Johnny Weir on Dancing with the Stars

[Sylvia]

DWTS Season 29's premiere is on ABC live at 8 pm Eastern tonight, September 14, 2020, and here's the link to the OTBT thread for the show: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/dancing-with-the-stars-season-29.107543/

I thought I'd start a separate thread dedicated to Johnny's performances/links to videos, news, etc. for those who only want to watch and/or talk about him.

Johnny tweeted on Sept. 10 that his first dance "will be a Cha Cha performed to the ever titillating “Buttons” by @pussycatdolls" - you can scroll though his Twitter feed to see his excitement about being on the show : https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir

Here's how he was quoted in an Entertainment Weekly online article on Sept. 9:

"In my opinion, I'm one of the most humble people when it comes to anything outside of figure skating," he said. "I realize that this is not my profession; this is a sport and a technique that I've never studied or learned in my life. So I don't have big goals of grandeur for myself. I want to do a good job. I hope by the end of this I'm a good enough dancer to be considered a dancer. Definitely there are people that think that I have an advantage because I'm a figure skater, but this is like anything else. Like being a surgeon or an ear, nose, and throat doctor and then all of a sudden switching to being a dentist. It's a very different skill that I'm trying to learn and despite my predisposition for musicality and performance ability and being strong and elegant at the same time. I think that to judge me, before I even dance, as a favorite is a bit of a reach. I can't wait to see the other celebrities perform, I can't wait to see what I'm up against should I continue on in the competition for more than a week."

 

[Lemonade20]

I’m excited for Johnny!! He’s the only celebrity I will tune in to watch

 

[overedge]

In my opinion, I'm one of the most humble people when it comes to anything outside of figure skating.

This from a man whose own website bills him as a "fashion icon" and a "pop-culture icon".

 

[PRlady]

This from a man whose own website bills him as a "fashion icon" and a "pop-culture icon".

Well that's not exactly a "skill" one can learn in lessons. I'll grant it to Johnny anyway.

I haven't liked some of his commentary and sniping since he went to NBC but will root for him on DWTS. Skating uber alles.

 

[quartz]

I haven’t watched this show for a while, but will give it a try again even tho Johnny mostly drives me nuts. I find he tries way too-hard to be oh-so edgy and avant-garde and ends up coming across as affected. And oh-so annoying. But I do think he will do well on this show dance-wise, just not sure if he will appeal to non-skating fans personality-wise.

 

[Simone411]

I'm wishing Johnny the best. I just hope he doesn't have the same hair style when GMA revealed he would be competing last week. If he does, I'll think of Pebbles Flintstone all night while he's competing.

 

[kittyjake5]

I will be tuning in GO Johnny!

 

[MacMadame]

I'm wishing Johnny the best. I just hope he doesn't have the same hair style when GMA revealed he would be competing last week. If he does, I'll think of Pebbles Flintstone all night while he's competing.

You know he'll have a different hairstyle every week. Possibly even every day.

 

[overedge]

I'm wishing Johnny the best. I just hope he doesn't have the same hair style when GMA revealed he would be competing last week. If he does, I'll think of Pebbles Flintstone all night while he's competing.

If he makes it to Week 2, he can do his next dance to this:

Pebbles and Bamm Bamm - Let The Sunshine In

Hanna-Barbera Classic with one of the best messages within a song. This video clip is from The Flintstones Season 6. Episode 141 -Aired 09-17-1965 titled "No...

www.youtube.com

 

[Sylvia]

Here's the video of Johnny and new pro Britt Stewart dancing their Cha Cha in the DWTS 2020 premiere:

Johnny Weir’s Cha Cha – Dancing with the Stars

Johnny Weir and Britt Stewart dance the Cha Cha to “Buttons” by The Pussycat Dolls on Dancing with the Stars 2020 premiere!

www.youtube.com

Their social media hashtag is #TeamBrijo

He tweeted afterwards: https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/1305680582039318528

So much fun!!!! I’m sure you could tell I was nervous but so proud to be here and to have such a wonderful partner in @BrittBStewart! Thank you guys! I love you!

 

[nickp]

Johnny Weir deserved so much more than that score

 

[Simone411]

You know he'll have a different hairstyle every week. Possibly even every day.

You're so right! And he did have the "Pebbles Doo" when he arrived for his first practice and found out Britt was his partner! I nearly died!! All I could think about was "Look! There's Pebbles!"

I was so disappointed with their scores. Carrie Ann could have at least given Johnny and Britt a 7 or 8 even! They all should have given him at least a score of 7 because he was great! Instead, they scored 18 along with 4 other couples ... or was it 5 other couples?

 

[Prancer]

I wonder if they will take advantage of Johnny's (admittedly distant) pairs experience and do some interesting dance lifts.

 

[MacMadame]

I finally watched this and I didn't think Johnny was underscored. He had nice extensions and musicality but his dance didn't have the flavor of the dance and he was a bit nervous and stiff.

My favorites are AJ and Skia and the woman from ODAAT.

 

[Prancer]

I thought he was very careful, which surprised me. I expected Johnny to be kind of loose and loving it. But it's early yet.

 

[Sylvia]

By Nick McCarvel:

Figure skater Johnny Weir makes 'Dancing With the Stars' debut

Olympic figure skaters have a long history on U.S. TV show 'Dancing With the Stars.' Can Johnny Weir live up to expectations? 'I feel pressure.'

www.olympicchannel.com

Excerpts:

So when he got a call in late August to be a part of the new season of the American TV dance competition Dancing with the Stars, he was in Los Angeles within a week.
“It happened very quickly, but I am so honoured to be a part of such a beloved show and honestly, whether I win or lose, my goal is to make just one person at home laugh, or smile or be inspired,” Weir told Olympic Channel in an exclusive interview.
“The world is so ugly right now that I hope my time on DWTS can make people forget their problems and be happy.”

“I’m very much a lone wolf when it comes to asking for advice from other people as everyone has a different journey, but Meryl Davis did reach out and told me to enjoy the process and not to focus on being perfect,” shared Weir. “Figure skaters are all perfectionists I’d say, so that was definitely good advice. Skaters have done so well on the show that I feel a lot of pressure to protect the sport’s legacy.”

 

[just tuned in]

I thought he was very careful, which surprised me. I expected Johnny to be kind of loose and loving it. But it's early yet.

Johnny seemed very appreciative grateful for the opportunity. One of the judges said something like, "It is about time you were here," and Johnny nodded agreement and said "Thank you." Adam Rippon and changing times have paved the way for flamboyant gay men to be on DWTS, and finally, Johnny gets his turn. I thought the 6,6,6 were too low compared to Kaitlyn Bristowe's 7,7,6, but we'll see what the judges want to do with Johnny's arc.

 

[Sylvia]

Q&A with Johnny a few days after the first show: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2020/S...nny-Weir-On-Why-Its-Unfair-Hes-Favored-To-Win

Here's Britt & Johnny's Tango performance to "Poker Face" last night:

Johnny Weir’s Tango – Dancing with the Stars

Johnny Weir and Britt Stewart dance the Tango to “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga on Dancing with the Stars 2020! Subscribe: http://goo.gl/T7bg3N Watch Dancing with...

www.youtube.com

From the DWTS thread in OTBT:
Next week is Disney Week. Johnny & Britt are doing a rhumba to Reflection by Christina Aguilera from Mulan.

https://twitter.com/JohnnyGWeir/status/1308624375478771712?s=19

 

[Carolla5501]

I thought he was very careful, which surprised me. I expected Johnny to be kind of loose and loving it. But it's early yet.

Why? Think about his skating career. Kind of what I would have expected based on his competition history.

 

[skylark]

thank you, Sylvia for links to these two articles, which are both excellent. A thoughtful quote from Johnny below, which shows how far he's come. I didn't like him when he was competing, but I think he's a wonderful commentator.


I’m really sensitive to how people that I work with feel because with [NBC Sports broadcast partner — and fellow Olympian] Tara [Lipinski] it was eye opening to me. When you open yourself up to a partnership ¬— especially in entertainment — a woman is judged so much harsher than I would be.

Can you give an example?
The amount of pressure and the double standard between men and women in entertainment is so stark — and it’s so hurtful at times to see that not everyone is treated equally. I obviously am gay and a part of a certain community, but at the same time I am a white man. In some cases things that I wear, for example, aren’t criticized as harshly as Tara wearing a simple dress. If anybody needed to be told, Oh Johnny, don’t wear that padded trash bag coat on television, it should have been me. Not Tara for wearing red.

https://www.teamusa.org/News/2020/September/22/Dancing-With-The-Stars-Johnny-Weir-On-Why-Its-Unfair-Hes-Favored-To-Win

 

[Prancer]

Why? Think about his skating career. Kind of what I would have expected based on his competition history.

I guess I expected more exhibition Johnny and less competition Johnny.

But speaking of how humans don't really change, Johnny is not happy with the judging.

 

[MacMadame]

I guess he never watches the show. They always grade on a curve.

 

[Prancer]

I wonder if he's comparing his scores to past skater competitiors.

I haven't seen all of them, but it seems to me his scores so far are kind of low, relatively speaking.

 

[MacMadame]

I wonder if he's comparing his scores to past skater competitiors.

I haven't seen all of them, but it seems to me his scores so far are kind of low, relatively speaking.

I agree. But also those other skaters came out guns blazing.

He needs to stop being competition Johnny and be commentator Johnny.

 

[vgerdes]

He needs to stop being competition Johnny and be commentator Johnny.

I also don't see much chemistry between him and his pro partner. That doesn't help. I do think one of the reasons why Adam was so unstoppable during his season was because he and Jenna had such intense chemistry (not the romantic kind, of course). They just created magic on stage. So did Meryl and Maks. I'm a bit disappointed in Johnny's performances thus far, tbh.

 

[Simone411]

I also don't see much chemistry between him and his pro partner. That doesn't help. I do think one of the reasons why Adam was so unstoppable during his season was because he and Jenna had such intense chemistry (not the romantic kind, of course). They just created magic on stage. So did Meryl and Maks. I'm a bit disappointed in Johnny's performances thus far, tbh.

So did Anna and Evan. I watched them from day one, and they got better each week as it progressed.

Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya - Tango

 

[MacMadame]

I also don't see much chemistry between him and his pro partner.

This is probably because he's not relaxed though.

 

[skylark]

So did Anna and Evan. I watched them from day one, and they got better each week as it progressed.

Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya - Tango

thanks for posting this link! Like you, I watched them from day one and loved their progress. I was already an Evan fan and then really loved and admired Anna. I wish she was still on the show. As I watched their tango just now, it occurred to me that if Johnny were competing against Evan on DWTS, it might bring out some fire in him. But for Evan's sake, I'm glad it didn't happen.

 

[Sylvia]

By Lois Elfman:

Weir and Stewart head into Week 3 ready to rumba | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

 

[vgerdes]

This is probably because he's not relaxed though.

I agree. It just surprised me that he would be so tense, I guess. And yes, Simone411, Evan and Anna were awesome. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed them.