Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Irina Slutskaya

[VGThuy]

Thanks @Tinami Amori!

Where did the association between Irina and hamburgers come from to begin with? Was she actually ever seen eating one?

Seems a bit pejorative to me, along similar lines to 'truck driver', but maybe I'm missing something.

I did a quick search to see if I could find the original thread and I found the closest thing:

https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-but-im-feeling-sleepy-too.90163/post-4077719

Anyone remember when Slutskaya made a comment about Americans eating hamburgers in the arena, or something to that effect? The board nearly imploded over that.

You actually summarized the Irina-hambuger thing pretty close to how Tinami and I described it at the time.

https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-but-im-feeling-sleepy-too.90163/post-4077851

Sylvia posted a link to the original thread but that link no longer works:

https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-but-im-feeling-sleepy-too.90163/post-4077977

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?37563-Interview-with-Irina-Slutskaja-(Russian)

Translated by krenseby:

Right now you are touring in Russia, but soon you'll tour in America. Is there a difference between touring in those two places?

Of course. Material conditions are approximately the same - hotels, hotel rooms, but the audience. In my homeland I feel like a star and I sense the support of my fans. But over there, it's like being in a conveyor belt. No soul. I remember coming out on the ice in one city and seeing in front of of me a man chowing down a huge hamburger. Performing in front of a person like him is unpleasant. But in America audience members like that are not out the ordinary. In Russia, it's very different. Once in Rostov - which was one of my first tour stops - after bowing down I look up and see a bunch of flowers. A young man has given a huge bouquet off roses and got down in front of me on his knees. I was astounded!

 

[Marco]

Oh Irina.

She earned her two world titles - even though she definitely had help from the judges that she didn't need. I will just leave it at that.

To think she deserved to win 2001 Worlds with 2 "Sarah Hughes level"-cheated 3/3s, one with a clear step out, is beyond me. Throughout the years, I think she was lucky to have been given benefit of the doubt on the second mark either against Michelle or Maria. To now suddenly say the judges didn't support her is ??? to me.

Since she said she would have been a 5 time WC, that means she also felt she deserved to win in 1998 and 2000 too?

 

[Japanfan]

A person eating a hamburger while watching a show: the horror, the horror.

My reply would have been: And you much do you get paid do perform in shows in America/Canada?

IOW, STFU or stay at home.

What a stupid and insulting thing to say!

Athletes or performers usually learn early to have respect and regard for their fans and the people who pay to watch them in shows/competitions/films, thereby lining their pockets.

Lucky for Irina, she probably stopped performing before poutine became widely available in western arenas.

 

[Yehudi]

A person eating a hamburger while watching a show: the horror, the horror.

My reply would have been: And you much do you get paid do perform in shows in America/Canada?

IOW, STFU or stay at home.

Well, she did just that and makes money off the Russian shows now. Probably not as much as the COI heyday but certainly more than skaters would make performing in North America these days.

last time I went to SOI, didn’t see anyone eating hamburgers but then again, the lack of hamburger eaters may be the reason why it was in a half full Nassau Colisseum and not MSG.

 

[Coco]

Wow, I could really go for a hamburger right now!

 

[giselle23]

As pointed out Gymnatics changed their scoring system later. They too after their own scandals, Paul Hamm’s being gifted gold over Yang and later Crowd booing the judges for 10 mins for score dished our to Alexi Nemov.

Responsibility of US media was also amazing, if I remember correctly Rosie O’Donell calling Elena a retard for the brain injury and coma she suffered earlier in her career. Some ways I am glad FS is not as popular in the US as before, otherwise we would have had to see such hateful vitriol

Rosie O’Donnell? Seriously? And who is Elena and why would an American talk show host be commenting on her?

 

[Deleted member 40371]

Rosie O’Donnell? Seriously? And who is Elena and why would an American talk show host be commenting on her?

Rosie o’Donnell and Jay Leno were all experts in pairs skating after LP was over, they were all up in arms about evile Ruskies stealing the gold medal.

 

[lala]

A person eating a hamburger while watching a show: the horror, the horror.

My reply would have been: And you much do you get paid do perform in shows in America/Canada?

IOW, STFU or stay at home.

What a stupid and insulting thing to say!

Athletes or performers usually learn early to have respect and regard for their fans and the people who pay to watch them in shows/competitions/films, thereby lining their pockets.

Lucky for Irina, she probably stopped performing before poutine became widely available in western arenas.

I read much more insulting comment on Americans from another Russian star....And he lived there for years.

I believe the usual stereotypes are working on each other...

 

[alchemy void]

Yup, the only thing this thread was missing is a debate about Rosie O'Donnell.

 

[dawnie]

She also said something about how it looked like Sarah Hughes ate too many hamburgers after SLC. Hamburgers are her favorite American insult evidently...

 

[quartz]

this is probably my favorite thread at the moment

 

[VGThuy]

How do people like their hamburgers?

 

[bardtoob]

What was Irina's skating club in Russia?

 

[MsZem]

Athletes or performers usually learn early to have respect and regard for their fans and the people who pay to watch them in shows/competitions/films, thereby lining their pockets.

On the other hand, as a performer you want people to focus on what you're doing and not on their snacks.

How do people like their hamburgers?

I'm shocked that nobody has said "with coffee yogurt" yet.

(As a vegetarian, I will sit this one out)

 

[quartz]

How do people like their hamburgers?

Lettuce, tomato, ketchup and extra pickles. Baked beans on the side, or corn-on-the-cob in season. Big glass of milk.

 

[bardtoob]

How do people like their hamburgers?

Lettuce, tomato, ketchup and extra pickles. Baked beans on the side, or corn-on-the-cob in season. Big glass of milk.

Ewww ... Beef and milk.

 

[quartz]

Ewww ... Beef and milk.

Good thing you don’t ever have to eat a meal with me!

 

[bardtoob]

Right!?!

 

[quartz]

Same!!

 

[alchemy void]

Actually, I hear Rosie O'Donnell has gone to a plant-based diet, too. What would Irina say?

 

[bardtoob]

Actually, I hear Rosie O'Donnell has gone to a plant-based diet, too. What would Irina say?

Irina would say Rosie needs it.

 

[skatingfan5]

How do people like their hamburgers?

Might as well contribute to the thread drift. On the very rare occasions I have a burger (I get a craving for one about 2 or 3 times a year) I like it medium rare with cheddar cheese and ketchup. And a beer. And I have never eaten a burger or anything else in the stands while watching skating.

 

[MacMadame]

How do people like their hamburgers?

Rare

On the other hand, as a performer you want people to focus on what you're doing and not on their snacks.

Yes and many performers complain about audiences not being attentive (though these days that usually means they are on their cell phones instead of watching).

 

[Tinami Amori]

What was Irina's skating club in Russia?

She was part of "sports-school system" (club?) in Russian called ДЮСШ - Детско-Юношеская Спортивная Школа
Here is the english version, but i don't find it to be a good and full explanation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_school

Then when she became Master of Sports, she transferred to "one-level-up" system. СШОР - Sports School for Olympic Reserves (training school for Olympic hopefuls).

First rink/club where Irina/Gromova started was "Moskvitch" (Moscovite) Rink. Which is part of ДЮСШ and СШОР.
http://www.sport-moskvich.ru/sport-base/open-ice-ring/
Which rink/s she practiced at later years, i don't remember. I do remember that even elite skaters had to use several rinks where there was ice time for figure skating. during those years hockey was the "money maker" and it affected allocation of ice time at Moscow rinks. at least how i remember it..

 

[giselle23]

How do people like their hamburgers?

Ketchup, pickles and onion. No cheese. If it has cheese, it's a cheeseburger, not a hamburger.

 

[Tinami Amori]

How do people like their hamburgers?

In suite during day time, smartly dressed at night, with a house on Harvestehuder Weg, preferably close to Krugkoppelbrucke, vacation flat in Travemunde, and a membership in Bramfeld Squash club..
http://www.ryazan-v.ru/images/background/16213_1355842782.jpg

 

[Japanfan]

On the other hand, as a performer you want people to focus on what you're doing and not on their snacks.

Popcorn at the movies is a cherished and enduring tradition - though probably not in Russia.

How do people like their hamburgers?

Homemade and grilled, with green salsa, on a whole wheat bun.

No fast food or arena burgers for me. Irina might approve.

 

[Lizziebeth]

I have only one place I go to for a burger and it must be a cheeseburger with just pickles

 

[UGG]

She sounds so bitter for a 2x World Champ and 2x Olympic Medalist. She skated like crap in 2002 and 2006. I think MK, Sasha, and Irina could all have been placed anywhere between 2-4. No one was a clear 2nd 3rd and 4th place n the LP.

 

[MacMadame]

I don't think she sounds bitter at all. I read these comments and I think "did we read the same article"?