Days after losing out on a gold medal, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is trying not to lose her golden image after television microphones picked up some less-than-shining moments.
Her seemingly mean-spirited remarks - plus her criticism of figure skating judges, her boasts that her own performance was flawless and her absence at the Olympic closing ceremonies - threatened to sully the silver medalist's Snow White image.The first episode occurred as Kerrigan waited Friday for the award ceremony. Thinking everyone was waiting for gold medalist Oksana Baiul to fix her makeup, Kerrigan was caught on camera saying, "Oh, come on. So she's going to get out here and cry again. What's the difference?" (The real reason for the delay: Officials were searching for a copy of the Ukrainian national anthem.)
And while she sat next to Mickey Mouse at a Disney World parade Sunday, she was recorded saying "This is so corny. This is so dumb. I hate it. This is the most corny thing I've ever done."
On Tuesday night, Kerrigan issued a statement through her publicist saying her comments had been misinterpreted.
Of the remark about the Ukranian skater, Kerrigan said: "I was afraid the crowd was losing its enthusiasm and was starting to leave. It was not meant as a slight toward Oksana."
Of the other, she said she was referring to her mother's insistence that she wear her medal during the parade.
"Since I was a little girl, I was told not to brag. I was afraid that it might look like bragging, and I'm not comfortable with that."
Even before she was attacked Jan. 6 at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, Kerrigan had promotional contracts with Reebok shoes and Campbell soup. As she recovered from her injuries and the attack was linked to the entourage of her rival, Tonya Harding, Kerrigan's image was enhanced.
She signed a contract worth a reported $2 million with Walt Disney Co. and on Monday agreed to appear in advertisements for Revlon.