#ari zakarian

[music-art-sport-and-more]

Dave has an unhealthy obsession with Russians. Will never forget TSL's tweets before the beginning of this season, that were pure conspiracy, all the talk about the "vitamin box" Medvedeva had at TCC and that Orser and co knew about her doping, Mustafina gaining weight and so on. It was hilarious tbh.

And never forget to mention that Ilia is technically Russian 😃

I swear, if he makes it to the olympics, i can already see those 4 year fans being confused as of why Russians are allowed to compete, and real figure skating fans trying to explain to them that he is born in the US and has literally never been to Russia.

Sigh....

[harocat]

Hi! Sorry to bother you, I quit following figure skating news a while ago, do you mind telling me what the new drama has been? Or just, do you have reliable sources where I can see for myself? One of your latest post intrigued me

Hope you're having a nice day <3

It's an overall feeling! There's been a lot that has fueled the sentiment we've seen in that post I made. But the recent explosion was with Ilia.

Ilia made a yikes comment where he 'joked' that his component scores were low because he's not gay and that he couldn't raise them because he's straight. Then he repeated the joke, which is wild, because how did he not realize right away he'd made a mistake.

I think that Ilia is only eighteen and there's a good chance he's grown up in a fairly conservative environment. I am a firm believer that people can grow and change. Lots of people and athletes I love have fucked up before (Nathan included). I don't think anyone is ideologically pure from the getgo, and skaters are YOUNG. His reaction to what happened is actually what's more important to me, but his apology was... very bad. People were naturally upset. He didn't actually even pledge support for the LGBTQ+ comm and was basically just 'sorry I was a dumb teenager.'

Simultaneously he posted a vid on IG of him doing side by side spins with noted gay skater Jason Brown. I'm guessing that he was told to do this by his manager ('look I have gay friends'), but it was obviously not a great look.

Today it was announced he's been sent to sensitivity training by USFA. Never seen them do something like that before. I don't actually think sensitivity training tends to be very effective, so more than anything, the change will have to come from himself. And I hope it does! I like him.

Also, his manager Ari Zakarian is insane and has been badmouthing everyone and anything in the Russian press; shading Nathan, shading Yuzu, and going on and on about how lowballed Ilia has been in scores. That's obviously not Ilia's fault and I doubt he even reads Ari's Russian interviews, but it's overall created a big mess. To add to that, Ilia said when he met Yuzu, Yuzu was 'pissed' at him for landing the 4A, which even if it were true, keep that to yourself kid. It was just the icing on the cake of all this.

oh and VERY unrelated to the post I made but related to FS being shit, we also found out a popular Canadian skater who is retiring this year and just had his last competition two weeks ago is a rapist. Obviously I will make zero snarky comments on that. It's reprehensible, but god... this sport is just rotten to the core.

(Sidenote, but it's genuinely surprising to me that USFS hasn't stepped in and told the teenage skaters to not do lives. This isn't the first time something messy has happened. )

[hailhq]

WELCOME TO HAIL! Enjoy your stay. Please have your account sent in within the next 48 hours or risk your role being reopened. If you need extra time, please let us know. Any questions can be sent to the main via ask or DM. Thank you so much for joining us and we look forward to writing with you!

angela sarafyan / 39 / cis woman —have you noticed that IRINA ZAKARIAN is back in town? the LAWYER is apparently pretty DETERMINED, but SHE can also be a little CYNICAL. SHE is always blasting CONFUSION by NEW ORDER, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the SAGITTARIUS has a better time here than most. — (inna / 30 / she/her / gmt).

aron piper / 27 / cis man — have you noticed that BLAKE KNOX is back in town? the FREELANCE WRITER is apparently pretty RECEPTIVE, but HE can also be a little OBSESSIVE. HE is always blasting BIG BIRD by AJJ, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the TAURUS has a better time here than most. — (neen / 28 / she/her / est).

brianne tju / 24 / demi woman — have you noticed that FELICE BAHRI is back in town? the HAIR-DRESSER is apparently pretty VIBRANT, but SHE/THEY can also be a little MISCHIEVOUS. SHE/THEY is/are always blasting LIMBO BITCH by SAMIA, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the GEMINI has a better time here than most. — (neen / 28 / she/her / est). 

carlos miranda / thirty-five years old / cis man —have you noticed that RUDY CASTRO is back in town? the FIREFIGHTER is apparently pretty COURAGEOUS, but HE can also be a little STUBBORN. HE is always blasting THE HILLS by THE WEEKND, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the SCORPIO has a better time here than most. — (lydia / twenty-seven years old / she/her / gmt).

dacre montgomery / 26 / cis male —have you noticed that JOSHUA HAVERY is back in town? the MECHANIC && DRUG DEALER is apparently pretty ADAPTABLE, but HE can also be a little  VULGAR. HE is always blasting DON'T CRY by GUNS N' ROSES, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the SCORPIO has a better time here than most. — ( courtney / 30 / she&her / est).

jessica chastain / 45 / cis woman —have you noticed that ELODIE JONES is back in town? the FLORIST is apparently pretty AFFECTIONATE, but SHE can also be a little VERBOSE. SHE is always blasting YOU IN THE RAIN by SHERWOOD ROBERTS, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the PISCES has a better time here than most. — (dara / 30 / she/her / est).

joe keery / 27 / cismale —have you noticed that THEODORE HARRIS is back in town? the BARTENDER AT VETO is apparently pretty CHARMING, but HE can also be a little COLD. HE is/are always blasting HELL OF A NIGHT by SCHOOLBOY Q, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the GEMINI has a better time here than most. — (sunday / 26 / she/her / pst).

julia dalavia / 24 / cis woman —have you noticed that YARA DIAZ is back in town? the FIREFIGHTER & WAITRESS AT MOONRISE DINER is apparently pretty SEDULOUS, but SHE can also be a little CLOSED-OFF. SHE is always blasting MARINADE by DOPE LEMON, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the ARIES has a better time here than most. — (marie / 25 / she/her / cst).

logan lerman / 31 / cis man —have you noticed that CHRISTOPHER "KIT" HARRIS is back in town? the CASHIER @ GOLDEN HOUR VINYL is apparently pretty CREATIVE, but HE can also be a little IRRESPONSIBLE. HE is always blasting KISS OFF by VIOLENT FEMMES, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the PISCES has a better time here than most. — (apple / 26 / she/they / pst).

lucy alves / 37 / cis woman —have you noticed that MARINA MACHADO is back in town? the MECHANIC is apparently pretty ENIGMATIC, but SHE can also be a little CUNNING. SHE is always blasting ONLY TIME WILL TELL by ASIA, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the CAPRICORN has a better time here than most. — (roos / 24 / she/her / cst).

melisa aslı pamuk / 32 / cis woman —have you noticed that SAFIYE AVŞAR is back in town? the EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN is apparently pretty DETERMINED, but SHE can also be a little FINICKY. SHE is always blasting ON MY WAY by LANA LUBANY, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the ARIES has a better time here than most. — (ari / 28 / she/her / est).

melissa barrera / 32 / cis woman —have you noticed that AURORA ‘RORY’ LUNA-MORALES is back in town? the EMT is apparently pretty CHARISMATIC, but SHE can also be a little BRASH. SHE is always blasting REVOLUTION by BISHOP BRIGGS, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the GEMINI has a better time here than most. — (ali / 30 / she/they / est ).

pedro pascal / 48 / cismale  —have you noticed that THEO SILVA is back in town? the BARTENDER is apparently pretty LOYAL, but HE can also be a little JUDGEMENTAL. HE is always blasting IN THE AIR TONIGHT by PHIL COLLINS, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the VIRGO has a better time here than most. — (janie / 31 / she/her / cst).

riz ahmed / 42 / cis man — have you noticed that TOMA QAZI is back in town? the PSYCHIATRIST is apparently pretty OBSERVANT, but HE can also be a little IMPULSIVE. HE is always blasting CATCH IT by ICEAGE, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the CAPRICORN has a better time here than most. — (neen / 28 / she/her / est).

zoey deutch / 28 / cis woman —have you noticed that DREW SHREDDER is back in town? the MECHANIC is apparently pretty FORTHRIGHT , but SHE can also be a little SELF SERVING. SHE is always blasting HOT ROD by DAYGLOW, as it makes them think of something from their past. i hope the LEO has a better time here than most. — (leona / 27 / they/she / pst).

[anewbeginningagain]

the ISU award is clearly Ari Zakarian's PR endeavor and it's kind of funny/painful seeing fans who said they're above it all still seek validation from it... like please, doing it during Art on Ice (AZ is the producer for both and the ISU award was treated like a sideshow during AOI, while the audience for AOI itself are mostly there for the musicians and not the skaters), also creating a special award for Ilia out of thin air and making him skate at AOI instead of doing what's more reasonable for a first season senior looking for world standing points and more international reputation by competing at 4CC... like I actually think figure skating has award show potential, but this was just so contrived to the point it becomes ineffectual and kind of embarrassing? (the "Most Valuable Skater" category is such a disservice for everyone that gets nominated) and to think Skate Canada was on board for this and almost hosted it at Worlds 2020... it's also why I think both IAM and Mathieu Caron kept getting nominations and wins lol, I think they had a deal for performing and costuming at Montreal for that first year and it didn't happen because of COVID.

I mostly agree but I don't think Ilia was made to skate at AOI? It's good money where 4CC is, unfortunately, a championship that lacks any prestige, and the lineup is very indicative of how little skaters care about it.

I agree that the awards are bogus, their timing was ridiculous, and the entire thing felt made up, especially categories that so clearly lacked the right nominees. As for the I.AM and Mathieu connection - I don't see it at all? The awards were introduced for Montreal 2020 worlds but at the same time, I do think the nominations are not that corrupt for the most part, just not that interesting LOL.

[russianfigureskatinghell]

How about you shut the fuck up??

[figureskatingconfessions]

“I still think it’s weird that the ISU Award’s categories for coaches, choreographers, newcomers, costumes are ‘Best’ while for skaters it’s ‘Most Valuable’ and programs ‘Most Entertaining.’ Why didn’t they have every category as ‘Best XXX?’ If their intention was to have ‘Skating Oscars’ they should have gone for that. Also Ari Z saying Alina’s not in the noms because her management isn’t cooperating is weird. Does that mean the nominations’ managements are cooperating with Ari Z?”

[evgeniamedvedeva4u]

From Evgenia’s Instagram 

Ari Zakarian: We’ve just had an earthquake 

Evgenia: It was just because of me skating

Source: https://instagram.com/jmedvedevaj/

[teamchampery]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ari Zakarian (@arizakarian) on Oct 19, 2019 at 12:42am PDT

[itgoesdingwhentheresstuff]

arizakarianDay 3, #foi #Japan @elladjebalde

“The best skater in the world,” AKA Stéphane skating to Prince!

[blacksunscorpio]

Hi lovely bruja! I don't know if you've written about this before but do you know any hidden talents of the signs?

Hidden Talents of the Zodiac Signs

Aries

These Militant natives are actually pretty good dancers. You will find many busting a move at the club or telling you over their lunch break that they used to breakdance on the corner of the local bodega when they were younger. Ysabelle Capitule, Val Chmerkovskiy, Bryan Tanaka, etc. Many as well are good with Children. Quite surprising considering how self [1st house] focused they are. Why you ask? Because they are the children of the zodiac themselves [0 degrees]. As a result, their hyper fire energy draws children in.

Taurus

Singing. Yes, I know this particular talent people thing Water signs or water mercuries have the monopoly on [Rihanna a Pisces, Carrie Underwood, Lana Del Rey a Cancer, etc] but as I mentioned here in my post about musical talent in the birth chart, many Taurean’s actually have golden pipes. Adele, Bon Iver, Janet Jackson, Stevie Wonder. Gang’s all here. I believe it has something to do with Venus as their ruler. Venus is also about creativity and art and singing is probably the most ancient art of them all.

Gemini

Selling. Yes, people tend to think the biggest talent Gemini’s have is journalism or writing- and these things are true. But these Mercurial natives could also sell salt to a slug, ice to an Inuit, and Raid to a bug. Because of their knack for witty banter and wordsmith-ship, they find it easy to win people over. Quite the handy talent when seeking to make a hefty commission. [Think Jordan Belfort from Scorsese’s ‘Wolf of Wall Street’]

Cancer

Acting. These Moon-lit natives have such emotional range and intuition that they’re able to capture the slight nuances needed to embody different characters well. Speaking of emotional range, because these crustaceans are probably the most emotional of all the signs, they’re able to influence the emotions of others as well. Something needed to get Rotten tomatoes to give you a decent score or influence the masses to flock to your film premiers. Actors such as Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Frances McDormand, etc. all share this sign and the moon as their most elevated planet. Another aspect helpful for acting.

Leo

Cooking. Yes, you’d be surprised how many of these leonine natives fancy food. But a Lion’s gotta eat, right? Because of Leo’s love for the finer things in life and their penchant for laziness from time to time, a full stomach is something they are quite keen on. They Love to experiment with recipe’s using only the finest herbs and spices. You say “organic”, they say “sold”. So Charcuterie boards, Sunday feasts, even a cooking competition and they’re in there like swim wear. One of my older brothers is a Leo and when our Mother was working night shifts and we had no money to eat out, he was the one who would find a way to turn all the scraps in the cupboards to something edible [and delicious]. You’ll find many famous cooks are born under the Sun’s sign, I.E Julia Child, Giada De Laurentis, Geoffrey Zakarian, etc.

Virgo

Writing. Yes, Virgo is earth but their ruler is cerebral Mercury. Ruler of the 3rd house. As a result, these natives live in their heads just as much as Gemini’s do. They’re knack for perfection and eye for analysis makes them excellent writers and story tellers. They can help paint the picture in the most technical sense and can come up with worlds upon worlds of history and lore. George R.R. Martin of ASOIAF fame, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, R.L. Stine [Mercury in Virgo] all have this placement.

Libra

Business. Libras can be known as superficial fashionistas but that’s not completely true. These cardinal natives air first and foremost, and AIR sign. Which means they are quite intelligent. That, and their pre-disposition towards balance and equilibrium makes them highly adept at knowing when to buy and sell. In addition, they’re ruled by Venus who rules the 2nd house of money resources. As a result they have their hand in many ventures. Will Smith, Snoop Dog, Even Kim Kardashian are scale babies. 

Scorpio

Playing Matchmaker. Yes, Scorpios Can be ruthless. Yes, Scorpios can be unforgiving. Yes, Scorpios will go out of their way to find you and fuck up your life if you betray them. But besides all the Michael Corleone stuff- there’s also a deeply caring and romantic streak within these Mars/Pluto ruled natives. Their savvy of the human psyche, investigative nature, and deep understanding of passion makes them very aware of who would be best suited for whom. Just instinctually. A Scorpio grandmother might scan a crowd at her granddaughter’s dance recital and be able to pick her husband out of the crowd; or you might find two people recapping the story of their meet-cute only to hear them say: “our friend hooked us up!”. Don’t be surprised to find that said friend was born between October/November. 

Sagittarius

Survival. Yes, this is indeed a talent and not just saved for their neighboring arachnid cousins. Like, Scorpios, Sag’s have a talent for landing on their feet. They can find their way out of many a sticky situation. Their penchant for honestly and bluntness has a way of regaling others to listen to them when they speak. They can come off like Cult leaders even with their evangelical-like zeal. People flock to their fire. They also have this little thing called Jupiter in their back pocket- planet of fortune. These bastards just get lucky. Even when they put themselves in reckless adventure seeking situations, they always make it back to tell the tale. 

Capricorn

Comedians. Yes, I know this is the last thing you’d expect from a Saturnian given the sometimes incorrect evaluation that they’re just boring, backstabbing social climbers. But their austere nature gives them a very dry view of the world. A.K.A, Sarcasm. Highly intelligent as well, the best comedians can often deliver a one liner with with wit and bluntness. Something Caps have the monopoly on. They’re also quick on the draw and able to read the room well. Capricorns do well with taking in their surroundings and observing others, so when they tell their jokes, it’s funny because it’s true. Steve Harvey, Seth MacFarlane [NN in Cap], Jim Carrey are all Sea Goats with a comedic flare. 

Aquarius

Art/craftsmanship. Seriously, these Uranian Aliens have the Midas touch when it comes to creating things. No, not just nifty inventions with cogs and wheels akin to a steam punk novel. They are great with sewing, stitching, creating clothing, or just making random shit out of nothing. You can find them knitting in the back of class or making their own facemasks during the pandemic because what the stores were selling just wouldn’t suit. Very creative minds in regard to textiles. Narciso Rodriguez, Christian Dior, and Cristobal Balenciaga are all Uranian Natives.

Pisces

Photography. Now, this may not necessarily be hidden but I think it’s one of the talents these fish have that gets overlooked. Most believe they paint or draw, play an instrument or sing, but I find Pisceans have great eyes [figuratively in this sense.] They are often hidden behind the lenses of a camera, snapping photos of nature and capturing the little nuances the rest of us miss. You might not even know they have this pastime or hobby. And because of their tendency towards indecisiveness and disorder, photos give them the instant gratification they crave and all the options they want when it comes to the perfect shot. You want one of these natives at your wedding or graduation to shoot those timeless moments. Steve McCurry, Diane Arbus, Mary Ellen Mark all hold strong Piscean energy.

[figure-skating-confessions]

“Thank you Quebec government for cancelling Worlds. We all know the ISU would have ignored all safety and public health arguments and put skaters, coaches, fans and the general public of Montreal at risk so they could carry on with Ari Zakarian’s egofest awards show if you hadn’t stepped in.”

[music-art-sport-and-more]

Does Ari know he's gonna get sacked (hopefully) ?

Ilia knew when he had to indulge him after Worlds.....

[sywtwfs]

The International Skating Union, Skate Canada and Art on Ice are proud to announce that the first ever ISU Skating Awards will be held on the occasion of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships® Montreal 2020.

Awards from seven categories will be given to outstanding athletes, Choreographer and Coach. Additionally, an innovative mix of Figure Skating, Dance and Cirque Nouveau will be showcased, featuring captivating music acts and several live performances - involving all 2020 ISU World Figure Skating Champions and medalists.

The ISU Skating Awards is a new format that will take place on Sunday, March 22, 2020 between 16:00 – 18:30 EDT (21:00 – 23:30 GMT) bringing a glamorous finish to the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020. Guests, VIPs and ISU Skating Awards nominees will arrive on the red carpet at the famous Bell Center in Montreal.

A long list of candidates will be announced on December 1, 2019 and on-line voting will open, allowing the media, public and ISU Members to vote for their favorite candidates through a new on-line voting platform. On-line voting will be possible from December 1, 2019 to February 10, 2020.

Following the on-line vote, three nominees in each category will be selected and officially announced on March 10, 2020.

A star-studded Jury will determine the winner of each category and the winners will be revealed and presented with their Award on the occasion of ISU Skating Awards held on March 22, 2020.

ISU Skating Awards categories

There are 7 Award categories:

Most Valuable Skater: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple who best managed to increase the level of popularity of Figure Skating related to the fan base involvement, media attention and sponsors appreciation

Best Costume: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple presenting a costume reflecting creativity, contemporary implementation, fashion, style and originality

Most Entertaining Program: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple for the music selection, expression, creativity, contemporary implementation, originality and overall performance

Best Newcomer: Honors a young talented Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple competing very successfully in ISU Events on the Senior level for the first season

Best Choreographer: Honors the choreographic work of a Choreographer who successfully inspired one or several Single Skaters and/or Pairs and/or ice Dance Couples

Best Coach: Honors a Coach who delivered professional and efficient work and achieved outstanding results with one or several Single Skaters and/or Pairs and/or ice Dance Couples

Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors a Figure Skating legend having achieved great success and popularity and is considered as a role model in the Figure Skating World.

The ISU, Skate Canada and Art on Ice held a press conference on October 26, 2019 to unveil the ISU Skating Awards. The panel included:

Patricia St Peter – ISU Representative

Benoit Lavoie – ISU Council Member

Oliver Höner - ISU Skating Awards Producer & Art on Ice CEO

Ari Zakarian - ISU Skating Award Show initiator

Leanna Carron – Skate Canada President

The full press conference is available on demand on the Skating ISU YouTube channel.

To receive the latest information on the #ISUSkatingAwards please subscribe to the ISU Newsletter here and for more information please visit www.isu.org and https://montreal2020.com. Click here to buy tickets for this exclusive event.

[virtchandmoir]

Ari Zakarian’s Instagram Live Stories (June 3rd)

[dreamofawonderfullife]

Ari Zakarian: best fans in the world #lovejapan

[shoma-uno]

Backstage at SOI Yokohama (Ari Zakarian's instagram)