November 12, 2025 Edition - ANNUAL TONYA BIRTHDAY EDITION
(C) 2025 Portland Ice Skating Society
https://www.pdxiss.org
*****************************************************************

Welcome, fellow Tonyaphiles, to the annual birthday issue of "The
Portlandian". In today's thrilling edition, we check out this
year's Tonyaween tributes, discover some French Tonya footage,
look at Tonya's brief involvement with pro wrestling (including a
very strange proposal), and finish off our tour of "I, Tonya"
posters from around the world. Plus we have our usual roundup of
Tonya fan art.

As is our long-standing tradition here at the Special Duties
Section, we celebrate Tonya's 55th birthday with a cake, which
you can view at the link below, along with many of our previous
Tonya cakes:

   https://pdxiss.org/cake.htm

The orange icing on this year's cake symbolizes the orange dress
that Tonya wore in her Champions On Ice performance in Charlotte,
NC. back in 1993. Tonya skated to "When I Fall in Love" from the
movie "Sleepless in Seattle":

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X860YcB5HNo

As for Tonya herself, we can confirm that she is back skating
again. We've also heard other things from the rumor mill, but we
are sworn to secrecy at this stage. To paraphrase Dr
Frankenfurter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (which
recently celebrated its 50th anniversary), we wait quivering with
antici....................... pation!
 

TONYAWEEN 2025

As has been the case in recent years, Tonya Halloween cosplay
this year has been on the decline, but we have still managed to
find a few noteworthy examples - plus quite a few from previous
years have turned up:

Alrighty Aphrodite (aphrodite.alrighty) a burlesque performer
from St. Louis MO. has created this Tonya-inspired outfit:
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DOEfiXwAdJT/
   "OMG Tonya lives lmao. I am so bad at remembering to take
   pictures so I decided to get it all back on and do it today! I
   had so much fun, can't wait to do it again!"

Emma Keifer (bearsassy) - "I, Emma or I, Tonya?"

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DQSt5fzAdwE/

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DQfoLETAX2u/

Andrew Burrows (andrew.cleveland)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DQdPYUKjYqx/
   "Another Halloween photo of us. We went as Tonya Harding and
   Nancy Kerrigan haha."

And now a few from years gone by. Some of these even pre-date
"I, Tonya":

corrine.loves and supergirldiaries
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DQduJRrk94G/
   We've featured Corrine from Australia before - scroll through
   for some previous Tonya moments, including a Tonya/Harley
   Quinn crossover.

wildstrawberriesvintage, Brooklyn, NYC
   https://www.instagram.com/p/CyoSZCELs5q/
   "Costume Chronicles - The Tonya Harding. Vintage 80s bodysuit
   leotard - Velvet ballet costume - Seafoam turquoise crushed
   velvet bodice adorned with flower & chevron iridescent
   sequined trim - Layered chiffon skirt & cap sleeves"

Leslie Klotz (klotzleslie)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BpkevLAFITF/
   "Tonya Harding & Nancy Kerrigan reunite in New Orleans for
   Halloween at the House of Coolidge!"

trent.suidgeest - Handmade Tonya Happy Halloween
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BpbpG3UH-6C/

Marsha Hickey (byspiraldesigns) Victoria BC.
   https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq8YSDhHIz2/
   "We were channeling Tonya Harding for this dress for a
   Halloween party last month."

Katie Hoke-Harrower (katie_hoke)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BpdqPcUFj8k/
   "Yeezy Season 6, Malficent, Tonya Harding"

Sara Cain (sara_cain15)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/9fvwUPxmpi/
   "Happy Halloween from Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding."

Chelsea Reynolds Lester (chelc_reynolds) - The Village Halloween
Parade, West Village, NYC
   https://www.instagram.com/p/u3G5oImzie/
   "Best Halloween costume to date. I can't think of anything
   better than Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan leading off the
   parade. They would be so proud. And the best part is we made
   it out without breaking anything. Success."

Faith Gingrich Goetz-Isaacs (faithggi)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpak-uABMkA/
   "Breaking hearts and knee caps this Halloween (but not really
   because TONYA IS INNOCENT)"

Allison Rae (theeallisonrae)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BMMooTBBj-k/
   "Halloween 2016. Tonya and Nancy. Boom."

Elke Wheatley (elkelong)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/vB69XhkV-c/
   "Hanging with tonya & Nancy for Halloween"

Ellen Cupo (ellecupo)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/u0fjsxsU4n/
   "A 90's Throwback Halloween, starring Tonya Harding, Nancy
   Kerrigan, glitter tights and ice skate candy bags."

Emmy Gibbie (divine_emmeline) Chicago IL
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BpndKvqhJN2/
   "I found one person who recognized that im tonya harding!"
 

TONYA'S FRENCH CONNECTION

New footage has emerged last month of Tonya skating in the Les
Etoiles de la Glace Gala Exhibition in Courchevel, France, in
December 2001. Unfortunately French commentators share the same
annoying habit as their American counterparts of yapping over the
performance, but this is the first time this has been uploaded to
my knowledge. There's also an interview with Tonya at the end:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1U8DS4x2LM

She's skating to "Because You Love Me" by Jo Dee Messina.

Tonya also appears in the Grand Finale at 2:52 and also at the
very end:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2rVsYlPr74

The music here is "Rêver d'etre une star" ("Wish Upon A Star") by
Sophie Delmas.
 

TONYA WRESTLING FOOTAGE EMERGES

In the wake of her banishment from figure skating following "The
Incident", Tonya struggled to find a new direction, leading to
some pretty bizarre stuff, including a short-lived involvement
with professional wrestling. We ourselves wrote about this back
in April 2020, including a link to a rather ropey copy of a news
item from June 1994 on a press conference promoting the event,
which featured a bunch of Mexican wrestlers:

   https://pdxiss.org/port113.htm

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKmQsWbMOM8

Now, further, better-quality footage of Tonya at the press
conference has emerged. Her manager, who is shown, is most likely
Merrill Eichenberger, who also got her the gig in the movie
"Breakaway":

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1895059633946943488/pu/vid/avc1/640x480/lOvOrDV1eJ9XcABP.mp4

Another photo of Tonya at the event, with Los Gringos Locos
('Love Machine' Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero) for a wrestling show
in Vancouver, Washington. June 23 1994." Although billed as the
"manager" of this team, it was all a farce as Tonya didn't have a
legally-required manager's license, so was forced to simply sit
back and look on.

https://www.facebook.com/rasslerama/posts/onthisday-in-1994ex-ice-skater-tonya-harding-managed-los-gringos-locos-love-mach/1295948122541535/

Next, a short documentary about Tonya's brush with pro wrestling,
including a proposal to wrestle in Japan that went nowhere:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN0DhZkmj6s

Finally, a very strange proposal for a charity Tonya/Nancy Jello
& mud wrestling match, found in the archives of the late
Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione. Although the sender is blacked
out, it is most likely David Hans Schmidt, Tonya's agent at the
time. Schmidt had had previous dealings with Penthouse, and
presumably he wanted Guccione to bankroll the idea, including a
prize of - cue Doctor Evil impersonation - One Million Dollars:

   https://www.vice.com/en/article/proposal-for-miss-nancy-kerrigan-100001-v20n9/

Whether Tonya knew about this proposal is not known, nor is Nancy's
reaction, but needless to say, this never went ahead.
 

SHORT PROGRAMS

And now, welcome to "short programs", our section of
miscellaneous bits and pieces that aren't really long enough to
deserve their own entries and don't really fit anywhere else.

- first up, a piece of music dedicated to Tonya, apparently.
Entitled "Forgive Us Tonya Harding", it's by the Manos Lindas
Acoustic group, performing at the Valley Night Market in San
Francisco on April 17:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_UrOwCRv9k

Tonya playing on the ice with a boy - details unknown.

  https://pinterest.com/pin/planet-tonya--504966176979545151/

Yes, Tonya's still doing Cameos - here's a couple that have been
posted:

A Tonya Christmas Cameo - December 2022:

   https://www.instagram.com/p/CmoAYALjNQy/

No video with this one, just a picture:

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DESwZz0PBGD/

Jay Sprout (roxosroxor) describes himself as a "Rockstar from
Detroit who loves my kids, teaching, learning, programming,
creating, videography, animation, books, and vinyl records" and
says "Got some great encouragement from @therealtonyaharding
through @cameo! #TonyaHarding is so freaking awesome."

Don't mention the z-word... An article about the woman who drives
the ice resurfacer (which is not a Zamboni) at the Lloyd Center
ice rink - with a Tonya mention:

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/12/21/at-work-with-portland-zamboni-driver-lloyd-center-ice-rink/

Tonya turns up in the darndest places - this forum for sneezing
fetishists (yes, it's a thing) features several views of Tonya's
Short Program at Lillehammer, including one from the UK featuring
commentary by Robin Cousins, which, although not in genuine HD as
claimed, is one we haven't seen before:

https://www.sneezefetishforum.com/topic/88442-tonya-harding-sneezing-attack/

Direct links:

  https://youtu.be/MJnZJgLFwNw

  https://youtu.be/7DHTv4uof2g

  https://youtu.be/A5RwYkr-NEE

A short clip from Tonya's appearance on the Geraldo Rivera Show
in July 1996. Only 12 minutes, but still the longest section of
this interview to emerge on line so far. Trigger warning: does
contain footage of the guy with the bad mustache and discussions
of domestic violence:

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tY-jipmCm8

Some new photos, courtesy of Tonyaphiles Amy Margot Thacker and
Alison Davies:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1120342660136304&set=pcb.1735422067075439

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10230526458960041&set=pcb.1732133364070976

A bunch of Tonya photos:

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DFWcZYTyXr1/

An AI-generated Tonya emoji:

   https://www.emojis.com/emoji/tonya-harding-rvltvV6WFI

Portland t-shirt that mentions Tonya: keepportlandwicked

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DK3zLO0OM8U/

Can you spot Tonya in this wordsearch? - reginaprigmore21

   https://www.instagram.com/p/DHR5DIhy4-R/
 

ARTWORK ROUNDUP

And now our regular feature of Tonya-inspired fan art:

We start off with Mike Doherty Tattoos of Abingdon MA, who did
this tattoo of Tonya for a client a few months ago. We thought we
were hard-core Tonyaphiles, but getting a tattoo of Tonya is a
whole 'nother level:

mikedohertytattoos - Abingdon, MA.
   https://www.instagram.com/p/C79U0XwOXp8/
   "I had a blast tattooing a portrait of figure skating champion
   Tonya Harding @therealtonyaharding earlier this week. More
   public figures please!!"

Brooks (donnaklein) - a St. Louis Tattoo Artist
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DDNv6jNu1ce/
   "IN THIS HOUSE, TONYA IS STILL AN ALL TIME FAVORITE TRUE
   HEARTED AMERICAN OLYMPIAN, THE TRIPLE AXEL QUEEN. GET TONYA
   BACK ON THE ICE. SHE'S DONE HER TIME!"

kristen__land of Baltimore, MD. has done this 8" x 10"
(20cm x 25cm) acrylic on canvas painting of Tonya:
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DPzdM18EUVP/

AllisonCraig (kelpdip)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DPtk5tvkY3-/
  "Watched I,Tonya on a plane recently"

A fake Wheaties card (quadccards)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DQem-ZLjv38/

Ava (acegayface) Tonya Harding doodles :)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/C83hwzpNvZc/

Engy (emon.ddesigns) - an alternative "I, Tonya" fan poster
   https://www.instagram.com/p/C-TqemdiWN4/

planetmanny - another fan-made IT poster
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DE2NT0MJD1T/

Jadie Lam (jadieandhervividinnerself) Adelaide SA.
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DAYuQZBSQlB/
   "Illustration: My first assignment- Celebrity Portrait (2024)
   I chose Margot Robbie to create my first portrait project.
   Celebrating the multifaceted brilliance of Margot Robbie
   through a blend of her iconic roles! Each character brought
   out a different vibe in me as I worked through this piece-pure
   joy, admiration, and a sense of playful creativity. Capturing
   her versatility was both a challenge and a thrill, reminding
   me of the power of storytelling in every brushstroke."

timea_yo - the iconic "I, Tonya" triple axel:
   https://www.instagram.com/p/C63lwdMss0k/

looneycovers -a tribute to American YouTuber, vlogger and makeup
artist Tatiana Westbrook, aka Tati, in the style of the "I,
Tonya" poster.

   https://www.instagram.com/p/C6UPdZXIRpw/

Fidan Dinç (fidanlk_) Turkey
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DLHSI1jIdpD/

   "Dear @therealtonyaharding

   Yes - if you want to, you can still skate.
   Not for medals. Not for judges.
   Not for headlines or applause.
   But just for you.

   Maybe it would be the freest glide of your life -
   with no need to prove anything to anyone.
   Just you and the ice.
   Just the rhythm, the breath, the old familiar ache.
   and that quiet, burning love from your youth.

   If that love is still there -
   the rink has never left you.
   There may be no competition,
   but the love never left.

   Skate.
   For no one else.
   Just for you.

tim_sinclair_arthole - smoking Tonya
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DLcto2HMAEB/

Sammlung Zander (zandercollectioncologne) - Germany
A Tonya triptych (which is an artwork in three panels) by Stephen
Anderson (born 1953 in Rockford, IL, USA). Tonya Harding, 1994
tempera on masonite 52 x 91.5 cm
   https://www.instagram.com/p/DK1jqn-oSk3/

mj (starjyn)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BiD2puKFtWZ/
   "hello yes, i loved everyone in this movie and everything
   about this movie"

Abrar (abrar.j97)
   https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9nv0fjiIE/
   "Here's my drawing of @margotrobbie and Tonya Harding from (I
   tonya movie). It was kinda hard to draw Tonya cause I couldn't
   find a good quality picture, but I'm happy with the results.
   What do you think?"

Megan Crowe (megzcon) - a self-described artist & chicken
enthusiast from Washington state:
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BiqoPXDlCa4/
  "One more for #fanartfriday - finally saw I, tonya..so good!!"

mcmillankid - recreating the famous scene with the skating judge:
   https://www.instagram.com/p/BdM4KR8Ft67/
 

"I TONYA" AROUND THE WORLD - AFRICA, OCEANIA, AND SPECIAL POSTERS

Our long journey around the globe that started two and a half
years ago is now coming to a close. And unlike Phileas Fogg's,
it's taken a lot longer than 80 days.

Today we tidy up a few odds and ends. We've added posters from
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - the only African
country where "I, Tonya" was released theatrically as far as we
can tell. These countries just used the standard English posters,
so nothing exciting here. Paradoxically, Australia was actually
the most difficult one to find, despite it being the home country
of both star Margot Robbie and director Craig Gillespie:

   https://pdxiss.org/it-posters.htm#other-regions

Who needs three billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri when you've
got two posters in Christchurch, New Zealand? These were
photographed in the suburb of Woolston in January of 2018, on the
way to one of the first screenings of the movie in that city.

The "special" section contains various posters that don't really
fit elsewhere. The generic English posters were used in many
countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada,
Ecuador, Egypt, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel,
India, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Sweden, Singapore,
Thailand, Turkey, Taiwan, the United States and South Africa.

This section also features various "clean" versions without any
text - handy if you want to make your own posters - and some
alternative posters by artists Kreg Franco and Tula Lotay. As far
as we can tell, these are official posters endorsed by Neon. In
addition, there's a poster that has been autographed by five cast
members - Margot, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne
Nicholson and Paul Walter Hauser - and one for a competition run
by JB HiFi in Australia which offered the opportunity to win one
of three posters signed by Margot:

   https://pdxiss.org/it-posters.htm#special

We've also added extra posters from Uzbekistan, Hungary,
Slovakia, Korea, the U.S, and Kazakhstan (the last one being the
first one from that country). And we've moved Uzbekistan to Asia
instead of Eastern Europe, since that's more geographically
correct.

Although our travels have come to an end, this page remains a
work in progress. We are always on the lookout for new posters or
upgrades of existing posters we don't have in good quality. As
always, if you can point to any of these, or have spotted any
errors, please get in touch using the contact form below:

   https://pdxiss.org/feedback.htm

*****************************************************************
VISIT THESE GREAT TONYA WEB SITES: