Johnny and Evan over the years, part 2 (2010)
Their epic battles have made my last post too long for LJ, so I need to continue in a new one! Part two of the Johnny/Evan saga.
1999-2009 in Part 1
2010
January
Johnny: "“For me, Evan’s skating is a lot about fireworks. That last minute of the program he brings people to their feet because he’s flailing his arms around, running and spinning fast and doing things that are exciting. But for me, I’m very much about the beauty of what you can create. Evan doesn’t let himself feel as much. He does what somebody tells him will work. I’m about showing that beauty. For me, Evan comes off as cold.” January 2010 NYMag Article
Johnny: "And they’ve sort of pitted me and Evan against each other like Britney and Christina. I’m Christina, of course.” January 2010 NYMag Article
Evan: “When people are desperately seeking attention, it’s just not appealing, and I don’t think it’s appealing to viewers or fans or potential sponsors-it just looks desperate.” January 2010 NYMag Article
Competition: Nationals in Spokane (Jan 14-24) - Evan 2nd, Johnny 3rd
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtjqD5pYtQ)
Q. "Do you still call Evan Lysacek your skating archnemesis?"
Johnny: "For a while, yes, he was definitely my nemesis, and I would have done anything to smear his face into the ground. But now I think that we’re a little bit older, as boring as it is to hear, we both just do our best. You can have rivals when you’re 19 or 21, but you get a little old to act like a child. Now we both show up and try to rock. Of course there’s jealousy; he’s another American in the competition, and I’m gonna fight." (Nationals interview)
Snark at Nationals press conference: Evan: "You have 30 days until your short" Johnny: "Thank you Darling." Evan: "Just go for it (quad), just do it." Johnny: "Don't start with me, not up here."
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQeLRE4YvQs)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfQ92ZlJoLk)
Post Nationals Fan Thingy: Johnny is talking about how unique it is to skate in America. Evan makes a comment along the lines of "That's what you said in Japan" which makes everyone laugh. Johnny reponds: "That was very clever for Evan" ( discussion in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teW3yTYWFw8)
February
When asked if he's watching BGJW, Evan replies: "what's be good johnny weir?" February 1, twitter
Evan: "There are definitely skaters who are more graceful than I am, but I'm proud of taking a big step outside my comfort zone." Details article
Johnny: "I think we've matured. We both understand that hating on somebody isn't going to give you what you want. We speak. I mean, we're fine. I accept all of his weirdness and he accepts mine. I think. You know, I get it. I'm the flamboyant, sparkly one over here, and he's the hardworking American over there. And that's how we've been pigeonholed. But I'm more than that, and he is too. He has this sweet and endearing side-I mean, to be 13 feet tall and a figure skater, you have to work your ass off! And he does." Details article (_skating)
Evan: "That rivalry made me look at every aspect of my skating and say, 'I don't just want to beat him. I want to beat every one of these guys. Now, how am I going to do it?'" Details article
Competition: Olympics in Vancouver (Feb 12-28) - Johnny 6th, Evan 1st (Johnny rooms with Tannith, Evan wins, gender test comments, Johnny's thoughtful response, etc, etc.)
Evan and Nastia reveal that they have been dating since last summer Feb 22, 2010
March
Johnny does Kings on Ice, and media circuit, GLAAD Awards, Equality California Gala, AIDS Benefit, various appearances. Evan does DWTS and Stars on Ice.
Johnny Article - March 3, 2010
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.
Johnny (when asked if Evan is really that orange in person): I’ll speak very frankly about everyone, but everyone only asks me about Evan. Everyone has their own style, and Evan has very dark hair, tanned skin and very white teeth. I’m about as white as white can get with very dark hair, that is my style. You’re always going to look a certain way on TV, and everyone has their own style. If that’s the way you want to look, I have no problem with it. (March 3, 2010)
Johnny: "He'll be great on 'Dancing With the Stars' because he works that hard. He'll make himself pretty." March 5, 2010 ( discussed on _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmXGnw2z7q4)
Johnny: "[I will watch DWTS] if I have time. I'm so busy. As long as I'm in one place and can sit down and watch it, I'll watch." March 5, 2010
Johnny: "With the show [BGJW], they do editting. And the people that do the editting don't necessarily know the back story between me and Evan. Evan and I are fine in real life. The rivalry and the nemesis thing is all pretty much fabricated by the media. It can get nasty, I mean, when we're separate enough, we can say some things about each other but when we're together we're jovial, we're talking. It's nice, he's just another person that I compete against and see every once in a while." March 5, 2010
Johnny Weir Deemed "Not Family Friendly" Enough to Perform in Stars on Ice Tour March 11, 2010
Evan: "We're just acquaintances really. I think I've only had two personal conversations with him in my life. But he's a great skater, an incredible skater obviously." March 24, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
April
Johnny brings up Evan of his own accord, talks about how Evan is 13 feet tall. April 1, 2010
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IFFcLv2bsA)
Chelsea Handler Incident
"I know Evan Lysacek is the other [American male figure skater], do you two get along?" asked host Chelsea Handler.
"No," Johnny quickly replies.
"But you did roommate [sic] with his ex-girlfriend or girlfriend?"
Johnny gives a knowing glance her way and says, "...his 'ex-girlfriend' Tanith." Then he ventures a subtle wink to Chelsea but the camera catches it for everyone to see.
April 1, 2010 Chelsea Lately ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny: "Evan is fine as a person. We've been competitors for years and years and years and that's kinda the forefront to us being people to each other. I think he worked very hard and he deserved that Olympic gold medal and he does a good job. He does his work. But as a person I don't really know him that well and we've never really made the effort to be nice to each other." But surely he must at least watch Lysacek on Dancing With the Stars? "No," Weir said. "And I won't." April 6, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny supports Nicole on DWTS - April 7, 2010, ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny: "I don’t think the score was fair but when I took the ice there was an American, Evan Lysacek that was already short of medal so it’s hard to have two Americans on the same podium. Of course, I think Plushenko should’ve won." April 17, Interview at GLAAD Awards
Johnny: "I actually don't watch DWTS this season, I've been very busy. But Evan Lysacek is a hard worker and I wish him well." April 17, GLAAD Awards Red Carpet ( discussed in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsrI8hMYFhA)
Johnny: "You know, we've always been competitors. I don't know the dirt and the nitty gritty. We've never been close. I mean, I have no reason to be close with him. He has his life and I have mine." April 17, 2010, GLAAD Awards Red Carpet Interview ( discussed in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vV3BSThD8E)
Johnny: "Well, the Evan situation, I was kind of winking at Chelsea to stop and people misconstrued it as me implying something that I wasn’t implying. I don’t know Evan well enough to say anything about his personal life." April 21, 2010
Johnny: "The Evan drama is not as real as people make it out to be. First things first, it was very fabricated by the media, the rivalry, because USFSA needed something to hold onto and it seemed kind of easy because Evan and I had always been rivals and always been around the same level and every strong competitors between each other and you know it started to lead to a little trash talking or a little He said he said kind of thing but it was never really a crazy rivalry like it was on television and then for the Olympics they made it worse. It's all very funny to me because I know Evan as a competitor and as somebody that I see occasionally as I travel around the world. I don't know him as a person as well as it seems in the media and on TV and on my show. To me it wasn't really a rivalry, I didn't want my whole show to be about Evan, I didn't want all these little pop ups about Evan. But that's how it came out. It's not necessarily what I would choose but it's television, it's fun, it's gotta have some drama to it. After Evan won I was right there to congratulate him and I admire what he was able to do and how hard he worked for his title so I have nothing bad to say about him." (LA Times interview on youtube)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSL0i6OKjhw)
Evan: "'Stars on Ice' is really selective of who they hire and they only hire the best of the best to skate. It would’ve been hard of them to justify hiring him, and I think he was really upset because he wanted the financial benefit of the tour. A lot of us in the skating world were really disappointed in the way he reacted, basically whining that he wasn’t chosen." Interview happened April 24 (day of concussion), article dated April 27, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny's reponse on the Wendy Williams show: "Evan, he's a slore." April 28, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCGdNmAsQ1A)
Johnny tweets: "Not a very tactful or well spoken day, but I had fun." and later, "Thank you everyone. There are much bigger, smarter and more important fish to fry every day. Idiots are meaningless after all. April 28, 2010
And then Johnny says: "We are at war. My claws are out. I've never whined. I wasn't the one who falls dancing and gets a concussion and breaks toes and has hip replacement surgeries. If anyone whines, it's definitely Evan. He's done that his whole career, and I've never said anything about it just because there was no need. I have no respect for Evan Lysacek." He is encouraging fans not to vote for his rival on Dancing with the Stars. People April 30 Article (Johnny's quote from April 29) (discussed in _skating)
Evan responds to People: In a statement to PEOPLE, Lysacek says he wants to end the feud, even though Weir had said hurtful things. Extending an olive branch, he's calling Weir "an accomplished and talented skater" and wishing him well at his New York show. "I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment in how I answered a journalist's question about Stars on Ice and Johnny that I should never have answered," says Lysacek. "I should have known better." People April 30 Article (discussed in _skating)
Evan responds to US Magazine: On Friday, a regretful Lycasek told UsMagazine.com that he "never should have answered" the paper's question about Weir. Waving a white flag -- sort of -- Lycasek tells Us that that his rival "is an accomplished and talented skater."
Lysacek explains his outburst: "Since the Olympics, I've dealt with Johnny's questioning my integrity and sexuality, and I've never spoken out on my own behalf no matter how hurtful those things may have been. I should have known better."
"Best wishes and congratulations to Johnny as he opens the new season of Ice Theatre of New York," Lycasek adds. "I wish him well in all of his future endeavors." Us Magazine April 30 Article (discussed in _skating)
Johnny continues:
Q. Speaking of people trying to bring you down, Evan Lysacek’s comments earlier this week were pretty harsh.
Evan and I have had a very rocky relationship to say the least… Recently I was on “Chelsea Handler” [a show on the E! network] and it was through clever editing they had me winking at a very inopportune time it looked like me had me insinuating something about Evan so I’m sure he wasn’t happy about that. But I think in general he’s a very jealous person and a very two faced person. He’s the kind of person who will rehearse what he’s going to say in an interview two weeks in advance.
He’s probably very jealous that despite the fact he’s an Olympic champion he’s on “Dancing with the Stars” and I’m writing a book and recording a song. I’m crossing over to be a personality. But I can say I voted for him twice on “Dancing with the Stars” just as a sign of support. And I have always said he works very hard and does deserve his Olympic gold medal…But he mocks people and makes fun of people and I’m sure this was just a situation where he just said something that he knew would hurt me. Wall Street Journal blog April 30 (discussed in _skating)
May
Johnny responds in another article: Weir even voted for Lysacek during the second and third weeks of DWTS, helping to keep him on the show. “I thought I should at least support my fellow teammate,” Weir said. All that changed this week. “Evan took a bad dig at me,” Weir said. Weir subsequently told People magazine, “My claws are out.” May 1, 2010 (discussed in _skating)
Evan article May 4, 2010 (discussed in _skating)
When we see you practice with your partner Anna Trebunskaya, you’re funny and off-the-cuff. Would you ever star in your own reality show?
Pretty doubtful. I have been approached in the past several years. They’ve tried to get me to do shows about getting ready for the Olympics, but I said no because it was a distraction. I wanted to focus on my training and nothing else. I’ve gotten some really enticing offers to do some acting, to work in broadcast. I don’t know if I’d be good at it, though. I just sort of have to analyze and see if it’s something I’d want to pursue.
When you made the comment to Anna about wanting to hear her speak in a thicker Russian accent, it reminded me of - wait for it - Johnny Weir. Is it annoying to be compared to him? Is it annoying that people seem to want to compare you?
People I know really don’t compare us anymore, without sounding - [Laughs] - that’s a negative thing to say. We’re in two different worlds now. My partner is funny, though: We have a good time together. She’s definitely an American, she lives in Southern California. We have a really good time together.
What did you make of Johnny Weir’s insinuations on Chelsea Lately? Do you expect those kinds of digs from him?
I have unfortunately not seen that particular show.
Really? You didn’t look it up? He had a couple of barbs there.
Unfortunately I’m so busy I don’t get to see too much TV. But I’m sure he was great. And I didn’t know he was acting, but that’s great for him.
Johnny also said he does not watch Dancing with the Stars, but did tell us that he “really wants Nicole [Scherzinger] to win.” (May 24, 2010 article, discussed in _skating)
Johnny: "I don't [think Lysacek should win]. I think Nicole is much better. Evan and I have kind of had a war of words over the past month or so, and he's not somebody I'll root for in anything. So, definitely no." Asked why he favored Scherzinger over his skating rival Weir responded: "She's hotter." On Nicole's dance experience: "Evan's a professional ice skater. It's kind of the same thing. It's between Evan and Nicole, and Nicole won't fall down in a pair of seven-inch Louboutins. I think the others would." (May 25, 2010 Article) (DL link for video from sandrine)
June
Maksim's Birthday Tweet to Evan, and Evan's response, June 4, 2010
Johnny at MTV Video Music Awards (June 5, 2010): "How do you feel about Evan losing DWTS?" "I'm very happy that Nicole won." (@4:20)
Johnny's Twitter Q&A (June 29, 2010, discussed in _skating)
Q34. If forced to choose between the mongoose or Abbott, if stranded on a desert island "Cast Away" style, who would you choose?
Johnny : Mongoose Q48.
If you could style anyone who would it be ?
Johnny : Evan Lysacek, just to put him in a sparkly onsie
Q69. What is one thing you really want to say to Evan Lysacek?
Johnny : I have nothing to say to Evan Lysacek
July
Johnny interviewed by OUT.com on July 1 (discussed in _skating):
Q: Then let’s discuss Evan Lysacek.
Johnny: [Laughing] It’s no secret that Evan and I aren’t the closest of frenemies.
Q: Is there really this big feud or it is all media hype?
Johnny: The feuds are often press-made, but the most recent squabble we had was Evan saying I wasn’t good enough to be on a skating tour that he was on. That’s ridiculous.
Q: Recently you were on Chelsea Lately with Chelsea Handler. You talked about rooming with Johnny: Evan’s ex-girlfriend, Tanith Belbin, and then winked. That caused a big stir. Many assumed you were calling Evan’s sexuality into question.
I would never push someone into a sexual situation of "are they or aren’t they?" I was just trying to be cute and it came off bad like I was trying to say that Evan was gay.
Q: Why do you think you get the label of being gay, but not Evan?
Johnny: He’s easy for people to wrap their heads around. He’s easy to put on a Wheaties box or on Dancing With the Stars. He’s the great American Olympic champion. While he’s considered this all-American boy, I’m considered like this Russian spy ring that just got caught.
Q: To fulfill some fantasies, is there a chance of you and Evan ever getting together?
Johnny: I can’t say that will happen. There are just very big differences between the two of us.
Twitter wars: The dapper and the dead
August
Aug 6 - Evan's twitter comments ( discussed on _skating)
Aug 7 - Evan attempts to deflect attention by claiming there is a fake Evan Lysacek twitter account and later deletes the offensive tweet. ( Discussed in _skating)
December
Evan mentions Johnny in an interview (discussed in _skating):
What's the latest on your feud with Johnny Weir? Have you seen each other?
No, I actually have not seen him for a while. I hope he's doing well.
Diplomatic! Would you do a reality show, like the one he did for the Sundance Channel?
I don't know that his show was the most honest portrayal of figure skating. I think I would like people to understand the athletic side.
2011
January
Johnny is interviewed and claims he never held a grudge against Evan
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So basically, it goes like this:
1999-2005 - Rising through the ranks, competing together
April 2006 - They are both at Skating in Harlem. Johnny: Evan is teh awesome! He's a nice guy, has a sunny persona, wears his heart on his sleeve, I wish I could be more like him!
May-July 2006 - Evan starts to flirt: teasing Johnny about wanting to be Russian and his Swan performance
July-August 2006 - Johnny and Drew break up. Johnny/Evan flirting is reciprocated and reaches epic proportions: On COI together, playing charades, nicknames, teasing, "he loves it" "I laugh every time"
(my opinion) Sometime between September 2006 and January 2007 - Johnny and Evan have a short, passion-filled relationship that ends bitterly OR they are flirting and look like they're heading towards a relationship until Evan is all NO I CAN'T BE GAY I NEED TO GET AN OLYMPIC MEDAL! and hurts Johnny OR Johnny and Evan get the "straighten up for the good of your career" talk and Evan rolls with it OR USFSA decides to sell out Johnny for the sake of Evan in an attempt to butch up the sport and Evan rolls with it OR something else along those lines....
January 2007 - BITTERNESS BEGINS!! - Johnny loses national title, ugly talk about Johnny's lack of masculinity starts (Mark Lund, Scott Hamilton, etc), Evan starts to distance himself from Johnny ("I think that what he does is his own business, and it's very different than the way I conduct myself"), Johnny later claims Evan started being fake around him at nationals ("When he started with this passive-aggressive way about me in the press, I was like, ‘It’s on now.’")
February-April 2007 - Evan is on his anti-glitter, pro-masculinity kick, claims he and Tanith have been dating since April. Johnny calls them rivals, compares them to Hitler and Stalin, Pantsgate, Johnny: "They call me an attention whore? Please..." Johnny starts talking about how he decided to say "fuck it" and be who he was and not be a cookie cutter who worried about others' opinions all the time (a jab at Evan?)
May-July 2007 - A thawing? - COI again, Johnny's blog talks about "accidentally" bitch slapping Evan, others on the tour talk about how Johnny was trying to make Evan laugh and pictures show them skating side by side and talking, Johnny is all, 'there's no rivalry, there's no bad blood, we're cool!'
January 2008 - AND NOW IT IS AWKWARD AND BITTER INSTEAD OF JUST BITTER! - Nationals, awkward interviews, “Do you have anything to say to each other?" “No.” “No,” tied scores, Evan gets gold and calls Johnny "an amazing competitor." Johnny says, “I respect Evan as an athlete, but as a person I don’t really like him. There’s nothing special about him to me. We would never be friends, and I wouldn’t even know who he was if we weren’t competing against each other.”
March 2008 - The insults continue to pour in - Evan is back on his anti-glitter kick, says dressing up with sequins and glitter is "such a joke," wants to butch up figure skating with half pipes and aerial moves. Johnny is dismissive/mocking of these ideas. “I just don’t like him. I think he’s very choreographed and very rehearsed. He has the big white teeth, really tan. It’s just a little too fake for me.”
September - October 2008 - They are still being passive aggressive. Johnny makes snarky comments about the rivalry and Evan's decision to work with Tatiana Anatolievna, Evan skates to Johnny's music to psych him out (or to get his attention?)
February 2009 - FRIENDS AGAIN! Evan and Tanith break up. Johnny is supporting Evan at worlds, says he is "loving Evan" and will "give Evan a massage." After worlds, Johnny says he is very proud of Evan.
September-December 2009 - Almost a year later and they are still friendly, this may be a record! "I have a primarily warm relationship with Evan Lysacek." The rivalry was made by the media! Johnny teases Evan, talks about "Sir Lysacek" and makes sex noises while Evan is next door
January 2010 - IT'S JANUARY, SO THE RIVALRY MUST BE BACK! Johnny talks about their skating styles, calling Evan's cold. Evan calls attention seekers "desperate" and unappealing to sponsers. At nationals, Evan is teasing Johnny and Johnny is snarky in return: "Just do it" "Don't start with me" "You said that in Japan" "That's very clever for Evan"
February - March 2010 - They try to downplay the rivalry and pretend not to know each other well, but the passive aggressive comments are still there. Johnny says they've been pigeon holed, continues to say rivalry was media based and that Evan is just someone he sees at competitions. Evan wonders, "What's BGJW?" and says that they've only ever had two personal conversations.
March - April 2010 - Their attempts to be cool fail and THE BITTERNESS RETURNS! Johnny claims Olympic results were all political, then says Evan is a hard worker who deserves the gold, then says Plushenko should have received gold. Johnny isn't watching DWTS but is sure Evan will "make himself pretty." Johnny implies that Evan is gay and then later claims he doesn't know Evan enough to say either way. Bitch!Evan makes an appearance and insults Johnny for "whining" about SOI. Johnny calls Evan a slore, says it's war, claims he has no respect for Evan and that Evan is the whiner. Evan releases a publicist crafted message of apology.
I have gathered all the information that I can find. If you have any others, please let me know and I will add it to this post. :)
1999-2009 in Part 1
2010
January
Johnny: "“For me, Evan’s skating is a lot about fireworks. That last minute of the program he brings people to their feet because he’s flailing his arms around, running and spinning fast and doing things that are exciting. But for me, I’m very much about the beauty of what you can create. Evan doesn’t let himself feel as much. He does what somebody tells him will work. I’m about showing that beauty. For me, Evan comes off as cold.” January 2010 NYMag Article
Johnny: "And they’ve sort of pitted me and Evan against each other like Britney and Christina. I’m Christina, of course.” January 2010 NYMag Article
Evan: “When people are desperately seeking attention, it’s just not appealing, and I don’t think it’s appealing to viewers or fans or potential sponsors-it just looks desperate.” January 2010 NYMag Article
Competition: Nationals in Spokane (Jan 14-24) - Evan 2nd, Johnny 3rd
Click to view(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtjqD5pYtQ)
Q. "Do you still call Evan Lysacek your skating archnemesis?"
Johnny: "For a while, yes, he was definitely my nemesis, and I would have done anything to smear his face into the ground. But now I think that we’re a little bit older, as boring as it is to hear, we both just do our best. You can have rivals when you’re 19 or 21, but you get a little old to act like a child. Now we both show up and try to rock. Of course there’s jealousy; he’s another American in the competition, and I’m gonna fight." (Nationals interview)
Snark at Nationals press conference: Evan: "You have 30 days until your short" Johnny: "Thank you Darling." Evan: "Just go for it (quad), just do it." Johnny: "Don't start with me, not up here."
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQeLRE4YvQs)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfQ92ZlJoLk)
Post Nationals Fan Thingy: Johnny is talking about how unique it is to skate in America. Evan makes a comment along the lines of "That's what you said in Japan" which makes everyone laugh. Johnny reponds: "That was very clever for Evan" ( discussion in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teW3yTYWFw8)
February
When asked if he's watching BGJW, Evan replies: "what's be good johnny weir?" February 1, twitter
Evan: "There are definitely skaters who are more graceful than I am, but I'm proud of taking a big step outside my comfort zone." Details article
Johnny: "I think we've matured. We both understand that hating on somebody isn't going to give you what you want. We speak. I mean, we're fine. I accept all of his weirdness and he accepts mine. I think. You know, I get it. I'm the flamboyant, sparkly one over here, and he's the hardworking American over there. And that's how we've been pigeonholed. But I'm more than that, and he is too. He has this sweet and endearing side-I mean, to be 13 feet tall and a figure skater, you have to work your ass off! And he does." Details article (_skating)
Evan: "That rivalry made me look at every aspect of my skating and say, 'I don't just want to beat him. I want to beat every one of these guys. Now, how am I going to do it?'" Details article
Competition: Olympics in Vancouver (Feb 12-28) - Johnny 6th, Evan 1st (Johnny rooms with Tannith, Evan wins, gender test comments, Johnny's thoughtful response, etc, etc.)
Evan and Nastia reveal that they have been dating since last summer Feb 22, 2010
March
Johnny does Kings on Ice, and media circuit, GLAAD Awards, Equality California Gala, AIDS Benefit, various appearances. Evan does DWTS and Stars on Ice.
Johnny Article - March 3, 2010
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.
Johnny (when asked if Evan is really that orange in person): I’ll speak very frankly about everyone, but everyone only asks me about Evan. Everyone has their own style, and Evan has very dark hair, tanned skin and very white teeth. I’m about as white as white can get with very dark hair, that is my style. You’re always going to look a certain way on TV, and everyone has their own style. If that’s the way you want to look, I have no problem with it. (March 3, 2010)
Johnny: "He'll be great on 'Dancing With the Stars' because he works that hard. He'll make himself pretty." March 5, 2010 ( discussed on _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmXGnw2z7q4)
Johnny: "[I will watch DWTS] if I have time. I'm so busy. As long as I'm in one place and can sit down and watch it, I'll watch." March 5, 2010
Johnny: "With the show [BGJW], they do editting. And the people that do the editting don't necessarily know the back story between me and Evan. Evan and I are fine in real life. The rivalry and the nemesis thing is all pretty much fabricated by the media. It can get nasty, I mean, when we're separate enough, we can say some things about each other but when we're together we're jovial, we're talking. It's nice, he's just another person that I compete against and see every once in a while." March 5, 2010
Johnny Weir Deemed "Not Family Friendly" Enough to Perform in Stars on Ice Tour March 11, 2010
Evan: "We're just acquaintances really. I think I've only had two personal conversations with him in my life. But he's a great skater, an incredible skater obviously." March 24, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
April
Johnny brings up Evan of his own accord, talks about how Evan is 13 feet tall. April 1, 2010
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IFFcLv2bsA)
Chelsea Handler Incident
"I know Evan Lysacek is the other [American male figure skater], do you two get along?" asked host Chelsea Handler.
"No," Johnny quickly replies.
"But you did roommate [sic] with his ex-girlfriend or girlfriend?"
Johnny gives a knowing glance her way and says, "...his 'ex-girlfriend' Tanith." Then he ventures a subtle wink to Chelsea but the camera catches it for everyone to see.
April 1, 2010 Chelsea Lately ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny: "Evan is fine as a person. We've been competitors for years and years and years and that's kinda the forefront to us being people to each other. I think he worked very hard and he deserved that Olympic gold medal and he does a good job. He does his work. But as a person I don't really know him that well and we've never really made the effort to be nice to each other." But surely he must at least watch Lysacek on Dancing With the Stars? "No," Weir said. "And I won't." April 6, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny supports Nicole on DWTS - April 7, 2010, ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny: "I don’t think the score was fair but when I took the ice there was an American, Evan Lysacek that was already short of medal so it’s hard to have two Americans on the same podium. Of course, I think Plushenko should’ve won." April 17, Interview at GLAAD Awards
Johnny: "I actually don't watch DWTS this season, I've been very busy. But Evan Lysacek is a hard worker and I wish him well." April 17, GLAAD Awards Red Carpet ( discussed in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsrI8hMYFhA)
Johnny: "You know, we've always been competitors. I don't know the dirt and the nitty gritty. We've never been close. I mean, I have no reason to be close with him. He has his life and I have mine." April 17, 2010, GLAAD Awards Red Carpet Interview ( discussed in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vV3BSThD8E)
Johnny: "Well, the Evan situation, I was kind of winking at Chelsea to stop and people misconstrued it as me implying something that I wasn’t implying. I don’t know Evan well enough to say anything about his personal life." April 21, 2010
Johnny: "The Evan drama is not as real as people make it out to be. First things first, it was very fabricated by the media, the rivalry, because USFSA needed something to hold onto and it seemed kind of easy because Evan and I had always been rivals and always been around the same level and every strong competitors between each other and you know it started to lead to a little trash talking or a little He said he said kind of thing but it was never really a crazy rivalry like it was on television and then for the Olympics they made it worse. It's all very funny to me because I know Evan as a competitor and as somebody that I see occasionally as I travel around the world. I don't know him as a person as well as it seems in the media and on TV and on my show. To me it wasn't really a rivalry, I didn't want my whole show to be about Evan, I didn't want all these little pop ups about Evan. But that's how it came out. It's not necessarily what I would choose but it's television, it's fun, it's gotta have some drama to it. After Evan won I was right there to congratulate him and I admire what he was able to do and how hard he worked for his title so I have nothing bad to say about him." (LA Times interview on youtube)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSL0i6OKjhw)
Evan: "'Stars on Ice' is really selective of who they hire and they only hire the best of the best to skate. It would’ve been hard of them to justify hiring him, and I think he was really upset because he wanted the financial benefit of the tour. A lot of us in the skating world were really disappointed in the way he reacted, basically whining that he wasn’t chosen." Interview happened April 24 (day of concussion), article dated April 27, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
Johnny's reponse on the Wendy Williams show: "Evan, he's a slore." April 28, 2010 ( discussed in _skating)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCGdNmAsQ1A)
Johnny tweets: "Not a very tactful or well spoken day, but I had fun." and later, "Thank you everyone. There are much bigger, smarter and more important fish to fry every day. Idiots are meaningless after all. April 28, 2010
And then Johnny says: "We are at war. My claws are out. I've never whined. I wasn't the one who falls dancing and gets a concussion and breaks toes and has hip replacement surgeries. If anyone whines, it's definitely Evan. He's done that his whole career, and I've never said anything about it just because there was no need. I have no respect for Evan Lysacek." He is encouraging fans not to vote for his rival on Dancing with the Stars. People April 30 Article (Johnny's quote from April 29) (discussed in _skating)
Evan responds to People: In a statement to PEOPLE, Lysacek says he wants to end the feud, even though Weir had said hurtful things. Extending an olive branch, he's calling Weir "an accomplished and talented skater" and wishing him well at his New York show. "I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment in how I answered a journalist's question about Stars on Ice and Johnny that I should never have answered," says Lysacek. "I should have known better." People April 30 Article (discussed in _skating)
Evan responds to US Magazine: On Friday, a regretful Lycasek told UsMagazine.com that he "never should have answered" the paper's question about Weir. Waving a white flag -- sort of -- Lycasek tells Us that that his rival "is an accomplished and talented skater."
Lysacek explains his outburst: "Since the Olympics, I've dealt with Johnny's questioning my integrity and sexuality, and I've never spoken out on my own behalf no matter how hurtful those things may have been. I should have known better."
"Best wishes and congratulations to Johnny as he opens the new season of Ice Theatre of New York," Lycasek adds. "I wish him well in all of his future endeavors." Us Magazine April 30 Article (discussed in _skating)
Johnny continues:
Q. Speaking of people trying to bring you down, Evan Lysacek’s comments earlier this week were pretty harsh.
Evan and I have had a very rocky relationship to say the least… Recently I was on “Chelsea Handler” [a show on the E! network] and it was through clever editing they had me winking at a very inopportune time it looked like me had me insinuating something about Evan so I’m sure he wasn’t happy about that. But I think in general he’s a very jealous person and a very two faced person. He’s the kind of person who will rehearse what he’s going to say in an interview two weeks in advance.
He’s probably very jealous that despite the fact he’s an Olympic champion he’s on “Dancing with the Stars” and I’m writing a book and recording a song. I’m crossing over to be a personality. But I can say I voted for him twice on “Dancing with the Stars” just as a sign of support. And I have always said he works very hard and does deserve his Olympic gold medal…But he mocks people and makes fun of people and I’m sure this was just a situation where he just said something that he knew would hurt me. Wall Street Journal blog April 30 (discussed in _skating)
May
Johnny responds in another article: Weir even voted for Lysacek during the second and third weeks of DWTS, helping to keep him on the show. “I thought I should at least support my fellow teammate,” Weir said. All that changed this week. “Evan took a bad dig at me,” Weir said. Weir subsequently told People magazine, “My claws are out.” May 1, 2010 (discussed in _skating)
Evan article May 4, 2010 (discussed in _skating)
When we see you practice with your partner Anna Trebunskaya, you’re funny and off-the-cuff. Would you ever star in your own reality show?
Pretty doubtful. I have been approached in the past several years. They’ve tried to get me to do shows about getting ready for the Olympics, but I said no because it was a distraction. I wanted to focus on my training and nothing else. I’ve gotten some really enticing offers to do some acting, to work in broadcast. I don’t know if I’d be good at it, though. I just sort of have to analyze and see if it’s something I’d want to pursue.
When you made the comment to Anna about wanting to hear her speak in a thicker Russian accent, it reminded me of - wait for it - Johnny Weir. Is it annoying to be compared to him? Is it annoying that people seem to want to compare you?
People I know really don’t compare us anymore, without sounding - [Laughs] - that’s a negative thing to say. We’re in two different worlds now. My partner is funny, though: We have a good time together. She’s definitely an American, she lives in Southern California. We have a really good time together.
What did you make of Johnny Weir’s insinuations on Chelsea Lately? Do you expect those kinds of digs from him?
I have unfortunately not seen that particular show.
Really? You didn’t look it up? He had a couple of barbs there.
Unfortunately I’m so busy I don’t get to see too much TV. But I’m sure he was great. And I didn’t know he was acting, but that’s great for him.
Johnny also said he does not watch Dancing with the Stars, but did tell us that he “really wants Nicole [Scherzinger] to win.” (May 24, 2010 article, discussed in _skating)
Johnny: "I don't [think Lysacek should win]. I think Nicole is much better. Evan and I have kind of had a war of words over the past month or so, and he's not somebody I'll root for in anything. So, definitely no." Asked why he favored Scherzinger over his skating rival Weir responded: "She's hotter." On Nicole's dance experience: "Evan's a professional ice skater. It's kind of the same thing. It's between Evan and Nicole, and Nicole won't fall down in a pair of seven-inch Louboutins. I think the others would." (May 25, 2010 Article) (DL link for video from sandrine)
June
Maksim's Birthday Tweet to Evan, and Evan's response, June 4, 2010
Johnny at MTV Video Music Awards (June 5, 2010): "How do you feel about Evan losing DWTS?" "I'm very happy that Nicole won." (@4:20)
You can watch this video on www.livejournal.com
Johnny's Twitter Q&A (June 29, 2010, discussed in _skating)
Q34. If forced to choose between the mongoose or Abbott, if stranded on a desert island "Cast Away" style, who would you choose?
Johnny : Mongoose Q48.
If you could style anyone who would it be ?
Johnny : Evan Lysacek, just to put him in a sparkly onsie
Q69. What is one thing you really want to say to Evan Lysacek?
Johnny : I have nothing to say to Evan Lysacek
July
Johnny interviewed by OUT.com on July 1 (discussed in _skating):
Q: Then let’s discuss Evan Lysacek.
Johnny: [Laughing] It’s no secret that Evan and I aren’t the closest of frenemies.
Q: Is there really this big feud or it is all media hype?
Johnny: The feuds are often press-made, but the most recent squabble we had was Evan saying I wasn’t good enough to be on a skating tour that he was on. That’s ridiculous.
Q: Recently you were on Chelsea Lately with Chelsea Handler. You talked about rooming with Johnny: Evan’s ex-girlfriend, Tanith Belbin, and then winked. That caused a big stir. Many assumed you were calling Evan’s sexuality into question.
I would never push someone into a sexual situation of "are they or aren’t they?" I was just trying to be cute and it came off bad like I was trying to say that Evan was gay.
Q: Why do you think you get the label of being gay, but not Evan?
Johnny: He’s easy for people to wrap their heads around. He’s easy to put on a Wheaties box or on Dancing With the Stars. He’s the great American Olympic champion. While he’s considered this all-American boy, I’m considered like this Russian spy ring that just got caught.
Q: To fulfill some fantasies, is there a chance of you and Evan ever getting together?
Johnny: I can’t say that will happen. There are just very big differences between the two of us.
Twitter wars: The dapper and the dead
August
Aug 6 - Evan's twitter comments ( discussed on _skating)
Aug 7 - Evan attempts to deflect attention by claiming there is a fake Evan Lysacek twitter account and later deletes the offensive tweet. ( Discussed in _skating)
December
Evan mentions Johnny in an interview (discussed in _skating):
What's the latest on your feud with Johnny Weir? Have you seen each other?
No, I actually have not seen him for a while. I hope he's doing well.
Diplomatic! Would you do a reality show, like the one he did for the Sundance Channel?
I don't know that his show was the most honest portrayal of figure skating. I think I would like people to understand the athletic side.
2011
January
Johnny is interviewed and claims he never held a grudge against Evan
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So basically, it goes like this:
1999-2005 - Rising through the ranks, competing together
April 2006 - They are both at Skating in Harlem. Johnny: Evan is teh awesome! He's a nice guy, has a sunny persona, wears his heart on his sleeve, I wish I could be more like him!
May-July 2006 - Evan starts to flirt: teasing Johnny about wanting to be Russian and his Swan performance
July-August 2006 - Johnny and Drew break up. Johnny/Evan flirting is reciprocated and reaches epic proportions: On COI together, playing charades, nicknames, teasing, "he loves it" "I laugh every time"
(my opinion) Sometime between September 2006 and January 2007 - Johnny and Evan have a short, passion-filled relationship that ends bitterly OR they are flirting and look like they're heading towards a relationship until Evan is all NO I CAN'T BE GAY I NEED TO GET AN OLYMPIC MEDAL! and hurts Johnny OR Johnny and Evan get the "straighten up for the good of your career" talk and Evan rolls with it OR USFSA decides to sell out Johnny for the sake of Evan in an attempt to butch up the sport and Evan rolls with it OR something else along those lines....
January 2007 - BITTERNESS BEGINS!! - Johnny loses national title, ugly talk about Johnny's lack of masculinity starts (Mark Lund, Scott Hamilton, etc), Evan starts to distance himself from Johnny ("I think that what he does is his own business, and it's very different than the way I conduct myself"), Johnny later claims Evan started being fake around him at nationals ("When he started with this passive-aggressive way about me in the press, I was like, ‘It’s on now.’")
February-April 2007 - Evan is on his anti-glitter, pro-masculinity kick, claims he and Tanith have been dating since April. Johnny calls them rivals, compares them to Hitler and Stalin, Pantsgate, Johnny: "They call me an attention whore? Please..." Johnny starts talking about how he decided to say "fuck it" and be who he was and not be a cookie cutter who worried about others' opinions all the time (a jab at Evan?)
May-July 2007 - A thawing? - COI again, Johnny's blog talks about "accidentally" bitch slapping Evan, others on the tour talk about how Johnny was trying to make Evan laugh and pictures show them skating side by side and talking, Johnny is all, 'there's no rivalry, there's no bad blood, we're cool!'
January 2008 - AND NOW IT IS AWKWARD AND BITTER INSTEAD OF JUST BITTER! - Nationals, awkward interviews, “Do you have anything to say to each other?" “No.” “No,” tied scores, Evan gets gold and calls Johnny "an amazing competitor." Johnny says, “I respect Evan as an athlete, but as a person I don’t really like him. There’s nothing special about him to me. We would never be friends, and I wouldn’t even know who he was if we weren’t competing against each other.”
March 2008 - The insults continue to pour in - Evan is back on his anti-glitter kick, says dressing up with sequins and glitter is "such a joke," wants to butch up figure skating with half pipes and aerial moves. Johnny is dismissive/mocking of these ideas. “I just don’t like him. I think he’s very choreographed and very rehearsed. He has the big white teeth, really tan. It’s just a little too fake for me.”
September - October 2008 - They are still being passive aggressive. Johnny makes snarky comments about the rivalry and Evan's decision to work with Tatiana Anatolievna, Evan skates to Johnny's music to psych him out (or to get his attention?)
February 2009 - FRIENDS AGAIN! Evan and Tanith break up. Johnny is supporting Evan at worlds, says he is "loving Evan" and will "give Evan a massage." After worlds, Johnny says he is very proud of Evan.
September-December 2009 - Almost a year later and they are still friendly, this may be a record! "I have a primarily warm relationship with Evan Lysacek." The rivalry was made by the media! Johnny teases Evan, talks about "Sir Lysacek" and makes sex noises while Evan is next door
January 2010 - IT'S JANUARY, SO THE RIVALRY MUST BE BACK! Johnny talks about their skating styles, calling Evan's cold. Evan calls attention seekers "desperate" and unappealing to sponsers. At nationals, Evan is teasing Johnny and Johnny is snarky in return: "Just do it" "Don't start with me" "You said that in Japan" "That's very clever for Evan"
February - March 2010 - They try to downplay the rivalry and pretend not to know each other well, but the passive aggressive comments are still there. Johnny says they've been pigeon holed, continues to say rivalry was media based and that Evan is just someone he sees at competitions. Evan wonders, "What's BGJW?" and says that they've only ever had two personal conversations.
March - April 2010 - Their attempts to be cool fail and THE BITTERNESS RETURNS! Johnny claims Olympic results were all political, then says Evan is a hard worker who deserves the gold, then says Plushenko should have received gold. Johnny isn't watching DWTS but is sure Evan will "make himself pretty." Johnny implies that Evan is gay and then later claims he doesn't know Evan enough to say either way. Bitch!Evan makes an appearance and insults Johnny for "whining" about SOI. Johnny calls Evan a slore, says it's war, claims he has no respect for Evan and that Evan is the whiner. Evan releases a publicist crafted message of apology.
I have gathered all the information that I can find. If you have any others, please let me know and I will add it to this post. :)