Washington Post Article: Adam Rippon Wants to Stay Famous | Golden Skate

Washington Post Article: Adam Rippon Wants to Stay Famous

luckyguy

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
A really interesting read.

“It’s really important to remember that being gay is such a small part of your story. It can be a big part of who you are, but you don’t want people to forget what you’re really about.

“Like me,” he says, suddenly saucy. “Money hungry. … I vary skin tones day-to-day. That’s what defines me. Gay? No, no. Beautiful.”

Hmm, money hungry? Good luck with it, Adam.
 

evasorange

Final Flight
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Jan 22, 2015
Adam is a beautiful skater and I’m a fan but really he can be super obnoxious in a way a female skater could never get away with.
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
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I was expecting some thoughtful reflection. I was wrong.
 

VegMom

On the Ice
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Aug 25, 2017
I say good for him!
He’s doing well as a media personality. I’m currently watching him judge “Dancing With The Stars Junior” and he’s got great comments. This seems like a good fit for him. No one can be an athlete forever and with figure skating he’s already been doing it longer than most. Some skaters will coach, some will go into other fields like law or medicine or writing or business. He’s going into media. It’s fine.
 

concorde

Medalist
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Jul 29, 2013
I was a HUGE Adam fan for years but since the Olympics, I have gotten really tired of him.
Maybe my issue is that I like to cheer for the underdog.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
My recollection of Adam's early skating career was his constant struggle to believe that he really belonged at the top, in comparison to U.S. champions like Jeremy Abbott and Ryan Bradley. I still see him as pushing forward to find that sweet spot between too much humility and too much over-confidence. Frankly, I think he is handling his expanded role beyond skating with grace and honor. Sometimes the hardest thing in the world is just to be yourself.
 

Tavi...

Record Breaker
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Feb 10, 2014
A really interesting read.



Hmm, money hungry? Good luck with it, Adam.

But that’s a bit reductive isn’t it? I thought it was a great article. I pretty much don’t pay attention to media and celebrities, but I like that at its core, Adam’s drive to be famous starts with wanting to be a role model for young kids who are scared to be themselves. I also admire him for his willingness to take a stand politically even while he was still competing.
 

icybear

Medalist
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Mar 18, 2017
You know most athlete become main stream celeb after achieving something big in their sports but Adam Rippon for all the media attention actually hasnt achieved much in skating. The attention all started with the Mike Pence thing and then the media wanted him to promote gay rights. I dont see how his fame is going to hold up just based on the fact he's a gay athlete and his "personality"
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
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I loved this article with Adam and I love Adam’s outlook on life.:yes:

Adam will in fact go much farther on his personality (no need for quotes, he has a good one), his stance in life, his ability to be himself, and as a role model, than any skating accomplishment would ever bring him in the US of A.

So I also salute him for being so aware of his second act and wanting to make the most of it. Skating is simply not that popular here, so it will take more than skating to keep one in the public eye. Will it work for Adam? Who knows, but props for trying:clap:
 

Tavi...

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2014
You know most athlete become main stream celeb after achieving something big in their sports but Adam Rippon for all the media attention actually hasnt achieved much in skating. The attention all started with the Mike Pence thing and then the media wanted him to promote gay rights. I dont see how his fame is going to hold up just based on the fact he's a gay athlete and his "personality"

Did you read the article?
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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I have no idea why anyone would want to be famous? Good luck to Adam on achieving/maintaining it though if it’s something he values. I have a close friend with an Olympic medal who went into a quiet 9-5 raise a family life after the Olympics but somehow I don’t think Adam is looking to go that route and that’s fine. It is important to do what feels right and to do it the best way he can.

Very long article that I’m only about halfway through but it’s well written and researched. I like the relationship the author seems to have formed with Adam and that it’s part of the article. It reveals a great side of his personality. Nothing really new so far if you already know and follow Adam but maybe the second half will offer something.

My only complaint is that they brought up that dreaded remark about a Xanex and a drink as if it made him more likable. For someone like me who lost a very dear friend to that combination I don’t find it endearing or cool at all. In my opinion it goes against his attempt to be a role model but maybe I’m too close to the subject to see it from an unbiased view.

Adam seems like his heart is in the right place and wants to gain fame as a means to give back. A bit of a tall order and i think it’s got to be hard to avoid a certain level of vanity but I think if he is successful he will do a lot of good. Lets hope everything works out for him. I don’t think people often realize the many negative effects of being famous. It’s got its trade offs but also comes with a mental burden and stress that comes with the attention. I honestly don’t know why anyone would want to be famous.
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
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I think, having read the entire article, the headline is “Adam Rippon wants to be famous” because no one is going to read an article with the headline “Adam Rippon wants a career after skating where he can give back to the community and be a role model for kids who feel alone or bullied”. :biggrin:

And I think those are great reasons to want to be famous.:thumbsup:

As someone who has lost a family member to combinations of drink and opioids (although not anti anxiety like Xanax) I find Adam’s comment funny then, funny now and it doesn’t affect my opinion of him. But everyone has a different reaction to those kinds of comments and there’s no right or wrong way to react. And Adam certainly isn’t responsible for predicting that. :think:
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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I think, having read the entire article, the headline is “Adam Rippon wants to be famous” because no one is going to read an article with the headline “Adam Rippon wants a career after skating where he can give back to the community and be a role model for kids who feel alone or bullied”. :biggrin:

And I think those are great reasons to want to be famous.:thumbsup:

As someone who has lost a family member to combinations of drink and opioids (although not anti anxiety like Xanax) I find Adam’s comment funny then, funny now and it doesn’t affect my opinion of him. But everyone has a different reaction to those kinds of comments and there’s no right or wrong way to react. And Adam certainly isn’t responsible for predicting that. :think:

“Adam Rippon Wants a Career After Figure Skating” would be a great title IMO :thumbsup:

As to the opioid response...I hold him to the same standard I would hold anyone in the public spotlight. Lots of current musicians and internet sensations play down the danger of mixing Xanex and alcohol and I’m critical of that. I wish the article would have left it out because it’s dangerous to have any part in downplaying the danger. Adam has lots of great moments of being an example of someone to emulate. I don’t think this should be conflated with those and the article seemed to be doing just that. YMMV
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
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What did they mean when they called Nathan Chen the “Quadruple axel king”.

They meant that people who know nothing, next to nothing and diddly boop about skating are going to read this article, and don't care if Nathan lands a quad axel, a quint toe or a do-si-do round the rink. (Although they did get the amazing flexibility of Jason right:agree:)

And some folks get all bothered that these kinds of in depth fluff pieces (as in getting to know the personality of a skater, rather than analzing his skating) should be completely accurate and educational. I am not one of those people;)
 

StephenGfan

Final Flight
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Apr 10, 2018
Adam is a beautiful skater and I’m a fan but really he can be super obnoxious in a way a female skater could never get away with.

god forbid a figure skater has a personality off-ice and isn't the same mary sue or john smith in interviews with generic answers to questions.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I think, having read the entire article, the headline is “Adam Rippon wants to be famous” because no one is going to read an article with the headline “Adam Rippon wants a career after skating where he can give back to the community and be a role model for kids who feel alone or bullied”. :biggrin:

Actually, I am quite the opposite. If it were any other athlete than Adam, I would not be much interested in an article titled "I want to be famous." :) (I would probably think that it was about some minor Kardashian. ;) )
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

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Jan 25, 2013
What did they mean when they called Nathan Chen the “Quadruple axel king”.

Haha before certain folks get all sensitive and hate-tweet the author for saying that... it was meant to be a joke! :slink:

This is one big fluff piece but I loved it. It's nice to see a skater pursuing avenues beyond skating and with refreshing honesty. So many times I think there's the expectation for prominent skaters to "do more" or "give back to the sport" via coaching or choreographing or whatever, when really it's their life and if they wanna go against the grain, be famous for things outside of skating, and have the opportunities and personality to be, then that's awesome for them. If Rippon is over skating then it's all good - life goes on and not everyone remains in the sport or contributing to it, and that's okay. I love how he even was like "oh right, there was that whole Olympic thing too". :laugh: He's grateful but he can also move on and ironically, maybe we shouldn't judge him. ;)
 

ancientpeas

The Notorious SEW
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Jan 11, 2014
What did they mean when they called Nathan Chen the “Quadruple axel king”.

We are a board of superfans for the most part. We know that no one has landed a quad axel yet and if it happens it is most likely to be the person who has said it is his remaining goal, Yuzuru Hanyu. Most people reading this article are going to be people who love Adam for his twitter and his personality and don't know or give a fig about the difference btw a lutz and a loop and an axel.

Even if this is an ill informed piece about the mechanics of skating it is exposure and skating needs exposure because that brings new people to the table to watch skating. People who watch skating quickly find out that no one has landed a quad axel yet.

If this was written for IFS I could see people being in uproar but it's a fluff piece.
 
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