After each Winter Olympics, American athletes typically get two weeks of residual attention before they disappear back into obscurity. That is not the case for Johnny Weir, the flashy figure skater from Coatesville, Penn., whose star has only grown brighter since the games ended on Sunday. Weir's docuseries, Be Good Johnny Weir is just over halfway through its first season on the Sundance Channel, and the skater, whose disappointing sixth place finish last week was largely believed to be political, is busy planning his future in skating, fashion and television.
Moveline caught up with the Olympian after a whirlwind day of press to discuss his experience with reality television, his friendship with Lady Gaga and the one clichéd performance that he still wants to try.
Congratulations on your performances in Vancouver. You've been doing so much publicity since Sunday. Does this even feel like a break from the Olympic schedule?
Absolutely not. I've been up and running since 5:30 this morning. I went to bed last night at 4 in the morning. I got up and went right to Regis & Kelly this morning, and I've been running around New York all day today. I think when we get to the beginning of summer though, I will have some time to myself.
I can't believe that Larry King asked you about your fierceness. How did you keep yourself from cracking up?
[Laughs] I did crack up! I mean Larry King, the cutest little old man there is, saying "fierce."
You kept it under control though.
Oh yeah. I mean, nothing shocks me anymore. I've embraced men in thongs, I've embraced women with padded bras. I mean, I can embrace Larry King saying "fierce."
Regarding Be Good Johnny Weir, you've talked about how you want your audience to see how lonely the life of an athlete is. But did making the show -- and having cameras around you all day long -- make the experience any less lonely?
No, because when you're in front of a camera, no matter how comfortable you are, you're always working and you're always "on." It's work. It's not like I'm relaxing in front of the camera really. The life of an athlete does have to be lonely and you have to be focused on your craft and what you do. Loneliness is just a sacrifice you make as an Olympic-level athlete.
Did you like the experience of filming the show overall? Would you do another season?
Well, we're actually talking now about perhaps doing a second season about how I transition into more of a normal lifestyle that isn't leading into the Olympic games that year. If I'm skating, if I'm performing in shows, if I'm competing again -- everything is kind of up in the air right now, but I definitely would be involved again. I think it is important for young people to see other young people on television doing something positive with their life, making positive changes and growing. I don't think there is enough of that on TV. I mean, we've got Jersey Shore, and I don't know what that teaches young kids. I've never watched an episode but I've heard it's uh, quite a show. There are just a lot of things like that on television that are not necessarily empowering to young people, and I want my show to be that kind of beacon for them.
Speaking of shows that may not necessarily be empowering to young people, can we talk about your rival Evan Lysacek's decision to be on Dancing with the Stars?
Well, I did hear about this a few days before it was actually announced, and of course I went out last year and had a meeting with producers because Dancing with the Stars was putting feelers out about who would be interested and who the audience would want to see. And you could tell, from every poll on the Internet, that I would win by a landslide in the surveys that were "Which Olympic athlete would you like to see on Dancing with the Stars?" So I feel very supported by that but to be on a major network television program and to be an athlete, you kind of need to be an Olympic champion and [ABC] got that with Evan. I wish them all the best of luck with that.
What will that mean for competition? Do you know if he is missing the Championships in Torino?
From what I understand, he won't be competing in the World Championships, which is smart. If I were the Olympic champion, I don't think I would either.
Throughout the Olympics, commentators constantly distinguished you as "the artist" and Lysacek as "the athlete." Are you bothered by that at all?
I definitely feel like I'm more of an artist than an athlete. but I'm good at both. If you look at my program, I did exactly the same jumps as Evan Lysacek did and exactly the same elements basically. The only thing that really separated me from him was politics. He was the reigning world champion. I was left off the world team last year by my federation, and figure skating is definitely a political sport. You have to play by the rules, and I'm not one to play by rules, so you know. He has a gold medal around his neck now and I don't. It doesn't mean I'm not good, it just means that maybe I didn't play the game right.
You have a tremendous fan base in America but you are also a self-proclaimed Russophile. Do you feel like your fans in Russia are any more supportive of you than the Americans?
Well, my fans -- I always feel like such an idiot when I say "my fans" because I think it sounds very cocky -- but the group of people that embrace and support me no matter what are from all over the world and they're all equally supportive and loving of me. They always inspire me to do something great and I try extra-hard to do well for them -- and for my family and myself and my coaches, obviously -- but in Russia, my fans are really incredible. They make me feel right at home and for me, Russia is a second home. I have no shame for my love of Russia, as many people wish I had.
After you placed sixth in Vancouver, you told a journalist that the audience reaction to your performance was actually your gold medal. I loved that quote.
It's true. I mean, everyone stood at the end of both of my programs at the Olympic games. Everyone booed my scores. Everyone was behind me. Everyone went on that journey with me. Everyone could feel me. And you can feel that when you're performing for an audience -- if they are loving it or hating it. I felt so much love in that building that night and that is something I will never forget. It still gives me chills. That's not something you can win or lose though; that is something that is earned.
You created your long program "Fallen Angel" as a reflection of your feelings after your performance in Torino. If you were to create a program to reflect your feelings after your performance in Vancouver, what do you think you would call it?
I think "Fallen Angel" is pretty much my life, in every aspect of my story and how hard I've had to fight for things and how easily I can fall from grace. I think that is just the perfect way to describe my entire career in figure skating and in many ways, my life. If I had to do something after the Vancouver games, I'd probably say something like "Defiance" or "Defiant Angel" maybe. [Laughs]
I like that.
I am so unbelievably proud of what I was able to do and accomplish. I'm so proud of my fans for sticking with me for so long and my family and I am so proud and defiant against anybody who will try to cut me down for silly reasons, such as a gender test or a fur costume or anything like that. I'll fight anybody.
As an Olympic athlete, you obviously get certain advantages that other levels of athletes don't get but now that you're becoming a celebrity too, what added perks are you now discovering?
Oh, absolutely. I'm getting so much more support from not just the fans of figure skating but celebrities and people in the celebrity world have been amazing. I mean, I just sat today with Joy Behar and [member of the Real Housewives of New York City cast] Jill Zarin and Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin. They all know who I am, they all support me. They all say, "Johnny, you were robbed!", and that is an amazing thing. I'm going out to the Independent Spirit Awards this week -- as well as the Oscars -- and Rachel Zoe is going to help dress me. I'm getting all kinds of crazy things and perks.
Most winter Olympic athletes disappear after a few weeks of press following the games. You have your show on the Sundance Channel and I know that you are contemplating fashion design. How else do you plan to build the Johnny Weir empire?
I definitely want to keep skating and performing, and that is something that I'll never want to give up because I love it so much. If I want to compete, and I have the power and the strength, I will keep on competing. I'm definitely not ruling that out. But I want to further my education, and I've love to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and learn the basics of fashion and design. I'd like to really build my business and really conquer the world of fashion.
[Olympic gold-medalist skier] Lindsey Vonn just announced that she will guest-star on an episode of Law & Order. Would you consider acting?
I feel like it is very clichéd for Olympic athletes to go into acting because they think they can, but I legitimately think that I could act if the right part came along. I have had some offers and it's just something that if I feel is right, I will do. But I don't think I have any distinct future in acting. I'd like to try it once or twice but in general, I think fashion is the way for me to go.
From watching your show, I know that you have a tight inner circle -- with your mom, your coach, your publicist, your friends -- and they are all giving you different advice and feedback. How do you deal with all of these different voices around you?
I like to consider myself a somewhat clever person so I definitely know what will work best for me and what is the smartest decision for me. Even if not everyone agrees, I like to have opinions from my team but in the end, everything is decided by me. I am very good at micromanaging and every part of my life is decided by me. I've never wanted to be in a situation where someone else is in control of my destiny.
I read in your Vanity Fair article that you are friends with Lady Gaga. What did she have to say about your performance at the Olympics?
Well, I keep in touch mostly with her mom through my agent because Gaga is so busy and I'm so busy. It's very hard to keep in touch all the time but I was getting messages of good luck and love and support. You know, I respect and am so inspired by what she does. She has, of course, seen me skate and loves what she sees. She loves when I skate to "Poker Face" and things like that. One thing that I was really disappointed with was that I told Gaga that if I did well at the Olympics, I would be able to perform at the exhibition and I would perform to one of her songs.
She said, "Oh my god, I would definitely fly out to the Olympics and I will cry if you skate to my song in the exhibition." So I was really disappointed that I didn't get to do that but again, it's really political. I was in sixth place; you need to be in the top five to skate exhibition. They needed to have a Canadian in the exhibition, so the Canadian was bumped ahead of me. That is stuff that I cannot control. But Lady Gaga is a huge inspiration to me, and her support means so much.
It wasn't ideal or even fair, but you will continue to be a great example of perseverance for your fans.
Well, I'm at the point in my career where I do really take the ice every time I perform for my fans. The support that they have given me over the years has kept me skating, kept me inspired and pushed me to be the best that I can be for them and for everybody that is right there with me when I compete.