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My review - Episode #3 Skating with the Stars



Looks like every week the required elements is getting more and more difficult.


And during the week at practice, two skaters got injuries, Rebecca Bidig and Brook Castile ( who is Jonny’s partner ) and one skater, Brandon Smith got illness and was carried by ambulance to the hospital and could not attend the show.

Even though I’ve heard and knew how hard and dangerous sports figure skating can be, seeing these celebrities challenges during the training in this show, it shows even more clear.

And also as Johnny said, the fact is that skating judges don’t care skater’s health condition at events.

They see and score how they performed in the competitions. At least in STWS, judges don’t judges based on performer’s reputation, political connection. It looks fair no matter what celebrity‘s fans wish to think.

When skaters got injury and announcing about it, I’ve seen skaters were criticized by skating fans when they had to withdraw from the competition event.

Mostly from general skating fans who just want to play the game, using skaters.

I really think all the skaters are very brave.

This #episode 3 was also so much fun. We had a great time with it.

It was nice to see all the judges being friendly especially Johnny and Dick Button.


Loved Johnny's beginning explanation of the theme for performers.

Also loved Johnny and Laurie Ann Gibson’s fashion. Only thing, Johnny’s hair-do, I prefer more natural rather than clearly well-set hair. lol But he looked really beautiful in the purple shirt and the jacket.

Also I really loved Laurie’s hair-do, and her dress and a ring.

Maybe that what Johnny was saying in his twitter “ beauty theme” ?

I missed Sean & Denis team, because we really enjoyed with their performances. Sean is such a interesting personality and character and it made us joy and laugh.

I loved her attitude to judges and everyone. In the beginning of the show, she initially came off as a snob diva, but in fact during the competition her attitude was classy and nice and friendly to the others and we could see she really enjoyed the show.


My favorite in this competition,

Rebecca & Fred.

I don’t know why but Rebecca reminds me of Sasha Cohen as far as her movements are concerned, her well stretched body, legs, arms and she is also tiny same as Sasha.

Rebecca acted very well with the theme “anger”. Dick Button had told her to “ seduce “ him with her act last week lol, and she really did, went to the judges place and held her scarf around Dick‘s neck.

I was not so crazy for her costume and her hair, make-up, these combination didn’t look fit and didn’t make her look as beautiful as she can be , I prefer last week’s fashion. But performance was great. I love her movements, and she is flexible.

I really think she has some background in dance, something ballet or jazz dance because she knows how to use her body, arms, and I love how she moves sensitively. Beautiful. She also landed a single jump ( single flip ?).


Jonny Moseley & Brooke Castile,

It was so hurtful to see Brooke’s injury with her hand during the practice. Jonny must be really worried and felt bad about it.

Also interesting to see Jonny took Brooke to the mountain for skiing. Funny he said he was annoyed because Brooke was doing so good in her first time skiing like no problem.

I agree about that Jonny Mosely said he is a technical person and have no idea for artistry. I didn’t see any artistry through his performance, but his passion was great. Just I’ve been impressed with his mind toughness more than anything in this competition.

I can see that may be the Olympics champion’s mind. So strong.

They were falling down during the rehearsal but in the competition, he was always doing well. Only one stumble for his single jump but did combination jump.

During the practice in the video they took, they sometimes got emotional time when things didn’t go well, and Jonny’s words sounded sharp, but his face is soft.
Technically he was doing difficult lifts. For men, it looks harder than ladies.

Dick Button’s comment to them was hilarious. “Change your body posture from a Question mark to an exclamation mark.” lol


Vince & Jennifer

I have been having good impression from Vince. Especially his personality and his humble attitude.

Ray knew Vince was the lead singer for the heavy metal band Motley Crue, but I didn’t know any of these celebrities until watching this show.

We could see his improvement every week in this competition. Vince landed the single jump perfectly. Other things needed improvement and I was saying the same things as Johnny, about his hands. His posture and his legs look still stiff though, but amazing improvement.

I was also really impressed with his partner Jennifer’s skating. Especially her artistry.

Really loved her graceful movements and her pink costume.

She is a great dancer. I didn’t know about her until this show.

Definitely my favorite skater in this show. So I checked her biography and found she placed 6th in nationals championship in 2008, but got injury later and could not continue competing much due to recurring injuries.

Actually and unfortunately, talent does not always equal medals.

Figure skating world looks very tough and dangerous, injury often happened.

There must be many talented skaters who had to give up for their health condition.

Johnny’s previous coach Pricilla Hills also was the same.

Is it luck ? but I also feel our minds influence everything as well and that makes our future. When something is unbalanced, people get accident or have problem.


Bethenny & Ethan,

Her facial expression was okay this time, but from the beginning, her body still looked stiff.

And Ethan was holding Bethenny most of the time same as episode #1 and #2. And when she skated alone, it looked unstable and her jump looked not full rotation besides it was very tiny jump.

Dick Button’s advice is so true she is trusting her partner , it’s good but she is not trusting herself.

And also wonder why Ethan doesn’t let her to skate alone more ?

She is still not skating much. I found lifts may be sometimes used almost like a trick, because while the one partner is lifting, the other partner is not actually on the ice at that time, is not skating. It can look like they were doing great performance, but she was not actually skating much.

I really understand why they can not get same scores as other three contenders, Rebecca, Jonny, Brandon.

But Bethenny and Ethan and her fans are still not realizing. Her fans keep blaming judges calling as unfair judge.

Johnny has been very patient and keep classy for Bethenny‘s disrespectful attitude and her fans harsh personal attacks in twitter. I also wonder she is influenced by her fans ? Her attitude to judges is getting worse now.

Bethenny said she doesn’t care what Judge think, she skates for her fans and her partner, and doesn’t take it personally whatever Judge said.

But it’s so clear she has been taking it personally seeing her attitude. If she doesn’t care about judge, why so delighted to get score 7 ? Why she is so disrespectful to judge unlike other contenders ?

Personally I really feel Bethenny’s score for episode#3 was too high with that performance both artistically technically.
Ray says it was the worst.

And also there was drama after the show in the backstage. Here is the article link below,

Bethenny Frankel Confronts Skating Judge Johnny Weir


Brandon & Keauna,

Keauna looked sad while waiting and watching other contenders, and felt really bad for Brandon’s health problem.

They showed the rehearsal video which they had taken , and It’s hard to get high impression in the video, and much better to watch in the show.

Also mentally performers doesn’t need to deal with nerve and pressure from audience and judges eyes, it have to deduct it and I’m glad Johnny and Dick knows about it.

Many people who feel Johnny is harsh to performers may be not realizing the skating world. They all agreed to challenge this competition, and if they are expecting to get sugar coating treat from judges, I think it’s their issue.

I think What Johnny is saying is normal as a judge. Nothing personal and people just make it like a personal.

And judging Johnny as he is a cold person (??) because of this, started
disliking him because of this is like spoiled kids thinking.

He is a figure skater, he has said in interview about this kind of things before SWTS started, and huge Johnny fans know about him. I know SWTS is not Olympic game, but its also a competition.

and the image of figure skating is still considered as girly sport to majority of people, many people don’t think it’s such a strict world.

What Johnny said was nothing cruel about it because it’s nothing personal, he is telling it’s the required thing in job.


And it’s also interesting to know another skater’s opinion about this, ( click the link below)

Skating With The Stars Week 3 Recapjump Into Lurrrve

Here is her comment below,

“ And I'm with Johnny Weir, get and IV a shot of Compazine and get your butt on the ice! Adrenaline will get you through this.

Every skater has been in the ER an hour before they skate at some point. Kind of a pansy-azz move on Brandon's part. Unless you need surgery, you can skate. “


I’m not a skater, but If I were Brandon’s situation, I think I need to take responsibility of what I decided as much as possible I could. I may not tell Brandon to come and skate no matter the situation, but I understand Johnny ’s point of view.

So Brandon can know what figure skaters has been dealing with. It’s also good to experience that. Good to know the figure skater’s world.

Johnny also experienced these situation many times.

In 2003, he was still 18 years old and it was his first senior competition at Nationals, he just didn’t know what to do, he got injury during the performance when he fell on a triple jump, and he got many criticisms for this withdraw.

These people are still bringing it up every opportunity they have chance , and this time also they are not criticizing to Brandon, but they are criticizing Johnny. It shows they are just haters who just want to attack him.

Because of this, he didn’t want to stop the performance in Skate Canada 2005 when his landing leg’s ankle got sprain during the performance and he just kept going , but it was clear to see he had problem with his body.

At the end, sadly Vince and Jennifer were eliminated in the week. He was more skating than Bethenny, actually without any tricks.
Also love his sweet, humble attitude.

Hope him best of luck !



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