"Like anyone I'm afraid of being arrested but also I'm not afraid of being arrested... If it takes me getting arrested for people to pay attention and for people to lobby against this law then I'm willing to take it." — Bad-ass figure skater Johnny Weir on competing in the Sochi Olympics in anti-gay Russia
I'd like to see him in a gold medal showdown with a Drago-like Russian skater. Weir wins, but then it turns out that Drago is gay too, and they make out on the podium during the Russian national anthem. That is probably the only scenario in which I'll ever watch figure skating.
If Weir wins in this scenario, it'd be the US anthem playing, yes?
They are getting to know each other during the US anthem, but don't start necking until the silver medal presentation. Also, Edward Snowden is involved in some capacity but I'm not sure what.
I wonder if this fan fic exists somewhere on the internet, in full, drawn-out, and detailed form. Why wouldn't I be surprised...?
No, not the Star Spangled Banner. It would clearly be this-
I wonder why he thinks any Russians give a shit about an American figure skater. Like the protests in support of gay rights are suddenly going to swell up with Russians who just didn't know something bad was happening until Johnny Weir got arrested/not arrested at the Olympics.
Sure, they won't care. But Coca-Cola, Dow, GE, McDonalds, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, VISA, Volkswagen, Avaya, Yamaha, Microsoft, Scania, etc. will care when one of the biggest draws is suddenly jailed, or even the narrative hijacked, to how fucked these laws are.
Johnny Weir has a MASSIVE fanbase in Russia. He is obsessed with Russian culture, married a Russian man (I think he's Russian, anyway), and has even gone so far as to learn the language. If he got arrested, it would definitely hit the news there and would affect his fans greatly.
Do you really think so? Obviously, the law is fucked, no question there. But despite the fact that it has been made clear that visiting gay athletes might get arrested for doing things in defiance of that shitty law, there's been no real talk of boycott, and no stand taken by any sponsors. If Johnny Weir goes to the Olympics and gets arrested, isn't it a little late in the game at the point to pull your sponsorship? The Olympics are already in full swing at that point.
Plus, it's interesting that this is coming from him, considering he was against boycotting the games on the basis that athletes train hard for this shot, and they should get their chance, but he's willing to basically throw away that chance as long as it involves getting arrested. I think a nation boycotting makes a stronger statement than one figure skater being worried about getting arrested/not arrested.
I don't think he is talking about Russians lobbying against this law but people in other first world nations.
I would normally say "what a badass". But let's all not forget that this is the same guy who came out after Russians started imprisoning and beating their own citizens for being gay and said no one should boycott the Olympics because it would be "such a shame" if people didn't get to showcase talents they've been perfecting their whole lives.
Yeah, this is him trying to damage control after making self involved statements that backfired on him and enraged a large portion of the gay community.
Woooosh!
That is the sound of everything I thought I felt about this kid gone right out the window.
Bad-ass indeed.
