Whether witty or wise, controversial or charming, shocking or silly, sweet or sassy, provocative or profound, inspiring or infuriating--or any combination of those--Johnny Weir, the three-time U.S. Champion, two-time Olympian, and World medalist figure skater, almost always says something worth quoting whenever he commentates a skating competition, makes a TV appearance, gives an interview, holds a press conference, writes, tweets, or is caught on video. His quotes needed to be collected and shared; hence this blog.
--NBC, Skating Spectacular, U. S. Nationals, January 28, 2024
(on the unusual spins at the end of the skating program of pair skaters Isabelle Martins and Ryan Bedard)
Saturday, February 10, 2024
I have seen public skaters with more emotion and performance ability. There's no connection at all to her music. You could put anything on--it could be a hoedown or a polka--and she would probably still perform the exact same way as she is with this piece.
--E! channel, women's free dance, Four Continents Championships, February 2, 2024
(on South Korean skater Seoyeong Wi's free skate)
Friday, February 2, 2024
The music reminds me of something you might hear in a gift shop at some kind of cabin resort. --NBC, free dance, U.S. Nationals, January 27, 2024
(on music chosen by U. S. dance team Caroline Green and Michael Parsons)
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
So next time you're watching a performance, just think about the fact that this skinny tiny little blade not only will hold 800 pounds of force when you come down on a quadruple triple jump, but it also holds every bit of work and every dream these skaters have ever dreamt in the balance. --USA channel, pairs short, U.S. Nationals, January 25, 2024
(talking about figure skating blades after pairs short program)
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
The whole world is watching [to see if Ilia Malinin does a quad axel in the free skate]. It's very different from when Tara and I skated when you had to get news about your closest rivals by a carrier pigeon. Everyone sees everything.
--USA channel, women's short, U. S. Nationals, January 26, 2023
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
[On camera: Johnny visibly trying to suppress laugh]
[Terry Gannon: You alright?]
He's just so cute! [laughing out loud] Sorry. It's like a duckling.
--USA channel, men's short, U.S. Nationals, January 27, 2023
(after skater Ilia Malinin is interviewed by Andrea Joyce)
Monday, February 20, 2023
There's just something about his skating that really blows my skirt up.
--NBC, men's free skate, U.S. Nationals, January 29, 2023
(after skater Yaroslav Paniot's Elvis Presley program)
Saturday, February 18, 2023
Matteo has wonderful, pleasant skating that everyone can enjoy, much like a snickerdoodle cookie. --USA (channel), men's free skate, 2022 World Championship, broadcast March 26, 2022
(on Italian skater Matteo Rizzo)
Friday, February 17, 2023
Many people will skate to the Tango de Roxanne from Moulin Rouge and just go full-on crazy pants when that last piece comes on. Hair flying around, wild eyes.
--USA channel, Four Continents Championships, women's short, February 9, 2023
(comparing other skaters' performances of that music to Japan's Rinka Watanabe's "subtle and chic skating.")
Monday, February 13, 2023
It's almost like you get more points for hiccupping at center ice than you do getting a single jump.
--E! channel, women's free skate, Skate America, October 23, 2022
(after Korean skater Yeoh-jeong Park pulled out of a jump rotation and only earned 0.38 points)
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Tara and I tried out for [America's Got Talent: All Stars] you know.
[Terry Gannon: And you didn't make it?]
We hard boiled eggs and apparently everyone can do it.
[Terry Gannon: How dare they, the judges. They're worse than in figure skating.]
--USA Channel, pairs free skate, U.S. Nationals, January 28, 2023
(following a promo for America's Got Talent: All Stars)
Sunday, January 29, 2023
She's choreographed within an inch of her glamor.
--USA Channel, women's short program, U. S. Nationals, January 26, 2023
(on one of the reasons skater Isabeau Levito's programs are so successful)
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Now I know what it is to be one of those sports fans that like to cheer and bump bellies in bars. I just wanted to hug you and like slap your hand.
--USA Channel, Skate America, men's free skate, October 22, 2022
(to Tara Lipinski after they'd witnessed U. S. skater Ilia Malinin complete a previously unimaginable quad axle)
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Her technique is not solid. You can see that her [elbows] are pointing out that way like a sprinkler. --USA (TV channel), women's free skate, 2022 Olympics, February 17, 2022
(on Estonian skater Eva-Lotta Kiibus' jumping technique in which her elbows point away from her body)
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Yuma's skating to me is just a champagne bubble of happiness. Just bubbly and perky and oh so perfect and crisp and clean.
--USA (channel), men's short program, 2022 World Championship, broadcast March 24, 2022
(on Japanese skater Yuma Kagiyama)
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
That was such a beautiful dance. It was a treasure trove of goodies. It's like getting that present but still saving the wrapping paper on it.
--USA (channel), free dance, 2022 World Figure Skating Championship, broadcast March 26, 2022 (on the free dance of Canadian couple Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier)
Thursday, March 17, 2022
It's almost like they skate as if they're afraid they're going to hurt the ice.
--NBC, team free dance, 2022 Olympics, February 6, 2022 (commenting approvingly of Canadian free dance couple Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier's soft and quiet stroking technique)
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
That was so wrong for a free dance. It was like they were running from a very slow monster the whole way through.
--USA (TV channel), free dance, 2022 Olympics, February 13, 2022
(on the horror film inspired free dance of Georgia skaters' Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya)
Monday, March 7, 2022
She does have a habit of really slowing down before the jumps which hurts the quality of those. It would be like running to the end of the diving board and stopping and be like "oh, let's go in by the ladder."
--USA (TV channel), women's short program, 2022 Olympics, February 15, 2022
(on Swiss skater Alexia Paganini)
Thursday, March 3, 2022
If the ice dancing world were a high school, this would be the drama club.
--USA (TV channel), rhythm dance, 2022 Olympics, February 12, 2022
(on British ice dancers Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson's passion for entertaining)