Today In Euphemizing Flat-Out Calling Johnny Weir Gay: Frank Deford

An occasional series in which we document — and evaluate — the sports media's pained efforts to call the sexually undeclared figure skater gay without quite calling him gay.

Euphemist: Frank Deford, HBO's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel: Choice descriptions/moments: ... "people are going to, um ... notice" ... "effeminate" ... "frilly, very feminine" ... "gender-bending" ... "men's skating should be more butch" ... "some people dismiss figure skating as gay" ... footage of Weir naked in a bathtub with another man ... Weir takes Deford clothes shopping ... Frank holding a purse ... "I don't have a box" ... Flamboyometer: Rating the euphemisms (on a scale of 1 to 5 high-stepping Liberaces)