choire:

This crazy piece on figure skating outfits in the Times veers unreliably from being actually very funny to being this amazing mix of homophobia and xenophobia? (Who knew those homos in RUSSIA were destroying everything manly (??) about FIGURE SKATING.)

I think what’s funniest about this piece is that the Times is leading off by ripping into Evan Lysacek for his costumes when they have previously reported on how much he hates all the flamboyance that pervades figure skating:

Lysacek, 22, grew up outside Chicago wanting to be a hockey player like Chris Chelios, then a hardnosed defenseman for the Blackhawks. Lysacek gravitated to figure skating for its physical demands and daring, and he remains so loyal to those roots that he still chafes at his sport’s forced flamboyance. All things being equal, he would rather skate in sweat pants.

Most figure skating enthusiasts, Lysacek said, “think the definition of being dressy or dressing up is like having glitter all over you; to me that’s just such a joke.” He added that skating’s theater detracted from its athleticism: “Sometimes it’s a little frustrating when people are like, ‘It’s a show — you’re in a show, right?’ Like Ice Capades. That’s the same thing to them.”

And, yes, I did just recall a story about figure skating from 2008 and defended the sport. But only because I went to high school with Evan. I swear.