He is grumbling. He is melodramatic. He is effeminate.
Once, when asked by Sports Illustrated what makes a Johnny Weir fan, he replied: "People who don't like me are very stodgy and set in their ways and very red-state-ish. Most of my fans are more of a blue-state crowd and may have little eccentricities."
The three-time U.S. figure skating champion finds his off-ice persona more talked about than what he does on the ice.
Weir might not be an authority on politics, but when on ice he is breathtakingly elegant. To a Korean fan, he once wrote: "I skate hard and train hard and I'd rather have people picking apart my life than my skating. It's kind of nice that people can't find as many things wrong with my skating as they can find in me."
As part of the 82-date John Hancock Champions on Ice Tour, Weir will perform at the Delta Center tonight. He will skate to "I Did It My Way" by Frank Sinatra. The tour kicked off on April 7 in Fort Myers, Fla., and will conclude on Aug. 16 in Las Vegas. All this following a busy season capped with an Olympics and a World Championship.
Weir loves to be among fans even if they are in a "red state."
"It is a great opportunity to get my face out there," Weir said. "It's also a great chance to promote figure skating."
For Weir, the Torino Olympics in February was a huge disappointment. Having dropped to fifth from second place in the free skate, Weir, 22, received death threats at the Games and continues to get hate mail and "nasty e-mails." Personal attacks targeted his love for things Russian and even his sexual preferences.
"Olympics were of course a huge disappointment, but they don't define me. Nor does my love of things Russian," Weir said. "The death threats and critics don't mean anything. It's people with too much time on their hands.
"My love of all things Russian isn't something I'm ashamed of. I believe all Americans should be appreciative of other nations and cultures. All nations helped form my country."
Sasha Cohen, the U.S. champion and two-time Olympian, feels the issue is blown out of proportion. "I think those people should realize that it's just skating," she said.
Besides Cohen and Weir, there will be performances by two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan, a long-time fan-favorite who was forced to withdraw from the Winter Games with a groin injury.
Others are 2002 Olympic silver medalist Irina Slutskaya, three-time World Champion and 2002 Olympic silver medalist Evgeny Plushenko, reigning world champion Stephane Lambiel, as well as other champions from Olympic and World competitions, including Olympic gold medalist Victor Petrenko, Rudy Galindo and Surya Bonaly.
World silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, 2002 Olympic ice dancing champions Marina Anissina, and Gwendal Peizerat will also skate as will the Russian world champion pairs team of Tatiana Totminana and Maxim Marinan.
The evening will also feature some well-known specialty acts with Irina Gregorian, Dan Hollander and the comic duo of Vladimir Besedin and Oleksiy Polishchuk.
Skaters will perform their own routines, selecting music and choreography of their choice, as well as skate in special opening and closing group numbers.
Cohen will dance solo to "God Bless America" by Celine Dion.
"It's an honor to be on the tour. It's also great to be with my friends," said Cohen, who won a silver medal in Torino and a bronze at the World Championship at Calgary in March.
Cohen's advice to young skaters: "Love it, work hard, have no regrets, and give it your all."
"Grow thick skin," Weir offered.
E-mail: schakraborty@desnews.com