Though nothing was said about it at the time, the 2002-03 tour would
prove to be Kurt's last year as a full-time US cast member. He would
go on to guest star for another four years, but a new generation of
post-2002 Olympic stars were taking over. One of Kurt's programs, "How
Do You Keep the Music Playing," seemed almost to be a reflection on
this transitional period in Kurt's career, a more reflective,
sentimental number than Kurt's prior programs. The tour had achieved
a bit of coup in its hiring, in signing both pairs involved in the
2002 Salt Lake City Olympics judging scandal - Jamie Sale & David
Pelletier, and Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze. The 2002-03
show, to a certain extent, seemed to be a bit recentered around the
new skaters, with the act I closer featuring both sets of pairs and
Todd Eldredge.
The 2002-03 tour also saw the introduction of what would prove to be a
quite popular common motif in later years - the all-guys' number. The
first was in many ways the best, with the six guys (Kurt, David, Todd
S, Gorsha, Alexei, and John in the US, with Steven and Todd E
replacing Todd S and Gorsha in Canada) dressed as cowboys, rockin' out
to "A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis vs JXL. That particular
number has proven to be a YouTube sensation (at least in figure
skating terms), with even non-skating fans getting into the hot
skaters on the ice. Appropriately enough, by the time the tour hit
Canada, that number had been officially retitled "Studz."
Kurt's second solo, to Slippery Side Up, saw a return to his comedic
clowning form, though not as the Raggy character. His character in
SSU was more of a bumbling bumpkin who is constantly trying to reach a
spotlight that eludes him around the ice, sending him careening around
both on and off the ice, in and out of his skate guards. Kurt's baggy
overalls hid some serious padding, as the number was full of pratfalls
and full-body crashes to the ice. He was not without his bumps and
bruises from performing that number night after night, yet never
failed to fully commit himself to the performance. In Canada, he added
a third program, to My Favourite Things, a number he had done at
Holiday Festival on Ice earlier in the season.
My first year on Stars on Ice in 2003, we were in Lake Placid. Kurt
was supposed to go out on the ice to take a drape off of Elena for a
program. I was in the dressing room, and Kurt was in the bathroom. I
said to him, 'Kurt, aren't you supposed to be out there?' Kurt looked
at me and said, 'what?' By this time, Elena had already been out
there for 3 minutes, with a drape over her, and Kurt had totally
forgotten. That's Kurt. Sometimes, he forgets to be where he's
supposed to be.
The fans speak...
In 2003, I walked through the dark concrete bowels of the old Winnipeg
Arena (may it rest in peace) towards my first-ever on-ice seats. I
suddenly heard a familiar "klip-klop, klip-klop" sound from behind a
thick black curtain. The realization that I was just feet away from
the infamous SOI ping-pong table - and that one of the gregarious
voices yelling at the ball had to be Kurt's - made me so excited I
thought I would burst. Of course, that was nothing compared to
finally being so up close during the show. When Kurt performed
Slippery Side Up, and did a huge pratfall right at my feet, I decided
right then and there that I could die happy. I've had a Pavlovian
reaction of total joy to the mere sight of Kurt ever since. - Sharilyn
David Pelletier speaks...