5 Things You Didn't Know About Adam Rippon, Who Is Currently Slaying The Winter Olympics
Good morning to Olympic athlete Adam Rippon and nobody else. The 28-year-old figure skater is literally triple lutzing his way into the hearts of millions of Americans and onto the medalist stage, winning his first Olympic bronze medal and also the adoration, respect, and celebrity of a beloved reality TV star. His charisma and sheer athletic capabilities have quickly made him one of the most fascinating athletes at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, and fans have a lot of questions. Is Adam Rippon single? Is Adam Rippon nice? Is Adam Rippon available to give the commencement speech as everyone's graduation ceremonies this year? So many questions, so little time.
While it's unclear if Rippon is dating, almost everyone who has talked to the guy seems to think he's flirting with them. As USA Today put it, he is an "incorrigible flirt" who flirts with everyone in "the sweetest and least threatening sense of the word." Hamming it up for the judges, laying it on thick in his interviews, and all but winking at the camera, it does seem like Rippon is seducing the Olympics and the world one skate at a time.
I am all the way here for it. Here is everything to know about this dazzling skater.
1. He is funny as hell.
Rippon is known for his quirky commentary, frank interviews, and hilarious Twitter account. He told GQ magazine, "I'm proud of a lot of things I've said on Twitter." For example, take his response to being asked what it's like to be a gay man in sports. He said it's a lot like being a straight athlete, but with better eyebrows.
2. He's involved in politics (and Mike Pence).
Rippon told GQ that given the nature of his sport, he doesn't have a lot of room to listen to podcasts while training. When he does turn on a podcast, it's usually NPR to hear about what's going on in the world. He also uses political drama as fuel for the ice, explaining,
Sometimes I’ll be listening to NPR at the gym, and I’ll hear them say, 'Oh, Donald Trump did this today.' And I’m like, 'WHAT?!' All of a sudden I have more energy than if I drank an espresso.
Rippon was also openly against the decision to include Pence as the leader of the U.S. delegation in the Olympics opening ceremony, which lead to, like, a whole thing. According to reports, Pence's team went way out of their way to set up a meeting with Rippon so the two could meet, which Rippon denied.
When USA Today asked the figure skater about Pence and his role in the U.S. Delegation, Rippon replied,
You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy? I’m not buying it.
In response, Pence tweeted the following message directly at Rippon.
Pence's team has also denied offering a meeting to Rippon. Pence's deputy chief of staff and communications director Jarrod Agen said in a statement, "The vice president’s office did not reach out to set up a conversation with Mr. Rippon. As we’ve said before, the Vice President is supporting all the U.S. athletes in the Olympics and is hoping they all win medals."
3. He has a signature move.
It's called the "Rippon Lutz" and it is spectacular. Essentially, Rippon completes a traditional triple lutz with both of his hands above his head. In 2010, Rippon told Absolute Skating,
There were times when I was first learning it that I would miss my hands and my arms and shoulders would go all over the place. But I’ve worked on it — and of course there’s the rare attempt when things don’t work — but I’ve worked on it a lot and I’m really proud to have such a unique element.
4. He helped the United States take home a bronze medal.
After landing two triple axles, Rippon's performance on the ice at the 2018 Winter Olympics helped team USA take home a bronze medal in the figure skating team competition. Though many people felt he was robbed of the gold or silver, Rippon was excited by his achievements. He proudly exclaimed in a post-skate interview, "Now I'm actually an Olympian! They have the footage!"
5. He has a low-key, budding friendship with Reese Witherspoon.
The award-winning actress has caught on to Rippon's magic, and tweeted her support and enthusiasm toward the skater. In fact, she said he's the number one reason to watch the 2018 Olympics.
Obviously, Rippon jumped all over this opportunity, suggesting they star in a movie together, (but only after he took the compliment). He tweeted back, "WHEN YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT," and pitched her a hilarious idea.
Now, we're all just staying tuned for whatever Rippon does next, whether it's running for office, staring in a movie, or winning more Olympic gold medals.
One thing is clear, this guy isn't going anywhere, and that's just the way I like it.
Erin Jackson is an inline skating world medalist and roller derby MVP. She dreamed of skating in the Olympics, but to do that, she had to get on ice. She took her first steps on a long-track course in 2016 and started training professionally in September 2017. Four months later, she qualified for the Olympic Winter Games. Check out Elite Daily Insights' video on Jackson's incredible story:
