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Johnny Weir kisses and makes up with Eddie

Update: Johnny Weir has proven to be a good sport over Nine's controversy. He will be interviewed by Eddie McGuire on Sunday night.

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Flamboyant US skater Johnny Weir has proven a good sport over comments made by Eddie McGuire during Channel Nine’s Winter Olympics coverage.

The skater, who finished fifth in the Men’s Figure Skating event seemed to shrug off any controversy, by blowing Eddie McGuire a kiss and saying, “Goodnight Eddie I love you. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi!”

Last night in the highights show Vancouver Gold, Eddie McGuire referred to the controversy that had been triggered by his banter with Mick Molloy.

Although the network has yet to make any statement on the media storm, McGuire sought to put some context on the enigma that is Weir.

As noted here yesterday, Weir is an extrovert performer, frequently attracting attention for his appearance, personality, and yes even his athletic skill.

McGuire, chatting with Leila McKinnon, was in a less derisive mood than he had been with Mick Molloy and careful to compliment Weir’s distinctive act.

“The best way to describe him is he’s the Lady Gaga of Figure Skating. He’s a showman. He really plays up his sexuality, his outrageousness, he’s very entertaining,” said McKinnon.

McGuire added, “He won’t come out and say whether he’s gay or straight or anything like that, but even beforehand he threatened to wear  fur as his outfit, fox fur and of course the PETA group came out. He had death threats, he’s actually had to go into the village-”

“And in the village, he’s living with one of the women and he’s gone out and bought pink bathmats and candles. He said, ‘I definitely couldn’t room with one of the boys,'” said McKinnon.

“He’s winding everybody up and I suppose that’s where we might have tumbled in the other night by not explaining it properly back home,” admitted McGuire. “But he is the talk of the town and as I was saying there is a real rift between those saying the athleticism is going out of the figure skating, there’s too much show business, but Johnny’s got other things on his mind too because he might well be going for gold, but he’s looking to put a bit in the ‘skyrocket’ as well.”

Nine then played a clip from Weir’s own series Be Good Johnny Weir from the Sundance Channel.

McGuire also held up a full page ad for the series from US Magazine, with the words: ‘Bad has never been so good for skating’s favourite drama queen.’

“But the thing is he can skate,” added McGuire.

Mick Molloy had already left Vancouver to fulfill previous commitments in Australia and was clearly unable to participate in a discussion. Nine had been adamant it wasn’t about to apologise for a story it felt was generated by media and not by viewers. It addressed the issue on air instead.

Foxtel also got caught up in the controversy when it issued a Press Release that accused Nine of being homophobic. CEO Kim Williams apologised to Nine CEO David Gyngell yesterday afternoon, acknowledging the contents of the document were “disgusting.”

Meanwhile, Nine was sure to cover all bases, as Giaan Rooney interviewed Johnny Weir after he finished his event. Weir told Rooney even though he wasn’t the most decorated skater he was thrilled audiences had joined him on his journey. He even spoke about wanting to visit Australia, wearing speedos and swimming for great white sharks.

Surely Nine could oblige before Seven gets the idea to sign him for Dancing with the Stars?

UPDATE: Johnny Weir will be interviewed by Eddie McGuire tonight (Sunday) on Vancouver Gold.

26 Responses

  2. I was watching yesterday morning and the panel (not Eddie) were making remarks about the mens double luge (where one man is on top and the other on bottom). They went on to say what a pity it was that the women did not compete in this sport!!

    I felt quite sick after watching these morons with their ‘professional’ commentary. I will say congrats to Grant Hackett though as he looked like he was desperately trying to stay out of the conversation – he slid so far up the desk I thought he was going to fall off it!

  3. @John.

    and the more us gays make a big deal over gay jokes, means that we isolate ourselves from acceptance, because the ability to laugh at yourself, is more powerful than being feared

  5. Re: Antelope68

    It’s not about the content of the comments it’s about the nature.

    They were ridiculing them for their homosexuality. When I was in the closet and I know for other guys comments like this makes you feel lesser and therefore more unwilling to accept themselves for who they are.

  6. Re: bigkev

    I’m gay too, also young. Came out just over a year ago and know several young guys too afraid of their family and friends opinions.

    Comments like the ones Eddie made are what keep these boys afraid and depressed. Eddie’s comments were made during Olympic coverage, not while he was watching TV with his equally comedicially retarded friends.

    There isn’t a drama, there’s an issue. He was extremely unprofessional and innappropriate.

  9. By gosh, isn’t this making a mountain out of a molehill? How does anyone know for a fact that Eddie & Mick Molloy meant to offend or degrade? Perhaps these conmments were their way of conveying that they are cool with someone’s gayness. Only delivered in a blokey kind of way. As that’s what they are – blokey blokes. The comments didn’t seem that disparaging to me.

  10. Funny how some people still think homophobia is an acceptable prejudice and that gay people should just put up with whatever garbage is thrown at them.

    If Eddie and Mick had been making racist comments about one of the skaters I doubt anyone would be dismissing the whole thing as “gossip” or just people with an “axe to grind”.

    Good on you David for your coverage and good on Johnny Weir for being a gentleman about the whole thing. I dont know that I wouldve been so gracious!

  11. People on this site need to chill out. It’s been said before and it will be said again, if you don’t like the articles on this blog, create your own. Simple as that.

    Keep up the good work David.

  12. Eddie again proves to me why l dislike him on tv,his comments about johnny were rude and typical of a straight guy.His comments prove again why gay men in aussie rules football have to stay in closet,and yes Eddie a gay men can play football lol.David ur report was not gossip you were reporting the facts of the story as u always do……….keep up the good work have always loved this site because l know what lam reading is facts and not media gossip.

  14. @ David….your article yesterday was more a commentary than reporting.

    @ t.v. watcher Totally agree, used to look forward to looking at this site for its views, seems that alot of people have axes to grind.

    1. Steve: Commentary, sure. There’s been a mix of commentary and news for the three years I have been running the site. I am a Media Commentator. This week I wrote an entire editorial on asking why the government didn’t set future targets for local content on digital channels. That’s now been picked up and attributed by The Australian. But I would like to think I leave gossip to other print media. There was no gossip in the Weir / McGuire story.

  16. Has this become a gossip site now? If not it sure seems to be heading that way. Hopefully we can return to reviews, interviews and factual reporting at some point in the future. Not mindless gossip, there are enough of those blogs out there, don’t let this fall into becoming one.

  18. Too late, Eddie. You revealed your true colours with those comments in an unguarded moment. You can back-peddle all you like but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re just like many of the other homophobic boofheads down at the footy club.

    Does this mean the sport/variety programme is now canned?

  23. “CEO Kim Williams apologised to Nine CEO David Gyngell yesterday afternoon, acknowledging the contents of the document were “disgusting.””

    Wait, Nine makes homophobic remarks and Foxtel’s apologising for calling them on it? Seriously?

    Way to stand up for gay rights.

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