Nathan Chen skates to Elton John x Britney

[dragonheart97]

A video was released on Elton's official YouTube channel today that features Nathan Chen, 2022 Olympic gold medalist, skating to the "acoustic version" of Elton's collaboration with Britney Spears, "Hold Me Closer". The video was filmed at Yale University's rink, where Nathan is currently taking classes.

Nathan posted a teaser to his Instagram

Comments

[pikapika217]

If this is him paying more penance for being an asswipe about being a 'straight man in figure skating' then ok sure girl!

(Have I held onto that as a life long homosexual and life long figure skating fan - well, when it's on TV at least lol - ? Lil bit! But he DID apologize - https://www.outsports.com/2021/7/28/22597517/nathan-chen-homophobic-figure-skater-remarks-apology

And he still a child so fine)

[iznanassi]

Was about to ask if this was the douchebag lol so thanks

[elevatorshaker]

He skated to Elton John songs for two seasons.

And I think everyone's reaction to that interview was overblown. It was an ineloquent statement regarding how it sucks that figure skating is disparaged in the United States because it's thought of as a sport for girls and gay guys. Whether he's doing the right thing by skating to hip hop to try and butch up its image is up for debate (straight man's burden? I don't think those people whose approval you want are going to be watching figure skating, Nathan), but it always seemed that people thought he was homophobic because they hated him rather than hating him for being homophobic.

[pikapika217]

I didn't see him as homophobic myself but more so obnoxious. Figure Skating is one of the few sports that is seen for and dominated by gay men and straight women so the comments and idea of trying to distinguish himself as straight - or the insecurity about needing too - is like when the straight women in the WNBA make a show about not being seen as gay.

I did hold more of a grudge about it because at the time I thought he was older and should know better than to talk and/or think like that or be hung up on being seen as 'masculine' - when, if that was the case, then yeah- GO PLAY HOCKEY THEN! - but seeing that he was literally born in 1999 and is still very young and that he apologized quickly it's something that can be chalked up to growing pains.

[hallyujah]

He is def not homophobic but it was ineloquent like you said. His apology came right away and was very sincere and unreserved. There's so many shitty "sorry if you were offended" nonsense apologies and his stood in such stark contrast to that so I appreciated it.

It does suck how skating is disparaged and I think he wants to make skating "cool", modern and accessible in America and to an extent that does mean trying to show that it's not "just" a feminine sport, there can be a masculine side as well. That doesn't make him "anti-femme," homophobic or misogynist but y'know... people want to be outraged. I'll save my rage for ppl who double down on their shit and don't properly apologize but thats me. (This isn't to say there aren't straight male skaters who want to butch up the sport because they are anti-femme, I just don't think Nathan fits into that category).

[lieselmeminger]

it's really, really annoying how unnuanced the conversation surrounding those comments were and continue to be. lots of kneejerk and frankly inaccurate 'he is a disgusting bigot' comments on one end and then overdefensiveness from nathan fans on the other.

i think it's pretty apparent that nathan isn't like, some raging homophobe. but he does come across as rather insecure about being perceived as gay, which does make me roll my eyes. but acting like that is equivalent to like, the garbage that comes out of alexei yagudin's mouth is simply not serious lol.

[chrryblssmninja]

so disappointed in Yagudin