Tara Lipinski's Night Of Skating Champions cancelled [Archive]

jcspkbfan

10-02-2003, 04:09 PM

http://www.houstontoyotacenter.com/events.aspx?WhereFlash=Events&eid=10002

There's no news about this on Tara's official site yet, but it looks like the show she planned to skate in later this month has been cancelled. :( Too bad; it sounded like it would have been a great show and I feel badly for anyone here who was planning to see it.

I can't remember the link right now, unfortunately, but the same promoters who sponsored this show had about three or four more shows (Tara wasn't scheduled to skate in any of these other shows, IIRC) scheduled for this season (one featuring all-female skaters, another featuring all-male skaters, etc.) I wonder if these other shows will go on as scheduled?

I don't know why this show was cancelled, but I really hope it's not because Tara's suffering another injury! :(

Kruss

10-02-2003, 04:20 PM

Aw, maaaan! :( That means Paul Wylie won't skate...drat!

(You can see where my priorities lie... ;) )

PaulWyliefan

10-02-2003, 09:10 PM

Noooo!!

iskater13

10-03-2003, 08:59 AM

it has been so long since i have seen tara skate, at least two years.
I wish her management would make an announcement why she has not been skating. I am sure it probably has something to do with her hip. She was really good in seventh heaven last year, but she is not on the show this year and what about her soi contract?? I hear that is still good for one more year! LOL

Alexa

10-03-2003, 10:33 AM

Originally posted by iskater13
it has been so long since i have seen tara skate, at least two years.
I wish her management would make an announcement why she has not been skating. I am sure it probably has something to do with her hip. She was really good in seventh heaven last year, but she is not on the show this year and what about her soi contract?? I hear that is still good for one more year! LOL

I don't get why there has been no mention about her either. In her last several diaries, skating was not mentioned at all. I realize she was recovering from an injury but it seems strange not to say anything at all about her skating life.

The SOI thing confuses me as well, as they have been posting so much news, and there has been nothing about Tara. Which is strange since they are short on female leads in the cast--you would think they would explain why by describing her status.

Blade1

10-03-2003, 12:59 PM

It seems to me like Tara is concentrating more on her "acting" career than her skating career. When was the last time we saw Tara actually skate at an event?

I understand she has had her injuries etc.... and I do hope that what ever the reason is, she will recover (if its even an injury) or will get back on track with things.

skaterjoe

10-03-2003, 10:42 PM

I think Tara and her handlers need a little wake up call as to where Tara's fame and fortune comes from. She earned all of the acclaim because of skating not because she is a mediocre wanna be actress or home decorator. Both of those things will only last so long and get her so far. Her people should know enough to make some sort of announcement about her skating status. Her little stint on 7th Heaven is not going to earn her any emmy's anytime soon so she should think about her long term future. This is a kid who needs an education if anything. It is all just so sad, sort of like a child actor gone bad. Anyone agree?

FSWer

10-03-2003, 11:37 PM

Does anyone know why she canceled? I haven't seen her skate in a while myself. Did the girl retire?

jcspkbfan

10-05-2003, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by FSWer
Does anyone know why she canceled? I haven't seen her skate in a while myself. Did the girl retire?

According to this website (the one I mentioned in my last post), the show was cancelled because Tara's "suffering from a serious hip injury.":

http://www.tvimedia.com/1_skating.htm

According to a few people on other skating boards, the show was cancelled because of very low ticket sales (only 548 tickets were sold for a show taking place in a 18,000-seat arena). I don't know whether one or the other (or both) is true, but either way, it sounds like sad news for not only Tara, but skating's declining popularity in general. If Tara (and all the other well-known skaters scheduled to appear in this show like Paul Wylie, Oksana, Alexei Yagudin, I&Z, etc.) can't sell tickets for a show taking place in her own hometown, that's sad news indeed. :cry:

The last time Tara skated in public was almost a year ago at 2002 Ice Wars. Both her programs at that event (one was to Paint It Black by Vanessa Carlton, the other was a Josh Grobin song called To Where You Are) were probably the most mature and ambitious (artistically-speaking) Tara's ever skated, but sadly, she struggled a lot with her jumps and took a very hard fall right on her injured hip during her second number. She announced her withdrawal from last year's SOI tour shortly after that. :(

I only hope that won't be the last time we ever see Tara skate again...

bbtano

10-05-2003, 11:37 AM

"Tara Lipinski is suffering from a serious hip injury, she will be unable to skate in the Oct 18-Nov. 9 show."

I don't understand what show this refers to. The Night of Skating Champions was scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17th. It was a one-night show. This note sounds like it's referring to a show that was supposed to run until Nov 9th.

PaulWyliefan

10-05-2003, 08:00 PM

gatorskater

10-05-2003, 09:11 PM

The venue for the Tara Lipinski Show is brand new and this was to celebrate the grand opening. It is alledged that the building and ice were just not ready. There will be a Rockets basketball game the night before and the wood floor covers the ice.

This is in a huge new arena and Tara would not have just cancelled the show. It would have been a problem with the TV contract, building or slow ticket sales. They were selling tickets up until Thursday, but are now giving back refunds starting on Monday.

It would have been a great show. We in Texas are disappointed. But SOI will be in the new Toyota Center Arena in a few months.

jp1andOnly

10-05-2003, 09:38 PM

well if she is injured than she would have cancelled the show

expo86

10-05-2003, 10:43 PM

bbtano, I think Oct. 18 - Nov. 9 refers to the anticipated syndicated TV broadcasting period of the show taped on Oct. 17. At least that's how I understand it.

duane

10-05-2003, 10:48 PM

Originally posted by skaterjoe
It is all just so sad, sort of like a child actor gone bad. Anyone agree?

Not at all!! Heavens, the girl is only what, 19, 20? If she wants to experience other avenues, what is wrong with that? Perhaps acting will only get her "so far", but in the sport of figure skating, Tara has already achieved what many skaters dream about.

FSWer

10-05-2003, 10:54 PM

In response to a previous post did Tara leave ice before her injury? The last time I saw her was when she was hosting the 9/11 dedication last year at 19 and then she just disapeered I know she wasn't hurt for that long.

Peggy Flaming

10-08-2003, 10:43 AM

Tara's pretty deluded. Her performance on my favorite soap Young andRestless was horrible. She played Marnie, a 5' medical student. She hung out in a cafe and gave advice to the conflicted Megan. Her most memorable line was "OHMYGODMEGANYOUMEANHEHADABRAINHISCOUCH!!!!"-that's exactly how the line came out. She bragged about her role in Eyes Wide Shut and of course it was canned from the actual film. Tara needs to SKATE. The hip injury may be a smokescreen. She's afraid to compete, or be compared to what Michelle is doing. Her horrible former agent Mike Burg helped to decimate pro skating competetions because of his handling of Tara. Everyone knows this.

Trillian

10-08-2003, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by Peggy Flaming
She bragged about her role in Eyes Wide Shut and of course it was canned from the actual film.

That would be Vanilla Sky (Eyes Wide Shut was filmed while Tara was still competing), and I wouldn't read much into Tara being cut. Apparently she was on set so they decided to write in a bit part for her; the director is notorious for filming a bunch of stuff he cuts later (and going over budget in the process), so it's not a big surprise that she didn't end up in the final product. Doesn't necessarily indicate anything about the quality of her performance, it was probably just irrelevant to the movie. If it had been a different director and/or the role had actually been part of the script, it might mean something.

I agree that "movie star" is probably kind of a lofty goal if that's what Tara has in mind, but I've seen some of her work and she's not any worse than most of the other girls her age who are working fairly regularly. The only difference is that most of those girls with mediocre skills make up for it by being leggy blondes or whatever, and Tara doesn't have that going for her either. Still, if she sets realistic goals--like trying to land a gig on a WB sitcom or something--it's not impossible that she'll be able to at least come up with a paycheck. It's just a matter of how much she really wants it and whether she's looking at her prospects realistically.

Mel On Ice

10-08-2003, 12:09 PM

I know I was disappointed when major portions of the Miracle Network tour was cancelled, including the stop here. This was irritating because I had seats on ice! I know that was due to low ticket sales too.

I wonder if Tara is proving to be less of a draw now since Sarah has replaced her as reigning Olympic champ. I also know I happened upon the information for that show by mistake. Was there a big ad campagin push? I wonder how people think they can get the word out about a show without advertising it...

MQSeries

10-08-2003, 12:40 PM

Originally posted by Trillian
I agree that "movie star" is probably kind of a lofty goal if that's what Tara has in mind, but I've seen some of her work and she's not any worse than most of the other girls her age who are working fairly regularly.

I agree. I've seen Tara on "7th Heaven" once. The performance was far from great but it's not any worst than say the blond girl on "8 Simple Rules..." So Tara could probably get a regular gig on some so-so sitcom if she pursues it.

Ileana

10-09-2003, 12:59 AM

I know someone who recently saw her practice at South Carolina and Tara didn't do any jumps. So I'm guessing her hip is still bad. And yes, the show was canceled due to low ticket sales.

skaterjoe

10-09-2003, 09:22 AM

Tara is not an actress or a hollywood starlet. She is a figure skater who over trained and got injured and has nothing to fall back on so she is trying to hold onto the spotlight desperately. And, yes, Mike Burg is one of the people responsible for ruining pro skating (and Tara). If I were her parents I would be encouraging her to go get a real education, broaden her horizons and get on with life. Her world is so shallow.

FSWer

10-09-2003, 01:01 PM

Are we going to be seeing more of her this season on ESPN?

Trillian

10-09-2003, 01:53 PM

Originally posted by MQSeries
I've seen Tara on "7th Heaven" once. The performance was far from great but it's not any worst than say the blond girl on "8 Simple Rules..."

Going OT a bit, but I wouldn't use Kaley Cuoco as an example--I don't know how she'd be at playing any other character, but she's pretty fabulous on 8 Simple Rules. She's not just working because she's a gorgeous blonde; there aren't many 17-year-olds with that kind of comic timing.

I'd be more inclined to compare Tara's skills to someone like Mila Kunis from That '70s Show. Not an outstanding actress, but she happened to land a job on a great show and it's working pretty well for her. I doubt she'll much surpass her current level of stardom, but it's certainly a decent paycheck. I don't see any reason Tara couldn't aspire to that level of success. It'll take persistence and some luck, and admittedly she's not as cute as a Mila Kunis type, but if she's willing to settle for something like that, it's not impossible. Or, for that matter, something like Beverly Mitchell's role on 7th Heaven. It's going to be at least partially a matter of whether she's smart enough to pursue that, because there's not a chance it's going to fall in her lap.

So the two questions would be 1) how seriously is she taking this?, and 2) how realistic is she in her goals? I would guess the answer to the first question is that she's fairly set on it, but I wouldn't assume the answer to the second question is quite as promising.

PaulWyliefan

10-12-2003, 07:48 PM

Originally posted by skaterjoe
Tara is not an actress or a hollywood starlet. She is a figure skater who over trained and got injured and has nothing to fall back on so she is trying to hold onto the spotlight desperately. And, yes, Mike Burg is one of the people responsible for ruining pro skating (and Tara). If I were her parents I would be encouraging her to go get a real education, broaden her horizons and get on with life. Her world is so shallow.

Whoa there -- judge not lest ye be judged! :-) Maybe acting is just her own way of broadening her horizons. If it were merely a case of trying to hold onto the spotlight, she'd probably have turned up on some dumb reality show by now, eating bugs or sharing living quarters with Corey what's-his-name and Emanuel Lewis. Lord knows there are enough sickening ways to get into the spotlight these days if you want it that badly -- it's to her credit she hasn't gone that route.

And if acting doesn't work out, she can still go ahead and get that education.

Schmeck

10-12-2003, 08:02 PM

Or she could show up on "Girls Behaving Badly" :roll:

PaulWyliefan

10-12-2003, 10:18 PM

I know what you mean -- I caught that one night while flipping channels. But it looked like a harmless little "Candid Camera"-like stunt -- a far cry from eating bugs! :-)

IgglesII

10-13-2003, 05:36 PM

Maybe her "handlers" aren't aware that the show has been cancelled yet :roll: It's still listed on her official site.

IgglesII

10-13-2003, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by gatorskater
The venue for the Tara Lipinski Show is brand new and this was to celebrate the grand opening. It is alledged that the building and ice were just not ready. There will be a Rockets basketball game the night before and the wood floor covers the ice.

Based on a reply a poster on the taralipinski.com message board received, the building not being ready is not the case at all. This reply was apparently received by the poster directly from the arena on October 6th:

"The Tara Lipinski's Night Of Skating Champions show scheduled to be at Toyota Center October 17th has been cancelled due to public response not being where it needs to be for the show to be successful."

So, my take on that would be, the public is being blamed for not buying tickets.

Ileana

10-13-2003, 07:31 PM

Originally posted by IgglesII
Maybe her "handlers" aren't aware that the show has been cancelled yet :roll: It's still listed on her official site.

LoL, they knew right away because it was posted on her messageboard. They probably just haven't updated her schedule.

Schmeck

10-14-2003, 05:34 AM

Any decent Arena/Center has a capable staff that can put down the floor over the ice overnight. And take it up again the next night, get the ice ready, etc. The Fleet Center in Boston does this all the time, as did the Boston Garden before it.

If this is the first time for the staff, though, perhaps they're not skilled enough to do it quickly. Or the ice surface wasn't done properly, etc. But it's still a shaky excuse...

loveskating

10-14-2003, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by skaterjoe
I think Tara and her handlers need a little wake up call as to where Tara's fame and fortune comes from. She earned all of the acclaim because of skating not because she is a mediocre wanna be actress or home decorator. Both of those things will only last so long and get her so far. Her people should know enough to make some sort of announcement about her skating status. Her little stint on 7th Heaven is not going to earn her any emmy's anytime soon so she should think about her long term future. This is a kid who needs an education if anything. It is all just so sad, sort of like a child actor gone bad. Anyone agree?

Hmmm. Every problem Tara has is her own fault, eh?

That's not how I see Tara at all. I see her as someone who pushed the sport to a higher level, inspiring skaters like Sarah Hughes on the jumps, and I very much enjoyed Tara's accomplishments as a pro...particularly that Clown number SOI did her first year, and I noted that Tara was among the first ladies to do straight line footwork in her programs with Browning-like toe picking and rockers etc. She had a wonderful understated quality to her skating as a pro...and became very, very fluid. She gave the sport and its fans many incredible moments, starting with landing a 3 sal/3 loop at 1996 Worlds in the LP...and like many skaters, she has suffered a lot of bodily injury. The problem is not overtraining...the problem is the "standards" of the sport which injure many...not to mention the politics within the sport.

More generally, I think it is devastating to skating when some skaters have to play the "bad girl" to the so-called "ice princesses" and I suspect that since skating requires so much money these days, even at the entry level, that if this acute form of "rivalry" does not stop, no one is going to pay the price for their child to wind up a punching bag for some other skater decided on by the politicos in the USFSA! I am quite certain that I would never subject my grandchildren to such a possibility -- To spend all that money and take all that time only to watch your own child utterly humiliated and deamonized INTERNATIONALLY is simply not a good incentive, and that is a no brainer! To have "good ratings" a few times a year but to have no one showing up to take lessons is going to lead to a sum -0- for skating in the long run!

IgglesII

10-14-2003, 12:55 PM

Can't blame Tara for lack of ticket sales - you'd have to blame skating in general. Champions on Ice has cancelled its Winter Tour, Stars on Ice has been playing to 1/2 filled arenas, and the Summer Tour of Champions on Ice has scaled its schedule WAY back from where it was between Olympics in, say, 1997 (when they were still going thru the end of July).

FSWer

10-14-2003, 05:16 PM

I know Tara is hurt. But I haven't seen her on tv. in a real loooooong time. Is she ok?

AxelAnnie22

10-14-2003, 10:15 PM

Alexa

10-15-2003, 08:03 AM

I have always respected Tara's decisions (going pro, trying acting, etc), but I admit to not being understanding of the recent lack of information from Tara or her handlers. After not being in SOI last year due to injury, few of her diary entries mentioned skating--not even a mention of how her injury was or anything.

And then after all of the references to acting in those same diary entries, there hasn't even been any info regarding her acting lately, or an entry since the end of July.

The fact that the SOI news doesn't mention her is strange as well. Usually they would mention her status since she was one of their main cast members.

Even if a fan wants to be supportive of Tara, it is a bit difficult when she is not doing anything to support or explaining why she is not doing those things.

sk8ingMom

10-15-2003, 11:56 PM

[/COLOR] Does anyone remember her "character" she played on 7th heaven? I sat with my little 8 year old to watch this series of sit comes she was in. Then I was devastated by her role. I also had the "pleasure" of explaining the role. It was at best distasteful for her to play a high priced hooker, AKA professional dater. Get real if she wants to act, she definitely needs to take a few dozen more acting classes. Her timing was off and she was so stiff. She needs to relax more. I am not saying I can do better, but then again you don't see me on a television show do you.

Mokah

10-19-2003, 11:46 AM

What if her hip never heals correctly? Or what if it does heal and Tara just wants a change of pace? She has skated her whole life: maybe she just wants something else now. I don't think we can possibly know how she feels unless we've put all of our lives into
one sport the way she has. She might want to skate: I would be itching for a change.

FSWer

10-19-2003, 12:04 PM

Has she concidered coaching?

pkins

10-20-2003, 12:17 PM

You're right, Alexa, something strange is going on. Her websites used to be full of current information, now everything is silent except for her going to movie premieres and providing a voice on a cartoon show in the NY area. She hasn't posted anything in months and even her offical website hasn't been updated which has never been like that. Even her fans aren't posting much anymore and seem to have quit asking about her. The official webmasters seem very tight lipped and have provided nothing. I'm wondering if she has gone into hibernation because she may be injured and disappointed that Hollywood isn't calling, thus nothing to talk about.

Re SOI--A former SOI cast member said that when she was back stage visiting last year and it was announced that Tara wouldn't be returning, loud cheering was heard. All of Tara's posts when on the road just gushed about how tight the cast was. So, again, something has to be going on here.

Beth2000

10-20-2003, 09:46 PM

from what I heard SOI did not renew her contract. That is what I read and I can't even remember where I read it.

Alexa

10-29-2003, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by pkins
You're right, Alexa, something strange is going on. Her websites used to be full of current information, now everything is silent except for her going to movie premieres and providing a voice on a cartoon show in the NY area. She hasn't posted anything in months and even her offical website hasn't been updated which has never been like that. Even her fans aren't posting much anymore and seem to have quit asking about her. The official webmasters seem very tight lipped and have provided nothing. I'm wondering if she has gone into hibernation because she may be injured and disappointed that Hollywood isn't calling, thus nothing to talk about.

I was just glancing at the message board at Tara's site, and someone had asked the question why the site was not updated, and this is the webmasters reply--

[All of Team Tara are 100% committed to this site and always try to bring you the best. However, we can only work with the material we are given, and Tara has an incredibly busy schedule at the moment which does not allow her to provide updates as often as we all may like.

As soon as *we* hear some news, it will be posted on the site. Please remember, just because Tara isn't on your screens or on the ice, it doesn't mean that she isn't busy!]

Okay, so what is she so busy doing? Going to premieres?

Jess-ka

10-29-2003, 11:32 AM

okay not to sound mean or anything but to me tara is like a one hit wonder of the skating world...:??

Calgary88

10-29-2003, 01:08 PM

No matter what Tara has achieved I think it's really sad that at only 19 she's done this much damage to her body. It's a perfect example of what's happening when these young skaters push and push to come out on top at such a young age. :frus:

I don't see Tara ever coaching or choreographing. I see her more as a commentator.

proam

10-29-2003, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by Jess-ka
okay not to sound mean or anything but to me tara is like a one hit wonder of the skating world...:??
When you set high goals and achieve the goals is called success. Moving on, if you wish, is the next progression. Sounds like Tara to me.

proam

Trillian

10-29-2003, 02:08 PM

Originally posted by Calgary88
No matter what Tara has achieved I think it's really sad that at only 19 she's done this much damage to her body.

She's 21 now, actually. :)

Same difference, as far as your point goes, though. She's much too young to have those kinds of serious problems, and it's widespread in the sport. You hear stories of 14-year-olds retiring because they're unable to sit or stand for any length of time without pain, let alone keep skating. In Tara's case, she's lucky she won her gold medal when she did--another year and she probably would have been unable to compete at the same level anymore.

Calgary88

10-29-2003, 02:47 PM

Oops, you're right--21. I had Sasha Cohen on the brain and typed 19!

Schmeck

10-29-2003, 08:02 PM

Commentating? She really doesn't have the voice for it...

Ileana

10-30-2003, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by Alexa
Okay, so what is she so busy doing? Going to premieres?

Tara just posted a message on her board:

"Hello again everybody! I am so sorry I have not been able to talk to you all for so long, I was sick with the flu, my grandmother was REAL sick (she is doing OK now, but it has been a rough couple of months for our family) and I have been sooo busy out here in LA too! I just got done doing an audio version of Anne of Green Gables (I played Diana). It originally was done for radio, but I think it will be out on audio cassette or DVD too. My new animated show Generation Jets is now airing on CBS in New York, and I have a lot of new stuff coming up that I will tell you all about as soon as I can, ok?

I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween, and I PROMISE to get you guys a new diary entry soon too, just bear with me, ok?

Talk to you all again soon, and always dream!

Love,

Tara"

Alexa

10-30-2003, 12:18 PM

She must have gotten the hint that it was time to speak up and let her fans know what she is doing since they have not seen her on the ice or on TV. Honestly, I am surprised it took her so long, especially after the cancellation of her event in Texas. However, it does make a bit more sense that she hasn't updated her site if she has been ill.

PaulWyliefan

10-30-2003, 03:13 PM

I'd like to hear that "Anne of Green Gables" recording. Good thing it's not a movie version, since Diana is supposed to have black hair! :-)

Sydney

10-31-2003, 10:03 AM

Originally posted by pkins
Re SOI--A former SOI cast member said that when she was back stage visiting last year and it was announced that Tara wouldn't be returning, loud cheering was heard. All of Tara's posts when on the road just gushed about how tight the cast was. So, again, something has to be going on here.

Ouch. Do you mean Tara was backstage, or the former castmember? And were the other castmembers the ones cheering, or the audience? That just sounds horrible. I can't imagine which castmembers would cheer for that (?!?)

Re SOI, maybe it's all up in the air right now. Maybe she'll be able to come back. Just seems that there's sort of a low right now regarding their permanent ladies skaters. I know that the moment she's back in Canada, I'll buy my ticket for SOI.

The Anne of Green Gables audio sounds interesting.

iskater13

11-05-2003, 05:40 AM

tara had a new diary entry this month and only wrote about LA, the fires in LA, and her acting. No mention of any skating, if that means anything:D

Alexa

11-10-2003, 07:37 AM

I went to see it after you posted about the entry. Yep, no mention of skating. Seeming how her Tara Lipinksi site started as a result of her skating, you would think she could mention something about it.

I also went to the message board briefly and there were a couple of people making the point that since her fans came from her skating days she could at least make mention of whether she has any skating plans or not. Of course there were also those die hard Tara fans that disagreed and felt she did not have to tell her fans everything.

I think it is becoming clear that she is obviously not skating, being told not to discuss it by her agents or something, and she is delusional enough to think that noone is noticing her absence from the top events she used to skate in. I am supportive of Tara and liked her skating, but am not supportive of the way she is handling her publicity these days.