Go Figure: The Randy Gardner Story takes a behind-the-scenes look at World Champion and two-time Olympian Randy Gardner. His on-ice life with his pairs skating partner, World Champion and two-time Olympian Tai Babilonia, meshed with his very private and very personal off-ice pursuit of his true identity. WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs the documentary on Thursday, November 3 at 10 p.m.
This World Champion pairs figure skating team suffered heartbreak at having to withdraw from the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics due to Randy’s injury as they were about to take the ice. It was devastating not only to them, but to the entire USA that was counting on "America's Sweethearts" to win the Gold over the long dominant Soviets. It was the ultimate Cold War battle played out on a sheet of ice. What wasn't known and has now been put on film along with Tai and Randy's incredible skating partnership, is Randy's private story. It's a story filled with family secrets, closeted homosexuality and the price paid.
Using footage from Randy's one man show of the same title, skating practice and competitions, scrapbook clippings, and home movies, along with new film sequences and interviews, female filmmaker Sharidan has woven together the pieces of Randy's life into a poignant and compassionate film that is at once uplifting and inspiring.
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