Not Skinny But Not Fat – "Olympic Medalist Chloe Kim Says Silver Is Her Color"
Host: Amanda Hirsch
Guest: Chloe Kim (Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Snowboarder)
Release Date: March 13, 2026
Episode Overview
In this engaging, laughter-filled bonus episode, Amanda Hirsch sits down with Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation. Departing from the usual celebrity fare, Amanda dives into Chloe’s journey from childhood prodigy to medaled champion, exploring themes of resilience, family sacrifice, life as an athlete, cultural identity, mental health, and finding balance. Chloe’s humor, candor, and groundedness shine as she dissects the pressure of expectations, the realities of money and fame, the sting of racism, and her thriving relationship with NFL star Myles Garrett.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Chloe's Recent Olympic Experience & Medal Mindset
- Timestamps: 03:09–07:29
- Chloe talks about returning from the Winter Olympics with another medal. She addresses the outside fixation on gold over silver, revealing a distinct attitude toward "winning":
- Color Analysis: Chloe jokes, “They actually said that, like, white gold…White metals look good on me, so I think they’re right.” (03:42)
- On Silver vs. Gold: Criticizes journalists for framing silver as a "loss": “It’s such a stupid question…everyone wants to be so negative. Meanwhile, you're sitting on your ass hating. Being at the Olympics alone is so competitive…when you walk away with any medal, that’s such a big accomplishment.” (04:19)
- Handling Pressure & Injury: Chloe reveals she was injured before the Olympics and had only “four days of training outside of the competition” before her event (07:17), emphasizing that every athlete’s journey is unique.
2. The Realities of Training & Injury
- Timestamps: 06:40–09:17
- Chloe shares details about the injury that disrupted her preparation:
- Falling Unexpectedly: “It would have been so much easier if I fell and got hurt doing a trick…But, like, I fell going into the wall to the trick. So I got so freaked out, because I'm like, oh my gosh, do I not know how to snowboard?” (07:37)
- Dealing with Injury: Dislocated shoulder, needs surgery: “It’s not a bad injury for everyday life, but if I want to do anything athletic, I need surgery.” (09:07)
3. Snowboarding vs. Skiing, Music, and Superstitions
- Timestamps: 09:41–13:19
- Chloe shares her preferences and routines:
- Hates skiing: “Just not for me…My legs can go their own independent ways. I don’t like the pole vibe.” (09:52)
- Snowboarding with Music: Her headphones allow her to “drop in at a certain part” of a song for her runs (11:02), “If I—the more I think, the worse it gets. I might as well just start on a clean slate.” (11:13)
- Playlist Choices: Young Thug, Baby Keem, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, Cardi B—“I love my girls.” (11:41)
- Superstitions: No “lucky underwear,” but “lucky white gold hoops” (13:10).
4. Family Sacrifice & Upbringing
- Timestamps: 13:38–20:57
- Honest look at the Kim family's journey:
- Moving Out & Parents’ Sacrifices: Moved out at 18, helped retire both parents by age 15 (15:03): “My parents don’t work. I was able to retire both of them by the time I was 15.” (15:11)
- Dad’s Risk: Dad quit job early to support her snowboarding, even amidst financial hardship and bankruptcy—“It was really dumb in hindsight…but he did it, and it worked out.” (15:35)
5. Financial Realities of Being an Elite Athlete
- Timestamps: 20:49–24:08
- Snowboarding is Expensive: “How he could afford it’s a great question…People will say I grew up with a bunch of money, but not the case at all.” (20:49)
- Traveling on Standby: Thanks to her mom’s job at Korean Air, she could fly standby to competitions but often “slept in airports for days.”
- Not Motivated by Money: “I didn’t know that there was money in snowboarding, and there really wasn’t…as a woman, as an Asian American…I didn’t see that, period.” (23:14)
- First Big Sponsorship: Monster Energy at age 13; “That contract changed my life—it was six figures.” (23:59)
6. Navigating Adolescence as a Prodigy
- Timestamps: 24:35–29:57
- Homeschooling: “Started homeschooling when I was 11…[because] I was traveling so much.”
- Isolation: “As I gained success…I was losing a sense of self. I didn’t really have friends outside of it…it made me a little depressed.” (29:41)
- College at Princeton: Attended for a year for the experience, not the degree: “Going to college was more for my wellbeing.” (30:42)
- Campus Celebrity: On walking into the dining hall—“The room goes completely silent when I walk in. Everyone has their phones out, filming me.” (33:33)
- Eventually, Princeton sent an email discouraging students from snapping sneaky photos.
7. Friendship, Sibling Dynamics, and Family Support
- Timestamps: 26:23–28:50
- Describes her much-older half-sisters, their support, and family flexibility as her career accelerated.
8. Enduring Racism & Representing as an Asian American
- Timestamps: 36:52–40:22
- Facing Bigotry and Exclusion: “I dealt with a lot of racism…there’s no one that looks like me…Americans aren’t bullying girls from Asia, but me, I am Korean, but there’s an American flag next to my name.” (38:03)
- On the Mountain: “You shouldn’t be representing us…why does she get to represent the U.S. when she’s not even from here?” (38:45)
9. Family Structure & Language
- Timestamps: 50:22–53:52
- Chloe explains her time living in Geneva, Switzerland, as a child to learn French, where she lived with her not-so-warm aunt: “My aunt just isn’t giving, like, nurturing…She called my middle sister boring and sent her home.” (51:13)
- Reveals she is her mother’s only biological child; her sisters are much older half-sisters on her father's side.
10. On Injuries, Athlete Mentality & Balance
- Timestamps: 42:46–49:03
- Snowboarding with Beginners: “If I’m not doing a trick in the air, I’m not having fun.” (43:03)
- On Fear and Injury: “I’m not allowed to be scared. I picked the wrong sport to be scared.” (43:33)
- On Setting Boundaries: Post-first Olympics, Chloe began to participate in fewer events per year for her own happiness, saying, “I’m just gonna do what I feel like doing…which is taking all of spring and summer off.” (48:25)
11. Relationship with NFL Star Myles Garrett
- Timestamps: 54:20–63:59
- How They Met: Through a mutual friend in the fitness/physical therapy world. First contacted over FaceTime while Myles was in Cabo: “It was so quick, like—hey, what’s up?” (59:13)
- Instant Chemistry: Chloe describes Myles’ daily texts and their easy rapport.
- Power Couple: “We started dating a little over a year ago.” (54:49)
- Gifts and Support: Myles surprised Chloe with her “dream car”—a pink 1970s Bronco—after her return from the Olympics.
- Future Goals: Both are open about wanting a family; Chloe appreciates his patience and support: “If there’s another path you want to explore, put yourself first. I’ll wait for you. And I think that’s so sweet.” (64:20)
Memorable Quotes
-
On Medals & Perspective:
“I did what I needed to do…they actually said that white metals look good on me, so I think they’re right.” – Chloe Kim (03:33, 03:42) -
On Sacrifice:
“My parents don’t work. I was able to retire both of them by the time I was 15.” – Chloe Kim (15:11) -
On Fame & Friendship:
“I want to be friends with you…I don’t want to be this person.” – Chloe Kim on her Princeton experience (33:02) -
On Racism:
“It’s hurtful because it’s something I literally can’t change about myself. Not that I want to...” – Chloe Kim (39:01) -
On Snowboarding & Fun:
“If I’m not doing a trick in the air, I’m not having fun.” – Chloe Kim (43:03) -
On Her Relationship with Myles Garrett:
“I found my best friend, and it’s so nice…we’re always giggling.” – Chloe Kim (62:40)
Important Segment Timestamps
- Chloe talks Olympic mindset and pressure: (03:09–07:29)
- Injury and mental blocks: (06:40–09:17)
- Family sacrifices and moving out young: (13:38–20:57)
- Financial struggles and first big sponsorship: (20:49–24:08)
- Navigating fame and loneliness at Princeton: (29:41–33:33)
- Dealing with racism and cultural identity: (36:52–40:22)
- Discussing Myles Garrett, how they met, the Bronco story: (54:20–63:59)
Episode Tone & Style
Conversational, irreverent, and intimate—Amanda’s curiosity and Chloe’s dry wit and candidness make for a lively, “real talk with your bestie” podcast atmosphere. Chloe is refreshingly open about vulnerability, the toll of expectations, and her desire for a balanced, authentic life.