Queer VoicesmediaWinter OlympicsAdam Rippon

Adam Rippon Says He Received Death Threats For Being Gay Olympian

The bronze-winning skater told a radio host his haters "don't matter."
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General Assignment Reporter, HuffPost

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Adam Rippon ’s skating skills and brash personality turned him into one of the breakout stars of the  Winter Olympics ― but he also received unwanted attention.

In an interview on iHeartRadio’s “Domenick Nati Show” posted Wednesday, Rippon, the first openly gay U.S. man to medal at the winter games, was asked by Nati how bad the backlash was for being an out Olympian, and whether he had gotten death threats.

“I mean yeah, I did,” Rippon answered in the audio clip, below. “I received all sorts of threats. I received all sorts of negative comments and emails.”

Rippon said his haters “don’t matter,” and he questioned the effort they made to write him. “I’m gonna tell you, I wish I had that much time to waste, but I don’t,” he said.

The host and bronze medalist (in the team event) quickly moved on to another subject, without getting into details of the threats.

A rep for Rippon did not immediately answer HuffPost’s request for comment.

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Before You Go

Best Figure Skating Costumes From Pyeongchang
Loena Hendrickx(01 of20)
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Belgium's Hendrickx was one of a handful of women who chose to wear a unitard for competition. The skater wore this number for her short program during the ladies single event, and while we love the idea of it, the mesh panels on the front are a little much. (credit:Jamie Squire via Getty Images)
Carolina Kostner(02 of20)
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Kostner, of Italy, was one of the most stunning skaters to watch on the ice -- she is an Olympic vet, after all. She wore this funky cutout costume for her free skate during the ladies single event. (credit:Jamie Squire via Getty Images)
Elizabet Tursynbayeva(03 of20)
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The Kazakh skater wore this pretty pink costume for her free skate during the ladies single event. (credit:Robert Cianflone via Getty Images)
Kailani Craine(04 of20)
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Craine, of Australia, kind of took sparkle to a new level with this costume, which she wore for her free skate during the ladies single competition. There's a lot going on with that bodice, but she looked so confident and happy wearing it, which makes us love it. (credit:Richard Heathcote via Getty Images)
Larkyn Austman(05 of20)
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Austman, of Canada, wore this little black dress for her short program during the ladies single event, proving that sometimes, less can be more. We're especially fans of the embellished choker -- a nice touch of drama in an otherwise simple costume. (credit:Jamie Squire via Getty Images)
Gabrielle Daleman(06 of20)
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The Canadian skater's sparkly blue number, which she wore for her free skate during the single and team events, really was striking, but can we just take a minute to appreciate her full-on glam beauty look? (credit:MLADEN ANTONOV via Getty Images)
Diana Nikitina(07 of20)
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Nikitina, of Latvia, was another woman who chose a unitard, and hers was definitely the most subtle. We think it worked in her favor -- the rhinestoned sides add sparkle, and the dark mesh V-neck panel keeps it from looking too simple. (credit:XIN LI via Getty Images)
Karen Chen(08 of20)
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Chen, of the U.S., brought the drama in this lovely black costume with red accent sparkles, which she wore for her free skate. Bonus points for the flower in the hair. (credit:MLADEN ANTONOV via Getty Images)
Aiza Mambekova(09 of20)
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The skater representing Kazakhstan wore this striking black costume for her free skate. The full body cutout is pretty sexy, but the rest of the outfit keeps things from being too much. Her headpiece is the star of the show. (credit:NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Kim Hanul(10 of20)
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The South Korean skater wore this white ensemble for the women's single free skating portion of the games, and it's just plain pretty. (credit:ARIS MESSINIS via Getty Images)
Anna Khnychenkova(11 of20)
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As far as figure skating costumes go, the Ukrainian athlete's is quite conservative. But that's what we love about it -- it's classy and dramatic (but not over-the-top), and the red glove is a nice touch. (credit:ROBERTO SCHMIDT via Getty Images)
Maria Sotskova(12 of20)
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The skater from Russia was pretty in pink for her ladies short program. It's the embellished neckline and cuffs that really make this costume pop, though. (credit:Valery Sharifulin via Getty Images)
Kaori Sakamoto(13 of20)
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Japan's Sakamoto wore this lovely blue costume for the ladies single short program earlier this week. It's giving us some Rodartevibes, and we're here for it. (credit:XIN LI via Getty Images)
Ivett Toth(14 of20)
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The Hungarian skater comes in a close second for this ensemble, which she wore for her women's short program. The biker-inspired look was perfect for her routine to a collection of AC/DC classics. (credit:Valery Sharifulin via Getty Images)
Emmi Peltonen(15 of20)
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The Finnish athlete pulled out all the stops with this gorgeous, glittering costume, which she wore for her short program during the women's single event. (credit:MLADEN ANTONOV via Getty Images)
Mirai Nagasu(16 of20)
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Nagasu, of the U.S., wore this costume for her free skate in the women's single event, and earlier at the team event, where she became the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Olympics. Because of that, this bold red ensemble seems destined to become one of the sport's most iconic. (credit:Jamie Squire via Getty Images)
Evgenia Medvedeva(17 of20)
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Medvedeva, of Russia, wore this beautiful costume (which is also giving us Rodarte vibes) for her free skate. The color and embellishments are beautiful, and the gloves add that extra special touch. (credit:Valery Sharifulin via Getty Images)
Kaetlyn Osmond(18 of20)
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This costume, worn by the Canadian athlete for her short program, was one of our favorites of the competition. It looked beautiful on Osmond and definitely conveyed the Parisian aesthetic -- she performed to music by Edith Piaf -- she was going for. (credit:Jamie Squire via Getty Images)
Alina Zagitova(19 of20)
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The Russian athlete took home the gold for ladies figure skating, and she definitely deserved it. Not only was her skating phenomenal, her ballet-inspired costumes (like this one, worn for her free skate) were stunning. (credit:Valery Sharifulin via Getty Images)
Mae Berenice Meite(20 of20)
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France's Meite wore this unitard to perform her short program (in both the team and women's single events) to a medley of Beyoncé songs. The statement-making ensemble had to be our favorite of the games (though Meite almost outdid herself with these bedazzled hot shorts). Queen Bey would definitely approve. (credit:MLADEN ANTONOV via Getty Images)
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