Podcast Summary: Intrusive Thoughts by Adam Rippon

Episode: “This Isn't Normal — And We Need to Talk About It”

Release Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Adam Rippon

Main Theme Overview

In this deeply impassioned and unfiltered episode, Adam Rippon reacts to the escalating ICE raids and state violence in Minnesota, drawing parallels to authoritarian regimes and expressing outrage at the erosion of American democracy. Adam candidly discusses his dismay at the current political administration, the intimidation of voters, and the complicity of public officials—while emphasizing the importance of speaking out, civic participation, and upholding real American values. The charged political conversation is intermittently broken with listener text messages, giving space for Adam’s signature humor and personal asides (including a tirade against a disappointing piece of chicken).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Outrage Over ICE Raids and Government Overreach

[00:11 – 08:00]

Adam starts the show with a direct and emotional response to reports out of Minnesota: ICE agents conducting violent raids, shooting people in public, and detaining individuals indiscriminately.
He criticizes the Trump administration (“actual felons and criminals”) and ICE agents as “thugs,” equating their tactics to those used by totalitarian states.
Deep anxiety is voiced over the normalization of violence and the lack of accountability, drawing a stark image:

“Do you really feel that, like, we live even in a livable place where if you don't comply, that you get shot in the head? You've got to be kidding me.” (Adam, 03:57)
Adam wonders what happens behind closed doors in detention centers if such violence is done openly, exposing concerns for the disappeared including young children.

2. The Threat to Democracy and Voter Intimidation

[08:01 – 15:30]

Expresses skepticism toward the effectiveness of standard political action (calling senators, voting).
Adam fears escalation toward outright voter intimidation during the midterms, warning:

“They're going to intimidate people out of voting. That's how they will try to rig the election.” (Adam, 11:10)
Draws analogies to Putin’s Russia, underlining a growing climate of fear and the manufactured facade of approval for ruthless leaders.

3. Speaking Out & American Identity

[15:31 – 20:00]

Adam grapples with his identity as an athlete representing America at the Olympics while protesting current government actions:

“It makes it really hard to represent your country when you don't agree with what's happening to it. But… I think of all the people who are out there and they're protesting and they're standing up for their neighbors… that’s what I think being American is all about.” (Adam, 18:07)
He underscores there is no government funding for U.S. athletes, defending athletes’ right to speak out freely.

4. Personal Asides and Humor

[20:01 – 22:50]

Adam momentarily derails to complain about a terrible Tyson-brand buffalo chicken tender, making space for levity amidst the heavy content.

5. ICE, Accountability, and Conspiracy to Distract

[22:51 – 33:00]

Adam returns to the gravity of ICE’s actions, criticizing their anonymity and penchant for lies.
He accuses Trump and others of using these crises as distractions from other scandals (like the Epstein files), stating:

“Donald Trump is a criminal by the way, like, he is a felon. He is a criminal. He is in the file. Like… if there's nothing damning in there about him, just release them. What the fuck would he care?” (Adam, 27:18)

6. Listener Q&A: Levity and Return to Gravity

[33:01 – 40:00]

Adam answers a listener’s question about his appearance on “Worst Cooks in America,” providing a brief fun break before returning to political anger.
Expresses open disgust at public figures attending the Milan Olympics with ICE agents for “symbolic” intimidation.

7. The Psychological Toll & Urgency to Speak

[40:01 – 47:00]

Adam unpacks the creeping censorship and self-doubt that comes from living under threat, sharing:

“There’s parts of my brain where… the sensors go off and it's like, 'Did you really say that? Should I really say, like, I don't agree with… ICE?' Should I be afraid to say this stuff?” (Adam, 42:39)
He forcefully asserts the right and necessity to call out injustices, regardless of personal risk.

8. Listener Texts: Olympic Boycotts and Ethics

[47:01 – 01:04:00]

Responds to listener question: Should Team USA be banned from the Milan Olympics, considering government abuses?
- Adam details the precedent for Olympic bans (focus: Russia), explaining the concept of the Olympic truce.
- Stresses that, unlike in Russia, U.S. athletes are not government-funded nor directly tied to state policy.
“I think they should be allowed, they shouldn’t be banned... the only thing I do know is that the Olympics should be a place of peace. And, like, why are we bringing ICE agents who have no jurisdiction over where they're going?” (Adam, 01:01:25)

9. Final Reflections: Refusing to Normalize Fear

[01:04:01 – End]

Adam expresses exhaustion and sorrow, vowing never to “normalize being scared” or accepting a country where civic protest or criticism is dangerous.
Reiterates pride in Americans who protest and speak out:

“That is what being an American is about, is standing up for your neighbor and what's right and being unafraid.” (Adam, 01:07:49)
The episode closes with Adam inviting listeners to call/text the podcast and apologizing for the somber, rambling tone, promising a lighter episode next time (with a jab at Tyson chicken).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[03:57] Adam: “Do you really feel… we live even in a livable place where if you don't comply, that you get shot in the head? You've got to be kidding me.”
[11:10] Adam: “They're going to intimidate people out of voting. That's how they will try to rig the election.”
[18:07] Adam: “I think about… those American values… that's what I think being American is all about.”
[27:18] Adam: “Donald Trump is a criminal by the way… if there's nothing damning in there about him, just release them. What the fuck would he care?”
[42:39] Adam: “There’s parts of my brain where… the sensors go off and it's like, 'Did you really say that? Should I really say like, I don't agree with… ICE?' Should I be afraid to say this stuff?”
[01:01:25] Adam: “The only thing I do know is that the Olympics should be a place of peace. And, like, why are we bringing ICE agents who have no jurisdiction over where they're going?”
[01:07:49] Adam: “That is what being an American is about, is standing up for your neighbor and what's right and being unafraid.”

Important Timestamps & Segments

00:11 – Opening outrage over ICE raids in Minnesota.
11:10 – Adam’s warning about voter intimidation.
18:07 – Reflections on representing America abroad.
22:00 – Tyson chicken rant (comic relief).
33:25 – Adam attacks “loser” politicians traveling to Milan with ICE.
42:39 – Confession about self-censorship and fear.
47:10 – Listener text: Should Team USA be banned from Olympics? Adam’s response about Olympic truce and athlete funding.
01:01:25 – Adam’s argument for keeping American athletes in the Olympics but shunning authoritarian symbolism.
01:07:49 – Closing pride in Americans who protest and call out injustice.

Tone & Style

Candid, emotional, sometimes raw: Adam does not hold back, openly swearing and naming political figures.
Casual but unfiltered: Reflects Adam’s usual off-the-cuff delivery, sometimes drifting or doubling back for emphasis.
Injects humor and pop-culture references: Lightens the episode with food rants and reality TV asides, without losing focus on urgency.
Invitational: Encourages listener participation via hotline and reaffirms shared frustration with the audience.

Conclusion

This episode marks one of the most urgent and personal installments of Intrusive Thoughts, as Adam Rippon channels national outrage into a rallying cry against authoritarianism and government overreach. Equal parts commiseration and call-to-action, the episode invites listeners not only to despair and anger, but to reaffirm the real meaning of American identity—and, above all, not to be silent in the face of injustice.

Transcript

A (0:11)

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Intrusive Thoughts. I'm your host, Adam Rippon. All right, before we even kind of get into anything else on this episode, we have to talk about. About what's going on in Minnesota. Like, it's absolute chaos. It is absolute chaos. These ICE agents are going around. They are just. They're complete. They're total thugs. They're just thugs. They're ripping people off the street. They're shooting people dead in the street. This is absolute, like, insanity. This administration is such a joke. They're liars. They're actual felons and criminals. Hello. Like, these people are criminals. These ICE agents, people in this administration. They need to see the inside of a jail cell. This is unconstitutional. This is unreal. This is, I also believe, like, just a test to see how far that they can go. Like, it's just everything about this is terrifying. It's frightening. Like, you see those images of, like, what's going on, and these are, like, images of, like, what you'd imagine what would be happening, like, in the Soviet Union, right? Like, people are exercising, like, their. Their freedom of speech, that they're out here and they're protesting, and they're protesting peacefully. And these, like, total idiot buffoons, these idiot, untrained people, they don't understand the law. They're trying to walk into foreign embassies. I mean, it's. It is unbelievable. It is so unbelievably scary and wrong. And I just. I don't understand anybody who could be supporting this. You know, like, we're supposed to be, like, this free country and the best country in the world, and it's like, do you really feel that, like, we live even in a livable place where if you don't comply, that you get shot in the head? You've got to be kidding me. Like, you've got to be absolutely just kidding me. You cannot be serious. You need to take such a good, hard look in the mirror. Even when it was like before, it was like this, like, violence on the American people in front of our eyes. You know, another thing like that that makes me so upset and. And so feel. I feel so unsettled by it. Of, like, this is what we see them do in the middle of the day in front of a ton of people, with everyone having their phone out, filming everything. This is what they do in front of us, right? What are they doing to the people in the detention centers when nobody's watching or nobody can even find some of these people, right? Like, you have family members trying to find different family members. And these people are being flown to different detention centers. You have a two year old girl who was deported. You have a, a five year old boy who was used as bait. Who. These people, these like little kids are going to these detention centers. Are you okay with that? Do you think that's, that's okay that these like untrained, total untrained idiots are out here ripping people off the streets? And it all started with like, we're getting the criminals, we're getting the rapists, we're getting all of these people. And like, they're going after us. They're going after everybody, right? They're going after everybody. They don't care. They don't know I. They don't care. They do not care. This is so unsettling. This is so bad. It is so bad. There is no way around it. And you know, when something like this happens, it's always like, okay, we've got to vote these like, people out. Like, what are we going to do? We have to like, exercise our rights. We need to go, we need to call our senators. I tried to call my senators. I called that stupid number everybody's talking about and I called the Senate like the, the hot, the, you know, whatever line and they direct you to a senator. My call gets disconnected. Every time I go, they said that they're going to connect me to my senator's office. It just beep, beep, beep. Like that's what I get. I'm going to keep trying. Hopefully that means that thousands and thousands and hopefully millions of people are calling in because what is happening right now in this country is like unbelievably bad. I really tried my best to see people's point of view when they voted for Donald Trump again in this election. I really did. And I just for the life of me cannot figure it out. I don't know how you spin this. I don't know how you make this into something of like, this is exactly what we thought would happen. I, I hope that those people live in so much guilt right now because this is so bad. This is so bad. And like I was saying, I'm so upset by all of this, by the way. So like I was saying that like the next step is always people go and they say, like, we have to vote these people out. We have to. The midterms are coming up. We need to, you know, get ourselves together. We need to figure this out. We need to vote these people out. I agree. Right. I totally agree. I think the problem is Is that, like, don't you think that they're just seeing how far they can go and that they're going to deploy all of these ICE agents to all of these, like, voting and polling place for the sake of having, I say completely in quotes, a fair election to prevent fraud that I can 100% imagine happening. They're going to intimidate people out of voting. That's how they will try to rig the election. They will intimidate people to not leave their homes so that they don't vote. So that they do not vote. Right? That's the plan. I can assume. Like, what do I know, right? But if you see what's going on right now, I would assume that. Why wouldn't they just do this during the midterms, right? That's what is also terrifying. Like, that's the last step of, like, we don't live in a democracy anymore. You know, when. When people. When people aren't getting voted in by the people, when people are afraid to go out and vote. Have you ever wondered why Vladimir Putin has, like, an 84, 85% approval rating? Right? It's not because he's doing such, like, an amazing job. Like, he's just doing such amazing work over there. Like, that's not the case. People are afraid to say anything against the government, right? Like, they're afraid to go against Vladimir Putin. So they would rather say that they think that he's doing an amazing job. That's why he has an 84, 85% approval rating. Right? At least we aren't there yet. But that's a pretty low bar. You know, I have a big mouth, and I'm not afraid to, like, speak up about things that I think that are. That I think are important. And I'm not afraid to not speak and let other people speak when, like, I'm not the voice that should be heard. Right? But in this case, I think, like, we all need to speak up. Everybody needs to speak up. This is, like, so bad. This is so wrong. It's impossibly wrong. And just, like, I am thinking about, like, the absolute irony of, like, in a week's time, I'll be in Italy at the Olympic Games and, like, wearing a bunch of American flags, right? Like, I don't. I'm gonna say this, that when you're an athlete, this makes it very confusing, right? Especially if, like, this is something that you think is bad and wrong, and it makes it really hard to represent your country when you don't agree with what's happening to It. But when I think of representing my country, I think of all the people who are out there and they're protesting and they're standing up for their neighbors and they're speaking out about what's not right and what's wrong and things that need to change. And I think about focus on those American values that, like, that's what I think being American is all about. You know, another thing about, like, Team USA is that, like, there is no, like, sports aren't. They aren't funded by the government at all. It's all, like, private sponsorships. So there are. So when athletes do speak out, a lot of times some of the hate that they'll get can be, you know, give all the money that you've ever gotten back from the government, like, back. You know, you should do that. And the thing is, is that the US Government doesn't give any of those athletes money. So they should feel free to be able to speak up about things that they want to speak up about. I mean, then like, insult to injury is that J.D. vance and Marco Rubio, those two losers, are going to Milan as well, and they're bringing ICE agents with them, which is obviously just like this symbolic whatever. Like what Pathetic little boys. Losers. Losers. Same people who are like, I'm not going to wear a mask, show my Covid car, show that I'm vaccinated. No, Awful. Nuh. Not going to do it. But then are like, yeah, I'll show all of my document. I'll carry around all of my birth certificate, my Social Security card, all of this stuff. It, like, it wasn't about, like, your rights. It was about, like, you don't have any empathy and you're a little beta who wants to have some sort of big daddy tell you what to do. Like, you just want to submit to authority. You just weren't interested in having any empathy for your neighbor. Right? That should. That should say something about, like, those people who I just. And I know some of those people who are just like. So like, not want to wear a mask and that. Like, you just. It just this whole thing. I'm, like, completely at a loss for words. Probably should have like, prepared some sort of, like, something to say, but I didn't really want to do that. I wanted to just, like, speak about what is, like, on my mind and what's bothering me and just, like, speak from the heart about this and. But it all feels like a complete, like, distraction, right? Like, this is a distraction from releasing the Epstein files. Like, Donald Trump is a criminal by the way, like, he is a felon. He is a criminal. He is in the file. Like, if they're not. If he's not in the files, if there's nothing damning in there about him, just release them. What the fuck would he care? Right? Why would he care? But he obviously does because he's in there. So this is, like, all to distract from all of this, like, other bullshit. Crime. Crime. Total criminal. And then, like, Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem, like, those two witches. God. Like, I don't understand, Like, I really don't understand, like, the point of view of these people. Like, I just don't understand how they can be, like, okay with it. I'm so not okay with it that I, like, truly cannot understand how somebody can be, like, well, you know, like, we. I. It's got to be done. What do you mean? This is like, gotta be like, what, What? And also, it's like, they're, like, going to find these people. They're going through, like. Like, like tax records. Okay, so you were upset that these people weren't paying taxes, but, like, they. They were. And so now, like, if they. If they weren't, you wouldn't be able to find their information through the tax record. So, like, what is it? These are just, like, white supremacists. These are, like, white supremacists, like, talking points and everything. Like, this is happening in real fucking time. Everybody. This is happening in real time. These people, these ICE agents are acting without any sort of fear of accountability. They need to be held accountable. Some of them need to be charged with murder, by the way, aggravated assault. They're going up to different protesters saying, you know, oh, I scanned your face and now you're a. Now you're considered a domestic terrorist. Excuse me? So now you can't go to a protest. You can't film anything in public. Hello, everybody. Like, wake up. This is how they take your rights away. They don't want you to have rights. Hello. I'm, like, shaking my whole house, you guys. This is not. This isn't a good situation. I don't know how else to put this. I'm sure I will bounce around back and forth, right? And I hope that the majority of the people that listen to this feel the same way. And if not, hello, like, how about you wake the hell up? Okay, I. Listen, we all. There's so much. Like, we all needed some levity, so I'm going to try to make it a little bit lighter. And I'm. I'm probably going to go Back to it, because I'm riled the hell up. Okay? But before I started recording this episode, I want to know that what also put me in a bad mood is I had the most disgusting piece of chicken before this. And so it did not help, you know, it did not help to put me in a, like, a positive state of mind, you know, at all. You know, it did not help to put me in a state policy a. Tyson. Tyson. Okay? That's the brand. I don't care. Doxum. Dox. The brand. It was some, like, buffalo chicken. Whatever. It looked really good on, like, the. It was a frozen piece of chicken that I put it into the air fryer. Whatever. I'm. Nobody's perfect. Put it in there. And I gotta tell you, it was the most disgusting thing. And I powered through it. I don't know why I was treating it. It was like, I need the protein. No, I don't. God, it's just like, I. One more thing. This is how it happens, everybody. This is how it happens. Slowly, one step at a time. And then we're all too scared to say anything. Even. Like I was saying before, even me, I have a big mouth, and there's parts of my brain where, like, the sensors go off and it's like, do you. Did you really say that? Should I really say what? Right? Like, should I really say, like, I don't agree with, like, what the administration is saying or ice. Should I be afraid to say? This stuff is, like, something that, like, goes through my head. Why should I be afraid? Right? That's a. That's like a signal. That's like an alarm in my own brain that, like, sometimes when I'm thinking about saying something, I'm like, should I do that? And it's not like, I'm not afraid of the repercussions, because if there's somebody out there who's, like, not okay with what I'm saying. I think what I'm saying is totally fair, right? That I don't think that, like, I don't like peop. I don't like families being ripped apart. I don't like peaceful protesters being, like, pushed and assaulted to the ground. I don't like peaceful protesters or people who are, like, not aggravating or interrupting investigations or whatever. The. They're talking about getting shot in the head. Shot in the head, everybody. Okay? Not good. Okay, I'm doing. I am trying. I really am trying my best to, like, lighten it up a little bit. Let's do. Do a voice, a text message. Go. And also the. Wait, you guys, they're all losers. They're losers. Losers won't show their ugly ass faces. Come on. If you are, like, refusing to, like, show your face while you're doing this stupid. The devil's work, right? If you are afraid to show your face, yeah. Maybe that's a sign that you. You know, that what you're doing is bad. Loser. Loser. Go fuck yourself. You are a loser. I hope you don't have a moment of peace the rest of your fucking life. Loser. Losers. Horrible. Okay, I'm going to a text message. Okay. Adam, my boyfriend and I just turned on Worst Cooks in America, and you would not believe the screech I let out when you showed up on the screen. Please tell us about your experience on this show and if Chef Jeff was hot in person. Okay, one. I will tell you that being on Worst Cooks was one of the most fun things I've, like, ever been able to do. I had an amazing time. It was like being, like. It was like having a cooking lesson. Okay. Like, it was phenomenal. It was great. And is Chef Jeff hot in person? Yeah, that's the sandwich king, right? That was, like, my teacher. So, yes, he is hot in person, and he is a good chef. I would even go as far as a great chef. Chef Antonia is also amazing, too. They were both great. Like, we had so much fun. I know. Everybody had fun on that show with everybody. Yeah, they did. Everybody had fun. We're all having fun. Everybody's having fun. La, la, la, la, la. And also. Okay, back to this ice. They're also trying to lie to you. Everybody. They're trying to lie to you. They're like, here's the footage. And then they're telling you what happened. Like, they're telling you not to believe what you're watching. Right? Like, all of these different video angles all show that, like, ice is the aggressor in all of this. Christy, no. Go home. Oh, somebody needs to hose her down. Hose her down. Clean her off, send her home. Like, please. She, like, should not have this job. She should be, like, the head of an hoa. That's the maximum, like, responsibility that woman should ever have. Total buffoon. Terrible. Pam Bondi is a villain. She is a not. Also, like, like, Marco Rubio is, like, total, spineless piece of. Like, he is so spy. All of those people. I will Never forget the 2016 presidential election where Donald Trump basically went up there and pointed at each one of them one by one and talk shit about them and their entire families. And, like, he read them fucking down. And that these people would, like, even. And it's. This is like, listen, like, in politics, I get it. That, like, I even remember Kamala Harris during the primaries was Biden, where she had that one, like, zinger of a line of like. And I was the girl on that bus, right? Like, she had that zinger. And then, like, oh, then she's gonna run with Biden. Okay, yeah. But, like, she didn't tell Joe Biden. Like, that is like, his wife looked like a monster, and he was the biggest idiot in the fucking world. Like, that. Like, he took it so personal. And that, like, these sick freaks. Ted Cruz. Freak. Freak. I cannot believe. Marco Rubio. Ted Cruz. Not. Sorry, Not Ted Cruz. Marco Rubio. J.D. vance. Oh, J.D. vance. Marco Rubio, head of the athlete delegation, heading to Milan with ice. Now they've. I am going to hold my tongue for a minute because they announced the athlete delegation. I'm going to hold my tongue because I don't know how that gets announced. I don't know. I have no idea. Okay? So I am willing to see this through. Okay? And I don't know if the athletes who get announced to this, like, know anything. I know who's going. Supposed to be going there with them if whatever. I don't. Like, I don't know that process. Okay? I have no idea of that process. So I will refrain on making any comments on the athletes who are in the athlete delegation who are going to Milan, who will be at the opening ceremony with J.D. vance, may I remind you, and Marco Rubio. Hub and a. Hub and a what? Marco. Loser. Fucking Rubio. They're all losers. They're just bullies. Like, they just are bullies and liars, you guys. And then people were like, but I can't afford eggs. You still can't. Donald Trump is trying to take over Greenland. Do you think that the European Union. If we invade Greenland, you guys, it's really over. It's the end, right? It's. It is over. It's the end. Do you think Europe will, like, respond well to that? Like, oh, I guess they need it. No, nobody wants the United States to invade Greenland. Nobody wants that except Donald Trump. And then you have, like, Megyn Kelly being out here being like, well, I'm actually British. Where am I seeing some sort of something like, whatever. Go back to that Halloween where you put black shoe polish on your face and then you told everybody you didn't know it was blackface and wrong. God, Caroline Levitt is going to crack. I'M just going to say it. She's going to crack, you guys. It's. You can only lie so many days in a row before you. And she knows what she's doing, okay? I. Some of these people I do believe are just like, they, like they are brainwashed. I just can, like, I can see that there's like a glimmer in her eye where it's like she knows that she's like gaslighting and she loves it, right? But she's gonna crack. This is, this is cracking her, okay? She's. They. I just. This whole episode is going to be like, this is a disaster. Mess, ramble, rumble, tumble. Like. I get it. I understand, I understand. But like, I just feel like I need to talk it out with me, with us. We need to talk it out. Like, this is crazy. I am going to tell you. I am still telling you. My call would not go through to my senator. So when I'm done recording this, I'm going to call again. Oh, I hope that like, everybody out there is like, you are taking care of yourselves, okay? But right now, everybody has to speak up or we will not be able to ever again. And I don't think I'm being dramatic. I mean, can't be any more dramatic than like literal government agents ripping people off the street. Let me say it again. Getting. Shooting people in the head, threatening people that they're gonna like, if they don't shut up, they're gonna take their voice away. Like, you know, like, they're just threatening people. They're threatening people. These are like GED failing fucking nerds. Like the lowest of the low. These ICE agents, They are terrible. All right, I. We have to do another text message. Like I said, I'm doing like my best to kind of. And why are they going to Milan, right? Like, the mayor of Milan doesn't want them there either, right? And like if all these agents are masked, so we, then we must assume that they are all murderers, right? Because they won't identify themselves. We have no idea who are these trigger happy agents. Like, we don't know anything about anything. These people are like not trained. Which is probably the point because they want this to be like absolutely chaotic and they want complete chaos. So what's, what is next? Like when like. All right, let's just, let's do another text message, all right, Where I'm going through them right now. Usually I've like, I would go through them beforehand and just like move them over to like a file is this, this I'm Sorry that this like episode is so like all over the place. But it's just, this is like what I'm thinking and feeling and I just don't like any of the. What's happening right now? Oh, okay. I need to take a breath. Okay. Oh, okay. Here's a text message that pretty much aligns with what we're talking about right now. Ice. Love it so far. Please acknowledge what is happening with ICE in Minnesota. It isn't okay. Nothing is fine. They are kidnapping and disappearing children. Yes, like I said, a two year old girl and a five year old little boy. Those are the criminals that we need off the street. Those that five year old, that two year old might not remember anything. That five year old is going to be terrorized the rest of their fucking lives. We need more people with platforms to stand up, please. If people are telling you to be quiet because of the Olympics, that proves how desperately we need strong voices. Nobody's telling me to be quiet. You've spoken out before. You can do it again. If Team USA athletes don't take a stand in the largest stage in the world, what's the point? I mean, I will tell you that if I were going, I would say something. But I think also we need to think of like these athletes and there are, there can be reasons why some of them don't like speak up because I, if I, it's easy for me to go. If I were going, I would say something. I'm white. My family is white and they're not, they, the majority of my family does not live in like in a big major city. Okay. Some of these athletes live in major cities and their parents are like first generation American. If they don't want to say something because they don't want their, the fucking ice at their front door ripping their family out of their house. So I don't think every athlete should feel obligated to say something. And it's also like, so, like this is what's so sick and twisted is that like these athletes work their entire lives for this moment and now their big moment needs to be about these losers. It isn't fair. And so I don't know if it's like the responsibility of the athletes, but I think it's the responsibility of everyone. Like I am going to say something. If there are repercussions to like saying what I'm saying, right? Like I am, I am just calling it like I am seeing it, then that's really too bad. I guess I'll just figure it out on the other side if there are repercussions to it. But I just don't, I think that this is just too big and too important not to, like, talk about. So I can tell you that, like, if I were competing, what I would say, and there are other athletes who have already spoken out and, you know, just a simple fuck ice, right? But this, like, this administration is, it is. There is something so much darker with this second Trump term. So much darker than the first. There is something much darker and it's much scarier. It really is. I've just got to be so honest about that. It is scarier. You know, I just, I, I, I think the people that are still continuing to defend him are like, at this moment in time, totally a lost cause. I just don't see if this isn't the breaking point, what ever will be. And I find that quite disheartening and terrifying and scary. And, you know, another thing we always think about, like, what happened to like, like how many January Sixers do you think are ICE agents now? I would say probably a lot of them, right? Like, how I wonder where those people went. Like, a lot of these people are probably like, they were, are so afraid. They want to uprise against the government, like a tyrannical government. Now they are the tyranny, by the way, right? Like, now they are the tyrant. They are the tyrannic government of which they were so afraid of. Okay, Another qu. Here we go. Another question from a text message. From our, from one of our listeners. We have at this point, do you think the US should be banned from this Olympic Games? God. Okay, so let's just talk about this for a second. So in. So the IOC put a ban on Russian athletes following the Olympics in Beijing four years ago. And that is because the Russian government had, They had started like this. They started the war in Ukraine and they. What is the word? Oh, my God. What is the word? They sub thing. The Olympic truce. They like, were not paying attention. My God, hold on a second. I'm like, my, I'm like, sad. Violated. Sorry. That was the word I was trying. They violated the Olympic truce. So the Olympic truce, is that like, it's, it spans from the seven days before. In the seven days after the seven days before the Olympics, seven days after the Paralympics. And that basically the International Olympic Committee doesn't believe that they have the power to stop wars, but they do believe that the Olympics is an event of peace and that no nation should ever use the Olympic or Paralympic Games as a distraction to start wars or acts of like oppression, right? In addition to that, sports is funded by the government in Russia. And so when they invaded Ukraine, this was also like the third violation of the Olympic truce that they, they've done. It was unprecedented that any country would actually violate the Olympic truce. But in 2008 during the Beijing Olympics, they. Let's just like figure out like the, the timeline of everything and we'll, we'll, we'll look it up together because it, they did something in 2008, 2014 and 2022. Russia Olympic truce violations, 2008. Let's figure out what we are talking about. Yes. Okay. So in 2008, they initiated an invasion of Georgia the same day of the opening ceremony. Okay? That was 2008. In 2014 was Crimea. Okay. In 2022, it was the invasion of full, the full scale invasion of Ukraine. So this was the third time that the Russian government had invaded a country during the Olympic Games. Like, so that was a complete violation of the Olympic truce. Now, not to defend the United States, believe me, I'm not. But it, it feels like a double standard. But like this is like the, the one, these, this like these ice raids are happening inside of the country. And you know, that whole like the Venezuelan president is, was like not within these like seven days before and after. And then the third point being that like the American athletes aren't funded by the government, right? Like, they're not a part or an extension of the United States government. That when U.S. athletes go to the Olympics, that they represent themselves and they represent their families and sponsors, coaches, whatever. Right? But the government did not fund them and they weren't given any money by the government unless they serve in the military. Okay? Because there are different like athletic programs athletes can apply for. But unless they did that, then they have no affiliation with the US Government. Now there are neutral athletes. And I'm not avoiding the question of like, should America go? I mean, I, based on what I'm saying, I feel like there's precedent for the American athletes to compete and to go. Obviously they're going, right? And so I, I think that the American athletes, I think they should be allowed, they shouldn't be banned, right? Like, I don't think the American athletes should be banned based on like they aren't funded by the government and that the United States at this point is not violating the Olympic truce. I mean, if the United States were to violate the Olympic truce, then like there is, you know, there's nothing, there's no grounds of why they should not like be banned as well, and they totally should be, because if that's the standard we're holding Russia to, it's the same standard that we should be held to as well. But I am just giving a little bit of background of like, you know, you think of the different conflicts and wars and invasions going on of like Israel and, and Gaza and why are the. Why is the Israeli team allowed to be competing? And, you know, I remember this even big thing about like Eurovision and people protesting Israel being there. And like this, all this Russian ban based on the invasion of Ukraine is all because of the Olympic truce. If you remember, people were quite upset. Now we're not even talking about war. That like, the Russians had had a full doping scandal in 2014. They had been running like a full fledged, like, like replacing their own athletes pee with like clean pee, urine, by the way, urine, so that they would have negative doping tests because they were doping all of their fucking athletes. And that didn't get them kicked out of anything. Right? They were still allowed to compete and they just had to compete under like a neutral flag. They continued to do that. And then there's another doping test in 2022 and there was going to be no punishment for it, I guarantee you. There would have been just another slap on the wrist. The Russian flag would have been banned for another Olympics and we just go on and go on, like, continue to cheat with no fucking repercussions. And this like the invasion of Ukraine and this like third violation of the Olympic truce where like, nobody had done anything. This, this was like the last straw. And that's what I believe that it was. You know, in 2022, there was a huge, like, doping scandal. Like, if you're a figure skater and you are listen to this podcast, you obviously know I'm talking about Camila Valieva. She was a 15 year old girl. 15 years old, had a positive doping test. This is in 2022. This is when the Russians were still banned from competition. They were still banned from the Olympics. They were not allowed to compet their own flag at this point. Okay, not allowed to compete under their own flag because of doping. And one of their gold medal favorite athletes in one of the most popular winter sports is found to be doping. So that was incredibly infuriating to be there and just be like, there are. There's no consequences. And then on top of that, then, then they invade Ukraine and it was sort of like the last straw of like, I just don't think that, like, people could turn a blind eye anymore. Be like, no, we're gonna sanction them or we're gonna punish them. It was like, that was the last. That was the last straw. I mean, it's unprecedented that, like, a country is being banned from the Olympics like, this. Like, it. It really is, But I think it is. It is. There are just. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. That's just. I'm just. I'm laying it out as. As that. Right? Like, I don't know if there's, like, a right or wrong answer. The only thing I do know is that the Olympics should be a place of peace. And, like, why are we bringing ICE agents who have no jurisdiction over where they're going? Right? Like, who are going there basically, is like, fucking, like, traveling theater actors. To do what? Like, they're gonna help out. You're gonna. You're gonna what? These uncultured people are gonna help out with what? Like, it's just, like. It's a show of. It's like a show. This is why I'm, like. I'm holding my tongue for those athletes in the delegation, because I'm just like, let me see how you're going to play this out. I will. I will reserve my judgment or anything of what I'm going to say. Let me see how this. What you do. I wouldn't go. I would rather drop dead. Literally. I would. Literally. There's no chance in hell I'd ever be seen with J.D. vance. Got. Give me a break. Just give me a break. Yeah. Usually there's a little bit more laughter. Question mark in these episodes, but I just don't feel like laughing. What am I gonna laugh about? Right? I don't want to live in a place that we're normalizing being scared. Right. I don't want to live in a place where, like. And this goes for everybody. Like, people, like, listen, like, if you were so critical of, like, the Biden, like, I'm not even saying that, like, these Democratic candidates are, like, the best. Right? You should be allowed to speak out and speak up against things that you don't like. Like, that's an American right. We should not live in a place where we are fearful to speak out against injustice. I refuse to live in an America where people are afraid to speak out for things that they think are not right and wrong. I just. I refuse. Re. Fuse. It's just. This is just not right, everybody. But I. This. You know, that's just the end of the episode for today. I just want to. All the people who are, like, Are just so frustrated. I just want you to know I share in your frustration. I wish there was more I could do. I'm gonna do everything that I can. And I'm just. As an American, I am so proud when I see the people who like, are in the streets and who are protesting and who are speaking up. I am so proud because that, that is, that is what being an American is about, is standing up for your neighbor and what's right and being unafraid. That's what I think being an American is all about. And so I will, I'll leave you with that. And on that note, if you'd like to call or text the podcast, please go ahead. You can leave anything, any sort of questions you want, any sort of whatever. Hopefully next week's episode will be a little bit more light hearted. I'll be packing to go to Italy with JD Vance. Why is he going so stupid? Anyway, you know, Anyway, when we get ready to go to. I'm going to do my best to start. I don't know. I'm gonna do my best to start. What? I don't know. I don't even know what I'm saying. Whatever, what ever. Okay. And they're using all these Nazi and white supremacist, like supremacist talking points too. Like it's right in front of your face. I don't get it. Okay, anyway, if you'd like to call or text the podcast hotline, you can. That number is 310-909-7117. Please do. Yeah, sorry, that the only thing I talked about that wasn't this like, going on was that Tyson Chicken tender, which was awful. Soppy wet breading, like, it was so disgusting. Oh, so I'm never gonna get it again. Terrible. Horrible. Anyway, that number is 3103-103109-09711 17. I'm Adam Rippon and these have been my intrusive thoughts. Sam.