Dancing With The Stars 2020: Everything To Know About Johnny Weir

Season 29 of Dancing With The Stars is finally here, and we’ve got everything to know about Johnny Weir. The fashion-forward Olympic figure skater has legions of fans, thanks to his eccentric personality and incredible skills on the ice. He’s a two-time Olympian, a three-time U.S. National champion, and the 2008 World bronze medalist, but Weir is more that just a decorated athlete. He’s also a pop culture phenomenon.

Before Dancing with the Stars, Johnny Weir’s most recent foray into reality television came in 2019 when he appeared as Egg on The Masked Singer. Fans of the athlete knew right away from his clue package and theatrical flair that he was the voice behind the crazy get-up. In 2018, Weir’s brilliance on the small screen led him to the stages of Lip Sync Battle, where he performed songs by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion. Weir first set his sights on television back in 2010 when he starred in his very own reality show called Be Good Johnny Weir for the Sundance Channel. The series was often comedic, but largely centered around its star’s ambitions to achieve and excel at the sport of figure skating. At age 24, Weir was focused on improving every aspect of his Olympic aspirations after several disappointing competitions. He hired new management, he upgraded his choreography, he even honed in on the perfect costumes to give him competitive edge on the ice. All these things, he explained, might help him land a spot on the Olympic team. He was bold, outspoken, and vibrant on the show, but it wasn’t until a year after its debut that Weir stepped into the spotlight as a role model by coming out as gay.

In 2010, he spoke with the Los Angeles Times about his book, Welcome to My World, and the decision to emerge a pillar in his community:

“When I was younger, I didn’t really think of myself as a speaker for other people, but now I know that I have a responsibility for the kids coming up after me, especially after the Olympics. There were a lot of negative comments about me and being gender-tested and things like that. I realize that it’s very important that I can talk about those things in public so that those comments that people made about me don’t reflect onto other kids that are growing up like me.”

Weir ultimately retired from figure skating in 2013. Moving forward, he would have to find something that would satisfy his creativity as much as skating did. Weir decided to enroll in New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. While education quelled his sartorial urges, it was broadcasting and presenting that catapulted him into a new level of stardom. In 2014, Weir joined NBC as a commentator for its coverage of the Sochi Olympics. He’s been a regular fixture as a presenter ever since.

Johnny Weir is most definitely an underrated television personality. Anyone who remembers him from his Sundance reality show knows he’s hilarious to watch and quick on his feet. Why hasn’t he been tapped to host Saturday Night Live? Why isn’t Johnny Weir starring in his own sitcom RIGHT NOW. Hollywood needs to jump on his bandwagon to give viewers the chance to connect with a true designer original. Until then, Dancing with the Stars is an excellent showcase for Weir’s ability to perform choreographed routines. It’s also America’s chance to not only embrace, but cheer on a different type of role model.

Source: North Jersey, Los Angeles Times

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