know if the movie makes mention of her younger skating years. I am hoping to see it soon. And this may be common knowledge for some of you. But I did find just today where Tonya placed sixth as a junior at Nationals in 84. The next year she was sixth as a senior at Pacific Coast Sectionals. And, of course, she made it to Nationals as a senior in 86...she was second at Sectionals that year.

 

[cmk]

I've noticed this too. Men in particular have a respect for female skaters who have landed a triple axel. In a similar vein, I have noticed that casual fans who are involved in dance or theatre often bring up Oksana Baiul. Casual fans who are involved in politics often bring up Michelle Kwan.

Debi was a great skater but she also has her own personal demons mostly caused by bad choice of a male partner. I have more problems with Debi trying to raise money on gofundme instead of using her degrees (although she did lose her medical license due to the boyfriend). I would think she could do something with her engineering degree, write a book, or go back into skating as a coach (after she gets the mental health she needs first).

Tonya has done a lot of stuff to make money but she has never once asked for a handout. She tried acting, boxing (had to quit due to asthma, and some of the media reported no-shows were actually Tonya failing the physical). There was video of one somewhere where she was supposed to have a rematch with Alexandra Lopez that the media claimed she didn't show up, but a local station had video of both girls in the ring, with Tonya apologizing to the fans for failing the physical. She had some good moments on World's Dumbest, and worked well with Bridges, Bondaduce, Garrett, and the various comedians. I was hoping for a appearance on the real for a "reunion" with Loni Love. I am more disappointed that she didn't skate on Today. I don't really care about the interviews, I just wanted to see if she got the 2axel and any triples back.

Surya was very underrated in my opinion. She really came into her own as a pro ( the backflip being allowed in pro comps helped just a little bit. Our local club show had Ruh one year, and Surya the next. Surya was the far better skater including some of the spins. Surya was also a lot faster.

Midori was a great jumper. Her coach actually took her in and I think raised her as well. Midori had a bit of an advantage being the only medal threat from Japan for a very long time. Midori was sweet and demure off the ice which probably pleased the judges. Midori's comeback in 96 after a successful pro career was a bit of a disaster. She was also pressured by the Japanese fed to lose weight and developed an eating disorder which caused her to lose some of her strength.

We also can't forget the greatest Russian skater ever- Irina Slutskaya. She was fast and powerful but sometimes got a bit out of control. Her jumps were huge. She was also a great spinner. She also had a year or two where she was in a bit of a slump , but came out of it and started skating better than ever.

 

[bardtoob]

Tara says she liked watching I, Tonya.

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Tara-Lipinski-I-Tonya-44511972

 

[jenniferlyon]

Tara says she liked watching I, Tonya.

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Tara-Lipinski-I-Tonya-44511972

With so many elite skaters boycotting this movie, it's interesting to hear from a skater who has seen it.

 

[Japanfan]

With so many elite skaters boycotting this movie

Source? I've not heard that any elite skaters would intentionally boycott the film, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Inessence]

Source? I've not heard that any elite skaters would intentionally boycott the film, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Johnny Weir said he wouldn’t watch it as Nancy is his dear friend. He also didn’t want To See Tonya glamorized. It was on TMZ, his Twitter and other places.

 

[cmk]

Johnny Weir said he wouldn’t watch it as Nancy is his dear friend. He also didn’t want To See Tonya glamorized. It was on TMZ, his Twitter and other places.

Johnny needs to see the movie. I haven't seen it (local theater doesn't have it, offbrand firestick can't find a stream) but the reviews seem to indicate it doesn't glamorize her I don't have a problem with Tonya being at the globes-the movie is called I, Tonya, not I , Johnny. I am disappointed that the today show skate got cancelled- and I don't think she really expected to collect $25,000 from reporters if they asked about 94- but just wanted to get them to move on and ask about her current life and skating. Rosenberg posted that on facebook which wasn't exactly the most professional way of announcing the split. I'm starting to wonder if with all the backlash, he made that whole thing up to give him an out. I don't know why he thought Tonya should do a whirlwind media interview tour when in reality, most of us just wanted to see to her skate. The awards shows appearance and hopefully a rescheduled Today show appearance should of been enough.

 

[Jarrett]

Question for you Tonya, as you are out there - what do you think when you see Rika Kihara doing 3 axel-3 toe and 3 axel in her programs at age 15? Hers is gorgeous and so secure - better than yours.

Since the skater Rika Kihara doesn't exist I don't know what she would say. But if you are referring to Rika Kihira, Tonya seemed pretty respectful of Midori's jumps in the interviews I saw on youtube so I don't see why it would be any different, you know, some 26 years after she landed hers.

 

[berthesghost]

In an earlier post I had asked about (because I have always wondered but never seen or heard it mentioned) about Tonya's skating record as a novice or junior or any level besides senior really. I don't know if the movie makes mention of her younger skating years. I am hoping to see it soon. And this may be common knowledge for some of you. But I did find just today where Tonya placed sixth as a junior at Nationals in 84. The next year she was sixth as a senior at Pacific Coast Sectionals. And, of course, she made it to Nationals as a senior in 86...she was second at Sectionals that year.

the movie doesn't get into specifics of results and individual comps until 86 SA. They're more interested in pushing the narrative of her as a driven little girl, bullied by her skating mom, and made fun of by the other kids. Her earlier results aren't at all common knowledge IMO and we all just buy into her and Dianne's narrative of "she was a phenom from day 1". It is more believable than Surya's tall tales, but the movie does make me question much of Dianne's spinning which I never did previously.

@cmk I think Johnny was talking about the golden globes and parading Tonya around on the red carpet in a nice gown (where's the tom boy who just likes to fix trucks that night) and giving acceptance speeches about what a working class hero she is when he said glamorized.

 

[cmk]

the movie doesn't get into specifics of results and individual comps until 86 SA. They're more interested in pushing the narrative of her as a driven little girl, bullied by her skating mom, and made fun of by the other kids. Her earlier results aren't at all common knowledge IMO and we all just buy into her and Dianne's narrative of "she was a phenom from day 1". It is more believable than Surya's tall tales, but the movie does make me question much of Dianne's spinning which I never did previously.

@cmk I think Johnny was talking about the golden globes and parading Tonya around on the red carpet in a nice gown (where's the tom boy who just likes to fix trucks that night) and giving acceptance speeches about what a working class hero she is when he said glamorized.

I didn't have a problem with Janney's speech. I think everyone was required to dress up- I didn't see any other attendees wearing Levis or other causal clothing. The French Fed created some of Surya's alleged tall tales. The boy from call me by your name was sitting near or next to Tonya and didn't even know it was her until Janney pointed her out. OJ was at the bill's playoff game and I don't see anyone blasting the bills for letting him buy a ticket and watching the game and he did far worse than Tonya ever did.

 

[Yehudi]

I didn't have a problem with Janney's speech. I think everyone was required to dress up- I didn't see any other attendees wearing Levis or other causal clothing. The French Fed created some of Surya's alleged tall tales. The boy from call me by your name was sitting near or next to Tonya and didn't even know it was her until Janney pointed her out. OJ was at the bill's playoff game and I don't see anyone blasting the bills for letting him buy a ticket and watching the game and he did far worse than Tonya ever did.

The difference is, anyone can buy a ticket to a football game. You need to be invited to the globes.

Anyway, saw the movie yesterday. I thought the acting was excellent.

 

[Inessence]

the movie doesn't get into specifics of results and individual comps until 86 SA. They're more interested in pushing the narrative of her as a driven little girl, bullied by her skating mom, and made fun of by the other kids. Her earlier results aren't at all common knowledge IMO and we all just buy into her and Dianne's narrative of "she was a phenom from day 1". It is more believable than Surya's tall tales, but the movie does make me question much of Dianne's spinning which I never did previously.

There was an article about Tonya in a local newspaper when she was about 5 or 6 years old. Diane said that with Tonya’s talent and the right sponsors she could become an Olympian skater.

 

[Wyliefan]

I saw the movie this afternoon, and got the impression that Diane was a freakin' saint. If she was anything like that in real life, I mean. Imagine how fast a lot of coaches would have thrown Tonya under the bus. In fact, I would have liked to see more made of that relationship, because she was such a natural foil to Tonya's mother.

 

[bardtoob]

I saw the movie this afternoon, and got the impression that Diane was a freakin' saint. If she was anything like that in real life, I mean. Imagine how fast a lot of coaches would have thrown Tonya under the bus. In fact, I would have liked to see more made of that relationship, because she was such a natural foil to Tonya's mother.

Interesting comment.

 

[Wyliefan]

Interesting comment.

Um, thanks?

 

[Inessence]

I saw the movie this afternoon, and got the impression that Diane was a freakin' saint. If she was anything like that in real life, I mean. Imagine how fast a lot of coaches would have thrown Tonya under the bus. In fact, I would have liked to see more made of that relationship, because she was such a natural foil to Tonya's mother.

I saw it this afternoon too and agree. If you watched the entire “ Sharp Edges” documentary when TH was 15 and it shows Diane pretty much just like that and also very perfectionist. Probably why Tonya was so good technically, although she didn’t share her style sense. Diane also said she and her husband largely paid for her skating for “the last five years” so since Tonya was around 10.

 

[Japanfan]

I think everyone was required to dress up- I didn't see any other attendees wearing Levis or other causal clothing.

Yes, women (and men) generally do not wear mechanic's overalls to movie Award events. Formal dress is probably required, or at the least, expected.

Jodie Foster once wore a Tuxedo to the Oscars, which I thought was kind of cool.

 

[screech]

Yes, women (and men) generally do not wear mechanic's overalls to movie Award events. Formal dress is probably required, or at the least, expected.

Jodie Foster once wore a Tuxedo to the Oscars, which I thought was kind of cool.

A lot of women have been wearing suits more often. Evan Rachel Wood has been doing it to all the awards shows she's gone to the last year or so (and she looks amazing!)

Not quite jeans, but Sharon Stone once famously wore her husband's button down shirt from The Gap to the Oscars

 

[floridaice]

Alison Janney won a SAG award for best supporting actress tonight.

 

[vesperholly]

Just saw it today. Liked it for the most part, but why didn't they show her historic technical 6.0 at the 1991 Nationals? They showed her getting straight 5.9s as the scores in the kiss and cry.

I also would've liked a little more background on how she skated terribly at the 93 Nationals and missed the World team, plus the mess at 93 Skate America. Omitting her real fear of being left off the 94 Olympic team makes it much easier to believe she wasn't complicit.

 

[jenniferlyon]

There was an article about Tonya in a local newspaper when she was about 5 or 6 years old. Diane said that with Tonya’s talent and the right sponsors she could become an Olympian skater.

I did a lot of research on famous skaters' earliest years and it wasn't uncommon for them to skate circles around the other kids the first time they took to the ice. However, not every kid who demonstrates this type of precocious skating ability becomes an Olympic champion, or even makes it to senior Nationals. I remember one of the skating books of the 1990s (probably Little Girls In Pretty Boxes, but it might have been one of Christine Brennan's books) included a chapter about a gifted young girl who lived with her dad in her dad's car. I remember the child's first name was Holly, but I don't recall her last name. It's been over twenty years since this book came out, but there hasn't been a U.S. skating champion named Holly. There was also a Kelly from the East Coast (I think her last name was O'Something) who appeared in a number of skating shows at around this same time. She didn't make it to the top, either.

 

[Wyliefan]

Just saw it today. Liked it for the most part, but why didn't they show her historic technical 6.0 at the 1991 Nationals? They showed her getting straight 5.9s as the scores in the kiss and cry.

I was wondering that too. It seems like a really strange thing to leave out, especially with all the emphasis on her scores throughout the film.

 

[Yazmeen]

I did a lot of research on famous skaters' earliest years and it wasn't uncommon for them to skate circles around the other kids the first time they took to the ice. However, not every kid who demonstrates this type of precocious skating ability becomes an Olympic champion, or even makes it to senior Nationals. I remember one of the skating books of the 1990s (probably Little Girls In Pretty Boxes, but it might have been one of Christine Brennan's books) included a chapter about a gifted young girl who lived with her dad in her dad's car. I remember the child's first name was Holly, but I don't recall her last name. It's been over twenty years since this book came out, but there hasn't been a U.S. skating champion named Holly. There was also a Kelly from the East Coast (I think her last name was O'Something) who appeared in a number of skating shows at around this same time. She didn't make it to the top, either.

Holly Bragg. Made it to Sectionals once and the disappeared from the skating scene.

 

[Inessence]

Just saw it today. Liked it for the most part, but why didn't they show her historic technical 6.0 at the 1991 Nationals? They showed her getting straight 5.9s as the scores in the kiss and cry.

I also would've liked a little more background on how she skated terribly at the 93 Nationals and missed the World team, plus the mess at 93 Skate America. Omitting her real fear of being left off the 94 Olympic team makes it much easier to believe she wasn't complicit.

Me too. There was a mention that her skating quality dropped after reuniting with Jeff, but also didn’t mention any of her equipment failures prior to the lace.