Hello! Welcome to episode 80 of I’d Rather Stay In. This week, we are dishing about our obsession with the Olympics with our girl Ade Olayinka.

Quick links

• Ade’s skincare Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adethinksskin/
• Ade’s podcast: Five Tree Christmas
• You’re Wrong About: Tonya Harding Part 1 + Tonya Harding Part 2
• Unfortunate Team USA TYR swimsuits
• Kevin Hart & Snoop Dogg Commentate Dressage
• Diver Tom Daley’s knitting Instagram

Episode transcript

Megan
Welcome to I’d rather stay in with your hosts Megan Myers and Stephie Predmore. This week, we’re joined by our friend Ade Olayinka. To talk about the Olympics. Stay tuned.

Stephie
Do you love listening to I’d rather stay in and want to support the podcast? Well, now you can visit our website or the link in our Instagram profile and click Buy me a coffee or visit buymeacoffee.com/irsipodcast. For the price of a cup of coffee, you can help us cover the costs of creating this podcast. There are no monthly memberships, and you could support us at whatever level you’d like whenever you like, whether you buy us one coffee, many coffees or simply continue listening as always, we’re so grateful for your support.

Megan
Hello, hi Stephie How’s it going? Megan? We’re in the final countdown before school starting countdown. I am so excited. I’m excited, but also like nervous because of COVID. But yeah,

Stephie
I mean, it’s been like 18 months since your kids have basically set foot in a school building. And they’re going to not only new schools, but like new schools in a new town. new state. So there’s a lot of new things happening.

Megan
I mean, it’s not technically they’re not new schools. They went to school there last year, but they didn’t actually go to school. They’re separate.

Stephie
And it’s like never met their classmates in person. So right.

Megan
Yeah, it will be interesting, be interesting,

Stephie
but that’s what we have.

Megan
Yeah, we have I’ve got we have all the school supplies, we had so much stuff leftover, you know, from like, to before, before we moved slash, before, we realized that everything was going to be locked down for the end of time, right? We did that thing where you can order school supplies, and then they just like send the box to your school, which is amazing. And then you have this whole box with school supplies. So we had that, which we didn’t use any of last year. Right. And then we just had like random things laying around. So I was going through the school supplies list. And I was like, Oh, we have this. We have this. We have this. We had this way, like did not need to buy that much stuff. Which was That’s awesome.

Stephie
Yeah. I love buying school supplies, but not necessarily when you’re having to like fight against everyone else for the things.

Megan
Oh, man when we went. So we went Saturday morning. And when we got to the school supply section. Oh my god. I bet it was it was like us and one other family. Oh, and then by the time we left the school supply section and like Mind you, we did not need that much stuff. It was like, just people like everywhere, like,

Stephie
grab the notebooks. Grab the fold, like when you get the restaurant just before everyone else. And so you get right away. And then you look over at the host stand and there’s just this huge line of people Five minutes later, and you’re like, well, we got here right at the exact right time.

Megan
Yeah, like crazy. Yeah, um, yeah. So that’s like taken care of, it’s all. It’s all done. We just got to wait for I guess, like, you know, class assignments and things like that. But yeah. And figuring out how to get my kid to wake up early because school starts at 8am. And he doesn’t wake up till 1030 he’s

Stephie
a teenager. Yeah, I’m not gonna lie. That was always a little that was always a little rough for me as a teenager. I mean, sometimes it’s still rough for me. And I’m 32. So I can’t say it’s gonna get better anytime soon. But go with God.

Megan
It will for you. Because now in my ripe old age 41 sleep until 830 is like late. It’s so late to me. And if I wake up, usually when I wake up at like, seven, whatever, like, it’s, there’s no going back to sleep. It doesn’t matter. Like because

Stephie
that, like makes me sad for you.

Megan
It is very sad.

Stephie
I’m sleeping and sleeping in is my favorite thing in the world.

Megan
That’s not possible.

Stephie
Oh, that is so sad.

Megan
Your body just like kind of gets all messed up because like, your kids will just she’ll just wake up early. Yeah. And she like, you can’t let her not get up because she’s a little kid. herself. So like, right, you just got to get up and feed her breakfast. And that’s just the way your life is now. It is it is really my life is now so I

Stephie
tomorrow she starts daycare for the first time. So her first day of daycare ever. I’m having a lot of feelings about it. But

Megan
it will be good. It’ll be good. It’ll be very exciting, though.

Stephie
It is exciting. It’s exciting. I think she’ll have a lot of fun. I think she’ll have fun with the other kids. You know, all the things. It’s good. It’ll be good for her. It’d be good for us, but it’ll My house will be so quiet two days a week. Oh my gosh, it’s gonna be amazing. But I am also probably going to cry when I dropped her off tomorrow morning. So that’s fine. But I did get to use my label maker to pack her little daycare bag. So Well, there you go. That was a good time.

Megan
Well, we have also been enjoying the Olympics, the past week, ish week or two weeks, I don’t even know

Stephie
I’ve lost track of time. And I’ve lost track of how long the Olympics have been going on, admittedly, but I have I, okay. I haven’t gotten to watch as much as I normally do because of the child. Because weirdly, at 18 months old, she’s not especially interested in watching, like synchronized diving, so much as she’s interested in watching like Sesame Street. But I have definitely caught a lot of the Primetime stuff. And we’ve got some things to say.

Megan
We have a lot of things to say. And luckily, we have a friend who is basically an Olympic expert, I would say, wouldn’t you say?

Stephie
I would say as many things as we have to say she has even more when it comes to anything. So our friend, Ade is back yet again. And she is going to chat with us about all things Olympics on a Hello. Hi,

Ade
it’s so good to be back. How are you?

Stephie
We’re good. I have lost track of how many times you’ve been on the podcast. I think this is fourth. My fourth time my fourth appearance, right? I couldn’t remember. I

Ade
think so. Yeah, five to skincare one Christmas movie is. And here. Here I am to talk about third passion. You

Stephie
Yeah, you’re a woman of many talents and many interests. And it’s one of the things that we love about you. So tell the people about you a little bit about your Olympic interest and obsession and why we like low key call you an Olympic expert. Sure.

Ade
So I don’t know my origin story is like way less clear than with other things. I remember watching like the 94 Olympics. It was a winter Olympics. And there was a lot of figure skating and like, it was like, I don’t know if that’s probably the one where Tara Lipinski and Nancy Kerrigan had their big face off, right? It’s pre Michelle Kwan days, right. So it’s like, early, and there was like, ugly hair. Nothing quite as acrobatic as now, but but we watched it as a family. And that was like, I mean, kind of really impressed in my memory. And then there was the 96 Atlanta Olympics, where I’m sure I don’t remember very much about the marketing around it, but I’m sure it was like everywhere, right, like McDonald’s cups and commercials and all kinds of things. And I just remember like watching track in Nigeria, which is where my family’s from, won the soccer tournament that year. So it was like, I really have all these memories. And it’s not until, I don’t know, even even even 98 I remember that Michelle Kwan. Right, um, 2000 was the dawn of Michael Phelps. And they were in Australia and like, I just I all these memories wrapped up around the Olympics. So for me, like I’ve loved them for a long time. And my kind of more structured interest, I guess, I would say, in the Olympics, began in college. You know, I was still as Olympics, obsessed as ever. But I, I wanted to, I started researching them. And kind of my senior year, my junior year, there were, I had to write some papers about all kinds of different things. And one, one, some for econ some for for international studies. My other major and I always, always, always chose to write about the Olympics. So that was kind of my origin story. And these days, I find myself addicted to TV. I hope my boss isn’t listening because I also shirk my work duties. To make sure that I’m catching key moments this year, it’s a bit easier, right? Because they’re in a part of the world where I can’t watch in the work day. There’s nothing new happening during the work day. But yeah, it’s, it’s a passion of mine. And I posted my Instagram Stories a lot. And this year I did, I’m doing daily updates. And so a lot of my life has revolved around around loving the Olympics and sharing that love with other people.

Stephie
And you have been to a lot of the Olympic like site.

Ade
That’s true. Whenever I visit a city that’s hosted the Olympics, I tried to go see kind of their Olympic Village or Olympic Park. So I’ve I’ve seen kind of only big places in Tokyo and Montreal and Atlanta, in London. Not in Paris. Weirdly, for some reason I didn’t visit the parasites even though I’ve been there a couple times. But yeah, I always Try to stop in and stop by and just kind of soak up some of that Olympic glory since I haven’t been to an active Olympics yet. I say yet because it will happen.

Oh, it’s just a matter of time.

I really hope so. I was really upset when they gave Leslie Jones that Olympics gig because I was like, I deserve that Olympics. Like what does she know about them? I know everything. Amazing. Man,

Megan
I just want to hop in real quick and fact check you because you said Tara Lipinski with Nancy Kerrigan.

Ade
Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to Tanya Harding. That was so cool for Tara. I

Stephie
waited it was Michelle was one one. Yeah, it’s you remember that that was oh

Ade
god for for Tara Lipinski. I remember she she skated and her year to that song from Anastasia dancing bears painted. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I’ll never forget it. I was really mad because I wanted Michelle Kwan to win but I couldn’t listen that song for a while.

Stephie
Also, regarding the Tanya hardy Nance target Tanya Hardy and Nancy Kerrigan situation, there’s a great episode of you’re wrong about that talks about I know

Ade
her life is really tragic, blah, blah, blah. But I was a child and I fell to the narrative.

Stephie
This is true. You that’s why that’s why the you’re wrong about exist. So if anyone is interested in like, that you’re wrong about about that. There’s a great episode of that episode of that podcast. Yeah, it’s a it’s a really sad story for her.

Megan
That’s actually a really good segue into the narrative that the Olympics is like, given to us, right? So like, you can’t just watch the Olympics. You can’t just watch the sports and cheer for the athletes. There’s like a whole story around the whole thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

Ade
I think I think that this, this is important in for a few different reasons. Right. So on, on one hand, I think it’s, it’s there actually are stories, right, like, like, they’re, I’m thinking right now of the 400 meter hurdles. And men’s final race was like, last night, and the way and we see was like building this with the race of the century, you’ll never see anything like this ever again. And literal announcers, you know, during the race, who are, you know, track all stars in their own right. We’re, like, I’m so glad I was I could be alive during this time. Right. Like, like, it’s so dramatic, right? But But also, that’s like, kind of the truth, right? Like, you know, these people have been around their sports for a long time. And these two, these two guys were racing against each other have raced each other numerous times. And, and everyone knew a world record was going to be broken, and everyone knew that they were going to face off against each other if everything went right. Until, like, on some, on some sense, there is actually a story, right. But then there’s also the fact that, you know, NBC and all the other news channels around the world that are, are airing the Olympics. First of all, they pay a lot of money to get television rights, I think NBC has a deal for like two or three Olympics. And it’s like, I mean, in the in the hundreds of millions of dollars, they’re paying a lot of money for rights to the games, and viewership is declining, right? So they have to make a story, they have to make a dramatic, they have to make it something that people want to tune in and watch. Right. And so I think they they build the stories that they build these stories as a way to most you know, I mean, let me take a side deviation here and just say, like, most of us don’t watch these sports on a normal basis, right? Like, I’m not like an expert in diving or gymnastics, or, you know, track cycling. So they have to find a way to make it not just a cool side thing that I might tune into, but like something that I’m like, invested in, right. And I think that’s what the storytelling is about. It’s both to make us invested. Because Because these athletes are amazing, and maybe maybe worth our time, I think it’s worth my time. But also because they have to make money, right, they have to sell the airwaves. And this I think that helps in the process.

Stephie
And they will pull stories from anywhere like they will they will take anything that these people like any even like, out of hardship, quote, unquote, like something I like and some of the some of the athletes have definitely overcome like big things. But some of them also, you’re like, Oh, I don’t I really feel like this is like a thing that we really need to just be like spending a lot of time. Like, my favorite was the other. I can’t even remember what sport it was. Was it racing or think oh, I think it was, um, it was the men’s 100 meter. And the guy that one was from Italy, and they were like, and he moved to Italy as an infant, and now he’s a gold medalist. I was like, What a story. And I was like, was, it wasn’t really a great story. Like, it just seems like he was his mom moved to Italy, when he was an infant. It was a complete sentence. Like, it’s really just more a fact. It doesn’t really seem like a big like, Oh my god, he overcame so much that now he’s won the gold medal on the 100 meter.

Ade
I get a lot of DMS on my Instagram about the Olympics, obviously, because people know I’m invested in anything and everything Olympics related. And one somebody DM me, an old acquaintance from college deemed me to to report on her least favorite, which was a swimmer, Reagan Smith, maybe Her name is something like that. And she got a couple silver medals. And then she was like, she she held the world record and some of the sports events but she wasn’t clearly like, wasn’t really the favorite anymore, but they like wanted to, they needed to tell a story, right? And they bet wrong cuz like they basically ate like, I didn’t watch this. But my friend was like, they basically were like, yeah, here’s a girl. She swims like it was like a D. It was like one of those dramatic like, you know, like they went to her home. They showed her practically like, Yeah, she works really hard. But there’s like no substance to it. It was just like, here’s the girl that swims congratulate. And my favorite was, I saw a couple back to back of male swimmers, who had who both I think either didn’t get gold or didn’t even like when like, they might not have even won anything not to say that they’re still great athletes to be clear, but like, they didn’t even win, right? So it was like a bet on them being like us being invested in them. And then they didn’t it didn’t pay off. But they were like this Aaron Piersol who’s a US swimmer from you know, the 2000 Olympics was his the time that he dominated. Aaron Piersol got a typewriter, and he like typed on this typewriter a letter to this other swimmer. And I was like, What is this?

What are they

Megan
like reenacted like him typing on the title?

Ade
And I also put the Olympic exactly, I feel like that gives me like there are enough cool people to invest in and enough real rivalries to invest in that. Like, why are we wasting our time with like, like, you know, Joe Johnson, like the most plain average Joe dude from the US just because he’s an American athlete. Right.

Stephie
So I have a lot of thoughts about I have a lot of thoughts about the very us centric coverage. Oh, interesting. Tell me more. I just I I’m gonna out myself is not a very patriotic person. When I say this, I’m not I don’t know if anybody who listening it would be really surprised. Yeah, if anyone has no, if anyone knows me, or has listened to the podcast for a particularly long time, you’ve probably picked up on this. I’m not like the most patriotic person like I I definitely think that there are benefits to living in the United States. But I definitely do not think that we are the greatest country in the world. I think I was like, I think it will begin the other day. I was like, in first grade when I started questioning why people called us the greatest country in the world, and I never really got a satisfactory answer. Like we just are. And I’m like, Ah, okay. Um, and I, like I get it, I get that. You know, we are supposed to be supporting our US athletes. Woohoo. And I get that it is coverage like broadcasting into the states. So of course, they’re going to be very like, into the, the American athletes, but I don’t know, sometimes I want to hear something about the other countries that is, like, paints them in a nicer light than what NBC usually does. I think that’s really fair point. Yeah. And I feel like a lot of times, like, especially if it is a predominantly like, not white country. Like I feel like, you know, Great Britain, Australia, whatever Canada, like they’re fine in the way that their athletes are usually talked about. But I feel like a lot of times any time athletes from non white countries are talked about so often. It’s like, Oh, they overcame so much hardship. And I’m like, I just don’t really know if that’s like the most appropriate way to be talking about other countries and their athletes like I don’t know, I just feel it just feels weird to me. It’s just something that feels weird about it and a lot of ways. Yeah,

Megan
I think that I really noticed that even during the opening ceremonies when They when they did the Parade of Nations, and you’re watching everyone come out, and they like have to say something about each of the countries that they show. And you could really tell that they were struggling to say something nice about some of the countries and it’s like, ah, like, maybe work harder on this copy. I think it was really awkward because I think, I think they had producers write notes for them. But then Savannah Guthrie, and the other guy just like kind of said, whatever they wanted.

Stephie
Yeah, it was weird. That’s really definitely there were definitely moments where I was like, I don’t know, that feels like a weird thing to say.

Ade
I think I have a few thoughts. Um, so my first is, you know, during the opening ceremony in particular, I think that is 100% the most awkward time in coverage. And they really should just stick to the facts. Yeah, like, you know, say kind of the same things, but every country, you know, small, they’re, you know, this tiny island, you know, cat sends more athletes every year. Fine, right? You know, who cares? But I did, I think I particularly feel uncomfortable. And I think the Tonga stuff is is really weird, the Tonga guy who, you know, come shirtless in every year, I think that’s totally his prerogative. And it’s great. But the way that they talk about him is very strange to me, and like overly sexualized and, and probably a bit of like, a, there’s probably a bit of a racial thing there as well. And then when it comes to the, to the other kind of poor, or low and middle income countries, or non white countries, yeah, probably there’s some weird stuff. I don’t know, maybe I just I didn’t pay enough attention. But I, I don’t tend to notice anything too, too offensive. That or that, I don’t know. But I also am not paying all that much attention to that, that to the opening ceremonies as I do to other actual sporting events. On the second point I would make is that I think NBC, you know, kind of collected, like you said, right, like, this is a money. This is a money making enterprise and the focus on American athletes is unique to NBC, because, well, in some sense, it’s unique to NBC in some sense. Like, if you’re if you’re the dominant person in a sport, they’re gonna focus on you, just like NBC does, right? So so like, yeah, it’s a moneymaker. Like, it’s one of the downsides to, to like, the way that the NBA to the way that the Olympics are broadcast around the world. But that’s how the IOC makes their money. And so it’s gonna I mean, unless there unless in the future, there’s a different way to, to make the broadcast happen. I think that’s going to continue to be the case. Because, I mean, frankly, like, viewership for all sporting events is down. Think the Superbowl was like the lowest ever this year, or the you know, in the last couple of years, same, you know, NBA Finals, same with kind of everything, like people just don’t care as much anymore. And there’s so much streaming. And so like, you know, networks are fighting to tip for people’s eyes. And I think that it’s only going to get worse, when it comes to like, focus on Americans and future years. And the last thing I’ll say is, I think NBC does a really interesting and pretty good job when there are like, good, good isn’t as maybe the wrong word, they do a reasonable reasonable job showing when they are good rivals, like, you know, building out that rivalry and like they they really they travel to these other countries and film these people, you know, other other other athletes from other countries training and running in the you know, I don’t maybe I’m giving them too much credit. But I when I think about the amount of logistical luck, the logistical feat that that is airing the Olympics and putting together that many background stories on that many athletes around the world. I’m actually gobsmacked by the fact that they do it. Like this must be, I don’t know, a two year enterprise right? And a minimum of them like, all right, like we have 72 sports, like, which are the ones that people want to watch the most. Who are the people that are the most competitive against Americans? How do we go go there and like, you know, film them. And like it’s a it’s a kind of an amazing enterprise. It’s kind of it’s one of those things that maybe like my overactive, like, how does TV happen? brain is like, wow, I wonder, I wonder how it worked. I wonder whose job that is? Like, that sounds like an interesting job. The person who like puts everything together. So yeah, those are my thoughts. I also feel like

Stephie
I also feel and like maybe, maybe, maybe the coverage in some ways, is improving. And the way they portray their countries is improving. Like I I have very vivid memories of like, like I feel like my view, particularly on for example, like Russian gymnastics or ice skating or Chinese gymnastics. And ice skating like, in like those countries in particular, are still very much formed from watching the Olympics as a kid where they would show like borderline militaristic, like, training regimens for both of those countries for those sports and like paint as like, they are so intense. They’re the most intense about their sport. And, like, I still have a hard time watching those athletes compete and not like, wondering about Yeah, and not thinking about like, Oh my gosh, they just like I remember them painting this as like, them being so intense and yada, yada, yada. And maybe this maybe that is the case, maybe they still are. But I just I always found it interesting how just certain countries, especially if there is a big rivalry between that country and the states in a particular sport, how they portray those other countries and their approaches to their training and athletics and stuff like that. I’ve always found that interesting.

Ade
I have a semi controversial thought

Stephie
which Leesburg.

Ade
I’m not sure if I’m not sure if it’s controversial. We’ll see. Um, so I’m going to take you back to college where my freshman year roommate used to watch 24, like the show 24 with Kiefer Sutherland, and every effing season would end like, Okay, once he’s gonna start with like a Mexican drug cartel, right? And it’d be like, Oh, my god, they’re the bad guys. And it would end and it would be the Russians, right. And then the next season would start with like, Middle Eastern oil cartel. And we think they were the bad guys. And then in the end, it was always the Russians. And I was like, this is just written by some old dudes who were like, alive during the Cold War. And like, they just can’t let it go. And then all this, like, election stuff happened. And I started really like, understanding that. In some sense, I was the naive one, and that people, maybe people in power really do. Like they really are just like fighting these crazy like wars. Not in secret. I mean, anymore, right. But like, I think things are actually as intense or more intense than than we might know. And the reason I think this and the reason I think that things like this might actually like the narrative that they’ve actually they’ve softened the narrative, maybe because a the the US is as bad in some ways, right? Like, let’s think about gymnastics, right? I can’t go ahead. They can’t go around criticizing any other gymnastics group in the US at this point, because we have a serious problem in the US that we’re not addressing. So they’re just keeping quiet on all gymnastics issues, probably. But like, and there have been big scandals that have rocked International, like every international organization, right like gymnastics, Heather’s figure skating has had theirs. They’ve had huge kind of bribery, scandals, doping scandals, all kinds of scandals. So I think NBC is tuned, not just NBC, to be clear that NBC has only started regularly hosting the Olympics in 2000. So any memories before that are not actually guaranteed to be NBC. But the American way of portraying these things, while it has softened, it is maybe not as accurate as I would like to think. The other thing that makes me think that is what happened to you or is still happening with Russia and their and the way that they approach doping. doping is a problem in all sports. And it’s not it’s not just a Russian problem. But the way that they approached it, and the systematic and like, really meticulous nature of military approach, it like does not give me a lot of hope, that it is not that intense anymore. So that’s maybe controversial, but like I yeah, I think you’re right, that there’s that like our views and my views. And you know, I can’t we watched the same Olympics coverage, right. So I my views have definitely been shaped by that as well. But also there’s a there’s an air of truth to it. Or at least there was and it should call her the way we look at these athletes. And so can

Stephie
we talk about can we talk about Russia and the ROC?

Ade
Yeah, let’s do it. I’d love to hear your thoughts, guys. So

Stephie
I don’t know if I I don’t know if I should say this on the podcast, but I’m going to anyway. So okay, for

Ade
as long as you’re not planning on traveling to Russia, I think

Stephie
anytime soon. The so ROC is the Russian Olympic Committee. Is that right? Correct. My husband has said it stands for Russian official cheaters. It’s their like, it’s the it’s the team of Russian athletes, because they’re not currently allowed to compete under their national flag. And so that’s like the workaround so that they can compete is my is my understanding of it. Correct. Yeah, that’s correct. Yeah. Um, there was a really excellent meme and a group that Ade and I are both in. That was the the scene from Thor Ragnarok where he’s, he Thor is like out in the streets. And the girls like, um, you can’t just like be out here, they’re going to recognize you. And he just like pulls, pulls the piece of cloth over his face, and like they will now and that was like comparing to the Russians. And then like, the ROC is them just like putting them in the face, like how they won’t recognize this now. And I kind of that’s kind of how I feel about it like they’re still Russian athletes. Like, is it really solving the problem?

Ade
Yeah, no, I think I think there, there’s a big question of I get that the IOC is trying to be fair, right? They’re trying to be fair to athletes that had no, say in the way that the Russian government from the top down, right, this is not this is not just like, random sporting people shooting up athletes, right? This is like, the Kremlin knew about it, and was like, Yeah, let’s do it. Right. Like, this is like, this will be like the President Joe Biden being like, we should have a doping campaign. Right. Like, it’s kind of crazy when you think about it. But that’s why, you know, my answer to the last kind of conversation was like, yeah, it’s crazy. But it also could be true, right? It’s actually that crazy. And I get that, that the, the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, who puts on the Olympics, is trying to be fair to athletes, who have worked really hard. And, you know, you have a small window of greatness, right? Like, and if you miss one Olympics, like, sucks for you, you might not be there in four years, right? You’re not going to be as good, you’ll be four years older, whatever, I get that they’re trying to be fair. At the same time, I not only, not only do I think it’s not fair to other athletes to have athletes who are potentially doping in a really, like super clever, really ingenious, futuristic way, right, in a way that can bypass tests. Not only would it be unfair to is it unfair to other athletes to potentially have those athletes there. I think Russia is not learning its lesson. And I think also, they’re not even following the rules have the kind of the RFC being allowed to participate, you know, like, no Russian colors, and blah, blah, blah, right? Like, they’re not even following the basic rules. And so I think it’ll be interesting to see what the IOC does from here on out. You know, in the next Olympics, I think the neck of the band last through the Winter Olympics, and maybe even to the next summer Olympics. It’ll be interesting to see how the IOC handles this because it’s clearly a problem. And different athletes have spoken about it in interviews. And, and how frustrating it is for them. So yeah, I get what they’re trying to do. Maybe Maybe next year, it’s like make them come as independent athletes that there’s an independent athletes team, right? make them come as not refugees, but like, create a new category. And make them compete in a group with other athletes who also don’t have a home country to represent because they shouldn’t have home countries represent right if Russia is not allowed.

Megan
Yeah, that was the confusing part for me where it was like, well, Russia’s not allowed, but we’ll just like slightly change the name. And it’s still Russia in the name. And we just can’t have the flag, but everything else is literally the same.

Stephie
Right? Like they’re still you can even look at their like the athletes. What’s it called the stuff that uniforms do thank you, or cost?

Megan
It’s a costume in England?

Stephie
I guess. So. Their kits, their uniforms, their costumes, whatever we want to call them. I’m like, you could look at them and be like, yeah, those are Russian athletes, because they look the exact same as they did when they were competing under their national flag. 100%. So it’s like it’s exact same as they like, their exact same colors as they’ve been my entire life.

Ade
Yeah. So sometimes I feel bad for Russian athletes, right? Look, if you really are just like a clean athlete from Russia. And you’re you’re you don’t, other than what you wear when you’re competing. And sometimes even then, right? You don’t get to choose what you’re wearing. So like, maybe they’re like, maybe I have no idea, right? But there are probably some clean Russian athletes out there. There was you know that there was a swimmer American and a British swimmer who lost to a Russian guy. And they said like they were in a post post swim interview. The Russian guy was sitting in the middle, the British and the American guy on his left and right and they were like, yeah, it sucks to be the sport where maybe someone’s doping. Awkward, awkward interview, first of all, but second, he was like, he’s like I I am for clean sport from the he said from the bottom of my heart. And just imagine if you really is clean and it’s the greatest achievement of his life. Yeah, and it’s me. Exactly.

Stephie
You have bad apples.

Ade
It’s it’s and I mean, no, you’re a good apple and a bad system. I think it’s more like it barrel like it is really sad for them because you don’t know who to believe and who not to believe. Yeah, but I don’t know. I don’t know what the right solution is. I totally feel bad for these young people. Most of them are young. Yeah. Yeah, they are all these like us tossed in there.

Stephie
And then they’re like, Oh, yes, the grandmas are so old. She’s 24.

Ade
Katie, Lucky One her her 800 meter or maybe the 1500 I think it’s the 1500 they were like, all the guy knows 800 because I was her last race. And the two announcers were like, be moaning like, Oh, she’s never gonna swim again. She’s gonna retire because she’s so old. She won’t make it to Paris. And then she came over to the interview lady, and

she’s like, oh, like,

do you think I’m gonna race again? She’s like, Oh, for sure. Like, I totally plan on being in Paris. And maybe the one after that. I was like, guys, like, she’s not that old. Okay.

Stephie
Okay. She’s

Megan
bad for her. Because they, it seems like they really cannot decide how they want to approach her. Because they go back and forth between like, being she’s the greatest ever, and then be like, She’s so old. And then she, like, didn’t do so good. And a couple of races, and they’re like, how does it feel to come in second? Do you must feel terrible. You’re like, America’s support.

Stephie
Right? And I want to be like, Alex was Alex was bitching about this, like yesterday, he was like, I am so sick of these reporters going in and being like, how does it feel that you only won silver? And he’s like, I want one of them to be like, Where’s your Olympic silver medal bitch?

Ade
No, absolutely. And you know what? The funny slash sad thing is, this is literally exactly what Naomi Osaka was talking about when she said I don’t want to do interviews because it messes with my mental health. This is exactly what she was talking about. Yeah, it’s not even lamer. Not even two months later, and we’re recycling the same, the same narrative. It’s really sad.

Stephie
Well, and like, Okay, well, so Simone Biles, she withdraws herself from most of the gymnastics competitions. But she was they were in the middle of the team. The team competition, she withdraws for her mental health. And then at the end, like, they just kept like, it was very clear. Like, to me, at least what I was watching the coverage later. And they, you know, the gal is interviewing them as a team. It was very clear to me that like Simone was sort of trying to be like, yo, I’ve barely discussed this with my team, I do not have any interest in discussing it with you. And they just kept being like, they just kept pushing. And she kept.

Ade
And if you want to ask any questions from the three athletes who just want to who want us to silver metal, right, do you have any questions for them? No,

Stephie
anything besides the fact that Simone like, withdrew? Like, because that’s all they talked about? Like I was, I was so annoyed. That a they were so very clearly violating, like, the boundary that she had, yeah, the boundary that I feel like she was without everything without explicitly saying, I do not wish to speak about this. Because of course, if she did that, then everyone would be coming after her being like, Oh, she’s such a bitch, oh, blah, blah, blah. But then also, like ignoring these other three women who competed their asses off? Absolutely. Like,

Ade
come on. Come on people. No, it’s been a it’s been a frustrating games. And I, I feel like I shouldn’t over read and over post about this mobile situation, because because, you know, she deserves her privacy and hasn’t spoken out anymore. So why should we keep talking about something we don’t know, have any more real, you know, first hand information on. But at the same time, I think the reaction from you know, many corners of the internet and the and the kinds of people who say lamestream media, the reaction from from those corners of the world has been very disheartening, and, and hard to watch. And I can’t imagine what it’s like to be again, she’s 24, right? I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a 24 year old. Thank God, she has been to an Olympics before. Thank God, she has, you know, lived more life and fallen in love and has feels like she has the support and the, you know, inner strength to say, No, I’d rather not break my neck today. Right. Like if there’s ever been a clear tie between mental health and physical health. It’s the one that she just gave us and people just Like, look right past it, and we’re like, No, she should risk her life for our, you know, mere entertainment,

Stephie
literal life and limb. It’s, it’s really it’s, it was hard to watch.

Megan
Yeah. And she I mean, she has experienced more in her lifetime and she’s only 24 then like most people ever will absolutely. So like, I just want to tell everybody, it’s like, just sit down and shut. It just makes me really mad. I will say that there was a lot of people that were Oh, for sure. I’ve seen a lot of really great messages to support and actually, it made me really emotional. Because like, that’s the kind of stuff that like, she shouldn’t have had to do what she did to get that kind of support, right. And I think anybody else who is like out there struggling, like that’s, that’s the kind of support that you want, but you don’t want it to have to get to a breaking point to get that support.

Stephie
I just the mom and me just wants to like, bring her like a cozy blanket. And like a cup of tea. And just like, be like, it’s okay, like you’re doing great, sweetie. Yeah. Like,

Ade
yeah, literally, like I just think like i what i have when I have motion sickness right in the car, which is like maybe the most basic form of like, kind of approaching what the twisties is, right? your body and your brain aren’t matching up. When when I have motion sickness, I get like, I’m like, grumpy as if I’m, I’m unproductive. I need to like take Dramamine and knock myself the EFF out. Right? Like, and that’s like, me not risking my life. Right? Like I it shouldn’t be that hard for people to come up with, like mental mental models, use cases, examples of like times that things were a little bit hard for them. But when you had the flu, do you want to compete in something when you have the flu? Like I’m mad. I’m mad, but yeah,

Stephie
yeah, rightfully so. Yeah, rightfully so. Oh, I got to talk about something else that makes me mad. Can we be mad about a different thing? Yeah, absolutely. Let’s do that is the women’s uniforms. Or costumes, or costumes kits? kit. Can we talk about that? All this? I feel like this goes together with what Megan was texting me about last night, which was VCs dedication to showing beach volleyball. Oh, yeah. It love beach ball.

Megan
Can you do you know? Because you I feel like you’ve I mean, you’ve watched the Olympics for forever. And I remember beach volleyball being big. A few years ago, I guess they had like the dream team of beach volleyball or whatever. But I don’t remember. It being like a long standing thing where everybody is like, oh, gotta watch the beach volleyball. It’s been on every night in primetime.

Ade
I am live. I don’t. A couple things. A couple thoughts. A couple of thoughts. Okay. One? Yeah. So a couple a couple years back, there was a really good team, or no, the last two Olympics actually. So Beijing and in Rio, there were set right now London and Rio. Sorry. there we’re really good to April Ross. And what’s her name, I don’t remember her. The other ladies carry something. We’re really good on the women’s side. And then there was like this really tall guy named. I think dollhouse was his last name. And then some of his old partner on the men’s side, right. And they were really, really good. And so I think anything that Americans are like, really, really good in and like super dominant, like, you know, gets a little gains a little steam. Right. So there’s that. And I think there’s also just like the once one things gain a little seem and they’re like, a little sexy, like, yeah, it’s good. And then the last piece is that I do think that there is so with Tokyo as like when it’s Australia, or China or whatever, right? There’s that aspect of like timing. And it just so happens that like, beach volleyball goes either super late. So it’s on it’s actually on live early in the morning, or it happens really early, because they play outside things happen outside and Tokyo because it’s so hot and humid right now are starting like six 730 in the morning their time, or going super late at night. So it just happens that it’s also on live during the time that we happen to be awake. And which is depending on your perspective, fortunate or unfortunate.

Megan
I think it’s just annoying because it happened like they’ve just been showing it multiple days in a row and the way that volleyball works. It’s like a tournament so you have to play many, many games. So many games even get to the medals.

Ade
And frankly, like this is kind of maybe doesn’t matter but like yeah, it’s not that interesting beach volleyball in particular. It’s it’s interested indoor volleyball is really interesting to me because it’s like, intense,

Megan
because there’s so many more people that play it’s really scary.

Ade
Looking there’s a lot of violence that’s happening in that game. Um, but yeah, I think beach volleyball isn’t. It’s not my favorite. And I, I personally don’t like butts that much. There’s a lot of,

Megan
you know, like bats that

Ade
I don’t like that much. And so like, all the butts when the sports with the women were there, like water polo, although our friend Kathleen explained that, you know, Water Polo, they were really small swimsuits because or like, they weren’t basically thong swimsuits because there needs to be less room for you know, area for opponents to grab because it is again, a very violent sport.

Stephie
I didn’t never realize how violent it was.

Ade
Looks horrifying. It’s like punching but in the water. It’s like water wrestling. I would describe it with a ball involves. And so they had you know, there’s a reason theoretically, I mean, I guess they could also just wear like, longer spandex, right? Like, like, right like that would that would be very hard to grab. Yeah, like male swimmers. So like, there. There are reasons maybe for some of them, but I don’t know if they’re good enough reasons to mandate that that’s the way uniforms are.

Stephie
I don’t I just don’t like and Alex made a really good point about it last night, he was like, you know, especially for these sports, where they’re especially where they’re played outside, for example, beach volleyball, where they’ve mandated that these teeny, they have to have these small, they’re so small, like they’re they’re literally they’re even their tops are so small. Some of these women can barely fit their names on the back of their like bra. Like I think the Americans because the Americans like April Ross and Alex, whatever her name is, like they have their first names on the back of their top, I think because it was easier to fit than their last names. I don’t even know. But, um, like Alex also pointed out, he’s like, what if, like, you’re someone with a history of skin cancer, and you just would really rather have more of your skin covered? Because it’s literally safer for you. Yeah. And you’re being told, like, No, you can’t have your torso covered? No, you can’t have like, even aside from just not feeling comfortable in a teeny tiny Bikini Bottom or whatever. What if you have like, an actual reason beyond comfort, which is absolutely a valid reason. Like, what if you have like a medical reason? Like, yeah, I have had a history of cancerous moles, I really probably should have more of my skin covered up.

Ade
Yeah, I mean, the like, like, with everything that’s an international competition, or like a bunch of countries coming together. The actual mechanics of, of wardrobing people is, is more complex than you think. And of how like, uniforms come together. And it’s a combination of like, countries and teams choosing and like, so, there are many levels, right? every sport has its own governing body domestically and internationally. So there’s like us gymnastics, and then like the international gymnastics Federation. And then, you know, there’s the National Olympic Committee, like the US Olympic Committee, and then there’s the International Olympic Committee. And all of these, all of these groups have a say, in, you know, in Chi in everything, but in specifically for this conversation and what people were. And kind of the, I think it’s mostly the International Federation to kind of set the standard. So like, us, or international volleyball Association, or whatever, would set the standards for what’s were worn on indoor volleyball courts versus on beach volleyball courts, what men have to wear or can’t wear, what women have to wear or can’t wear. And then beyond that, it’s up to the individual, you know, National Olympic Committee or, or the individual national sporting body. So like US Olympic Committee, or us a volleyball or whatever, to determine, like, what the actual uniforms look like, within the rules that the International Federation has set up. So there are many, many layers and it’s not always clear to me, which layer like stipulates you have to wear this right. But I just think it’s, it is a problem that hopefully I haven’t I’ve never seen during the Olympics people actively talking about this much. And I and I do. I do think that in the next several years, we’ll see change, because because I think, you know, times are changing and people, these these international bodies respond to international pressure. And so hopefully in the next few years, it’s not that I think, you know, women shouldn’t be allowed to wear revealing of course they should, right. It’s that like you It shouldn’t be the rules that you have to wear something that’s super revealing.

Stephie
I mean, even like track and field like the runners like you could have like I was watching some of the running yesterday and you can have women from the same country. Different like one of them will wear the like more like Bikini Bottom type things and some of them will wear the shorts. And some of them have like, more of just like a sports bra. Some of them have like a longer like cropped like, top type of situation. And so it’s even like, okay and track clearly, they have a few options to work with here. Yeah, they give them a lot. Let’s let’s, let’s extend that grace to some of these other sports where if there’s not like a functional reason to have a specific way there’s no there’s no function those those little tiny beach volleyball bikini bottoms do not serve any functional purpose. You guys they just don’t other than I’m pretty sure they were put in place by pervy white guys.

Ade
Out of curiosity. What do you think of the USA track and field? Like kind of holographic I haven’t talked about this with anyone yet? And I’m just curious what, like, I don’t know. I don’t know how to like form an opinion on them. I think I like them. But I’m also like, they’re weird. Um,

Stephie
I you know, I haven’t really thought about

Ade
the see. Okay, you know, like the tops are like kind of red, red blue holiday. Grammy looking there.

Megan
I guess I didn’t really, I don’t really notice them that much. Because their name takes up so much of the space. Interesting. Like the little paper thing that has covered up the shirt.

Ade
That’s fair. That’s a good point. A lot of them do wear those really big numbers. That’s true. I just I like every time I see them. I’m like, I don’t know how to process what I’m looking at.

Stephie
The only uniforms that I mean it is kind of weird. Yeah, I’m looking at pictures. Now they are I mean, it is a little strange. The they’re better than the swimming out the swimsuits. The women. I mean, both the men’s and women’s swimsuits were hideous, but the women’s were like particularly bad. There was like it was like the way that the pattern was it made like a really dark shadow over the crotch. And I was like, that’s a really interesting choice.

Ade
So what’s interesting about swimming is that they were their own sponsored swimwear. There is no official USA Swimming sponsor. Some of them were Speedo some of them were Tyr. Someone were like something called like arena, I think

Stephie
well then it’s the Tyr one the Tyr ones are fugly but

Ade
a lot of them are ugly to be to be fair, a lot of them are ugly. And I and a lot of them this year went for this like very bold America. Like Like on like eagles and stars look that is very weird to me.

Megan
Like the men’s gymnastics outfits was like also ego heavy. Yeah. Eagle at my nipple.

Ade
Eagle heavy eagles are you know they’re majestic animals, but they’re a tough look for for outfits. In my opinion.

Stephie
Yeah, I okay, it turns out, I chose that I am not the only one that had this comment about the Tyr swimsuits this year, because it looks like we just found a news article where it was like that someone on tik tok was like What is going on? It looks like they’re wearing merkins not okay. Yeah. So I feel justified that I was not the only one that looked at those and went oh, this is a weird choice guys.

Ade
No, I think the the men’s the ones that I’ve heard the most discussion about are the men’s swimming. Men’s gymnastics which you brought up Megan? And I mean, you guys you guys are an explicit show right? The men’s a couple of the men’s track and field or others. Oh,

Stephie
I straight up was like I can see your penis like just your penis. I can see like the head of your penis. It is its top like proper under it. Oh, you can rate up there’s your dick. Dude. It was it was the 400 meter hurdles guy. It was him Gosh, there was a few of them there were a few of them. Where I was like oh my god, I can see your entire deck like see everything. Not just not just like there’s a bulge but like straight up there’s the head of your penis. I am really uncomfortable

Ade
guy happening. Another one. Here’s another one to check out. That’s that’s upsetting. sport climbing because they wear those harnesses. And then when they harness them in, they all like do this weird adjust thing.

Stephie
So much so much fun. Nothing like adjusting your international international television. Forever to be replayed forever yeah outfits outfits a great outfit, sir. Truly wild guys.

Megan
Speaking of sport climbing, though, like what what other sports this year are new and that you may or may not be excited about?

Ade
Um, okay, so they’re I think they’re it’s hard because they’re new sports in new events and I always get them a little bit mixed up but I believe so wrestling was out and back in I don’t remember got bad at add it back in this Olympics are the last one and I wasn’t super excited about it. I’ll be honest. But this year, there was some like, really, there were some really inspirational performances, especially on the women’s side. So I’m okay with it. Golf. I mean, like, okay, feelings about golf is a sport, okay? I mean, fine. Okay. Surfing was awesome. serving me was really Surfing is amazing. The big, the big thing about surfing that’s interesting to me, is how it will get staged in the future, you know, with So the interesting thing about the Olympics is compared to like the World Cup, right, that I think people don’t often think about is that cities host the Olympics and countries host the World Cup. So like, city hosting the Olympics, Tokyo happens to be not too far from water, Atlanta, where the 96 Olympics, we’re pretty far from water, la where the 2028 Olympics are right on the water. Right. So there’s a lot of I think it places an interesting limitation on how countries can bid. I think there are plans to partner with other countries to host or other cities or whatever to host your, um, they’re already spread out. Like, I mean, not everything’s happening in Tokyo, right? But But still, they’re gonna have to spread out even more and potentially landlocked country, which don’t often host the Olympics, though, they’ll partner with other countries with water to do

Stephie
even like, like Paris. I think they’re hosting it in Fiji. Okay, so I was gonna say like, I really don’t see a lot of like surfing happening in the English Channel. Well,

Megan
I mean, I guess there’s some surfing in the Mediterranean.

Ade
I think I heard a rumor, right? That they’re hosting that the Paris Olympics. Surfing competition in Fiji. So like, it’s gonna be really interesting to see how this plays out. Right? Like that’s so that’s one thing Surfing is it’s super cool. I’m really happy to hear skateboarding super cool, but like very dangerous, very, very dangerous looking space. So I got very stressed softball and baseball are back I believe, and really wish they weren’t going to be honest. Seems like a huge waste of everyone’s time. I mean, I’m happy for the teams that you know, are are winning, but blah. And I think karate also got added as well. And then, like several sports had new events added, like, there were a lot of new, like mixed team events. So like sports that aren’t usually like by themselves, like, I shoot a gun, or I do archery. I don’t know why I said it like, like, an individual male player and individual female player come together and like do the sport together as a team. And I think I think it’s a, it’s an interesting conceptual thing to think about, like, why mixed team sports are interesting, right? Like, we already have them competing as individuals, like, we already know, who’s the best, like, what’s the point of doing the next team sport. And I think there’s something that like, I was reading one of my papers earlier, right? I wrote about the Olympics, I’ve written several. And one of the things I wrote was like, sport should be about individual glory, right? Like, there’s like a lot of a lot of like academics who made this point, like, it’s stupid to have people representing their countries, like, these people just like work hard on their own. Often their countries don’t even invest that much in them. Right. Like, why do they represent their countries? And I think this is like kind of getting more to like, okay, like, now we’re like, getting a woman and a man. We’re getting like, all the genders, and we’re saying like, Alright, like everyone compete against each other. And we’ll determine like, who all around is like the best or so? I don’t know. That’s like, kind of the mental model I put together for why there are they’re adding so many mixed team sports. I mean, I don’t know what do you guys think? I think it’s a really weird change. Cool, but but weird.

Stephie
I think it’s weird. I also think it’s cool and interesting, but it is a little weird. But I yeah, I don’t know. Like all these people are also competing an individual, such as like, doesn’t celebrate exhausting.

Ade
The mixed team. triathlon this year, the Americans had never practiced together before the final. Oh, well, that’s not they had never practice. Like what is that? So what is it telling us about? Like, what is their win, like I think they won silver bronze. What does that tell us about anything except for like, okay, therefore really good athletes. Now third, right, really good together? I don’t know. I think it’s interesting.

Megan
Three, yeah, it makes me wonder like, how I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense to me because I don’t know. I don’t know where I was gonna go with that. I just don’t really get it.

Ade
I guess. I think it’s a weird choice. I mean, I certainly enjoy watching. But the mixed team Judo was added this year, and France one and like the way that they supported each other right? People who aren’t usually on a team, I’m sure it’s really fun for the athletes, especially when they’re not like doing individual mini triathlons. And they’re actually on the sidelines watching each other perform. I’m sure it’s really, it’s really fun for them to participate in, in a new way with the team. Also, like there’s also the potential that people down a lot more. So that’s upsetting. But other than that, I’m just like, I don’t know, I don’t get it.

Megan
I think if they’re all already participating in an individual event, like I’m not sure what the mixed part really brings to the Olympics. Yeah.

Ade
And I think it’s only going to grow because they’re super popular. Probably because people like me, even who are super critical of them are like, yeah, so I watched them all.

Stephie
They still got all of the view. I don’t know it just sounds so exhausting to me, because like you just said they like compete and all of their regular stuff to it. Like, oh my gosh, so,

Ade
so exhausting. Yeah, I was reading a an article that basically said something along the lines of like, it adds a strategy element for countries, because they’re like, now they have to prioritize like, okay, who are you going to put in? And like, how are you going to use their energy kind of like with Caleb dressel? Right, like, okay, like, how are we going to use him? Right? Like, do we want him to get like, and how does he want to be used? I don’t know if that’s the right way to say that. But, you know, how does he How does he spend his energy? You know, if he’s swimming a trillion races in eight days or whatever? Yeah. I don’t know, guys. Interesting stuff, at least to me.

Stephie
Oh, man, I’m trying to think if there was anything else that I wanted to talk to you about. Meghan, do you have anything else?

Megan
Well, so we talked, we talked a little bit about, you mentioned you were talking about surfing and how, you know, it’s in Paris, but it’s not in Paris kind of thing? How do they choose the city is that the Olympics are going to be and because I know a lot of it is money. And so is there like an unfair advantage for these countries that are able to host the Olympics? And also, how much money do they spend? redoing all of these places? So like Tokyo is already had the Olympics, but they rebuilt everything? Yeah, like the whole economic aspect of it is really fascinating to me. No, I

Ade
think that that’s a really interesting question. I didn’t, you know, I should have gone back and re read my, my final paper from I think, I think there’s my master’s thesis actually, where I wrote extensively about the bidding process. And let me let me see what I can remember off the top of my head. I know, it’s a bidding process, right? So countries, submit, like, Hey, you know, I, the International Labor Committee, the IOC is like, hey, okay, like, we’re gonna, obviously host the next Olympics. And they do this seven years ahead of time, I guess the process started eight years ahead of time. And they say like, and then they pick, I think, seven years ahead, they have seven years to prepare. And they say like, okay, we’re gonna host the Olympics in in, you know, this many years, like everyone who wants to submit a bid bid. And they they have requirements, I mean, really extensive requirements were like, here, you know, they know the sports that are going to be going to be contested ahead of time, right? So like, eight years ago, they had to decide, okay, we’re gonna have surfing, you have to be able to, you know, host a surfing competition, right? So, all these countries submit their bids. And they have to say, like, how are we going to handle every sport, every event? How are we going to build them? Where do we think they’re going to be? How are we going to finance it, etc, etc. And it’s a really competitive and selective process. I think there are, I think, at least two rounds. I’m sorry, I don’t remember the specifics. But in the first round, it’s like, they just read their thing. And then the second round, they actually go visit. And they have to really answer like, every single one of these questions. And I think, to your point, like there is an unfair advantage to countries that are that are rich, for a couple of reasons. One, one error, right? Because, one, you know, they probably have a lot of these sports already being contested in their country. So there are places where these things happen, especially in big cities and rich countries, right? Because remember, the Olympics are hosted by cities, not countries, right? So sometimes even two cities from Same country might bid. I think at a time, like two cities in the US were bidding like Chicago and like la were bidding at the same time. Right? And I think la one anyway, so yeah, I think cut cities have to be able to show that they can, they can do all these things. And that’s more likely in a big city that has a lot of money and, you know, has a lot of the sports already. And then I think it’s also an unfair advantage. Because I mean, it’s not just about the sports guys, it’s about the infrastructure, how are you? How are you gonna host as many people? Where are you going to put them? How are you going to? How are they going to get around? Can your airport handle 10,000 athletes, all of their coaches, all of the fans coming in, right? Can your transportation system handle it? Right? Like they have to? It’s not just about hosting? Can you host 64 Sports over the course of two weeks, right? And then the Paralympic games as well, because they have to host both. It’s about like, Can you can you handle like 50,000 people descending on your city very rapidly for, you know, a short amount of time

Stephie
and do not lose the horses that get flown in on absolutely fancy?

Ade
Can your can your airplane? Or can your air you know, can your scripts even take planes that are you know, are they equipped to take these kinds of things? And can they be equipped? If they’re not right? They’re not yet. Right. So I think I think it’s a really, you’re right, there is an unfair advantage. And then when it comes to money, I mean, it’s a lot of money, it’s a lot of money, you’re retooling often. Your city in a way, you’re developing super, super quickly, I think for for some of these cities, right. And I talked a little bit about transportation, but infrastructure broadly, needs to be revamped and equipped, because it’s not just like you want to have it like already, you also want to be impressive, right? I think the reason that countries like Russia and and other kind of developing ish in Russia is not really a developing country, but kind of South Africa hosted the World Cup, right? The reason they want to host it, because they want to be like look like, we’re part of the club, like countries that are big enough, good enough, you know, rich enough to host these things. But it costs a lot of money, because they’re doing a lot of things. So I don’t remember the numbers, but at somewhere in like the 30 to $40 billion range. At this point that most cities slash country know they’re getting, they’re getting funding from the country as well has to be a partnership between, between the federal government or whatever the highest level of government is called and the city, but they’re, they’re getting support, but it’s it’s a lot of money. And it’s a lot of, you know, getting private investment. And, and that’s why it’s really sad for Tokyo just to end on this, it’s really sad for Tokyo, the way this is happening, this is going down because it’s an investment, right, you’re hoping that people will come and people will visit, people will spend money, that your country and your city will have a legacy of like, people will remember it, people will it’ll be in like the collective international memory. And Tokyo is achieving some of those things, but certainly not like the direct investment of having, you know, 10s of 1000s of people come to your city and spend money. So it’s sad for Tokyo on a lot of fronts, because the Olympics also still happened. And now like, again, they think it’s the Delta variant, right. But let’s probably the Olympics a little bit like the COVID, out of control in Japan right now. So it’s sat on a lot of friends.

Stephie
I remember when Chicago was bidding, and you know, like we’ve lived in downstate, Illinois, Central Illinois for 20 years now. And I just remember when they were bidding, and my mom was like, I sincerely hope that they do not get it just because she was like, I just cannot imagine how this would play out for basically the rest of the states. And like how it would affect us, because like we already, for example, like I think most of the wind farms around here, like all of that energy actually ends up going up to the Chicago area anyway, like, there’s just a lot of things that the rest of the state of Illinois does, basically that supports Chicago. And so she was like, Billy’s do not get this like, I know. So it’s it’s interesting to think about, like, how it’s what and like and you see stories about you know, after the Olympics leave, you know, all of the beautiful stadiums and all of these things that they’ve built just like sometimes just falling into ruin. Yeah, I mean that it’s really sad in the last few years. I don’t remember the specifics again, so I’m sorry for him speaking in generalities here, but

Ade
the IOC has like started to require like, okay, like what’s gonna happen after right like a sustainability plan, essentially. But there’s only so much you can do right like, you need enough soccer you need enough stadiums to host like a soccer tournament. A volleyball tournament, a basketball tournament track and field, like you need a lot of stadiums to do all these things, right. And you need, you know, diving, you need swimming, you need water polo you need like there’s you just need some and they try to stagger and schedule in a way that they can maximize the use of locations, but it’s actually an insane amount of, of activity happening. And there’s always pressure, you know, speaking of what we were just talking about, Megan, right? Adding and taking out sports, all sports just want to keep getting added right. And, and it’s hard for the IOC to keep saying no forever. So it only gets worse with time. And all of those all of the things that they build can’t, can’t possibly I know knock on wood. Hopefully they can be in Tokyo and anywhere else that’s hosting but I it’s hard to imagine how you use all kajillion stadiums that you build, there have been efforts to do things like move stadiums, I think there was a stadium and in in London that got moved to Rio, I believe, like like a track a track cycling stadium or something. So like, there are like some really weird and cool options. But mostly, it’s just like permanent stadiums that they build. But they have to figure out what to do with my mind

Stephie
is going down the rabbit trail of how that even work. How are you moving? I know, right? I mean, I’ve seen like houses going down the street before but like

Ade
a stadium, I think they take it apart, they take it apart and they put it back together.

Megan
I’m when we were watching the opening ceremony actually, Alex was like, Why don’t they just have it in the same place every year?

Ade
I heard people because countries want to host it. I’ve heard people say that before. And I think it’s a it’s a fair point. But places want to,

Megan
I mean, it just sounds like a net loss. In the end I with all the costs, and then like everything just not being used. And all it depends on

Ade
depends on who you ask like, yeah, different different countries have taken different approaches, and some have been more successful than others and converting all of their spaces into useful things. For example, Atlanta, if you go there, like their apartments, their dorms, their whatever in, in, in Australia, in Sydney, they’re really like, high high class apartments. It’s like what Olympic villas turned into, like so like, I mean, probably not everything can be as successful as some of those things. But

Stephie
well, and I also think it depends on who you’re talking to. 100% what success means, right? Because obviously the the people who are affluent enough to be able to live in those apartments or rent those apartments or whatever. Like, obviously, they’re they’re feeling the success from that. But for example, the homeless population Oh, absolutely pleased to build those buildings in the first place. Like they are not I’m sure, you know, no one is no one was thinking about them. So there’s, there’s, there’s so many layers to it that you don’t see from the outside, and don’t get shown in so many ways. Because the people that are talking about it, and most of the time are the people with the money, show you all the fancy, lovely things, and it’s great. And I love the Olympics, I really, really do. But I also think that we can really love something and also be critical, be critical of it and think about how we can do better and acknowledge where the false live. So which I think is one of the things that I love about you and how you approach the Olympics because you do an excellent job of that. Oh, thanks. I love being critical. Both in constructive and non constructive way. Totally, totally. Okay, I

Ade
won’t tell anybody about my critique of some young woman’s looks in the last couple of days. It was not about her looks.

Stephie
It was more about her makeup. It’s true. That you did not say that. Her face was bad. He just we’re not sure about her makeup. beautiful face.

Ade
beautiful face. I think she was wearing makeup and I think it was bad.

Stephie
Yes. So I feel like I feel like that’s that’s less terrible than me like our face is bad. Um, okay, let’s and before we go to joy, what has been your favorite moment of this Olympics?

Ade
Oh, my God. It You know, they’re the probably the top one right now it’s top of mind. And when I saw it, I said this is the moment of the Olympics. It is the I don’t know what that we call people from this country. Qatari maybe Qatar, a guy from come from Qatar and a guy from Italy co winning gold in high jump. It was a it was a real Mo Guys. I mean, it was really emotional. But also I would say just kind of that general rallying around athletes and their mental health specifically Simone Biles I think it will, it will for better or for worse be the hallmark of this games, partially because of Naomi Osaka in the last few months before this. And her being the flame torch in the final torch carrier. And then you know, being her first tournament back after taking a mental health break and then everything happening with Simone Biles, I think all of that, in combination will make that maybe the story of the games. Yeah. I hope so. And it helps that Michael Phelps is also like a commentator for NBC this year and like his big thing is mental health. Right? He’s doing the talkspace commercials. He has a mental health charity. Right. So all of that kind of put together. It’s hard to it’s hard to look past it. Yeah. And we shouldn’t also

Stephie
Megan, what’s what’s been your, your favorite moment?

Megan
Um, I mean, everything that I said basically, I also really enjoyed the one swimming waist where I can’t remember a country is now with a woman. One. She came in she got gold and she liked didn’t believe that she got Oh, the South African swimmer, South African. Yes. I want to say Australia, South Africa. I couldn’t remember. It was amazing. Like just the look on her face. Like she was so happy. And it was just so sweet and lovely. And I feel like that is really like what what did that’s the feeling that you want to get when you’re watching the Olympics, right? It’s like that lovely warm feeling of somebody like finally achieving some amazing dream. And then also just for fun, I I really enjoy

Stephie
the I don’t

Megan
know, because I don’t have cable. So I’ve been watching like a lot of clips on the internet and stuff. But there’s clips of like Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg, like talking about the dressage horses. Amazing. I love dressage, because it’s so like, weird to have somebody like dancing with their horse, and they don’t really show it that much. But these clips have been awesome.

Ade
I definitely seek it out. I’m not gonna lie. I love your sauce. Oh, that’s a fun fact.

Megan
I love you Stephie.

Stephie
I love all of the things that you guys just said. And I also so I watched a few nights ago, the vault the the women’s gymnastics vaults. Final and was so I was just so heartbroken for Jade Carey. She just did had just a really poor performance on the ball. Like, she’s, she’s she’s 21. And she looks like she is. She’s 21 right. Okay, so she’s 21 and barely looks like she’s old enough to drive. And, and her to her dad is her coach and he’s there. And, you know, I was so heartbroken for her. And then like, you know, she gets off the floor. And you can tell she’s trying so hard not to cry. And her dad hugs her. And like, I think later she like I did see clips of her crying and I was so heartbroken for her. And then to like see her come back the next night and win gold in for routine. And like, she went out there. And I texted Megan, after I watched her performance, I was like, it was like she was like, bitches. This is what I can really do. Like, I’m gonna come back from that really poor performance last night, and I had my cry about it. And now I’m going to show you what I’m really capable of. And like, just every single one of her tumbling passes, like she landed and she was like, yeah, this is I’m here I am. What do you like, what do you think of that? And I was like, oh my god. So just that comeback was I thought it was really great.

Ade
I was really I was so proud of her guys. I know we’re going along. But can I ask you one question? Of course. Um, what do you think is more satisfying to see somebody who didn’t expect to win, winning and being really shocked by it? Because I agree with you, Megan. It’s that’s what the Olympics are about. Or somebody who has had a lot of pressure placed on them and they’re like, supposed to win and then they actually achieve it. And they’re like, the relief.

Stephie
Oh, I love the dog. I don’t know if I could pick so I mean, it’s very hard to pick like, I 100% like went into it like really wanting Simone Biles to do amazing wanting Katie ledecky to do amazing wanting Kayla dressel to do amazing like wanting them to live up to what they felt like you know, they were capable everyone felt like they were capable of and what they wanted to do, but I really love an underdog like what an underdog wins. I cry a lot

Ade
to there’s an interview Caleb dressel gave after he won some his like first individual race that was really supposed to be the one he was gonna win. And he was like crying so hard. I was like I think it just gave me pause it was like we’re after the spoon bio thing and I was just like this I mean obviously a lot of pressure on vials but like to see this like beautiful to be clear beautiful man when and just be sobbing was like it was it was hard to

Stephie
show it I can’t remember which what race it was and then they like showed his family back home and they like you know what a video chat or whatever this family and he was like crying because he got to talk to his family like yeah, I that is the thing that I’ve really missed this Olympics is because the families can’t be there and I love watching the proud moms Yeah, like when their mom when the moms are like crying because their baby has just like done so well. Like I always cry watching the moms even before I was a mom, I was their mom. So I have really missed that. I mean, yeah, we get there like the footage of them that they’re viewing sponsored by Microsoft Teams by guys sponsored by Microsoft Teams. But it’s not quite the same. Although seen Suni Lee’s like oh my god. That was pretty amazing. like watching Steph. She had so many people in her just from their community. A lot of them weren’t wearing masks. It was a little it was a little stressful. That was stressful. But it was a beautiful moment. It was a beautiful moment. So

Ade
thanks for thanks for indulging my game. I thought that was in your comment. Meghan really made me think like, what do I enjoy more? I can’t pick I think it’s very hard to pick. They’re both lovely things.

Stephie
So thank you for being back here. Of course, anytime, anytime. be one of our favorite guests. Not that we have favorites. We love all of our guests, but they’re lying. I’m their favorite. Yeah, you’ve been on enough that we can like only give you sort of a half baked idea and you can come out and like we can shoot the shit about it for 90 minutes. You know what that’s we were a little bit lazy. And so we’d like that. So let’s, let’s wrap up. Let’s talk about joy. What is bringing you joy this week besides the Olympic Oh, man. Okay, I was gonna be like, well, the Olympics. I’m gonna say that’s cheating. All right.

What’s bringing us joy?

Ade
All right. I will say I’m gonna give two quick answers. One I’ve been watching the love is blind. After the altar, oh, anything. I’m an episode to happen. It’s the only non Olympic thing that I’ve watched. And I’m not it’s bring me joy. But I’m certainly excited to be seeing these people again following up with them. I feel like often people disappear into the best and I don’t get to hear what’s happening with them. So it’s interesting to see all the things that are going down. And the other thing is tic tocs with people singing seven part harmonies of Grace Kelly by Mika It’s amazing. They’re great.

Megan
I love that. I have to look that up students we get off so good stuff here. What about you?

Stephie
My label maker will bring me joy because today I have a new label maker and it’s so cute shaped like well, it’s got like a little bear face on it. It was I’m not gonna lie. It was a tick tock purchase. On Tick Tock. I am you can find things on Tick Tock. No, no, it was like an influencer marketing. Okay. It was like a sponsored I’m so susceptible to this. I mean, yes, it’s my like career, but also I’m so susceptible to influencer marketing. I saw this cute little label maker on someone’s sponsored like, tick tock. And I was like, That’s fucking adorable. And so I ordered myself a cute little label maker. And since ed is going to daycare, preschool, whatever, tomorrow, I pulled it out. And I was like labeling her stuff. And it was great. Quick question, good labels. It does make labels and you can put like different types of like little paper in it. And so like they’ve got cute little like printed ones that look kind of like washi tape. like they’ve got all like different colored ones. Like it’s, it’s, it makes very cute labels and was the spawn con, the sponsored content labeled well on Tick Tock. It was because I watched it and I knew I could tell from the from the caption that it was it was sponsored. So I applaud. I can’t remember who it was, but I applaud that person. Amazing. He just closed well. Megan, how about you?

Megan
So mine is related to the Olympics, but I can’t help it. Tom Daley and his nickname Oh my god. Oh my god, you guys. He’s very sweet. So cute. I use knitting a dog sweater. Most recently,

Stephie
he knitted himself a little pouch for his gold medal.

Ade
He’s one of those that I’m like, that’s another one of those like, everyone was like pressures on Tom Daley and what he wants I was just I like cry. Okay, yeah. Yeah.

Yes, I

Stephie
was very happy for him. But I was also extremely annoyed because the announcers were like, and Tom Daley has won the gold. I know that’s true. It was a synchronized sport like he had a partner the other person one two reasons. One is

Ade
because you literally couldn’t see him. They were so synchronized. You couldn’t see him past the other guy. That’s how good they were.

Stephie
That’s how good they were. I’m like, at least acknowledge that he did not win this by himself. But aside from that, but nice sweet Oh my God. He’s setting himself like a cardigan with like the gold with the rings on it’s just I love him. He has a if you guys did not know he has a knitting Instagram account. Oh, wow. I do not follow his regular Instagram account. I just follow his it’s like made with love Tom Daley or something. I will link it in the show notes. It’s excellent. I love him. He’s the purest. Love it.

Megan
It’s very pure. It also reminded me that what you were just saying about synchronized swimming in general. I also love slash gives me joy about how we like all suddenly become like super experts. Flash was so big. Oh my goodness. There’s no possible really overextended toes are hanging off the edge. I found myself saying like, he’s not even a good swimmer. Like. Like, he’s in the 11 I was watching. I was watching a synchronized diamond with one of my kids. And I was like, and, and they were saying something because like, I thought it looked I’m like, No, no, you could tell like, look how far

Next week’s episode

Stephie
I know where you’re watching. You’re like, Huh, I don’t know, that didn’t look very good to me. And you’re like, I could not live I could not do anything on a balance beam. I cannot stand on the balance. flips on a balance beam and I’m like, that was not really a poor performance. I can’t believe they even made it. Oh man that note. Well, next week, we are going to slide into your DMS Hey girl and talk about hustling and girlboss culture we’ve got. We’ve got some stuff to say about that. In the meantime, leave us a review on Apple podcasts and listen to us on your favorite platform. You can also follow us on social media at irsipodcast or send us an email at idratherstayinpodcast@gmail.com we’d love to hear from you. Bye

Transcribed by https://otter.ai