Episode Summary: Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon

Episode: Adam’s Birthday Episode: Diamonds, Distractions & Diagnoses

Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Adam Rippon

Overview

In this playful, rambly, and deeply personal late-night episode, Adam Rippon celebrates his 36th birthday eve with a characteristically sultry tone. Broadcasting late at night just before a flight, Adam reflects on his iconic skating career, recounts a hilarious and defining “Diamonds” performance, opens up about an ADHD diagnosis, and riffs on everything from hydration preferences to travel hacks—all with his signature wit and candor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Birthday Vibes (00:48 - 07:58)

• Adam records at 10:32pm with an early morning flight pending, yet procrastination rules: “Everyone else in my house is asleep except for me. And I need to pack. Right? I need to pack, but I also need to record the podcast.” (02:09)
• Celebrates his November 11th birthday (“1111”) with a shoutout to celebrities who share the day—Leonardo DiCaprio, Demi Moore, Corinne Olympios, Carson Kressley, and even a grade-school classmate.
• Adam marvels at his own numerically pleasing birthday:

  “People freak out when they see that on the clock. 11:11. Oh, my God. Make a wish. I'm just kind of sitting here like, I am 1111. It doesn't get better than that.” (05:14)

• Shares quirky details on his nightly routine: packing cubes, improvising with the iron as a packing table.

2. Adam’s Water Order & Packing Ritual (06:30 - 10:21)

• Deep dive into his water bottle obsession (Owala, 40 ounces, cherry limeade flavor).

  “I want to feel, like, blown back when I'm drinking out of that Owala. I want to feel blown out of my seat.” (08:38)

• Pokes fun at “water of the day” trends online, joking about the potency of water flavor packets.
• Transition from prepping for travel to prepping for listener voicemails.

3. The Iconic “Diamonds” Grand Prix Story (11:03 - 42:28)

• Caller Jackson asks for backstory on Adam’s infamous singing performance at a Grand Prix skating gala.
• Adam approaches storytelling with classic self-deprecation and showmanship:

  "This is like, I'm an intolerable person. Is that good?" (11:09)

• Backstory (13:39 - 24:20):
  • In the lead-up to the 2018 Olympics, Adam was determined to make himself “too famous to be left off the team”—so he secretly recorded a cover of Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” intending to skate to it for maximum spectacle.
  • Candid about vocal abilities:

    “I’m not saying that I have, like, the best voice ever, but that didn’t matter. I have a fine voice. I have a good voice. I can hold a tune, right?... I can sing well enough to pull off a gag.” (17:37)

  • Ultimately, coach prefers he skate to a club track; “Diamonds” is shelved—until the gala.
• The Exhibition in Japan (24:20 - 35:15):
  • Too exhausted to skate post-competition, Adam’s friend Mirai Nagasu suggests he just sing instead.
  • With Mirai’s help and approval from arena staff, Adam sings live during the exhibition practice—causing shock and amusement among competitors.
  • Iconic moment:

    “There’s audible gasps, okay? I know I am acting like I’m Susan Boyle and it’s Britain’s Got Talent and tears rolling down. I think it’s just, like, people couldn’t believe that I was singing and not skating.” (33:44)

  • Revels in the shade and skepticism from other competitors, framing his performance as a creative loophole and a tongue-in-cheek “diva” move.
• Grand Prix Final—Leveling Up (35:15 - 42:28):
  • Adam is invited back, now infamously known as “the singer.” This time, he both sings (with improved stage presence—thanks to a leather jacket) and then immediately skates a full program, performing longer than anyone else in the exhibition.
  • Self-satirical reflection:

    “So I went from not wanting to skate in the exhibition at all to skating the longest program the exhibition had ever fucking seen.” (41:50)

  • Clarifies he wasn’t trying to become a pop star, just wanted to create a buzz.
  • Mentions inspirations: Yuna Kim, Emmanuel Sandhu—skaters who have sung live on ice before.

4. Music, Language, and ADHD (42:29 - 54:03)

• Brief detour into music appreciation for Rosalía ("phenomenal") and aspirations to learn Spanish via Duolingo—while admitting he’s currently cheating the system with Finnish lessons.
• Answers a text about ADHD (from listener Luke). Adam shares his own late ADHD diagnosis and how it's common for athletes due to dopamine-driven short-term rewards in sports:

  “Yes, I have... And depending on how you look at it, I did either pass that test or fail it in the sense that I definitely do have it, which probably is not like a shock to anybody.” (48:59) “I really struggle to sit down and complete tasks. I didn’t realize how badly I struggled with that.” (50:12)

  • Speaks candidly about his experience with ADHD medication (switched from Adderall to Vyvanse), joking about initial fears versus the mundane reality of improved focus:

    “I just can, like, brush my teeth without putting it off all day. And so that’s what it did for me. It didn’t make me go out of my mind.” (52:32)

5. Pre-Flight Distractions & Life Updates (54:03 - End)

• Adam explains he’s heading to New York and Lake Placid for the “Skate America” competition—and will be recording live episodes of his skating podcast, The Runthrough.
• Shares a travel cologne “hack” (refilling mini bottles from a larger refill) but admits the scent doesn’t last; wryly concludes he was “scammed.”
• Preps to wrap up with his signature flair, invites listeners to text or call the show as a “birthday gift,” and jokes about review policies (“if less than five stars, text me first and we’ll address it”).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Numbers Guy:

  “I share my birthday with Leonardo DiCaprio and Demi Moore... Also, there was a girl in my class, like, in grade school. Her name was Alex Nelson. I still remember that. We share a birthday as well. And Carson Kressley—Isn’t that crazy?” (05:23)

• Hydration Drama:

  “I think, like, you could make a nuclear bomb out of some of these flavor packets. They'll blow your brains out. Trust me, believe me. Listen to me. I'm telling the truth, okay?” (09:43)

• Iconic Confidence (on his “Diamonds” performance):

  “Sometimes, like, I am amazing. I am amazing sometimes. And this is one of those moments where I'm amazing.” (34:31)

• Meta Commentary:

  “Some people have it, some people don’t. I have it. What is it? It’s terminal. And there’s no cure.” (42:10)

• ADHD Reflection:

  “If you’re on it, it’s hard to come by. And so I actually switched to Vyvanse. So I’m taking my Vyvanse and it really is good and I really like it. Kiss, kiss.” (51:48)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:48–07:58 – Birthday musings & introductions
• 06:30–10:21 – Water bottle obsession & late-night packing
• 11:03–42:28 – The Diamonds Grand Prix story (skating, fame, singing on ice)
• 42:29–44:25 – Music opinions & Duolingo language lessons
• 47:50–54:03 – Listener question about ADHD, Adam’s diagnosis, and medication
• 54:04–58:05 – Travel updates, perfume “hack,” and episode wrap-up

Tone and Style

• Irreverent, self-aware, playful, with a running thread of hyperbolic self-praise and spontaneous detours.
• True to Adam’s on-air persona: comedic, unfiltered, and warm, especially when engaging listeners directly or riffing on the absurdities of both skating culture and everyday life.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you missed this birthday special, expect a night owl’s parade of stories that blur the line between sports fame and plain mischief. You’ll hear about burning ambition, shameless self-promotion on (and off) the ice, living with ADHD, and the real crises of adulthood: packing, hydration, and perfume hacks gone wrong. All this, with Adam’s unmatchable comedic timing, makes for a perfect snapshot of his wonderfully “intrusive” mind.