This is one of those things that leaves me scratching my head.

I think V/M are genuine in wanting to be role models to kids. What better role model, for girls especially, than Tessa's real-life story? It's not just a marketing dream, it's truly inspiring. An athlete who had a potentially career-ending condition, overcame to win the Olympics, besides her busy training schedule she attends school and gets married, she has a baby but trains smart in order to return immediately to the ice and stand on the podium of the World Championships just a few months later.

What's not fabulous about that? Girls need that kind of role model. It's the greatest shame V/M have robbed the adoring children and youth of what could have been so inspiring and empowering. Instead, Tessa has promoted chocolate, fashion, traveling. Nothing wrong with those things per se, but that story-line diminishes her in its self-absorption. She's so much more than that. The kids need the example of her real, feisty, dedicated discipline to her sport and her amazing versatility.

I don't think there's anything wrong with not wanting some aspects of her real-life story to be used for promotion, even if it would make for an inspiring story. But certainly she could promote herself in a more positive and genuine manner, showing herself as a strong woman instead of focusing on her insecurities or the rather limited persona she has chosen to portray (shopping, fashion, Paris, etc.)

Tessa and Scott have always been deliberate with social media over the years, either through direct accounts or proxies. There are no strange coincidences with them, and this last month is no exception. They aren't neophytes with no understanding of how social media works, how to bait the public, or direct a narrative. Everything about their past and present movements in the public sphere (via both the mainstream and social media) is indicative of them (and the people working with them) carrying out a very specific public relations agenda, regardless of how sloppily it's been executed.

People are free to debate and label things "conspiracy theories" all they want (or whatever they want to call them), but it's a waste of time. Tessa and Scott are big fat liars about the true nature of their personal life together. They've been lying about it directly and by omission for a long time now. It's nothing new. They're lying. End of story.

I don't hate them for lying, just as I don't see any reason to defend them for it either (the public never forces a celebrity/public figure to lie, they chose to do so). It is what it is. I'm not them, and I'm sure they wouldn't give a $#@! what I think about it. That said, I do believe it's quite obvious (now more than ever before) that their public relations agenda is centered on selling a fake platonic personal life to the public. It was clear loooong before they did their reality show, but once it aired, that sealed the deal. The show was a big $#@!ing mess complete with a half-baked, horribly forced plot line focused on selling the public on the platonic lie. The skating was merely the vehicle used to drive that storyline forward (so, so badly and crassly, at that). I find all of that unfortunate, not because they're lying in the first place (because seriously, what the $#@! ever. They're free to lie whether their reasoning for doing so is or is not moronic), but because while they talk a big game about wanting to be role models for young kids and remembered for what they've done for the sport of ice dance, that hasn't really been reflected in the core of their public relations agenda.

I'd like to hope that Tessa has joined twitter with the intent of utilizing it for what she and Scott claim they've set out to do: inspiring kids, celebrating athletes and athleticism, pushing the sport of ice dance forward, building professional connections, etc. Given her and Scott's track record of allowing those things to be subsumed or perverted by the sale of their platonic lies, I wouldn't bet the house on it. However, if her intent is to further those things, I think she'll do a fabulous job. Why? Because she's the real deal. I think she's the best female ice dancer, ever. Not just of her generation, but OF ALL TIME. She's it. She's also personable, intelligent, beautiful, clever, and obviously understands what it takes to get to the top. I highly doubt most kids give a flying $#@! what Tessa and Scott's off-ice relationship is like or that it plays any role in their wanting to try ice dance or be inspired to take up some other sport. What they likely care about is watching Tessa and Scott skate together and win on the ice. That should be the focus. Tessa and Scott have worked with kids before, in seminars and at other events. That's excellent. It's also marketable. Very much so, in fact.

Off-ice situations can also be marketed, of course. They don't necessarily have to be ignored. But I don't see why they should be covered up, either. There are plenty of successful ice dance couples who are not romantically involved or and/or married. That's great, that should certainly be celebrated as a norm in the sport. However, Tessa and Scott do not fall into that category. They are part of another norm in the sport - that a lot of pairs are romantically involved and/or married. So together or not together off the ice: they're both the norm! Why not run with that? Moreover, on the issue of versatility or balance: I think for women in particular, that's very important from a marketing perspective. Female athletes who can show their versatility play a very important role in changing society's perceptions of what women can do in general. Not just athletes who can compete and attend school at the same time, but athletes who can attend school, have babies and be hands-on mothers, hold other jobs, etc., all while they're successfully competing. They don't have to give up one thing for another if they don't want to and have the support system in place to make it happen. That's the kind of thing that kids should see and come to understand, and it can be done without blasting intimate details of an athlete's personal life all over the public sphere.

I'll end by noting that this was a great tweet from Tessa. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a soccer junkie, but because it's a photo of her interacting with kids, giving them that one-on-one moment (no matter how brief) that can make a huge impact. THIS MATTERS.

I don't see how you can say Tessa can be a great role model and also accuse her and Scott of blatently lying to the entire world. First off, that would mean they have no integrity. I don't believe that.

I agree. I hate that a big part of being a VM fan involves repeatedly shaking your head and wondering why in the world they're acting as they are. And it's not like you can ignore it, seeing as their agressive platonic campaign is their PR's main focus. We've gotten to tha point where most internet fan chatter is either theories on why they're not together or theories on why they're lying and shamming. Is that what they want? The way they present themselves, it's as if they want to be known for their (non-) relationship instead of their skating. As we've seen, that doesn't work, and why would they aim for Kardashian-style celebrity when they actually have a talent to promote?

Oh, absolutely. There's no need to share anything overly personal and no need for details. But the bare bones: Elite athlete, student, wife, mother, overcame two surgeries that could have ended her skating career... Those are the things the public would know about anyone in the public eye. There's nothing personal in the facts, it's just the facts of who they are and what they are to each other.

To clarify, I don't think Tessa should have to market anything she doesn't want to in regards to her and Scott's personal life just because it would be beneficial for people to hear their story. Just because Joannie Rochette tragically lost her mother and pushed on with her career with the support of her family and friends doesn't mean she should have to market herself in that way, for instance. Same goes for skaters who come out of the closet. Just because they decide to publicize their sexual preference/identity does not mean they should be expected to serve as role models for all the other gay, lesbian, and transgendered people out there. They have to want to be marketed that way. But if they do chose to be, can it make a difference in the lives of a lot of people, many of whom are kids? Yes.

Well, technically you can ignore it and are welcome to take your interest elsewhere at any time. No one is forcing you or anybody else to follow Tessa's twitter account, go to her and Scott's official website, watch episodes of the abysmal show of lies they deliberately promoted as a "documentary," read articles about them, purchase their book o' fake platonic celebration!, or put yourself in any position to be spammed by the deluge of bull$#@! about their personal life they regularly shovel out to the public.

For Tessa and Scott to act in this way, I suspect they've got some serious issues, an "entourage" that encourages them, a warped view of the situation, an ability to rationalize it as OK. I don't think it makes them terrible people. Seriously flawed, yes, and some people won't be as charitable as I am. But I don't think you have to choose between perfect people on a pedestal and horrible people with no integrity, the reality is almost always more complex.

I agree there's never any need for their marketing to be based on anything personal they didn't want to make a part of their PR. The poison that affects all their PR is the basic framework of deception which acts as the foundation to everything else. That they aggressively revolve their PR around deception does in fact bring into question their integrity.

Yes, of course (although I never read their book or watched their TV show). I keep telling myself I'll only watch their performances and yet I keep coming back, partly because I'm weirdly fascinated by it all, partly because I really do like them (as much as you can like people you don't know) and their skating. So I'm still here but I know there are people who have left because of this issue. I'm sure VM don't care but it's such a dumb reason to lose fans or create tension among them when all most people want to do is support them.

The issue here for me is that you are calling them liars and I do not see evidence stating that to be true. I've never seen any athlete so over analyzed as these two in the sports world.

And I do not get why you need to trash them and say how disappointed you are in them.

Why can you not just enjoy them as a great skating pair that shows parts of their lives. Sure tv embelishes things. These two downplay others. People do that in real life too. Embelish one thing and keep others on the down low. Is that a reason to critique them? Apparently so.

I do not have hours of my time analyzing every movement, word spoken, nor the inclination to dissect how they act around each other, their supposed significant others, or in social media.

All of these things which could be construed in one way or another depending on someone's perspective. It's subjective. Unless you are standing in the middle of the room with these two discussing how to 'fool' everyone, I have no interest in here say or what close friend told you about them. (This is in general, not necessarily specific people here)

I think this thread has diverted from the point of having it here. Loving this couple whether it's friends or something more