That was a new melody we found. I like it. Ring, ring, ring, ring. It can be anything and it is five. No, it's five syllables. It's five opportunities for or more opportunities for melody. And that's on music. Now today we're here to talk about sports though because this is the two guys five rings podcast and I'm Matt Rogers. I'm Boan Yang. Would you say music is the opposite of sports? I would. No theater is the opposite of sports. I don't know. Theater and sports are kind of similar where it's just people watching. Well, here's the thing. Theater really does meet sports when we discuss a certain dynamic duo. That's get this on our show today. Yes, there is another Olympics duo. That's not us. I don't know whether to be threatened or welcoming. I guess because they're on the show we should choose the latter. We should choose the latter and welcome them. They are our guests. We're not going to we're not going to threaten. It's going to be a nice moment. We don't want to be. I don't know. A judge duty. No, that woman she brings people into her show and then she's rude to them. She really is a very judgmental person. But I guess that's sort of the whole thing with being a judge. You know what I mean? I'd go, oh, judge Shindland, have some respect for yourself. I'm not going to call you by your first name. I don't know you like that. Oh, wow. Yeah. Shine lin. Shine lin. I forget about the shine lin of it all. I have to like I happen to like that name. Judge Judy Shindland. Judy Shindland. What are great last names as well? What? Lapinski and we're. I can't think of better. Rodgers and Yang. Get bent. Get bent. Seriously. Seriously. Sick of us. Luckily, these two are going to be all over our screens for the next, I guess, hopefully the rest of our time. We hope they make it very far on traders. We don't yet know. Yes. But I will say that they are on traders. They are Olympians themselves. They are commentating, which is different than judging. In fact, they often commentate on the judging, which is very valuable. It's the checks and balances of the Olympics as it were. And here they are. The one, the only or should we say the two and only, the two and only, Tara Lapinski and Johnny Weir. Enjoy. Well, well, well. Look who it is. Another pair. Another iconic pair. We got Tara Lapinski and Johnny Weir with us. Thanks for joining. Of course. We're so excited to be here. Thank you guys for having us. Listen, we did need someone, anyone with any expertise about winter sports to come beyond this podcast because it is not us. So thank you so much for throwing us a life raft. We're here to help. We're here to help. We're here to help. We're here to help. Right. So explain the concept of winter for everybody. Well, in hockey, they wear pads for winter. Okay. They're the main thing that we need to know. Padding, of course. So you guys are obviously, I think it's sort of like changed, commentating when you guys like decided to team up. Was that an idea that you guys had about each other or was it sort of, was there a chemistry read? Like, how did it happen that you guys came to be? So it was, it was really kismic because I was commentating the, the women's event and Johnny was commentating the men's event and we were doing it separately. And of course, you know, skating is a very small world. So I knew of Johnny, but we never really had a lot of interactions. We skated at different times and competed at different times. But we were in NBC sports studios and waiting to do our respective commentaries that night. And we were sitting in a hallway on the floor with our bags next week, other than we just started talking about our handbags. And I was like, this is my best friend. I don't know where he's been, but this is my soulmate in life. And I love you. And pretty much we, we chatted and by the end of that conversation, we said we need to pitch NBC that we commentate together. And this was right before the 2014 Olympics. Oh my goodness, it's been crazy. Over a decade. And we then did a little audition. Oh, there was an audition. There was an audition. And I think we nailed it. And then we, we moved on to Sochi. The thing is about like where we both come from, obviously we share a past as figure skaters and elite athletes and figure skating has a bad reputation for not being the warmest and coziest of environments because it's like football where you have a game every single weekend to prove yourself. We really get one chance in front of the world. So that ultimately creates a culture where it's so competitive and you don't want to trust anyone because they might stand in your path. And for some reason when Tara and I met, I didn't feel any of that. I didn't feel any hostility. There was no competitiveness. It was just pure love and it's so rare. I think in life anyway to find someone like that but from where we come from, even more rare. It's just been the most magical journey to actually share a career and share something that we love with the whole world and do it sitting next to our best friend. It's just, it's been so magical and we're so grateful every time we sit in that booth. I mean, that's beautiful because I mean, listen, if figures skating were warm and cozy would melt the freaking ice. Yeah. So it's okay. But also I think the reason why people love you guys so much as a duo is that you demonstrate this technical knowledge on top of being personalities, which is something that you have to sort of account for because the attention of the audience at home is on and everyone in the room is on the activity but like you are literally adding color and depth and dimension to what is going on and giving context in a very important way. So I think the fact that people have fallen in love with you beyond the technical precision of what you've done and demonstrating your careers is sort of the special thing. But how did you guys know to expand beyond figures skating? Because talk about doing the summer Olympics, talk about doing the Derby. Like, what, how do you read up on these things? That was a hat thing, wasn't it? It was a hat. Well, it was so crazy is we didn't really expect this. We went to Sochi, we were in Russia, we had our adjoining rooms, we were having the time of our life, we were on NBC Sports, which was, you know, not the prime time show. So no one was really noticing us while we were there. But one morning I looked at Instagram and I was like, Johnny, things are happening at home. We're so mean to interact with you. We barely understood it. Of course. But we realized that, you know, oh, when we get back, things might be a little different and they were. We immediately sort of got the spot as the new prime time commentators. And then really the cherry on top for Johnny and I, where our careers together expanded was the offers and opportunities to work with an NBC Sports at the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl, the National Dog Show. And then beyond that, we then got other opportunities, which we didn't expect. I mean, we hosted a food network show. We, we have done the create, we show up everywhere you think we should have. And somehow we just have to learn and figure out what we're doing at the Super Bowl. It was kind of the cutest thing. So we went to the media day, which I think we were both pretty unfamiliar with. And it's when the players sit in their own little booths and the press of the world travels around from booth to booth, talking to them ever. And because we are so much like sliter and tinier than. Yeah, I just waddled my way up. Yeah, push through that. But then these other like very kind of grizzled football reporters and people from the local beat, like we're not reporters. We're not used to like shuffling. We get to take in places. Yeah, right. We're just kind of like open. They open this little beautiful pathway and push this forward. Here's Rob Grocchowski. Here's Tom Brady. It was just it was so fun. And it's funny to see the kind of people that react to us because being from figure skating it's very niche world. And then, you know, I have my reality show for a long time. And that was even more niche than Olympic figure skating. And like there was all this stuff that we've done. And like I can be getting gas. And I was in LA when it's getting gas and a group of motorcycleists stopped. To be like, I love you and Tara. You guys are awesome. That's the reaction that we get from people. It's so overwhelming and so special. And I think just the fact that we love having fun and experiencing new things and it's easy when we're together because, you know, I'm always going to be there to support Tara and she's always there for me. So we're not afraid to try things and we find the fun and the humor and everything that we do. And I think that's why we keep going. That's why we keep working and showing up at the Super Bowl when we shouldn't. I feel like it's so obvious how much fun you guys are having in one of the ways in which that comes across most is obviously in the fashion. So this is Milan. Okay, it's a fashion capital in a major way. I want to know what we can expect. But also how far in advance you started sourcing pieces, getting everything together, coordinating, walk us through this process. So you know, we are actually getting very good at this, you know, 12 years in. So the time is getting shorter in prep just because we are like an old married couple where we will show up. We showed up at traders and we weren't allowed to talk to each other there and we showed up in white and black. Like we are just, we, it's like telepathic. We kind of know what to do now. We know our colors. And so we'll shop and we'll source, you know, a few months in advance. And then we really do, it's no joke when we bring like 20 suitcases because we just bring everything because then when we get to the hotel, we put it all in our wardrobe racks and we like to mix a match and make sure that we are sharing some similar elements in each each broadcast and we do it there. But I feel like this year, Johnny, we have one fun look. We always do a gold look that we look forward to, but we have a, we have a trader's going on, oh, he got you guys for this year. For for one of the looks. There's a, your scot is in. On trader's giving fashion at the Olympics giving fashion, it's going to be all about you too. Johnny, we should just like wear a cloak one day. We should just, just straight up both being cloaks. I am a thankful. I don't know what you're saying. There's going to be a current like space in Milan. We will stake out for you and we'll find that turret for you. Thank you. I want to go back to this idea that like you guys show up where you quote unquote, like shouldn't be. I think that is why I think the fact that you guys stand out in this like outstanding way is because I think even with figures getting as like a niche thing, you guys really did like push things forward in terms of people like projecting certain ideas on to you, right? Tara, you as a teenager and Johnny, you as someone who was really pushing the boundary for like what the visuals and the campiness and the fun of what the sport could be. I think this is why I mean, well, I should ask you guys like you guys think that's what's giving you this instinct and this maybe armor to like being spaces like that. Well, I think we both come not only just from skating backgrounds, but we're both from Tara was born in Philly. I'm from Amish Country outside Philly. We come from a similar place and we have very similar values, I think in the way that we were raised and the way that we grew up. And there's just that natural way that we respond to one another just from humble upbringing. And then as we got into sports, we were both obviously very competitive. Tara, one, so early and there's such a drive that you have to have to be able to accomplish that and hold all the pressure of the world on your shoulders. And in my own way, I didn't win the Olympics like her, but in my own way, I dealt with a lot of pressure to be the face of something when all I was trying to do was to be a skater, to be a great skater. And I think figure skating and any professional level sport or Olympic level sport, it forces you into being flawless. And I think that both of us having been raised up in that and like, you're not allowed to fail. There is no opportunity to fall down. You cannot do something halfway. I think that growing up in that gave us the opportunity to as entertainers now and people that work in television now. We can just try anything and take it on the chin. And even if we're not rated it, we can laugh our way through it. And it's taken a long time for me personally to learn how to do that because to be a figure skater, you have to be a little bit of a perfectionist and a little bit competitive at least. And I think that the way that we embrace the world is often through hard work and preparation but with humor or what's the point. And that is similar to the way a lot of people live their lives. There's so much pressure on people to be great, to be perfect, to win the bread, to hunt and gather, to do all of those things. And sometimes you just, you want to giggle and you want to go go with your friend. And it's just so special that we have these abilities. No matter what they are, no matter what comes our way, know that we will show up, we will be ready, we will be prepared, we will have worked hard to be prepared. And the best part. And the best part. Yeah, I think also Jay, it's interesting. I think not only, I think there's probably a few things that go into it, but I think our friendship and us being so in sync makes for a very seamless banter and an organic banter. But I think beyond that, it's kind of what you were saying about our sport. We were very, we skated a different times, but there was a lot of similarities throughout our careers that I think we both identify with and we have those shared experiences, but just who we are as people. I think both as, you know, amateur skaters, we were very authentic and we showed up as ourselves and we weren't kind of afraid to ruffle feathers here and there. And again, in figure skating, that's not always the norm, especially back then. Now this board is changing so much in a really good way. But I think when we're in the commentary booth, we always just felt like we have to be our most authentic selves. We have to say what we feel, whether it's for, and you know, just for the entertainment of it all and F fun or to call out a judging panel. And I think just being on the same page in that way, it feels like a safe space that we're allowed to do that. Well, Tara, you mentioned that it's changed. I feel like people outside of the sport would love to know what you attribute that change to in the attitude around the sport within it. Well, I think it's just a culture and over time that will evolve and there will be people inside the sport that are pushing those boundaries that eventually everyone will start to accept and it becomes the norm. And I think that that's what we're seeing now or see, especially in the women's event. I think it's incredible. We call them the big three, the three women going to the Olympics and they all have such different personalities as a Bolivito is the perfectionist of the group, but very funny. And then you have Amber Glenn, who's had an incredible journey and like one word to describe her is just perseverance and authenticity and she wears our heart on her sleeve and she talks about her mental health struggles and how she's overcome all that or still tries to in this moment. And then you have Alyssa Liu, who is just so much fun pushing all the boundaries, shows like dies her hair every day and shows up to practice late and is like, this is who I am. And this is what I want to speak to and this is the dress I'm going to wear. And I think that's right for the sport. Absolutely. And before we wrap it up with some traders questions, we have to our friend who grew up in Newark, Delaware wanted us to ask you, Tara, if you did indeed train at the University of Delaware before. Oh my goodness. Okay, you just you just you confirmed a lot of lore because it was it was the it was the scuttle button town, just in Newark, Delaware, there was a terrible Pinsky's training here. I think you you you figure very heavily into that town. Johnny and I vote again at the all the Delaware icons and I but we were both. Yeah, we both. So in our area, the University of Delaware was the number one training facility for figure skating. And it's still speeding still like that. There'll be huge training bases in Montreal and Michigan and California and New Jersey. But back in our time, it was Delaware of all places and my parents took me there because of people like Tara, Pinsky that had been training there. The level of coaching was so high and the level of skating was so high. And yeah, there's a lot of people that have come through Newark, Delaware, more than you would expect. Yeah. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Okay, it's time for us to finally talk about the Olympics by which I mean the traders. So I want to know as faithfuls, which we can confirm you are at least at this point. I love that you both look down a little bit like you both like, okay? NBC's watching. But when you're watching the show, something that I never really think about until obviously I'm watching it is like, oh, all the faithfuls are watching these conversations in the turret for the first time. So I guess what were your reactions at home watching both Alan selection of the traders and these interactions between Rob, Candace and Rina, which by the way, an iconic three. Well, it's so fascinating to watch it back obviously, iconic three. I think that the the choice of traders is top nods. I don't see them. But Rob blows my mind. I don't know. He's incredible. I think when you're watching because in the castle, he was just so laid back in a way where I was like, maybe doesn't even want to play the game. He's just chilling, but he also was invested at certain times. But just in this like really helpful. He was everyone in the castle just adored Rob. And it was it's hilarious the moment that he was chosen just to see him up there. And and I'm like, I like I watched them play chess because I thought it was weird. But yeah, I was wondering if you were picking anything there. But I'm like, oh, it's Rob. I mean, he's just being teaching Lisa chess, but I mean, there's a moment you see on my face where I'm like, that's weird. You're like, I'm the show that I play. I know how to play chess. Neither of you know the rules. I kept forgetting what I was doing to be fair. It was so weird. I was like, and I think, kind of, I think it's the word Johnny. Yes, yes. Like I was very worried before he went because of like privacy and making keeping the game like secret and all of that. There's no hair and makeup. So I was very worried about how I was going to look because I'm not gifted to my hair and makeup. So that was one thing. But then otherwise, I am so chill with people. Like I accept you as you are on the cancer. So like, give me all of your trauma. Let me help you. Let me be sure. I see Scorpio. Like that's my vibe. So in trying to discuss out, especially from the beginning, Candice, Rina and Rob, I was just like, I love everyone. And I love everyone. And I love everyone. It's just, it's such an overwhelming experience. And Tara and I watched it back. That's with me. We were commentating the US nationals. We stayed up until two in the morning watching the three episodes after work. And it was so funny because there are so many moments that you're not in the room for. And the congoline, I missed the congoline entirely. No idea where I was. Well, I like a good, a good time too. Okay. Like the thing about the castle is traumatizing and terrifying most of the time. But then other times, this cast was so cool. Like all of us got along so well. It was hard. But congoline or dance party, I'm like any castled camp activity, like let's have some fun. Like let's do it up. It didn't feel, it didn't rub you. It didn't feel weird to you that she was just like out of nowhere, suggesting it. It was like, yeah, we've been drinking this with a congoline. I did say, maybe we do this tomorrow. But then you hear me saying that because I'm like, this is strange. And it's late and I'm tired. But you know what? If you're going to do the congoline, let me get it. Once Terra goes all in too, like we didn't have normal childhoods or proper childhoods in any way. So anytime you give us like a ran head, easter egg hunt or congoline, like we're both going to give it our all because we didn't get to do it. Sure. It's healing. It's healing something from the past. I have a very important question, which is how long is the drive from the castle to where they put you up, which is not a production secret. No, I just want to know how long is that true? Oh, no, you're not allowed to say they're not allowed to say they really can't say that you can't say wow. And they both were just like, you guys are good. Well, we say crazy. We can't tell anything. I can't afford a lawsuit. Yeah, I was going to say it. Now I want to know what is the NDA say? Can you say that? What are you up against? I can tell you. And we were thinking we can tell you what happened that you saw. Yeah, 100%. You can confirm our eyes were working. You guys win the gold for abiding by the NDA. Congratulations. Well, I guess one thing that we do know is that, you know, obviously you guys are an extremely well-known duo. And so your decision to act like you were not very close. Were people sort of approaching you being like, hey, why aren't you talking to your very well-known friend? Or did you just find that it didn't come up? Well, Jay, I'll start this up and you can finish it. But I, you know, Johnny and I knew we were going to this together before we went. You did. And so when we got there, I mean, our plan, what I thought the plan, and we agreed, the plan was just far away and just hope somehow they think we worked together, but we're not that close. And you're we're in this and we're competitive in our own right. So when Johnny, the very first thing, you can kind of see it when they, it was such a quick clip, but he comes up and I thought he was being way too friendly. So I really give him the cold shoulder of like nice to be sure. Yeah. You know, like I and I saw his little face after I know him so well and I saw his face where he's like, okay, I don't know where to go. But I think it's like I'm really socially awkward and like I like my people and yeah, I'm sorry. I'm going to be outgoing and stuff is just a very learned skill. So we, I don't think, Tee, we never assume anyone knows who we are. And I think it's just again, because of the way we were raised and who we are, I'm not going to assume anything. We're going to be humble about it if someone does know, but if they don't know, we're also not going to be upset about it. And with that said, I never know who anyone is. I really don't follow pop culture a lot and I don't have time to be fair. And we showed up and I knew Tara, obviously, and I knew she was going to be there. And we had interviewed Eric Nam for a piece on K-pop during the Olympics in Tongchang. So we knew him, but he had to remind me that I knew him. Otherwise, they're also pretty and loud. Like what am I going to do for? Like obviously we knew like Lisa Rina, but I've never watched Housewide. I know who Rob, what I know, we had no idea. Was there someone that you guys are doing a lot about Rappapor? Because when you're there, you don't have access to your phone or the internet and things like that. So I couldn't even Google people. And I didn't know how divisive he was because I take everyone and face value and you shake my hand. That's when I kind of make my judgment about you. So we didn't have any background information about anyone. And since I've been home and people have seen the first three episodes, they're all like, how did you handle him? I'm like, I just thought he was loud, but I didn't realize this kind of reputation. Well pretty quickly, I feel like divided the room within the traders anyway. So he tips himself off. But out of everyone, was there one person that you actually were star struck by? Even if you don't follow two things, many that much? Well, I didn't know anyone. Honestly, like I didn't know. Sure. I should be star struck or not. Because I know I'm not really at the show. And I know there's a lot of like housewives and gamers. And I've never watched an episode of Survivor or Big Brother in my life. So as huge as they are in their communities, I had no idea. I was, I know Alan Cumming before in the city and was like not star struck by him. I want to see what it was wearing. But I knew him. Yeah. Castle was very impressive and like driving up to it for the first time, I was pretty star struck by the castle, I can say. But everyone else like, I just met them as regular people, not as huge stars in their own realms. Well, I think it was all that. You probably were able to take it. Oh my god, that's Terri LePinsky. To really take it. Well, what I think was cool is that because, Ronny and I don't watch a lot of reality television that we really, I was talking to Candice about that. I really bonded with her and I don't know anything about her history on housewives, any story lines. I don't know anything. So I just know who I met the human in front of me that I grew a friendship with. And now we talk about our babies. And I still haven't watched any of the shows. And I don't think I need to. I just, I like the friendships that I made in the castle in that way. Yeah. And I mean, we knew, we kind of knew of Mark Ballas because I did dance with stars. But not the season that he, he was on a break that season. And I quickly fell in love with Candice and Caroline. And I was just trying to be as shown. Lisa Redd is the justice. Yeah, we love Renna. Cool. The best vibe. Well, I think the moral of this is that Eric Nam had to give you a, actually, we've met Johnny. So that's very cool. You, you, you, you, you, you ran up. You ran up. You were all outside the castle, right? And it was just a cluster of people in cool outfits. And he ran up. And instead of saying, Johnny, it's so good to see you. He said, Johnny, we work together when we did that piece for the Olympics in Korea. I'm Eric. God damn reminder. That's how you do it. Eric, thank you. He's so cute. He's so sweet. I'll say the best, the best. Well, thank you so much for joining us for giving us your time. You guys are very busy right now. We'll see you in Milan, hopefully. Yes. We'll be watching. We'll hang. We'll get a cocktail. I feel like this is a, this is a force of it needs to happen. We're working. We're working. So we can have like a butter. Or some pasta. We can't. Sure, sure. I mean, I love the glass of wine. Yeah. I'll have dinner with you though. It's heart healthy. Okay. See you there. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. A stirring conversation. Truly, they, we're willing to get into it with us about trade or stuff. I'm truly grateful. As much as they could as much as they could. You know, I'm interested. I love hearing how the faithfuls feel when the traders are revealed on television. It's a whole other show they haven't even seen. Of course. Fascinating stuff. Fascinating stuff. Um, they're legends. I am genuinely so excited to hear them talk, talk, talk and come out and look, look, looks, looks. And I'm excited to flag them down for a glass of wine on the ground in Milan on the ground in Milan. It's going to happen. And we'll have um, a French wine. Yeah. A French wine in Italy. Not an Italian. You're so subversive. So what the nose. So what the nose. Anyway, whatever we drink, we'll be sure to tell you all about it on the next episode of two guys five rings. It might not be the next one. It might be another. We don't know when it's going to be. We don't know. We might forget about. We might forget to mention it. At some point, you'll either hear from us or you won't. And that's just how life is. That's just how all communication is really. Yeah. I can't guarantee that you'll hear from me ever again after today. I would be sad ultimately I'd get over it because I'd have to. Right. But it would be hard to lose you, though. I agree. This is an I Heart Podcast. Guaranteed Human.
