PETA: skater Johnny Weir loves wearing dead animals

[cathryn]

Johnny Weir 'Loves Wearing Dead Animals,' Calls Animal Rights Activists 'Crazy Fur People'
by Erin Donnelly (Subscribe to Erin Donnelly's posts), Posted Feb 17th 2010 at 1:56PM
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Johnny Weir and a red fur-wearing friend behind him. Photo: Getty Images
So much for "being good."

After bowing to pressure from animals rights groups to replace the fox fur on his costume with faux fur, men's figure skater Johnny Weir has changed tack and issued a pro-fur rant, saying he loves "wearing dead animals," Reuters reports.

Way to fan the flames, kid.

The outspoken star -- who took to the ice at the Vancouver Olympics last night in a less divisive but hardly demure pink and black Hot Topic-worthy ensemble with sheer-panel details -- made the controversial remarks in a press conference, as he explained that "death threats" from animal rights activists (dubbed "crazy fur people" by the skater) had forced him to stay in the secure Olympic Village rather than a hotel, according to the news service.

"There have been threats against me," the "Be Good Johnny Weir" star reportedly explained. "Threats of harming me personally and I didn't want to get hurt. So I decided to stay in the village and my team has made it as comfortable as possible.

"I don't want any outside influences to hurt my chances here. Even though I'm not always comfortable rooming with somebody or being in a communal village sort of situation, it's what I've got to deal with."

But if that sounds like he's taking the high road, think again.

"There was a lot of attention put on a tiny piece of fur," Weir said. "While I do understand anti-fur activists' views about fur and the fur industry, they aren't part of my life.

"One thing that is horrible is when somebody pushes a belief on you like a religion. I was definitely threatened and felt very threatened. People are nuts.

"I'm an easy person to pick on because I'm very open I like fur and I like things that come from dead animals. It's easy put your cause against an athlete going to the Olympic Games, it's good free publicity for these activists."

Ouch. Figure skating hasn't been this fiery since Lily Cole knocked down that little girl.

But should Weir -- who noted that skaters wear "leather skates made of cow" -- be admired for standing up against animal rights bullies, or has he put his foot in his mouth (watch out for that blade!) once again? Leave a comment!

Either way, something tells us PETA is putting up a Johnny Weir dartboard as we write -- especially since the star has reportedly admitted that he will continue to wear fur.

"If I still want to compete, if I felt the costume needed fur, I would wear fur," the 25-year-old was quoted by the source as saying. "If all this happens again I get a bodyguard."

http://www.stylelist.com/2010/02/17/johnny-weir-loves-wearing-dead-animals-calls-animal-rights-activists-crazy-fur-people?icid=main