In Virtue and Moir's interview "from London" with
I say unmistakeable because *I* can hear that it's a small child wailing. I don't hear this stuff. I also don't usually spend time scrutinizing Virtue and Moir's personal jewelry for hidden messages. It sails right on by me (the part where Tessa is wearing a Tiffany's key in 2009 and less than a year later Jessica is "gifted one by Scott" in Alma's album was brought to my attention by someone else).
But that was a small child wailing.
There was a comment a few posts down declaring that the blog's "theory" (it's not a theory, but let that go) had one fundamental problem - no way would all the people who know about Virtue Moir's status keep it secret (by "secret" this person apparently means "off the internet" and "off television" - kind of a broad idea of "secret").
Okay, the baby wailing is right there.
What does the online fandom do? Where's the - "aha - baby!"
It's baby - what baby? I don't hear nuthin.
It's the dog!
Come on - why isn't the entire fandom saying Scott and Tessa have a baby/toddler/small one in the background instead of ignoring it?
I'll tell you why - because they DO. The online fan community is a whole lot more comfortable with lies and speculation. They will lie all day about Tessa/David Pelletier, Scott/Jessica/Bryce. They won't say nuthin about why Jamie Sale and David Pelletier got a divorce. Nobody knew that they were separated for 18 months? They all kept it off the internet and off television - even when Jamie and David were doing Olympic commentary? Rod Black didn't blurt it out? That's not possible. There is a fundamental problem with the premise that Sale and Pelletier's separation was kept secret that long. But it was.
The fandom is more comfortable with speculation and lying and fan fiction. They're uncomfortable with real stuff because there are too many no go areas, it's harder to lie because they don't know who knows what and it can be blown back in their face if they make something up. But with lies - you can't prove a negative, so lies are safer.
Then there's the group that want to be the "good fans" the "better" fans, on the mistaken theory they'll be appreciated by Scott and Tessa.
As for those who know who are not in the fandom, what would they get out of blowing what remains of VM's cover?
This is the Emperor's New Diapers* and you'd better believe those who pretend they don't know that kid wail is a kid wail know it's a kid wail but are trying to keep control of the narrative (i.e., control other fans which has always been fundamental to VM fandom) and show off to themselves and VM what good fans they are.
Something else struck me - the amusement from VM and
Amusement? Why not panic? The sham, after all, is so extremely important it's been decided that Scott, who is completely in love with and devoted to Tessa, must act like he's in love with someone else in photographs - kiss them on the lips and be kissed. Smarmy for days. The girl has to crawl all over him on twitter and facebook. It's going to be in his child's face and the child isn't allowed to exist or be on the contemporary record of its parents' historical career. The child is left out because of this.
But apparently it's not that serious or urgent for the internet to believe this sham? The baby can cry and it's a little amusing? Then why is Scott running around getting kissed and fawned over by someone not his wife, pretending to be on beach honeymoons with them, if they don't really care what we think?
And they don't.
So why is it going on again Scott? Why are you doing it Ilderton?
__________________________
*With apologies to Toddler Moir. Figure of speech. Toddler Moir may have already graduated to pull-ups or even aced potty training if TM is super precocious.
(It was Brenda Irving who was interviewing them and yes, she couldn't even resist a chuckle or two.)
ReplyDeleteThe fandom's reaction to this is completely and utterly baffling me. It was the dog? No, it's Scott's nieces! Tessa and Scott weren't even in the same location while being interviewed!
How about the simple answer: it was their child. Tessa's reaction pretty much more than confirms that.
It doesn't baffle me. The internet is much more conducive to lying than the truth. People compete for status and importance on the web. And not that many people know the truth or even facts about other people. If the fans acknowledge that was a baby and unlikely to be Scott's neice (who'd be hanging out with Uncle Scott's platonic partner on weekend - why?) then the political and personal dynamics of the fandom shifts, the positions different fans have staked out for themselves become unsettled, and those that think they have "influence" would see the influence threatened.
DeleteSo it's not baffling. Fans are more about themselves and each other than whateve it is they're fans of.
True. It's just that as you said, people were looking for "proof" of the child and here it is, screaming right in your face! Uncle Scott's platonic partner would not be hanging out with his niece on the weekend. Take a minute and think about things, people.
DeleteThose who are trying to be the "good" fans and the "better" fans, thinking that they're doing some huge personal favour for VM are really starting to piss me off.
But they're also trying to hang onto their positions in the fandom and their influence.
DeleteI think there are two groups at play: the ones who are trying to, as you put it, hang onto their positions in the fandom pecking order. The other group seem to truly be unable to think about this for themselves and blindly believe whatever both V/M and the first group of fans say. Both of those groups are getting on my first last nerve right now.
DeleteIMO, there's also a third group who knows the deal, doesn't care about position in the fandom pecking order, but are keeping quiet because they don't want to fight the first group and the second group just can't be convinced to think.
10:57 - you've summed it up. The second group - the ones truly unable to think for themselves, or who think making up something out of thin air is as good as using logic - is very vocal in the VM fan community, and the second group feeds the first and vice versa. They're the most prolific as well.
DeleteIn the second group is someone who has decided things are terribly strained between DW and VM right now - based on nothing more than their decision to believe that - and hopes they can talk it out one day when it's all over, and put the friendship to rights.
That's typical of the second group - get a fan fic idea, decide it could apply to the real situation, decide therefore it's true, and voila - it's true.
WTF.
There's no IMO about it - the third group has been around for years, don't want to fight, don't care about pecking order, and know logic is wasted on the second group.
So when I describe the fandom and their reactions, I'm really alluding to those who claim all kinds of reasons for not believing the sham is a sham, when the reality is, those are not the reasons. They invested in their belief, they've built a position based on it, and will not let logic or evidence threaten that position. That's a group I also suspect is like the third - they know better but they DO care about pecking order more.
"IMO, there's also a third group who knows the deal, doesn't care about position in the fandom pecking order, but are keeping quiet because they don't want to fight the first group and the second group just can't be convinced to think."
DeleteYes.
Not only that, IMO this third group is the majority. I don't know anyone who believes Tessa and Scott anymore. It's hilarious all the eye-rolling going on among VM fans everywhere any time these guys repeat their tried and true lines in the media or a new sham photo turns up (but we all still love their skating. That's separate). These fans don't have a loud presence on the usual message boards. They could care less about pecking order or arguments.
But like 12:04 says, the ones who can't think for themselves and want to vigorously defend VM are very vocal and prolific. It's a handful of people who cross-post everywhere.
I really do hope VM are not going to all this effort just for the fans. That battle has been lost. The remaining ones who proclaim their dying belief in them are too few to make all this staging relevant. So I agree there are other reasons why VM and Co. cling so tenaciously to their quack stories - up to and including Scott cuddling and kissing a fake gf. It's nauseating.
It's not for fans, and actually, that makes it worse. Scott is pretending in photos with Cassandra and Cassandra is pretending to fawn over a married man with a living, breathing, real child, for reasons that have to do with the shammers themselves, and nothing to do with whatever they pretend they're protecting themselves from. That is just super gross.
DeleteThere's a fourth category of fans, not VM fans specifically. The liars. They're all over the message boards. They are the ones who at any given competition, always succeed in 'spotting' the rumored couple du jour in unmistakeable en flagrante. There's one busy member of one message group who managed to "spot" two rumored couples, not just in each other's company, but "gazing into each other's eyes, holding hands, and kissing" (on the lips). Because skaters are completely unconscious that the entire skating universe, press and fans are covering the vicinity for the duration of the competition within a three mile radius.
There's one supposed VM fan who's seen Cassandra, seen Tessa/Pelletier and Scott/Jessica and God knows who else.
There were a couple of fans two years ago pushing Pelletier/Tessa on fsu - lying. Despite one of them being an otherwise reasonable sounding poster - the temptation to lie their ass off was too much to resist, and the other piled on.
There are well meaning fans who "heard" something or "read it" and rather than complicate it claim they themselves saw it.
"There's one supposed VM fan who's seen Cassandra, seen Tessa/Pelletier and Scott/Jessica and God knows who else."
DeleteYep. This fan has just claimed on FSU to have seen Cassandra at Canadian Nationals sitting with the Moirs. This is also the same fan who claimed to have seen Tessa and Ryan Semple holding hands at another skating event, and who has made many of the other claims you mention. Not a single other person present at these events can claim to have seen these things. This fan is just particularly lucky. Imagine that.
What she is, is a big fat liar.
Cassandra wasn't seat with the Moir at Nationals. I was there ..
DeleteI was there too and I never once saw Cassandra with the Moirs, in the stands or otherwise. And believe me, the Moirs - in various groupings and along with the Virtues - were all over that place.
DeleteIt's just as I thought. This particular person has posted a whole boat-load of gossip regarding Tessa and Scott over the years. I'm glad to get confirmation that I can ignore his/her crap.
Delete" So I agree there are other reasons why VM and Co. cling so tenaciously to their quack stories ".
ReplyDeleteI'd assume it could have do to something with the judges. If V/M came clean about their actual relationship status the judges might rate their chemistry, connection and overall performance differently because then they'd have the confirmation that it's real and not just very well acted. They'd be crazy to give up the only openly admitted ( by the American media at least ) benefit that they have over D/W ( because actual skating skills don't seem to matter anymore ).
It has nothing to do with the judges.
Delete2:01
DeleteI'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense. There have been many acknowledged couples, married even, who skate as a pairs or dance team and it never made any difference in the judging. Off-hand I can think of G/G and Deubreil/Lauzon who skated as married couples and were considered to have great chemistry.
If VM have bought into your kind of thinking they are very deceived.
Whatever the questionable aspects of judging; they don't judge acting or chemistry.
DeleteVM's connection on the ice, that is (under) rewarded by the judges, has to do with quantifiable attributes, not chemistry. They are able to skate as one. 'As one' is, again, quantifiable. It's to skate and execute elements and features that are so mutually interdependent if there's a glitch from one the move collapses. It's extremely difficult.
VM's asses are hanging out in Carmen - it's a tour de force of pure skating and pure interdependence.
If skaters can achieve that while one is gay and the other straight, or they're married to others, or uninterested in each other romantically, they will be rewarded. It's rare, and it's extremely difficult. G&G had it too. They were rewarded for skating as one when they were platonic (1988) and when they were married (1994). It doesn't make a difference. It's got nothing to do with acting.
Does this then mean that other married pairs, or romantically involved skaters, didn't love each other as much as VM and G&G? Of course not. It meant they weren't equally as talented for skating, movement and music, or they were talented so differently they couldn't produce the same mutually dependant movements. It has nothing to do with being rewarded for thinking the on ice connection is acting.
This is the funniest blog I've read in a long time.
ReplyDeletePeriodically I do a sort of psa letting blog participants know that I have a statcounter that can match ISPs and comments. If someone appears and presents themselves as 'x' (say, a newcomer to the blog) but statcounter says something else, I like to remind them about the statcounter. Everybody gets to make their visit and talk about how hilarious or crazy or obviously bogus or whatever they find the blog - after that they can find something else to talk about - such as actually arguing their point of view - or go to spam.
DeleteI was the one who posted about it being funny. I don't mind you knowing that. I'm really not trying to be mean, it's just quite an amazing theory.
DeleteIt's not a theory. The premise of the blog is stone cold fact.
Delete2:32 Go back to your fun and games on FSU.
DeleteWrong again.....
Delete2:32
DeleteHow nice. So do you feel better now?
So the supposed lack of proof angers you terribly - Perhaps if you actually provided some counter-analysis to some of the blog's breakdown of specific items, instead of throwing a fit, you would be so much more, you know, intelligent-sounding in your statements.
I'm not threatening people with the stat counter, I just let them know it's there before they make asses of themselves saying it's their first visit, or claiming to be who they're not, or pretending to be different people having a conversation with themselves. The "number of views" log visible on the blog doesn't show what the blogger can see, and I'd rather everybody know the deal instead of feeling set up.
DeleteHowever if you're saying 'stop threatening people with your stupid stat counter' then you know I've brought it up before and you're still not over how crazy you find the blog.
Another thing - facts are facts. Virtue and Moir are married with a child. That's a fact. The fact doesn't change because some visitors to the blog don't have the proof - that's not how facts work. Facts "are". It might affect whether some people believe it's a fact or not, but that's not my problem. The premise of this blog isn't speculation. It's a fact.
Here are the options:
The blogger is crazy.
The blogger is lying. (This can be combined with the above)
The blogger is telling the truth.
Showing readers of the blog proof or describing how the blogger knows these are facts has no effect whatsoever on the truth of Virtue and Moir's marital status. It's still true. It only effects whether some people believe it or not. Those are different things. It's incredibly vain and egocentric of so many commentators to believe because THEY'RE not shown the proof, it can't be true. Really? They get very hostile and bent out of shape over it. They take it personally. That's an odd reaction to a blog that only says two people are married. I'm not saying they eat babies. The hostility is interesting and not my problem. But I find it not only interesting, but strange. They're married. They're not killers. To me the hostility is all about some fans feeling disempowered because the blog knows what it knows and says it, so these fans lose their power to bullshit and lie about Virtue Moir all over the internet, lose their power to police other fans, and feel threatened because of it.
They're discussing it ad nauseum on FSU. "It's the dog!" "No, it's a baby but it must be the nephew!"
ReplyDeleteIt's all a perfect illustration of how internet fandoms are all about fan politics, one-upmanship, power and winning. And achieving all that not stopping at making shit up and lying.
DeleteThey're willing to believe all kinds of lies not just over there, but anywhere. And they're willing to believe that Virtue and Moir are lying about everything but this - lying about their friendship with Meryl and Charlie, lying about their belief in Marina, lying about their career plans, lying about Tessa's shins.
Their resistance to (publicly) considering that Tessa and Scott are together is one big swamp of on line personality politics, otherwise they'd speculate about that too. Everything from some VM fans personalizing the issue in some way and not wanting it to be true, to resenting that someone else has a platform that they can't control, to DW fans (and fans of other ice dancers) who figure if THEIR faves are platonic then Virtue Moir are going to be platonic by God - Virtue Moir fans are already insufferable and get everything - can you imagine if they thought VM were together?
All of these things are reasons this is the one thing about VM that must be taken as gospel. Doubting it empowers the wrong fans.
And there's that the reality of VM being together would screw with a lot of theories about acting and chemistry on the ice.
I also notice that a big thing among some fans is "I was like 'this' so I can see Tessa being like 'this' too." as if there you go - the skaters are like you. And I know there are Scott ubers who love Tessa and the idea of them being together "some day" but the concept of him having been with Tessa for years, married to her, and the father of her child, sort of takes the fun out of being a Scott uber. Where do they take their empathy for the guy? He doesn't need them or it.
That said, I'm quite surprised they are actually acknowledging the child's wail on fsu. This is how Scott and Tessa spend their weekend. Scott hustles to London cause he can barely breathe without Cassandra. Tessa goes as well because she and mommy have a hair appointment and some shopping after VM train with Maria Mountain. They have agreed to a phone interview, so Scott and Tessa decide to do it at his brother Charlie's or his brother Danny's, because a household with a small girl and a dog is the perfect atmosphere for a telephone interview that will be broadcast on television. Conversely they do the interview at Tessa's but tell Danny and/or Charlie to stop by BEFORE the interview, as they think clamor in the background will enhance the atmosphere.
I think the denials about them being together has to do with a bunch of pearl-clutching in the fandom. There's an illusion that they are so sexually innocent, so how could they be married and obviously had sex (!) to make a baby. Maybe it does have to do with the Scott ubers who want to believe he's saving himself for the fans.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to discuss who Meryl and Charlie are dating and that they are not with each other, because Meryl is the harlot of the bunch (snicker) so it's obvious she wouldn't be with Charlie. V/M are viewed as celibate while D/W have immoral relationships (Charlie and Tanith living together, shocking! And also Tanith, who has "been around the block," commentating about her boyfriend).
Despite the illusion of celibacy among VM, if they *were* to date, they would be "perfect" for each other, because look how Scott "protects her" and "presents her." So the idea is that if the fans can't have Scott, only Tessa can. She is the fan-approved mate, but *obviously* that's not happening because they would *never* behave in such a manner (sexual).
I think the fans believe VM's "for show" relationships are fake, but for the wrong reasons. Not because they'd ever LIE, but because they're biding time, saving themselves for each other.
You're killing me with the first paragraph but sometimes it feels that way - all of these fans who are so protective of Scott and so sympathetic to him becausehe's either being a "man" (in the boys will be boys mold) who is sowing his wild oats with the wrong girl for all the wrong, shallow reasons (leaving room for fans, in their fantasies, to be the smart, respected, understanding friend and maybe more), or so sympathetic to him because Tessa is running around with all these uber masculine older athletes and hasn't woken up to her real feelings for him.
DeleteThe reality is Scott and Tessa have been in a mutual romantic relationship since forever, and that sort of doesn't leave room for fans in Scott's world if he has Tessa and always has had, and it makes fans realize they don't have a front row seat to a real life drama. The real stuff was over and done before half of them had heard of Virtue and Moir. The stuff they see is either fake (the shams) or it doesn't mean what they think it means. The affection between Virtue and Moir is the affection of two people who are married and have been intimately committed for years, not people unconsciously expressing what they don't know they feel or are afraid to admit.
I didn't know there was a whole virgin/whore dynamic going out there in the fandom with Meryl/Tessa, but either girl can be purposed for whatever the fans need them to be and let the guys off the hook - interesting from female fans, IMO. For one group, Charlie is just a nice guy and Meryl is the conniving, manipulative, backstabbing harlot - at the same time, she's not good-looking enough so how does she manage to wield so much sexual influence? It never makes sense to me how these fans do that math.
Who are these people describing Tanith as having "been around the block?" She's a woman in her mid-twenties who has had prior boyfriends. Are most online fans either virgins or, out of religious conviction, didn't have sex til they got married? I'm not knocking that but it's unrealistic to think people who don't do the same are outliers or exceptionally wild.
One of the most popular tropes among performers of any kind is that partners don't hook up because they'll ruin the working relationship or chemistry. The reality is if partners are attracted they hit it. There's no consideration of ruining the partnership or chemistry. It doesn't happen. They DO however, say it, because it spares them from revealing anything about their actual personal lives. In North America and Western Europe at least, there's no "spoil the partnership" going on. Fans also seem to think if a pair of figure skaters hook up and it fails the entire partnership collapses. The reality is it's more like life - people are young, they date, then they don't date, then they date someone else, they often stay friends with people they used to date, and they're not in their rooms writing a Taylor Swift song or having a breakdown when a relationship doesn't stick, even with their partner.
The conflicts partners experience are much more often about the other's level of commitment, work ethic, focus, loyalty. Can they trust each other? Will one ditch the other for a better opportunity? Is one giving their all and the other not - so the one giving their all is putting their ass on the line for nothing? If something goes wrong in a program will both skaters suck it up as a team mistake or will one partner hang the other out to dry? Do they adjust to and support each other on the ice or does one member of the partnership think the other isn't there for them if they're not at their best?
That's the stuff that splits up partnerships. Not, oh, we hooked up and he's not that into me and now I can't even focus on my program, I'm so upset!
I've read this theory with interest and there are many holes in it - but I am now wondering if there might be a partial truth to it. Let's look at the holes first.
ReplyDeleteFor this team immediately after the Olympics, the best marketing demographic would be the coveted "minivan majority" - those working mothers in full on buying mode. They are the type to embrace romance, marriage and motherhood, in that order. The amount of swooning this team inspired, as witnessed by the numerous articles calling for them to be a real-life couple, was unprecedented except perhaps for Gordeeva and Grinkov.
With that said, being unable to market Virtue and Moir as a real life couple is the biggest detriment to their success, or lack thereof, with major sponsors. Every detail of their romance, engagement, wedding and birth of a child would have been played out to great financial gain and PR. Who would dream of supporting the platonic, cold and professional relationship of Davis and White over the real-life romance of Virtue and Moir? The empathy would have been all theirs - every injury, every glitch touted as a courageous working mother and her supportive husband, skating for their country. The Minivan could and would totally get behind this. Even skeeves like those Kardashian creatures get abolished of their sins when they become pregnant.
Where the Minivan balks, however, is if the pregnancy is a result on infidelity or in some cases, such as the Virtuous field of ice dance - pregnancy without being married to the father (unless of course, a wedding happens soon after).
There is absolutely not the slightest bit to be gained from hiding a legitimate romance, engagement, marriage and birth from Virtue and Moir as a couple. Where it COULD be advantageous is if Tessa had a child out of wedlock with someone else. Can you hear the collective "yikes"! Especially if it was with a cheating husband, double yikes.
This theory would explain many things and make much more sense despite how very much we would all like to see V/M be a real life couple. I welcome your thoughts.
Oh geez. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone went there and tried to insinuate that someone other than Scott is the child's father.
DeleteV/M ARE a real life couple. Tessa and Scott have been together forever--as OC says, long before most people even knew who they were. They were married in 2009 and are completely in love with and committed to each other. The DP is a fabrication perpetuated by a group of mean, petty fans.
The sham seems to primarily exist as a way to occupy Moirville, but did you ever stop to think that maybe V/M DON'T want to market their romance, wedding, birth of their child, and heck, the child itself? I think it's possibly that having every detail of those things discussed and played out in the press, etc. is V/M's exact idea of a nightmare scenario.
First of all, the blog is not a theory. It is a fact. It's not like - well that's a good theory - here's another theory!
DeleteIt's not a theory. Tessa was never with David Pelletier because she's been with Scott since long before most fans heard of her and Scott. That's a fact.
I think the only one who believes it is a single fan (you?) who clings to the Pelletier/Tessa idea perhaps because it's the only way they can reconcile S&P's split. Other fans jumped aboard to stir the shit and mess with VM fans.
I don't know what's driving the true believer fan (you?) but it's not true.
There are theories on the blog based on the disconnect between what is true (that Virtue Moir are in love and married) and the shit VM shovel. That gap between fact and public relations is not accounted for by "privacy needs" or "protect Tessa", so the blog has looked at other elements of Tessa and Scott's life to account for the gap.
But the essential premise of the blog - Tessa and Scott have been together forever, got married in 2009, were married when they won the Olympics, and now have a child - is fact.
As 9:53 said - yes, get a clue about marketing. Does it occur to fans that many skaters don't wish to market their actual private lives and major milestones, particularly not as they are happening?
I disagree utterly with how VM have chosen NOT to market their actual private lives - create totally fake ones, and a whole raft of moronic, obnoxious, piss poor public fuckery. But they're not alone in not wishing to market their actual private lives.
When the blog started I remember an outraged comment from someone asking why would Scott need to sham - he's not gay!! Apparently that's the only reason some fans can think of for public figures to keep their private lives private.
Ergo, fans must believe there's an endless conga line of figure skaters like Tanith Belbin, so eager to help their gay colleagues that they sham it up for years, making the sacrifice of keeping their actual boyfriend out of the way.
Could it be that Tanith also wanted to keep her private life private? That's a "doh!" moment that never hits most fans.
I will say that I understand what VM's nightmare scenario is, however there have ALWAYS been ways to avert that without resorting to the humiliating (for both fans and skaters) degradation, outright hustle and hucksterism, meanspirited mockery and just-for-fun belittling and manipulation that they've employed and still employ. The press is extremely cooperative and would have been sparing of the intimate details. Not to mention deflecting the focus onto things like skating has not occurred to many. Perhaps because so many people responsible for promoting figure skating like the "world" and the atmosphere involved in covering it but don't really care enough to know much about the skating itself.
All that aside, and knowing how many fans posture that the blog is the most OTT insane thing ever ever, and also being familiar with fan tactics calculated to muddy the waters, I'm surprised more comments haven't been posted claiming the equivalent of Scott fathered Big Foot's baby, the better to render the blog absurd. The blog isn't absurd, no matter what fans would like to believe. How Tessa and Scott have managed their circumstances has been.