Nick Verreos AND Johnny Weir: Frozen Runway Part 2!- Review of the Olympic Ladies Free Skate Costumes!

2010 Olympics Figure Skating Red Carpet!!!
Bob Costas Who?: Nick Verreos anchoring the Universal Sports Desk in Westlake Village, CA

Fresh of the heels of my Universal Sports Commentary of the Olympic Ice Dancing Costumes, I was back for more! This time we were discussing the amazing Ladies Free Skate Finals and in the Vancouver Studio, joining in on the discussion was none other than....JOHNNY WEIR!!!

We had a great time discussing all the top ladies costumes and Kristi Yamaguchi and Peter Carruthers even presented me with quite a surprise finish to the segment!!! A perfect Figure Skating Costumes ending to mirror a most fabulous 2010 Winter Olympics Ladies Figure Skating Final!

Click BELOW to see the entire segment and make sure to not miss the ending:

Nick Verreos Reviews the Olympic Men's Figure Skating Finals

Golden Boy: Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek with Evgeni Plushenko and Daisuke Takahashi

So, of course, I couldn't let the Olympic Men's Figure Skating Finals slip by without a review of the Costumes! And, as always, in Figure Skating, their was DRAMA on the ice and in the costumes!

Congratulations to Evan Lysacek for delivering a Gold Medal worthy performance! Lysacek became the first American man since Brian Boitano to win the Olympic gold.

Though Lysacek is the world champion, it was a rare upset for the world of Figure Skating. Plushenko, who ended a three-year retirement with the sole goal of winning gold, hadn't finished anywhere but first since the 2004 European championships. He was the defending Olympic gold medalist and silver medalist in 2002, and a three-time world champion.

I was honored to be asked to comment on the Men's Costumes for the AP Associated Press alongside Hal Rubenstein the Fashion Director of InStyle Magazine and Jef Billings, one of the sports most famous Costume Designers.

Below are my comments on all the top Men's Skating Costumes, and click HERE to read all our comments.
Evan Lysacek: Dark and dramatic. Just like Evans artistic skate, Vera Wang created a masterful costume complete with Swarovski crystal-encrusted King Cobra Snakes. The costume was worthy of a Gold Medal in its own right!
Evgeni Plushenko: Liza Minnelli-shenko is what I thought when I first saw this bedazzled nightmare. It was a High School Musical costume that matched his High School Musical performance.
Daisuke Takahashi: Cirque de Soleil gone wrong! I give Takahashi points for always bringing us over the top costumes, but this one looked like a tablecloth from a cheap Greek Taverna.
Johnny Weir: I’m happy (and I’m sure PETA is too) that Johnny lost the fur. This silver, crystal embroidered costume was actually a toned down Johnny Weir. It showed his elegant restraint and maturity mirroring his almost flawless performance.
Stephane Lambiel: The Swiss may be famous for their couture laces and embroidery, but Stephane’s Tea Cozy shoulder pads were a definite miss.
Patrick Chan: Although the Phantom of the Opera has been done one too many times for my taste, his costume was a refreshing twist on an overused theme. A directional costume featuring an asymmetrical corseted waistcoat with gold button detail and (thank goodness) no Andrew Lloyd Weber mask in sight!
Nobunari Oda: Can you please give me a couple sequins?! I get the Charlie Chaplin reference but I was falling asleep until the lace snapped. Never before have I been so excited about a wardrobe malfunction!

Nick Verreos Take on Olympic Figure Skating Costumes On American Public Radio's "The Takeaway"

Figure Skating Costume Don'ts: Russian Ice Dancing Team Oksana Domnina and Maxin Shabalin

Yesterday I got up very early to tape a radio interview with NPR's "The Takeaway" where I spoke about the Olympic Figure Skating Costumes (of course, what else??). I spoke about my thoughts on Domnina and Shabalin's controversial--and some would say, culturally insensitive Aboriginal-inspired costumes, as well as my favorite all-time figure skating costumes and naturally, spoke a little about Johnny Weir and his fur/no fur controversy. My interview will air tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.

The Takeaway is a national morning news program that invites listeners to be part of the American conversation. Hosts John Hockenberry (Todd Zwillich sub-hosted for my interview) and Celeste Headlee, along with partners The New York Times, BBC World Service, WNYC, Public Radio International and WGBH Boston, deliver news and analysis and help you prepare for the day ahead.

Listen to The Takeaway on the radio every weekday morning on the stations listed HERE, or listen live online at thetakeaway.org weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern (3 a.m.–7 a.m. Pacific).

Figure Skaters in Rodarte: Rachael Flatt, Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir!

Fashion Triple Axle
In light of the upcoming 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics (they begin THIS Friday!!!), New York Times Magazine recently published this great "Photo Essay" by Ryan McGinley entitled "The High Flyers" showing US Olympians and capturing them mid-flight in an exhilarating ski jump, or a snow-filled moment of close-up repose. Skiers, snowboarders and (my favorite) Figure Skaters. Included in this photo essay is our US Nationals Champion, Rachael Flatt, photographed mid-turn wearing a braided/crochet design by Rodarte. 2009 World Champion Evan Lysacek (can't really see if it's a Rodarte or a Vera Wang, his current favorite) is seen from behind--in silhouette-- while he looks to be in mid-Camel Spin.My favorite, however, is the one of Johnny Weir. Always a risk taker when it comes to fashion, Johnny is fresh off a new controversy involving PETA and for this NY Times Magazine photo essay, he is wearing a custom Rodarte "spiderweb" red and black yarn jumpsuit. The design is very similar to what the Pasadena, California-reared Mulleavy sisters showed for Spring 2010.
It's like her male partner-in-crime! Somehow I cannot see Evan Lysacek in that same ensemble...but Miss Johnny: Huney, done and done!