Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon

Episode: The Ultimate DWTS Champion… Says Me

Release Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Adam Rippon

Episode Overview

In this lively, candid, and delightfully meandering episode, Adam Rippon dives into his Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) experience, reflects on the show’s cultural staying power, and shares quirky holiday musings—peppered with his trademark self-deprecating humor. From tales of DWTS backstage intrigue and personal skating anecdotes to confessions about candy canes and medical spa Wi-Fi, Adam brings listeners along for a stream-of-consciousness joyride that's both funny and relatable. Listener voicemails and texts inspire discussions ranging from hypothetical skating shows to office upgrades and favorite household gadgets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. DWTS: Reigning Champion & Cultural Phenomenon

• Listener Voicemail Kickoff
  A fan crowns Adam “the ultimate champion of Dancing with the Stars”—an accolade Adam hilariously accepts.
  [03:01]

  “What a way to start this episode with officially being named the ultimate champion of Dancing with the Stars, which is a huge title and burden … but I'm willing to accept.” —Adam

• Adam's Take on DWTS Popularity
  Adam reflects on the show's enduring appeal, noting how its popularity has recently surged: [04:00]

  “It feels like somebody could get arrested if this show were to get canceled … people would riot outside of CBS studios if Dancing with the Stars wasn't on now.”

• Behind-the-Scenes: Meeting Jenna Johnson
  Adam recalls how producers staged his first meeting with dance partner Jenna Johnson, but with camera crews everywhere, the surprise was anything but: [07:25]

  “They set it up so it was like she was surprising me at the rink, and I knew she was coming because, obviously, it's hard to hide about five cameramen…”

• Learning Dances: A Language Analogy
  Adam compares DWTS training to learning a new sentence in a foreign language each week: [09:45]

  “It’s like, yeah, I learned how to do the cha cha, but only to Ru Paul... unless RuPaul himself is singing, I’m completely out of luck.”

2. Dancing With The Stars Lore: Small Town Connections

• Figure Skating Roots & DWTS Winners
  Adam tells an incredible “lore” connection—how both his and season 1 winner Kelly Monaco’s mothers were present at his first skating rink in Pittston, Pennsylvania: [13:00]

  “It is insane to think that two mothers of people who won Dancing with the Stars were just at a rink in Pittston, Pennsylvania on any given weeknight in 2000.”

3. Holiday Obsessions: Candy Canes & Colorful Problems

• Candy Cane Preferences & Mouth-Staining Dilemma
  Adam reveals a strong preference for SweeTARTS candy canes but admits they dramatically stain his mouth: [15:55]

  “I was having the blue raspberry, and my teeth were stained blue. Every inch of my mouth was just blue. It was scary.”

• Food Dye PSA & Call to Listeners
  Despite not fearing food dyes, Adam begs listeners for dye-free candy recommendations so meetings aren’t greeted by bright blue smiles: [18:15]

  “I just want to eat candy and I don’t want my mouth to turn a color … not worried about birth defects, I’m born already and I’m reborn too.”

• Other Candy Mishaps
  Blow Pops and their notorious blue-green stains leave Adam self-conscious on Zoom calls.
  [20:05]

4. Opening a Medical Spa—Milestones & Mishaps

• The Wi-Fi Saga
  Adam chronicles the WI-FI-installation milestone at his new medical spa and his confusion over accidentally ordering an old-school hard phone line: [24:12]

  “I want us to have a phone number, but I don’t want a hard line … Can’t we just have a cell phone that just lives in the building?”

• Drop Ceilings & Office Realities
  Admiring the utility of drop ceilings after a day dealing with rewiring, Adam’s awe is endearingly sincere.

• Curtain Training Tutorial
  Listeners get a step-by-step on “training” curtains for that perfect lobby look: [27:10]

  “To train your curtains, you bunch them up at the top, see where they’re folding, and make sure they do that all the way down … leave them like that for a few days—maybe hit them with the steamer.”

5. IKEA Excursion: The Saga of the Sauces

• Tenders and Too Much Sauce
  A midday IKEA trip with his husband sparks confessions: Adam had chicken tenders with not one but four sauces (ketchup, ranch, barbecue, honey mustard), dipping into all with each bite: [33:00]

  “It looked insane … I’m a sauce guy through and through … If it’s not that good, just put sauce on it.”

• Salad Hack
  Adam shares a favorite at-home salad trick: add a splash of buffalo or barbecue sauce to your dressing for instant excitement. [37:27]

  “The salad is all about sauce … Your sauces don’t need to just be for chicken tenders. They can be for your salads, too.”

6. Voicemails & Texts: Skating With The Stars Edition

• Listener Poll: Skating Reality Show
  A listener proposes “Skating with the Stars.” Adam reveals the show (and a UK counterpart, “Dancing on Ice”) already exists, then dives into its notorious drama:
  • The Lloyd Eisler & Kristy Swanson Affair
    Adam recounts the scandal of partners Eisler and Swanson getting together during the show (“His wife was pregnant…allegedly!”), and closes with Swanson’s MAGA credentials for extra drama. [48:20]

    “When somebody says they're MAGA, that's really when I’m like, something really dark happened to you and you don’t want to talk about it with a professional…”

7. Household Gadget Recommendations

• Coffee Makers & Whitening Strips
  Another listener, referencing Adam’s earlier gadget picks, asks for recs. Adam stands by his Gaggia espresso machine and, impromptu, endorses Opalescence Go teeth whitening strips. [53:12]

  "This is the best tooth whitening stuff I’ve ever gotten … do with that what you will!"

8. Call to Action: Holiday Intrusive Thoughts

• Plans for Upcoming Episodes
  With holidays approaching, Adam wants listener stories, dilemmas, and intrusive thoughts for themed episodes: [55:15]

  “I think I need people to help me, like, prompt me to remember holiday stories of my own … I want the podcast to be holiday, and I need this.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• 03:01 — “I’m willing to accept the title of ultimate champion of Dancing with the Stars.”
• 09:45 — “That’s the only way I know how to do the cha cha—sissy that walk.”
• 15:55 — “Every inch of my mouth was just blue. It was scary.”
• 33:00 — “Four sauces for three tenders. It looked insane... but I’m a sauce guy through and through.”
• 48:20 — “When somebody says they're MAGA... that’s really when I’m like, something really dark happened to you.”
• 55:15 — “I want the next few episodes to be like, holiday themed because we’re getting into the holiday spirit…”

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 – Ads, intro, Tony the dog cameo
• 03:00 – Listener voicemail: Adam crowned “Ultimate DWTS Champion”
• 07:15 – Meeting Jenna Johnson; DWTS behind the scenes
• 09:45 – Learning dances like sentences in foreign languages
• 13:00 – Kelly Monaco, Pittston rink lore
• 15:55 – Candy cane obsession & food dye drama
• 24:12 – Medical spa Wi-Fi saga; accidental hard phone line
• 27:10 – Curtain-training tutorial
• 33:00 – IKEA, chicken tenders, and four-sauce confession
• 37:27 – Sauce-forward salad hacks
• 41:50 – IKEA frozen yogurt appreciation
• 44:10 – Listener text: “Skating with the Stars” and showbiz scandal
• 53:12 – Household gadgets; authentic endorsement of Opalescence Go
• 55:15 – Holiday call to action for listeners
• 58:00 – Outro & final reminders

Overall Tone and Takeaways

Adam’s signature wit, honesty, and “no filter” delivery make this episode feel like catching up with a hilarious, slightly frazzled friend. The content darts from pop culture lore to confessions about food coloring and saucing etiquette, anchored by listener engagement and community-building. Adam’s candid—occasionally rambling—reflection invites listeners to contribute and connect, especially around the holidays.

To Participate:

Share your own holiday intrusive thoughts or stories by texting/calling the Intrusive Thoughts hotline:
310-909-9717 or @adarip on Instagram (call button in bio).

Next week: Holiday themes, more listener questions, and—inevitably—more unexpected tangents.