Johnny Weir's site has a new Q&A up. As always, Johnny stays interesting. Here are some of the interesting excerpts:
Someone asked Weir about the edge deduction on his flip jump at worlds this year: A: It was a correct call. I, like many skaters, do a flip from an outside edge. It seems that many skaters do either a flip from an outside edge or a lutz from an inside edge and from what I’ve learned it has a lot to do with basic body construction. People with narrow hips have an easier time doing outside edges while people with wider hips find it easier to do an inside edge. Of course, basic jump technique can also play a major part in these deficiencies. It is hard for me to think of any skater who does both a correct lutz and flip. I am working on doing a proper flip, but after a certain amount of time skating, it is hard to fix something you’ve been doing wrong for ten years.
I never knew that information about how the body construction affects edges. It would be interesting to take a look at some of the skaters through history with different body types and see how they did their jumps. Interesting, that is, for someone with A LOT of time on their hands.
Q: Do you think the rivalry between Shawn Johnson and Liukin compares to the rivalry you have with Evan Lysacek? And do you consider yourself more Nastia and Evan more as a Shawn?
A: I definitely do! Before Olympics even started I was talking to Nastia about the whole rivalry thing and we were laughing at how similar our situations are! I can see Nastia and I as a team, the dramatic, elegant ones and Evan and Shawn more as the P.C., consistent, fireworks ones. I am so happy Nastia won the all-around! She was perfection.
I have to disagree with the rivalry comparison because I don't recall anything that Nastia has ever said that was un-PC, especially about Shawn and the rivalry. I mean, her agent is out in the news everyday courting endorsements! Both Johnson and Liukin are extremely PC and, despite the style comparisons of Liukin and Weir being grace and Johnson and Lysacek being fireworks, the girls actually seem to be quite good friends (which is admittedly not the case with Lysacek and Weir, which makes Weir's interviews actually interesting) and have never said anything too catty about each other. At least not yet!
And here is a lovely answer to a question about a young person who is gay but unsure how loved ones will take the news:
A: Thank you. Perhaps I am naïve but I think that everyone is equal. I believe that there should be no standard set forth by anyone. If you are gay, you’re gay, you don’t need to justify it, much like an Asian person doesn’t need to justify being Asian, they just are. To me, people who can’t "take the news" are people you don’t need around you, regardless of your way of life. In my opinion, be the best person you can be in whatever you believe is your way and screw anyone that tries to take your chance at happiness away. Life is way to short to be hung up about what other’s think. There is so much discrimination in this world, white versus black and vise versa, America versus the Middle East, gay men versus gay women, the Taliban versus America, North Koreans versus South Koreans and so on that I tend to believe people stop living their lives and start living for a cause. I live for me and no one else. Maybe that is shallow or not right to some people, but I find it works for me. Be comfortable in your own skin, and be happy with who you are.
The rest of the answers are just as good so be sure to check it out.