"I'll talk to a bush, as long as it stays still long enough to listen to me."

Aha, you guys, today's been a pretty productive one. By which I mean I've written one and a half letters and also a thousand words of fic (I've been in a dry-ish state lately, by which I mean I'd rather talk about stories than write them -- which is wonderful also! But not the same as actual writing) and I feel reasonably accomplished.

softlyforgotten was saying a while back that she didn't really find figure skaters very interesting, which I consider vaguely blasphemous but also rather challenging. So this is something kind of modeled after your Alex Greenwald post, Mik! And also for you and any other stalwarts still resistant to Johnny Weir.



So, man, I don't know, I was reading jocondite's primer and thinking, "oh, he's pretty," and then scoradh linked to the arranged marriage WIP and I watched the Poker Face routine and that's how I fell into this fandom, pretty much.

But interesting! I don't know, I find Johnny Weir really interesting. I think the whole trajectory of his career is interesting, and I think Be Good Johnny Weir's a really great show in terms of making it this very subjective and personal experience. I enjoy the whole narrative of wanting something very badly indeed, and working your ass off for it, and -- well, it kind of hurts to think about him not medalling in retrospect -- but also going forward from that. I like that he's at a loose end now, I like that he doesn't really know what to do. (Although I hope he does figure out something really soon.)

I love Johnny Weir because he claims to be selfish, catlike, but also seems to be this incredibly kind and generous person. He loves his family a lot, and they love him too. I enjoy thinking about the idea that his diva bitch act is real, but also something of a defense mechanism -- that's basically my favourite kind of personality (hm, if I pull out the 10 Things I Hate About You comparison now, would that be too self-indulgent? Or just self-indulgent enough?) I like thinking about the various ways in which he performs, whether it's on ice or blowing kisses to the camera or dressing up as a Russian reporter. The way he lets it hang all out there at the same time, the way he doesn't dissimulate for the camera, even when he's sad or uncertain. Because he's childish and lets other skaters get under his skin, and because he has a lot of fun with them too, sometimes.

I've usually found him incredibly polite and articulate in most interviews I've come across, despite the (well-deserved) reputation for bitchy and demanding. I enjoy his stubbornness to the point of refusing to come out when it's also really obvious. He's ridiculous and flamboyant and LOVES attention, and I enjoy this because he's also incredibly aware of the fact. I feel like he calls himself out on it all the time, often with a kind of delight embodied in blowing more kisses at the camera and being deliberately ridiculous, and it's just so much fun.

Also, I feel like most of my reasons for loving him are embodied in this video.

(I don't know, you guys. I feel inadequate to the task of talking about why I love Johnny Weir in just one post! If you wanted to talk about him some more and hopefully convince some people, feel very free?)