Broadcasting career of Johnny Weir

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Johnny Weir, in 2020

The broadcasting career of American figure skater Johnny Weir began in October 2013, after he retired from figure skating competition and joined NBC as a figure skating analyst at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He is a two-time Olympian (2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics), the 2008 World bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2001 World Junior Champion, and a three-time U.S. National champion (2004–2006).

Weir was teamed up with sports commentator Terry Gannon and fellow figure skater, Olympic gold medalist, and good friend Tara Lipinski; their instant comedic chemistry and harmony was a success and they have worked together ever since.They hosted the closing ceremonies in Pyeongchang, as well as for the 2020 Summer Olympics and for the 2022 Winter Olympics. They also commentated for the 2018 Winter Olympics, as well as for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Weir's commentating style was met with fixed responses from figure skating fans and skaters. Weir named fellow figure skater and commentator Dick Button as an influence on his commentating style

Weir and Lipinski were fashion analysts and correspondents for the Oscars, dog shows, the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl, and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Weir and Lipinski appeared on reality shows together and separately. He also appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2020.

Broadcasting career[edit]

Johnny Weir began his broadcasting career In October 2013, after he retired from figure skating competition and joined NBC as a figure skating analyst at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[1] NBC teamed Weir up with sports commentator Terry Gannon and fellow figure skater, Olympic gold medalist, and good friend Tara Lipinski, as the network's second team of figure skating commentators for their daily live broadcasts.[2][3][4] Weir worked with Gannon during the men's events, and Lipinski worked with Gannon during the women's events.[3] After realizing they worked well together and after recognizing their "instant chemistry",[4] they pitched the idea of the three working together to NBC; Lipinski stated that it "was sort of meant to be".[5] According to sports writer Tom Weir, Weir, Lipinski, and Gannon "had instant comedic harmony, with their casual chatter and humorous asides playing amazingly well against the staunch and exacting backdrop of figure skating".[4] Tom Weir also reported that the trio had generated the 10 best weekday daytime audiences in NBC's history.[4]

Weir's good friend and fellow commentator Tara Lipinski, 2014

In Sochi, Weir chose not to support calls for boycotting the Olympics in protest of Russia's anti-gay laws, and was criticized by both anti-gay and LGBTQ activists for his position.[6] He appeared in the 2014 EPIX documentary To Russia with Love, which was about gay athletes in Russia and the U.S. The film, produced by Robert Redford and Sundance Productions, was filmed secretly during the Sochi Olympics and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.[7][8] Weir later told USA Today that his period commentating in Sochi was a "horrible time" of his life; he was going through "a really nasty divorce"[3] from his husband Victor Voronov, with Voronov submitting a defamation suit against Weir and much of their disputes being reported in the New York tabloids and TMZ. Weir depended on Lipinski for support in Sochi, which helped them bond.[9] He said that she "helped push me through work. Somehow, at the same time my life was falling apart, we were crushing it at work, and we were winning hearts across America".[3]

Weir, Lipinski, and Gannon were promoted to NBC's primary figure skating commentators, replacing Scott Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, and Tom Hammond.[2][10] Weir, along with Lipinski and Gannon, was an analyst at the 2018 Winter Olympics.[11] Lipinski, Weir, and Gannon hosted the closing ceremonies in Pyeongchang, as well as for the 2020 Summer Olympics and for the 2022 Winter Olympics.[12][13] They covered the 2022 Winter Olympics, this time remotely from the NBC studies in Stamford, Connecticut, where they had covered events for many years, due to the rise of COVID-19 cases internationally and China's strict COVID-19 protocols, which NBC stated made it "too challenging" to send broadcast teams to Beijing in person.[14]

Both Weir and Lipinski told GQ that they would bring dozens of suitcases to the competitions they announced, and would do their best to wear matching clothes and never the same outfit twice. By the 2018 Olympics, they brought every item of clothing they owned and would "sort it out" at the event. They also reported that they assisted Gannon with his on-air fashion choices.[3]

Weir and Lipinski were hired by NBC's Access Hollywood in 2014, to analyze fashion during the red carpet at the Oscars.[15] He served as a correspondent, with Lipinski, at the Beverly Hills Dog Show in 2017[16] and at the National Dog Show in 2015–2019.[17][18][19][20][21] (In 2016, Weir owned a Japanese Chin named Tema.)[18] Weir and Lipinski worked the Kentucky Derby in 2014–2018 (as "fashion and lifestyle experts"[22] in 2016 and focusing on "lifestyle and celebrity content"[23] in 2018). and were event reporters for the Super Bowl pre-game show in 2015 and 2017.[24][25] They were named "culture correspondents"[26] for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[22] Weir, a self-professed fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, which he said had inspired him as a figure skater and that he had used its music in his programs, hosted and commentated the 2022 Eurovision semi-finals and finals for the streaming service Peacock in the U.S.[27] He is set to do the same for the 2023 contest.[28]

In 2018, the Washington Post reported that viewers' responses to Lipinski and Weir were mixed; some considered them "Olympic darlings–a one-stop shop for knowledge, sass and brass", while others found them "mean, obnoxious, and distracting".[12] Scott Hamilton, who was replaced at NBC by Weir, Lipinski, and Gannon, called them a "phenomenon" and "such a breath of fresh air".[10] GQ called their commentating style "a Gladwell-ian ability to demystify figure skating for the uninitiated and an extreme candor for which they've caught some heat".[3] They tried to present figure skating in an accessible way to their viewers, keeping the more technical aspects of the sport to a minimum but emphasizing its "gossipy nuances".[4] When they were criticized at the 2018 Olympics for being overly harsh, Weir responded, "I'm a commentator, not a ‘complimentator'", and added, "I would never be able to do my job without telling the truth about every aspect of figure skating and the performances you'll see".[29]

Both Weir and Lipinski had "the good sense to stay silent when a skater is on an elegant and error-free roll" and Weir had "a gift for creating strong mental images with concise statements" while calling figure skating competitions.[4] Weir cited Olympic champion and long-time analyst Dick Button as an influence in his own broadcasting style, especially Button's brutal honesty. Button told Olympic reporters, when asked what he thought about Weir's commentating style, that he thought that Weir was "very bright" and did not "overstep his bounds".[4] Sports writer Bill Goodykoontz calls Weir and Lipinkski's enthusiasm for figure skating their "calling card".[30] Although Goodykoontz states that Lipinski and Weir "never stop talking",[31] they were uncharacteristically quiet while calling the short program of Kamila Valieva from the Russian Olympic Committee, who was allowed to compete despite failing a drug test prior to the 2022 Olympics. They chose to simply announce Valieva's jumps and to express their opinions that she should not have been allowed to compete afterwards.[31] Weir later said it was "the hardest event I’ve ever had to cover".[31]

Other televised works[edit]

In 2018 and 2019, Weir and Lipinski hosted and appeared in a few shows on Food Network, including two seasons of Wedding Cake Challenge. In 2019, he and his brother Brian "Boz" Weir competed for charity on the Fox network reality show MasterChef.[32][33] Also in 2019, Weir competed in the second season of The Masked Singer as "Egg". He was eliminated in the first week.[34] In 2022 and 2023, he served as the U.S. commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest, which was broadcast on Peacock in the U.S.[35][36] In 2023, Weir and Lipinski appeared on the reboot version of Night Court, playing scripted versions of themselves and their friendship.[37][38]

Dancing with the Stars[edit]

Main article: Dancing with the Stars (American season 29)

Weir was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars for the 29th season, which premiered on September 14, 2020. His partner was first-time pro dancer Britt Stewart, the first Black female pro dancer on the show.[39][40] They made it to the semi-finals and were the tenth couple to be eliminated.[41]

Johnny Weir - Dancing with the Stars (season 29)
Week Dance Music Judges' scores[a] Total score Result
1 Cha-cha-cha "Buttons" — The Pussycat Dolls 6 6 6 18 Safe
2 Tango "Poker Face" — Lady Gaga 6 6 6 18 Safe
3 Rumba "Reflection" — Christina Aguilera 8 8 8 24 Safe
4 Jive "Crocodile Rock" — Elton John 9 9 8 26 Safe
5 Contemporary "Total Eclipse of the Heart" — Bonnie Tyler 10 9 10 29 Safe
6 Salsa "On the Floor" — Jennifer Lopez, featuring Pitbull 7 7 8 22 Bottom two
7 Viennese waltz "Creep" — Vincint 9 9 9 27 Safe
8 Foxtrot "Wonder" — Shawn Mendes 9 9 9 27 Safe
Viennese waltz
Relay 		"I Have Nothing" — Whitney Houston – 3[b]
9 Quickstep "Valerie" — Amy Winehouse, featuring Mark Ronson 10 10 10 30 Bottom two
Jive
(Dance-off) 		"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" — Wham! Loser[c]
10 Salsa "X" — Jonas Brothers & Karol G 9 9 9 27 Eliminated
Jazz "I Lived" — OneRepublic 10 10 10 30
  1. ^ Individual judges' scores are listed in the following order: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli.
  2. ^ Weir received three bonus points for this dance relay.
  3. ^ Weir lost this dance-off to AJ McLean and received no bonus points.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Stump, Scott (October 23, 2013). "Johnny Weir Retires, Joins NBC Olympics as Figure Skating Analyst". Today.com. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Hersh, Philip (September 19, 2014). "Lipinski, Weir Promoted to No. 1 NBC Skating Broadcast Team". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Skipper, Clay (February 12, 2018). "How Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski Became the Most Iconic Duo in Figure Skating". GQ Magazine. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Weir, Tom (February 10, 2018). "Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Are Ready to Rule the Winter Olympics Again". Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  5. ^ Calfas, Jennifer (February 22, 2018). "Inside Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir's Rise From Olympic Figure Skaters to Beloved Commentators". Time. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Plaschke, Bill (February 18, 2014). "Sochi Olympics: Johnny Weir is Just Being His Out, Open Self". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  7. ^ King, Randall (June 22, 2015). "Filmmaker Went Underground in Putin's Russia to Profile LGBT Athletes During Olympics". Winnepeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "GLAAD Media Awards Nominees Unveiled". Deadline. January 21, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  9. ^ Rogers, Martin (February 15, 2018). "Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir Have Chemistry, Frank Analysis That Elevates NBC Coverage". USA Today. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Macur, Juliet (February 18, 2018). "Scott Hamilton Was Demoted as an Olympic Broadcaster. Don't Feel Sorry for Him". The New York Times. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  11. ^ Drysdale, Jennifer (November 2, 2018). "Tara Lipinski on Pair Skating With Jim Carrey & Playing a 'Warped' Version of Herself on 'Kidding' (Exclusive)". ET online.com. Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Root, Tik (February 22, 2018). "The Internet Still Can't Make up Its Mind about Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "How to Watch the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony on Sunday". 9News.com. Denver, Colorado. February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  14. ^ Cuevas, Jailene (February 19, 2022). "Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Cover Winter Olympics in Stamford". Stamford Advocate. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  15. ^ Kaufman, Amy (February 25, 2014). "How Billy Bush Got Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir an Oscars Gig". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  16. ^ Hendricks, Maggie (April 10, 2017). "Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are Doing Red Carpet for a Dog Show Because 'We Love Dogs!'". USA Today. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  17. ^ "Johnny Weir, BTS at National Dog Show". News-Press. Fort Myers, Florida. November 14, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ a b "Johnny & Tara Agree: Their Dogs Are the Best". NBC Philadelphia. November 11, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  19. ^ "A Thanksgiving Dog Spectacular". Daily Astorian. Astoria, Oregon. November 22, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  20. ^ "2018 National Dog Show Features 2 New Breeds". NBC15 News. Madison, Wisconsin. November 21, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  21. ^ Abdy, Gina (November 26, 2019). "O'Hurley Relishes Annual Thanksgiving Dog Show's Popularity". AP News. Associated Press. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Wilder, Charlotte (May 3, 2016). "Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are Bringing 7 Suitcases to the Kentucky Derby". USA Today. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  23. ^ Adams, Kirby (May 3, 2018). "Here's What Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Wore to Kentucky Derby 2018". Courier Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  24. ^ "Johnny Weir: Figure Skating Analyst". NBC Sports Pressbox. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  25. ^ Zaccardi, Nick (January 22, 2015). "Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir Join NBC's Super Bowl Team". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  26. ^ Minutaglio, Rose (May 2, 2016). "Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski Will Be Olympic Commentators, Promise an 'Inside Look' at the Games and 'Some Half-Naked Athletes'". People. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  27. ^ France, Lisa Respers (May 10, 2022). "Johnny Weir is a Eurovision Superfan and It's Paying Off". CNN. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  28. ^ Forristal, Lauren (2023-02-09). "Peacock lets subscribers watch live episodes with their favorite stars in real time". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  29. ^ Pearl, Diana (February 14, 2018). "Inside Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir's Unprecedented (and Very Sparkly) Olympics Commentary". People. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  30. ^ Goodykoontz, Bill (February 16, 2022). "Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Kept Quiet During Kamila Valieva's Skate. It Was Powerful TV". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  31. ^ a b c Goodykoontz, Bill (February 16, 2022). "Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir Kept Quiet During Kamila Valieva's Skate. It Was Powerful TV". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  32. ^ Wright, Mary Ellen (May 13, 2019). "Johnny Weir's Food Network Wedding Cake Baking Show Begins Season 2". Lancaster Online. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  33. ^ Schmitt, Brad (January 4, 2022). "If You Want to Meet Tara Lipinski in Nashville, Hang Out at One of Maneet Chauhan's Restaurants". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  34. ^ Yang, Rachel (September 25, 2019). "Egg and Ice Cream Revealed! The Masked Singer Uncovers 2 Disguised Celebrity Contestants". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  35. ^ Complex, Valerie (May 10, 2022). "Johnny Weir To Host Peacock's Coverage Of Eurovision – How To Watch 2022 Song Contest Live In The U.S." Deadline. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  36. ^ Wright, Mary Ellen (May 2, 2023). "Johnny Weir to Host U.S. Coverage of Eurovision Song Contest; Americans Can Vote This Year". Lancaster Online. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  37. ^ Hailu, Selome (January 15, 2023). "'Night Court' Revival Sets Guest Stars Including Pete Holmes, Melissa Villaseñor, Wendie Malick". Variety. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  38. ^ Hurley, Laura (February 21, 2023). "Night Court: Figure Skating Icons Tara Lipinski And Johnny Weir Reveal Cast And Crew Reactions To Their Guest Roles, Despite Feeling Nervous". Cinema Blend. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  39. ^ Alexander, Bryan (September 14, 2020). "'Dancing With the Stars': Carole Baskin Claws out a Paso Doble in First Dance, Earns Lowly 3 Score". USA Today. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  40. ^ Davies, Janet; Jordan, Marsha (November 2, 2020). "Britt Stewart Talks about Being 1st Black Female Pro on 'DWTS'". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  41. ^ Wright, Mary Ellen (November 17, 2020). "Johnny Weir eliminated from 'Dancing With the Stars,' despite perfect score on jazz routine". Lancaster Online. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
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