Podcast Summary: Intrusive Thoughts with Adam Rippon

Episode: "An Afternoon at the Circus"
Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Adam Rippon

Overview

In this lively and meandering solo episode, Adam Rippon invites listeners into his unfiltered thoughts and recent adventures—from a road trip to a Lake Placid skating competition to reflections on Olympic history, small-town characters, Broadway, and the quest for the perfect L.L. Bean backpack. Adam’s signature blend of self-deprecating humor, casual story-telling, and sharp asides makes for an engaging, surprising ride. Along the way, he answers listener texts about embarrassing event dress codes and the origins of the nickname "short papa" for himself.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Traveling to Lake Placid: Boots, Blizzards, and L.L. Bean

• The Journey: Adam details a convoluted but amusing journey from New York City to Lake Placid with friends, culminating in a necessary stop at L.L. Bean in Albany, NY to buy snow boots.
  • "Shout out to the L.L. Bean in Albany, New York." [07:41]
• Boot Quest: Adam's search for Australian boots leads to an on-air Google search and the eventual discovery of the brand: Blundstones.
  • "Blundstones! That’s it! Okay. Blundstone boots. I was pretty close. Reg release." [14:50]

2. Lake Placid Skating Competition & Olympic History

• Adam attends a skating competition and records live podcasts for his skating show, "The Runthrough". He brings his skates, hoping for a chance to skate on the historic Olympic rinks.

• "Miracle on Ice": Adam muses on the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team’s legendary win, and how calling it a "miracle" forever colors the achievement.

  • "After a while, that would weigh on me if people called my greatest athletic achievement a miracle… Maybe I was good, but no, it was a miracle." [22:34]

• The 1932 Rink: Adam delights in skating on the same rink as the first Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, noting how intimate and unchanged the space is.

  • "They’ve kept the integrity of its structure … it is what it is." [25:23]

3. The Dark Side of Skating Lore: Sonja Henie

• Adam recounts the meteoric career and problematic legacy of Norwegian skater Sonja Henie—including her achievements, Hollywood fame, and very public Nazi sympathies.
  • "Sonja Henie, big ol’ fucking smile, Nazi salute. Oh, come on, Sonja, put your arm down. This is not the Republican National Convention. This is the Olympic Games." [34:31]
• Adam highlights the paradox of being fascinated by a problematic figure, but doesn't shy away from critical perspective.
  • "She was not nice, she was mean, and she was basically a sociopath." [32:43]
  • "Strike one is sympathizing with the Nazis; strike three is not calling into the podcast." [39:05]

4. Small Town Vibes and Adventures in Lake Placid

• Adam explores Lake Placid’s "cottagecore" aesthetic, admitting he can only take a few days of heavy wood décor before craving the city again.
  • "I have a five to four, which you could also say four to five day limit on the cottage core aesthetic. … There comes a certain point where I go, I think I’m going to be sick." [41:09]
• The Pickled Pig & Meeting Jovan: Adam gives a glowing, comedic review of the local barbecue restaurant, “The Pickled Pig.” He shares a running gag about Jovan, a hardworking Bosnian server who seems to work at every restaurant in town.
  • "Jovan, you’re the hardest working person in Lake Placid now." [47:46]
  • "He took care of us like we were family. And I will literally never forget Jovan from Lake Placid, from Bosnia." [50:28]

5. Back in NYC: Broadway and O, Mary!

• Adam stays in NYC to film skating content and scores last-minute tickets to "O, Mary!" starring Jane Krakowski. He gushes over Jane’s comedic timing and expresses a dream to play Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway.
  • "Give me the script and give me a week. Give me the wig, give me the dress, because I could play the fuck out of a Mary Todd motherfucking Lincoln." [55:44]
• Shoutout to Cole Escola, the show's writer, and speculation on Escola’s rumored Miss Piggy film project.

6. Listener Texts: Embarrassing Outfits & "Short Papa"

• Afternoon at the Circus Dress Code [1:04:58]:

  • A listener recounts underdressing for an Adam Rippon champagne event, describing her look as "Afternoon at the Circus".
  • Adam responds:
    • "It is a huge missed opportunity. French Riviera in New York? Afternoon at the circus requires champagne on ice if I've ever thought of it in my life." [1:12:09]
    • "If I am ever going to do some sort of, like, themed party ... I absolutely will make that attire request to be afternoon at the circus, because I think that would send people into a fucking tailspin." [1:13:45]

• "Short Papa" Story [1:16:52]:

  • Adam reveals how he and his husband J.P. refer to themselves as “Tall Papa” and “Short Papa” in their dogs’ invented voices, and how their pets’ personalities shape household banter.
  • "By blood, I am white trash ... I don't know how to dress for the Riviera." [1:11:31]
  • "In our mind, our dogs can't say their 'R's. ... We've decided that the dogs refer to us as Tall Papa and Short Papa." [1:18:42]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Struggling to Remember "Blundstones":

  • "Bridgestone? Those are tires… Bread. J. Willow. No… Damn it. … Now I have to Google it. Blundstones! That's it! Okay." [13:25-14:50]

• Reflecting on Sonja Henie:

  • "There’s something fascinating about that. Very, very fascinating. So to kind of put a pin in it ... it’s famously frowned upon to have met with and maybe dated Adolf Hitler. I think as it should be and it should remain that way." [38:17]

• On "Cottagecore" Overload:

  • "After that, I'm going, get me out of here. Get me the fuck out of here." [41:49]

• On Jane Krakowski in O, Mary!:

  • "Jane Krakowski is for me, like, one of the funniest actresses of all time. ... I cannot believe I got to see Jane Krakowski as Mary in O, Mary." [55:28]

• Listener's "Afternoon at the Circus" Outfit:

  • "I really would love to see this outfit again. ... If you are this text message or and you are feeling so inclined, please text the outfit because I would love to describe it to the listeners." [1:12:54]

• On Pet Names and Household Banter:

  • "So sometimes, like, in our mind, our dogs can't say they're Rs ... we've decided that the dogs refer to us as Tall Papa and Short Papa." [1:18:30]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |-----------------------------------------------|-------------| | Adam’s NYC arrival & Lake Placid trip setup | 01:29 | | L.L. Bean, boots confusion, Blundstone search | 07:41–14:50 | | Lake Placid Olympics: “Miracle on Ice” | 21:55 | | Skating on the 1932 Rink / Olympic lore | 25:23 | | Sonja Henie and Nazi history | 32:43–39:16 | | Lake Placid town/cottagecore/pickled pig | 41:09–47:46 | | Jovan the multitasking Bosnian server | 47:46–50:28 | | Back to NYC & O, Mary! with Jane Krakowski | 55:28–56:57 | | Listener Text: "Afternoon at the Circus" | 1:04:58 | | Listener Text: "Short Papa" | 1:16:52 |

Tone, Energy, and Takeaway

Adam’s distinct comedic voice infuses the episode with energy, vulnerability, and warmth. He flits—from dead-serious Olympic history to absurd L.L. Bean backpack musings to improv’d Broadway ambitions—frequently pausing to laugh at himself or invite the audience to join in the joke. The tone is delightfully rambling, sometimes poignant, often self-referential and meta, but always inclusive—with Adam tying disparate stories back to relatable touchstones.

Final Thoughts

This episode showcases Adam Rippon’s ability to turn even mundane details—like shopping for boots, or debating salad bowls at a rural restaurant—into laugh-out-loud moments. Fans of Adam’s humor, as well as new listeners, will find plenty of history, personality-driven anecdote, and candid musings on fame, skating, and what it means to be “afternoon at the circus.”