Tonya Harding to appear at Alamo Drafthouse in Austin

[meggonzo]

Thanks for the report!

So she didn't answer any actual skating questions (besides currently skating with Dodi), or tell us why she had two bowls from 91 Nationals?

 

[WillyElliot]

I am glad I did not go then. I can handle only so much BS in my life and already my cup runneth over with Trump. I would not have been able to stomach her lies and revisionist history. I wish the whole thing never had happened, and Tonya would have maybe gotten Tom Collins where she would have been lazy, gotten out of shape, and dropped from the tour after a couple of months, where she would go back to Portland washed up and a failure to fall back into obscurity.

 

[UGG]

Tonya was a victim of abuse her whole life. She had to grow up defensive and defending herself and I imagine that type of thinking just doesn't go away when you land a triple axle and turn 21. Being defensive is probably the only way of thinking she is capable of, due to her experiences growing up. I imagine growing up trying to protect yourself from your mothers physical and emotional abuse limits how you can think of others and would make a person turn out to be extremely self centered.

I think she has probably done the best she could. It is not like as soon as she became a national champion, the years of abuse just disappeared. She probably needs psychotherapy to develop a new way of thinking.

I have no issue with her doing meet and greets and DWTS etc...she is just trying to make a living.

 

[Inessence]

If you believe the media back in 1994 was at all interested in the gospel truth and not out to sell movie tickets, Er, I mean newspapers, tabloids, and magazines. ?

 

[overedge]

I can't believe that anyone could watch that movie and think that it showed Tonya to be entirely innocent. IMO the movie was very sympathetic in showing her in circumstances that she didn't have a lot of control over (e.g. abusive mother). And it certainly showed how those circumstances affected what she ended up doing/being. But even in its fictional way it certainly didn't proclaim her as innocent. That's some Trump-style revisionism from Tonya right there....

 

[Japanfan]

I can't believe that anyone could watch that movie and think that it showed Tonya to be entirely innocent. IMO the movie was very sympathetic in showing her in circumstances that she didn't have a lot of control over (e.g. abusive mother). And it certainly showed how those circumstances affected what she ended up doing/being. But even in its fictional way it certainly didn't proclaim her as innocent.

Yes, members of the audience were allowed to make up their own mind about Tonya's level of involvement. There was of course the scene in which she says "who would do that to a friend"? But even so, the audience might think she knew something was up, just not what exactly. That is my view.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

I am not angry at her. She's not worth that much effort
And I am an American. Tonya's on chance #300. Why would she have "learned something" this month? She's shown over and over and over and over that all she's learned is the ability to blame others.

She's "learned" how to milk this for cash which is really rather disgusting IMHO

Yes, her upbringing was bad, but she's and adult now.

Ladies and Gentlemen....Evy Scotvold.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Except she hasn’t moved on. Had she moved on she would not be at this event. (Note. You don’t see Nancy here do you? She moved on). Tonya is more that willing to sell out for a few bucks. That’s not moving on IMHO. What she is doing is milking it for a few more dollars.

Have you moved on?

 

[bardtoob]

Good for Tonya for turning things around. I hope she really is a good mom. The movie was fun, and my friend who hadn't seen it enjoyed the movie. I just wish there'd been a little more reality and a little less Trump-style rewriting of history.

Meh ... At least her revisionist history is completely inconsequential. If Tonya were to completely change the story tomorrow (as opposed to bit by bit over 20 years) it would have zero consequences for anyone.

 

[sp555]

I can't believe you didn't even go meet her @slicekw - you promised us you'd ask about the two bowls at 91 nationals!

You could have saved yourself some $ by staying home and watching the YouTube clips of the earlier Q & A sessions. I'm sure it was in her contract that this should be friendly fluff and not yet another round of "You're guilty, aren't you?!".

Some people misunderstand her comments IMO. She's seen the movie. She knows it doesn't show her as completely innocent! The reason she feels vindicated is quite simple:

The only two people that actually know what happened in January 1994 are her and her ex-husband Jeff.

She has always insisted that she didn't know about the whack. Jeff said that she knew. However, in the movie, Jeff literally says that she did NOT know!

That is actually what he told the writer, and she was really happy about that. Is it the truth? Maybe. Maybe not. The entire premise of the movie is that they are both unreliable narrators and that they are lying not only to the audience but to themselves.

 

[UGG]

I also thought in the movie the part where she says "who would do that to a friend" and takes a huge drag of her cig, complete with the awkward pause was basically implying that she did know.

 

[overedge]

Some people misunderstand her comments IMO. She's seen the movie. She knows it doesn't show her as completely innocent!

Ahem.....

Tonya proclaimed that the movie gave her a chance to show her son that she was entirely innocent.

 

[sp555]

I've seen other interviews where she says now her son will know she was not a cheater. I stand by my comments that she feels vindicated because Jeff changed his story and said she didn't know about the whack...

The people involved with the movie have said that she didn't like certain parts of it - mostly Jeff's version of their life together. She does not like the parts that show her knowing about death threat letters either and told them that was not true. That must be the 5% of the movie she claims to be false. lol

 

[Inessence]

Ladies and Gentlemen....Evy Scotvold.

What, no fat crack at Tonya’s expense? As if US Figure Skating didn’t copiously milk the incident for cash. Though this does sound like something he would say.

 

[Inessence]

I've seen other interviews where she says now her son will know she was not a cheater. I stand by my comments that she feels vindicated because Jeff changed his story and said she didn't know about the whack...

The people involved with the movie have said that she didn't like certain parts of it - mostly Jeff's version of their life together. She does not like the parts that show her knowing about death threat letters either and told them that was not true. That must be the 5% of the movie she claims to be false. lol

Jeff is also as unreliable as they come. I’d wager even moreso than Tonya. Though, I’ve thought he was full of it and had an ax to grind with her since 1994 after she dumped him. Don’t forget Jeff’s including himself as “not knowing” about the Whack (just letters.) The Hitman and Getaway driver have yet to come forward to refute it.

 

[overedge]

I've seen other interviews where she says now her son will know she was not a cheater. I stand by my comments that she feels vindicated because Jeff changed his story and said she didn't know about the whack...

I think I'll believe Tonya's own words about how she feels over your interpretation of Tonya's words about how she feels.

 

[feraina]

I've seen other interviews where she says now her son will know she was not a cheater. I stand by my comments that she feels vindicated because Jeff changed his story and said she didn't know about the whack...

The people involved with the movie have said that she didn't like certain parts of it - mostly Jeff's version of their life together. She does not like the parts that show her knowing about death threat letters either and told them that was not true. That must be the 5% of the movie she claims to be false. lol

Oh that’s very telling! So she wants her son to know that she wasn’t a cheater, not that she wasn’t a liar! So to her skating competitor mindset, what matters is that she didn’t try to win by taking out an opponent. If she knew something and didn’t report it, or it was entirely someone else’s plan, then that doesn’t detract from her not being a cheater.

 

[Japanfan]

I also thought in the movie the part where she says "who would do that to a friend" and takes a huge drag of her cig, complete with the awkward pause was basically implying that she did know.

I can see how you can draw that conclusion.

However, I didn't come to the same conclusion when I saw the film. The way the scene was play, I felt that Tonya/Margo Robbie was being sincere, but also defensive. As I've posted previously, I think she knew something was up, but not what exactly. It would not have been to her benefit to know that Tonya was going to get whacked, as she might have somehow betrayed or forewarned it. Tonya was not a sophisticated person who was good at dissembling when she was young, IMO. Though she's arguably become better at it as she grew older.

 

[Yazmeen]

And the good news is even millennials who are too young to remember “the incident” will move on to something and someone else, and Tonya’s new 15 minutes will be over soon. And since she’s so happy being a mom, I’m sure she will gracefully fade back into obscurity with her happy memories and her delusion that a black comedy based on her life vindicated her.

Until she gets antsy for attention and the spotlight again...

 

[sp555]

I think I'll believe Tonya's own words about how she feels over your interpretation of Tonya's words about how she feels.

Her own words aren't in this thread.
You compared my interpretation against @slicekw's interpretation.

Here's a quote in her "own words":

"I'm most happy and proud that, after so many years, the truth came out," she says. "God must be weighing on everybody who has been bad. My son will know as he grows up that his mother was never a cheater."

So what does everyone think she's really saying there? What is the truth? Who has been bad?

 

[slicekw]

FWIW, I got my money's worth out of seeing her. I wanted to see her in person and know what she really seemed to think about "the incident" and I saw her express her thoughts in person.
I was much more disappointed in the audience that Tonya. They are why I didn't do the meet and greet. Finding out about the two cups was less important than getting away from them. Let Tonya haver her moments in the sun with sycophants. She knows it won't last.

My personal opinion is that Tonya is a woman with great physical talents and average intelligence, but a keen sense of performance that has stood her well when she needed it.
She was very abused, and having my own history with abuse, I feel for her. And USFSA shafted her and turned around and made millions from her. I admire that she's been able to continue to use her physicality to alternate between performing (boxing, dancing with the stars, this tour) and making a living out of the spotlight (landscaping). Like other abuse survivors, I hope she's put that behind her and the husband and child really do give her a sense of steadiness and happiness and that she really is a good mom. The best thing any of us can do is help raise educated, well-adjusted children.

(edited to add - re my last statement above - I'm not a parent, but I believe strongly in that statement.)

 

[Yazmeen]

@slicekw - I don't agree with all you said above, I don't have your level of sympathy for Tonya. But then I was never a victim of abuse.

I think the remaining question is what will Tonya do when it all goes away? Based on her past lusting for fame and fortune, I'm not so sure I agree with your statement that she "knows it won't last." Tonya was handed a huge gift with "I, Tonya," namely giving herself a second prolonged chance in the public eye. And for the most part, she has handled it relatively decently. But what will happen when the public and the media are no longer interested? I sincerely hope she can go back to a private life and just being mom and live without the cameras. That said, based on her history on frequently biting the hands that feed her (so to speak), we'll have to wait and see. I wish her luck.

 

[LarrySK8]

As Tonya is only 47 years old or so - and her life is far from over - it seems that I, Tonya and its ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel.

Plenty of room.

Brace yourselves for more in the future.

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

@slicekw - I don't agree with all you said above, I don't have your level of sympathy for Tonya. But then I was never a victim of abuse.

I think the remaining question is what will Tonya do when it all goes away? Based on her past lusting for fame and fortune, I'm not so sure I agree with your statement that she "knows it won't last." Tonya was handed a huge gift with "I, Tonya," namely giving herself a second prolonged chance in the public eye. And for the most part, she has handled it relatively decently. But what will happen when the public and the media are no longer interested? I sincerely hope she can go back to a private life and just being mom and live without the cameras. That said, based on her history on frequently biting the hands that feed her (so to speak), we'll have to wait and see. I wish her luck.

Tonia and her huge lust will never go away, I am just happy to pray that people on this sight who under-stand what is godly verses what isnt continue to post the same thing's about her evil 300 times if not more.