“If we match the skaters and we’re bringing out the sparkle, then we’re doing our job.”
It’s less than four days out from the Opening Ceremony, the official start to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, when Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir sit down to have a virtual chat with For The Win. It’s what they described as the first day of their Olympics, sitting on a gray couch at NBC headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, where they’ll cover the Games instead of in person rinkside.
Of course, they look fabulous, as they sidle up next to each other. Weir apologizes for slouching: “My hair won’t fit in the frame if I sit up straight.”
They’re prepping to cover their fifth Olympics together — third as figure skating analysts at the Winter Games — along with Terry Gannon as lead play-by-play commentator for Olympic figure skating.
Lipinski and Weir as a duo have become broadcasting staples when it comes to figure skating with an ability to simplify the sport for the less familiar. Figure skating is what they do, with Lipinski as the 1998 singles Olympic gold medalist at the Nagano Winter Games and Weir being a three-time U.S. champion and two-time Olympian (2006, 2010).
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The pair are also fashion icons who have become famous for their dazzling on-air looks, complemented by sparkles and flair. But looking fabulous every day takes work, time and coordination, and they shared backstage details about how it all happens — including adjoining rooms and packing 17 total suitcases.
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This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
