Last Thursday at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, the U.S.'s only hope in the men's figure skating, Johnny Weir, arrived late for his performance, skated a tentative, uninspired program, then stormed out of the rink when his mediocre skating marks were shown

Weir finished in fifth place, missing a real opportunity to medal at the Winter Games.

Weir's sudden fall from Olympic favor came on the heels of an equally sudden rise to Olympic stardom. Only days earlier, Weir had proven his ability to take home a medal by skating a short program that put him in second place.

The media hounding and subsequent hoopla regarding Weir went into high gear right after his lackluster performance on Thursday night. Fresh off the ice, and with barely a chance to catch his breath, Weir was surrounded by reporters. After skating a physically and mentally demanding Olympic event, it's tough enough to have to answer questions regarding one's own poor performance. Weir had the added burden of responding to questions about his sexual orientation.

"I think it's funny that people care," said the beleaguered Weir. "I don't have a problem with people saying anything. People could be saying, "Oh, let's poll about Bode Miller.
Let's poll about Michelle Kwan being a lesbian, something like that. It's not a big deal.
Who I sleep with doesn't affect what I'm doing on the ice or what I'm doing in a
press conference."

For the record, Weir is not officially gay. He has so far refused to specifically answer questions that ask his sexual orientation (unless, of course, one counts his many public statements stating what a “princess” he is).

On both his personal website and in numerous interviews, Weir's explanations about why he refuses to answer provide a kind of information on their own.

"People talk. Figure skating is thought of as a female sport, something that only girly men compete in. I don't feel the need to express my sexual being because it's not part of my sport and it's private. I can sleep with whomever I choose."

Weir, however, has made mention of a certain recent “tumultuous personal relationship” that he claims had a negative impact on his skating. But he has repeatedly declined to expound on that issue.

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