Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon

Ep: “Mic’d Up in Milan With Martha, Snoop, and a Lot of Unexpected Moments”

Date: February 19, 2026 | Host: Adam Rippon | Location: Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Overview of Episode

Adam Rippon checks in from the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, sharing a candid, energetic recap of his Olympic experience behind the scenes as a “roaming reporter” for Sports Desk. Highlights include a heartwarming interview with figure skating legend Dr. Tenley Albright, hilarious and surreal moments with Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg at the skating arena, a quirky behind-the-scenes encounter with the Sesame Street crew, and emotional reflections on Olympic pressure, underdog victories, and the late Dennis Ten. True to the show’s unfiltered nature, Adam blends humor, heartfelt stories, and sharp observations, offering listeners a front-row seat inside the whirlwind of an Olympic Games.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Adam’s Life as a Roaming Olympic Reporter

[00:00–09:50]

• Adam describes his “roaming reporter” role for Sports Desk: being shuttled to venues (“they push me out of the car and they go, dance, monkey, dance”) and doing personality pieces, interviews, voiceovers, and live coverage.
• Shares exhaustion but also immense enjoyment: “I am a really good dancing monkey. I’m really good at it. And so this is the perfect job for someone like me.”
• Personal note: Adam has made an effort on this trip to take more pictures for memories, after years of neglecting this (“you better take a thousand effing pictures”).

2. The Art (and Energy) of Voiceovers

[09:51–18:40]

• Adam has grown confident with solo podcasting and voiceovers, crediting a “trained muscle” for talking endlessly and another for lively voiceovers.
• Demonstrates the difference between “podcast voice” and broadcasting tone by delivering a sample line—comically ramping up the energy (“She was the queen of the ice”).
• Shares behind-the-scenes on recording voiceovers, needing them “to sound like you just had a Red Bull.”

Notable Quote:
“She was the queen of the ice. I’m embarrassed.”
— Adam Rippon, (16:35)

3. A Legendary Interview: Dr. Tenley Albright

[18:41–29:45]

• Adam spotlights figure skating icon Tenley Albright, the first American woman to win Olympic gold (Cortina 1956) and a groundbreaking surgeon (one of only five women in her med school class at Harvard).

• Shares lore from outdoor Olympic skating—including challenges of weather, ice ruts, and “hothouse skaters” (Americans who only trained indoors), and Tenley’s own mishap stabbing her ankle with her blade before her event.

• Admires Tenley's vitality at 90 and her advice to “never stop moving”:

  “We can’t stop moving ever. If we’re sitting all day, we have to get out. We have to move. We have to be exactly like Dr. Tenley Albright who stabbed herself with her skate 70 years ago.” (27:22)

• Recalls a charming story: at Tenley’s gold medal ceremony, organizers played “My Country, 'Tis of Thee” instead of the anthem since they lacked the right record—“so 1956 Italy for you.”

4. Olympic Figure Skating: Hanging With Martha Stewart & Snoop Dogg

[29:46–41:10]

• Adam was asked to guide Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg through the women’s short program.

• Snoop was highly engaged, learned the moves, and by the end was “calling out jumps correctly and even guessing scores.”

  “We’re about 30 minutes in, and he’s calling out the moves correctly...and by the end of the event, was guessing people’s scores.” (37:40)

• Martha Stewart—less focused on the names, but “there to commentate and take in the artistry.” Afterwards:

  “Martha goes over to her team and she starts pointing at me. She goes, ‘That man is excellent.’ Absolutely does not remember my name. That’s fine by me.” (39:15)

• Adam makes Martha laugh (momentarily): she mentions freezing her stone-lined lake to re-create the Olympic vibes.

5. Behind-the-Scenes with Sesame Street

[41:11–46:00]

• Unique gig: Adam requested to interview Oscar the Grouch (not Elmo!) at Sesame Street’s Olympic shoot.
• Describes the puppeteer magic and security—“stakes are high, these are America’s Muppets.”
• Banters with Oscar, embracing negativity (“He would go, ‘I hate it here.’ And I'd go, ‘Yeah, isn't it awful?’”) until producers step in to keep it positive.
• Oscar’s best line when asked, “What are you most excited for?”:

  “For the plane ride home and the middle seat.” (45:22)

6. The Weight and Beauty of Olympic Pressure

[46:01–55:20]

• Adam addresses listener questions: Should less pressure/expectation be put on Olympic athletes?

• Adam argues against decreasing expectations; pressure is intrinsic and builds those climactic Olympic moments.

  “It’s the athlete who puts pressure on themselves, and the expectations of what they can deliver... The pressure of the Olympic Games is the beautiful part of it.” (47:45)

• Empathizes with Olympic tears (“99% chance they would’ve cried no matter what—it’s a release of stress”) and celebrates the shift towards more empathy and grace for athletes who falter publicly.

• “Anybody who's here is not a loser... Even if they got last place. Again, you don't just sign up.”

7. Closing Stories: Figure Skating History & Underdog Victory

[55:21–End]

• Discusses the men's free skating event:
  • Ilya Malinin (the “Quad God”) faltered; Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidarov won gold—their first Olympic figure skating gold.
• Remembers Dennis Ten, cherished Kazakh skater and friend, tragically murdered in 2018. Adam wonders what Dennis would think of this gold medal:

  “He was the bridge that closed the gap...I regret not just going and doing [his] show...I wish he was here to see it, because people would be celebrating him like he had just won the Olympics.” (1:00:08)

• Ties the story to the Olympic spirit—unexpected victories and legacy:

  “That’s what the Olympics are about...underdog stories that inspire us forever. That’s a moment I’ll live in every time I think of the Olympic Games.” (1:02:00)

Memorable Quotes

• “It feels good to be me and to be you. That is something you need to just train yourself to—to like your own voice.” (13:45)
• “We have to keep moving. That is because I was like, what's the key? And [Tenley’s] like, ‘I just move all the time.’” (27:05)
• “That man is excellent.” —Martha Stewart (about Adam, 39:15)
• “When you see the limp, flaccid body of Grover over a folded chair that makes you feel—I’m in the presence of something that means a lot.” (42:12)
• “What are you most excited for?” —“For the plane ride home and the middle seat.” —Oscar the Grouch (45:22)
• “The medals do last, right? But the moments are what matters.” (53:50)
• “We go out there and we put ourselves in these positions so we can see how far we can push ourselves...at the end of the day, in a few years, you won’t even know where the medal is. It’ll be in a sock drawer.” (52:30)

Essential Timestamps

• 00:00 – 09:50 Adam’s Olympic “roaming reporter” role and exhaustion/adrenaline
• 09:51 – 18:40 Podcasting & voiceovers: technique and comic demonstration
• 18:41 – 29:45 Deep dive with Dr. Tenley Albright: history, adversity, advice
• 29:46 – 41:10 Skating arena with Martha Stewart & Snoop Dogg (“That man is excellent”)
• 41:11 – 46:00 Oscar the Grouch interview; Sesame Street magic
• 46:01 – 55:20 Olympic pressure—adam’s hot take and athlete empathy
• 55:21 – 01:02:00 Mikhail Shaidarov’s gold, remembering Dennis Ten; the meaning of the Olympics

Tone & Language Notes

• Adam’s style is self-deprecating, energetic, irreverent, and affectionate.
• Stories blend humor with genuine emotion and respect for Olympic dreams.
• Frequent asides, riffs, and invitations for listeners to enjoy the chaos with him.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a vibrant, emotional, and at times hilariously chaotic snapshot of Olympic life from the inside. Adam brings the audience along for the best stories on and off the ice—heartfelt tributes, celebrity hijinks, unexpected wisdom, and uniquely Olympic moments. Whether you’re a skating fan or just love behind-the-scenes action, Adam’s stories, candor, and company make this a highlight from Milan Cortina 2026.