Olympic Ice was a daily television program that was broadcast at 6 p.m. ET on the USA Network

USA Network

USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...

 during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

Turin

Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. It focused on figure skating

Figure skating

Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

 events held at the Palavela Arena.

Commentators and contributors

The show was hosted by sports reporter Mary Carillo

Mary Carillo

Mary Carillo is an American sportscaster and former professional tennis player.-Tennis career:Carillo played on the women's professional tennis circuit from 1977 to 1980. She was ranked as high as number 33, in the WTA Rankings, from January through March 1980, then retired due to knee injuries...

, with frequent commentary from Olympic gold medalists Dick Button

Dick Button

Richard Totten "Dick" Button is an American former figure skater and a well-known long-time skating television analyst. He is a two-time Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion...

, Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton (figure skater)

Scott Scovell Hamilton is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships , four consecutive World Championships and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics....

, Jamie Salé

Jamie Salé

Jamie Rae Salé is a Canadian pair skater. With partner David Pelletier, she is a 2002 Olympic Champion and the 2001 World Champion. Salé & Pelletier's Olympic gold medal was shared with the Russian pair Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze after the 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating...

  and David Pelletier

David Pelletier

David Jacques Pelletier is a Canadian pairs figure skater. With his partner Jamie Salé, he was the co-gold medal winner at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games...

. Other contributors included Olympic ice dance bronze medalist Tracy Wilson

Tracy Wilson

Tracy Wilson, CM is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner Rob McCall, she won the Canadian national championship from 1982–1988, were three-time World bronze medalists, and were the 1988 Olympic bronze medalists....

 and Stars on Ice

Stars on Ice

Stars on Ice is a touring figure skating show produced by IMG. It was originally conceived in 1986 as a vehicle for IMG client Scott Hamilton, who had been released from his contract with Ice Capades, after being told that male skaters do not sell tickets...

 choreographer Sandra Bezic

Sandra Bezic

Sandra Marie Bezic is a Canadian pair skater, figure skating choreographer, and television commentator. With partner and brother Val Bezic, she won the Canadian Figure Skating Championships from 1970–1974 and placed ninth at the 1972 Winter Olympics...

. Each show featured a “Push Dick’s Button” segment, where viewers submitted questions online and several were chosen and answered by Dick Button on the air. In addition, Russian figure skating coach Tamara Moskvina

Tamara Moskvina

Tamara Nikolayevna Moskvina , née Bratus is a Russian pair skating coach and former competitive skater. In pair skating with partner Alexei Mishin, she was the 1969 World silver medalist and Soviet national champion. In ladies singles, she was a five-time Soviet national champion...

 had her own “Moskvina Minute” section of the program. During the pairs event, Salé and Pelletier demonstrated how to do a pair lift, a twist, and a throw jump.

Notable guests

Guests who appeared on the show included figure skaters Katarina Witt

Katarina Witt

Katarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....

, Carol Heiss

Carol Heiss

Carol Elizabeth Heiss Jenkins is an American figure skater. She is the 1960 Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, 1956 Olympic silver medalist and five-time World Champion .-Biography:...

, Brian Boitano

Brian Boitano

Brian Anthony Boitano is an American figure skater from Sunnyvale, California. He is the 1988 Olympic champion, the 1986 and 1988 World Champion, and the 1985-1988 U.S. National Champion. He turned professional following the 1988 season...

, Evan Lysacek

Evan Lysacek

Evan Frank Lysacek is an American figure skater. He is the 2010 Olympic champion, the 2009 World champion, the 2005 & 2007 Four Continents champion, the 2007 & 2008 U.S. national champion, and the 2009/2010 Grand Prix Final champion....

, Kimmie Meissner

Kimmie Meissner

Kimberly Claire "Kimmie" Meissner is an American figure skater. She is the 2006 World Champion, the 2007 U.S. National Champion, and the 2007 Four Continents Champion...

, Irina Slutskaya, Tanith Belbin

Tanith Belbin

Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin is a Canadian-American ice dancer. Though born in Canada, she holds dual citizenship and has competed for the United States since she began skating with Benjamin Agosto in 1998. With Agosto, Belbin is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, four-time World medalist,...

, Benjamin Agosto

Benjamin Agosto

Benjamin Alexandro Agosto is an American ice dancer. With partner Tanith Belbin, Agosto is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a four-time World medalist, the 2004–2006 Four Continents champion, and 2004–2008 U.S. champion....

, John Zimmerman, Silvia Fontana

Silvia Fontana

Silvia Fontana is a figure skater who represented Italy at the two Olympics. She was born on Staten Island, New York, raised in Rome, and trained during her career in Hackensack, New Jersey.-Career:...

, Marie-France Dubreuil

Marie-France Dubreuil

Marie-France Dubreuil is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner and husband Patrice Lauzon, she is the 2006 & 2007 World silver medalist.-Biography:...

, and Patrice Lauzon

Patrice Lauzon

Patrice Lauzon is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner and wife Marie-France Dubreuil, he is the 2006 & 2007 World silver medalist.- Biography :...

; Sasha Cohen

Sasha Cohen

Alexandra Pauline "Sasha" Cohen is a U.S. figure skater. She is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World Championship medalist, the 2003 Grand Prix Final Champion, and the 2006 U.S. Champion.-Personal life:...

's coach John Nicks

John Nicks

John Allen Wisden Nicks is a British figure skating coach and former pair skater. His pairs partner was his sister Jennifer Nicks, and together they were the 1953 World Champions...

, and Ross "the Intern" Mathews from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Johnny Weir

Johnny Weir

John Garvin "Johnny" Weir is an American figure skater. He is a three-time U.S. National Champion , the 2008 Worlds bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2001 World Junior Champion....

also had his own special segment called “Weir Eye for the Skate Guy,” where he critiqued skaters’ costumes.

External links

• 'Olympic Ice' relishes fun of Games USA Today, February 15, 2006