[Olympics] Adam Rippon DECLINES Offer To Be NBC Correspondent

One of our favorite fabulous personalities from this Winter Olympics has to be Team USA mens skater Adam Rippon. The sparkly spinner helped nab the bronze medal for Team USA’s skate during the team event, and his quadless solo programs were no slouch when compared with the multi 4-rotation jumps his competitors were landing. And today it was announced that Adam would be joining NBC as a correspondent for the remainder of the Games — a super smart move on NBC’s part as they continue to pull in low ratings across the networks carrying the events.

Rippon is the first openly gay male figure skater competing for Team USA in the Olympics, and his outspoken no-nonsense style has made him an instant touchstone for the community. You may recall Adam first making headlines when he criticized Vice President Mike Pence in mid-January. The VP didn’t take kindly to this, and his public comments helped propel Rippon’s rise as a gay youth spokesperson.

Aliona becoming an Olympic champion makes me want to flip a table and throw a chair across the room. LOVE HER. SHES GOT GRIT AND SHE IS A BEAST. My heart is so full. https://t.co/uX2anrI466

— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 15, 2018

An NBC spokesman told USA Today that Rippon will work for the network on a variety of platforms, including television, digital, and social media. We’re hoping he’ll join SNL cast member and Olympics superfan Leslie Jones, who arrived in Korea two days ago and has been live tweeting events.

You guys it was everything I thought it would be. @taralipinski is a freaking Queen!! And @JohnnyGWeir is literally the funniest person ever! Had me cracking up the whole time so fun today!! @NBCOlympics @Olympics pic.twitter.com/UVXayy5UVp

— Leslie Jones 🦋 (@Lesdoggg) February 18, 2018

Skier Lindsey Vonn and Rippon have announced they will not join other US athletes at the White House in a post-Olympic celebration, as a way of protest.

**UPDATE**

It looks like Adam has DECLINED the offer of being a correspondent because he would have to leave the Olympic Village area during the rest of the Games:

I am flattered that NBC wanted me to work as a correspondent for them here in PyeongChang. Doing this would require me to leave Team USA and move out of the Olympic Village. I don’t want to do that so I had to declined the opportunity.

— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 19, 2018

I love being on Team USA and representing our country. My teammates were there for me during my events, and now I NEED to be there for them. I look forward to being with them, and I’m very excited for the rest of the competition. Go Team USA!!!

— Adam Rippon (@AdamRippon) February 19, 2018