Podcast Summary: "I’m Not Saying Yes… But I’m Not Saying No"

Podcast: Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon
Host: Adam Rippon
Date: December 4, 2025
Episode Overview:
This episode of "Intrusive Thoughts" finds Adam Rippon reflecting on his complicated relationship with Thanksgiving, sharing candid stories from his past and present, and humorously pondering the ethics of selling out for a lucrative brand deal. True to form, Adam’s musings are packed with humor, self-deprecation, and sharp observations about everything from holiday recipes to billionaire culture.

Main Themes

• Adam’s personal (and somewhat antagonistic) history with Thanksgiving
• A comedic and honest look at holiday cooking (or lack thereof)
• Candid discussion about billionaires, sellout culture, and moral “price points”
• Reflections on pranks, viral content, and celebrity culture
• Audience engagement: voicemails, prompts, and genuine thankfulness

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Adam’s Take on Thanksgiving (00:59 - 17:48)

• Thanksgiving Apathy: Adam openly admits he just doesn’t care much for Thanksgiving, summarizing his feelings with, “I don’t really like Thanksgiving for no particular reason.” (01:39)
• Holiday Activities: He pokes fun at the trivial traditions: “It’s about the dog show that’s on every year that I usually put on when I panic-Google a recipe that I say is…a family recipe, when really it’s just like a recipe from like11lemons.com.” (01:56–02:40)
• Disconnected Traditions: Adam’s competitive skating career and living far from family made Thanksgiving “never this really important family thing.” Now, with a Finnish husband (JP), the holiday means even less. (02:56–03:54)
• Low-Effort Cooking: Shares self-deprecating stories about “pulling out all the stops” (buying King’s Hawaiian rolls and making stuffing), and confesses to “mental disconnect from reality” this year—leaving the main meal to his husband while he contributes desserts.
  • Cranberry “Recipe”: Details his viral-inspired dessert of cranberries marinated in diet Starry soda and rolled in powdered sugar—“It’s not a recipe. That’s a craft.” (08:44)
  • Chocolate Cream Pie Fiasco: He describes making a too-thin pudding pie: “So basically, I made, like, soup that got…put on top of a graham cracker. Delicious. Just not aesthetically pleasing in any sort of way.” (10:11–11:33)
• Preschool Scarring: Hilarious retelling of a preschool “Thanksgiving play,” where he accidentally got cast as a pilgrim instead of a Native American, resulting in a sobbing meltdown. “Still, to this day, I get shivers down my spine thinking of having to make that ugly pilgrim fucking hat.” (14:19–15:00)
• Thanksgiving Routine: The day ends up being low-key—an “emergency look up” broccoli/green bean recipe from TikTok (16:16), plus general mental rest.

2. Audience Voicemail: Billionaires & Selling Out (17:48 - 31:18)

Caller asks: Adam’s opinion on billionaires, would he “commit the atrocities that Elon Musk and other billionaires have for a billion dollars?” What’s his “selling out” price? (18:02)

• Adam’s View on Billionaires:
  • “Nobody should have a billion, nobody needs $1 billion. …at $999 million, we kind of capped it. I just don’t think anyone, any one person needs to amass that type of wealth. It’s unnecessary.” (18:49–19:49)
  • Contrasts moral stance vs. reality: “I would like a billion dollars, right? I could justify it if I had it, but…I don’t think anyone needs it.” (19:49–20:21)
  • Would he do what billionaires do? “I wouldn’t because I just don’t think anyone needs a billion dollars. I think I’d find a way to offload it.” (20:21)
• What Would Adam Sell Out For? The Temu Saga:
  • Shares ongoing saga with Temu (the hyper-discount online retailer) trying to secure a brand deal with him via Instagram DMs.
  • Each time Temu reaches out, Adam replies with escalating rates—$150,000, then $200,000, then more: “Every time they reach out, I’m going to go, Rates have gone up, and it’s just going to be another $50,000.” (26:27)
  • Reflects honestly: “If you ever see me do a brand deal for Temu, just know that the amount of money was undeniable.” (27:18)
  • “I don’t think I’d actually sell out for Temu, but if I do, I want you to know here and now the reasoning and how I got there.” (30:13)
• Prompt to Audience: Encourages listeners to call/text with their own “sellout” number: “What’s the number that you would sell out for? And it’s okay, right? This is a safe space.” (30:33)

3. Bits of Pop Culture: Phil Rosenthal, Pranks, and Social Media (31:18 - 39:50)

• Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix):
  • Adam, alongside JP, discusses watching Phil Rosenthal’s travel-food show.
  • “I think that I would have like a good six hours with Phil before I would go to the tallest building in whatever city we were in and just jump off. And I mean that with all the love in my heart.” (33:54–33:59)
  • He backtracks humorously: “He’s like, he just has the personality of somebody…you know what, I’m actually gonna eat dinner alone tonight. I’ll catch you in the morning and then we’ll, like, regroup from there.” (35:11)
• Social Media Celebrity Content and Pranks:
  • Adam rails against the genre of celebrity prank-call videos (“Get your phone out and prank call your famous friend”)—“I hate that genre of video. It feels insane.” (36:07)
  • Hard stance: “I actually kind of have a really hard stance against pranks and people who do pranks on people. …There’s something really dark there. I don’t think pranks are funny.” (37:05–37:15)
  • Softens, allowing that silly pranks (like a toilet “smoking” with toilet rolls and a cigarette) can be funny, but “anything besides that…no.” (37:15–38:11)
  • Especially disdains “Punk’d” and “Boiling Point” type prank shows intended to panic or annoy people.

4. Closing Thoughts and Audience Participation (40:13 - End)

• Adam thanks listeners sincerely: “For everybody who listens to this podcast and who calls in and texts the podcast. Very grateful.” (40:44)
• Reiterates the call-in/text number: 310-909-9717, and invites helps with ideas for intro/outro catchphrases. (42:12)
• Jokes about still not having the show’s rhythm totally figured out: “I’m still figuring it out.” (41:59)
• Ends with loving sign-off: “Love you so much and see you next time. Bye.” (42:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Thanksgiving:
  • “I just cannot get behind it like a holiday…Thanksgiving is not about that. Do you know what I mean? It’s about the dog show…That’s what Thanksgiving’s about. And being with your family.” (01:56)
• On Recipe “Crafts”:
  • “It’s not a recipe. That’s a craft. And when I say craft, I mean, like, arts and crafts. Not like it took any skill.” (08:44)
• Preschool Trauma:
  • “Still, to this day, I get shivers down my spine thinking of having to make that ugly pilgrim fucking hat. In preschool, I cried all that day. And you know what? I was right to cry.” (14:19–15:00)
• On Billionaires:
  • “Nobody should have a billion, nobody needs $1 billion. …I just don’t think anyone, any one person needs to amass that type of wealth.” (18:49)
• On Sellout Culture:
  • “If you ever see me do a brand deal for Teemu, just know that the amount of money was undeniable.” (27:18)
  • “Every time they reach out, I’m going to go. Rates have gone up, and it’s just going to be another $50,000.” (26:27)
• On Pranks:
  • “I actually kind of have a really hard stance against pranks and people who do pranks on people. There’s something really dark there. I don’t think pranks are funny.” (37:05)
• On Self-Improvement and Creativity:
  • “I feel like I’m getting a rhythm. I don’t feel like…I wouldn’t say we’ve got it down, so I’m still figuring it out.” (41:59)
• On Gratitude:
  • “For everybody who listens to this podcast and who calls in and texts the podcast. Very grateful.” (40:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:59 – 17:48: Thanksgiving musings and stories, including childhood trauma and dessert fails.
• 17:48 – 31:18: Voicemail question, extended thoughts on billionaires, selling out, Temu brand deal saga.
• 31:18 – 35:11: Comments on Phil Rosenthal’s Netflix show and personality quirks.
• 35:11 – 39:50: Rants against social media pranks, viral trends, and “prank call your famous friend” videos.
• 40:13 – End: Sincere gratitude, call-in number, outro, ongoing show evolution.

Final Thoughts

This episode is classic Adam Rippon—irreverent, honest, and always self-aware. From failed pies and preschool drama to sharp critiques of billionaire culture and online content, Adam’s wit and warmth shine through. His invitation to listeners to share their own “sellout” numbers is both clever and oddly comforting, encapsulating the episode’s theme of honesty in the face of absurdity. Whether you love or loathe Thanksgiving, there’s something for everyone in this witty and heartfelt solo episode.