Tonya Harding On Her Hard Life

Disgraced Skater's Book Alleges She Was Raped By Her Ex, Abused By Her Mother

(CBS)  Fourteen years ago an attack by a hitman hired by Tonya Harding's ex-husband on ice skating rival Nancy Kerrigan sparked a media firestorm. Harding was stripped of her national title and fined $160,000.

The Early Show went out west to see how Harding has been doing in her roller coaster life.

Despite the glamour of professional figure skating, Harding has always been more comfortable in jeans and maybe working under the hood of a 4-wheeler.

"I have never been the stereotypical figure skater. I've always had a mouth and liked my type of music, my type of dresses and tough if you don't like it," she said.

Harding was the first American woman to land a difficult triple axel jump, the U.S. national champion and a contender for Olympic gold.

At the Olympics, Harding is remembered most for crying over a broken skate lace ... and pleading guilty to hindering prosecution of the infamous clubbing attack on her rival, Kerrigan.

Within months came the release of a wedding night sex video and photos in Penthouse magazine. Police reports of driving under the influence and domestic violence followed. In 2002, Harding traded in her blades for boxing gloves on Fox's "Celebrity Boxing," winning a bout against Paula Jones. A brief professional boxing career followed, with Harding retiring with a 3-3-0 record.

Now she is publishing four years of interviews - "The Tonya Tapes."

"I am giving a complete history of my life, not just about '94. It's about my life," she said.

In her book, Harding claims she was raped by ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and two accomplices at gunpoint to keep her from talking to the FBI in '94.

"They took, you know, my womanhood away from me. And probably a part of me that I never will get back. But I look at me today, and I think that I am a woman," she said through tears.

The book also describes repeated abuse by her alcoholic mother and suicide attempts.

"I was told my whole life, you're fat, you're ugly, you're never going to amount to be anything," she said.

Harding's mother and ex-husband Jeff Gillooly have denied her allegations.

The former champion hopes others learn from her mistakes.

"Since I finished the book, it's been a healing process for me. And I'm sure it probably will be for the rest of my life," she said.

Harding said her life is simpler these days, and she's enjoying the great outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.

[kittykatty2]

I don''t believe a word she says.

[newsjunky5]

I''ll buy her book if Nancy Kerrigan gets to smash both of Harding''s kneecaps. I''m not usually the "Roman Colosseum" type, but I''d pay to see that.

[closethippy1]

This smells like someone has put a lot of money behind Tanya''s project and since everything is about money CBS didn''t want to make it look all that bad.
But that girl is a disaster and she shouldn''t be able to profit from it.

[neonink]

Who believes a word this woman says?

[ramos937]

As with all of life''s decisions, choices can be either beneficial or destructive. Tonya voluntarily made a whole lot of bad decisions. She can either admit them and recover from them or keep repeating them. Her choice.

[my2centss]

Without Tonya Harding, most of us would not have even watched figure skating. Figure skating owes Tonya much.

[trenticus-2009]

Washed up... You think I want to listen to her cry "poor me." DON''T THINK SO! You''re washed up ***! Oh and you''re a LOSER!

[patriot12436]

hermit22
Wher did you see the story on Nancy Kerrigan ? I would like to read it.

[barbaraf4]

I thought her 15 minutes were up.

[keithle1]

Looks like Lorena Bobbitt. Check it out. Who the hell cares about this tired old hasbeen beeyotch. She''s ancient history. Like she was a virgin in 1994. "They took, you know, my womanhood away from me..." Oh puh-leeeze. Who are you kidding?

[kevzgrl]

Waaahhhh - Wow, deja vu, must have been Tanya crying over that broken lace on the skate...

[patriot12436]

I would hope she has learned a lesson from her mistakes, but i can find little sympathy for someoen who had it all and blew it by the choices she made. I think there are many finer people than her that deserve a chance. She screwed her own karma now she has to live with it.

[msay3]

The USFSA was wise to give Tonya Harding the boot....She gave skating a black eye over that scandal.

[cw0012]

Every few months or years in some timely manner she makes an appearance, wether it be tossin hubcaps or cryin on TV, oh wait the cryin on TV never stops. I could do with out Tanya, we are so tired of her poppin up in the news. So here''s to Tayna - to coin your words for all us PNW people "GET OFF MY PROPERTY NOW!" And just fade away, we are tired of you.

[loneeagle57]

Have you ever noticed that once in a while this spoiled snobby bi@#% has to reappear. Always one to be the center of attention. Do the world a favor Tonya. GET OFF MY PLANET. no one cares about your washed up has been career.

[texanforlogi]

Tanya: Stuff a sock in it. NOBODY CARES. You have proven yourself to be a spoiled-rotten, overly-entitled loser and any "hard life" you''ve led is due to your own karma. Suck it up and stop whining!

(Gosh, I sure hope she reads these comments)

[godofredo29]

You know, Harding could have had a sweet and successful career as a speed skater. It would have been the logical turnaround to her earlier troubles. I never understood why she didn''t go that route.

[dgshiner]

I am sorry but I am tired of hearing the victim s/l she knew it was wrong to do what she did now trying to capitalize off of her wrong doings? Like I said there are millions of kids who have used abused and they still don''t do what this young lady did. And her book nor her tapes mean Jack to me!!!

[whatsup49]

too bad, so sad. cbs really is stooping to new lows with this "story."

[caldwellptr]

Tonya Harding IS reality TV!