Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - Two Guys, Five Rings: Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir

Episode Date: January 24, 2026

Is there another Olympic Duo as dynamic as Matt and Bowen? In this week's episode of the Two Guys, Five Rings podcast, NBC's Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir drop by to discuss the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (but mostly Traitors). Tara explains how the two former skaters met and became friends and co-workers. Johnny discusses all the different events the two have taken part in and how they've been so widely accepted. From the Oscars, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, and the National Dog Show....find out what makes Johnny and Tara so magical together.  Listen to every episode of Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen + The Olympics on your favorite podcast platform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Ring, ring, ring, ring. 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 as 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 Bowen-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.

Get this, on our show today. Yes, there is another Olympics duo that's not us. I don't know whether it'd be threatened or welcoming, I guess, because they're on the show. We should choose the ladder. We should choose the ladder and welcome. Then they are our guests.

We're not gonna threaten. It's gonna be a nice moment. We don't wanna be, I don't know, a Judge Judy. No. You know, 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 gonna call you by your first name. I don't know you like that. Oh, wow, yeah. Shindlin. You forget about the Shindlin of it all. I happen to like that name.

Judge Judy Shindler. Judge Judy Shindling. You know what are great last names as well? What? Lipinski and Weir. I can't think of better. Rogers and Yang, get bent. Get bent.

Get bent. Seriously. Sick of us. Anyway, luckily, these two are going to be all over our screens for the next, I guess, hopefully. The rest of our lives. We hope they make it very. far on traitors. 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. Terlipinski and Johnny Weir. Enjoy. Well, well, well, look who is. It is another pair. Another iconic pair. We've got Terlipinski and Johnny.

We're with us. Thanks for joining. 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 need to know. Just ask. Right. So explain the concept of winter. for everybody. Well, in hockey, they wear pads for winter. Okay.

That's 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 really kismet because, I was commentating at 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 to each other. and 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 soul-made in life. And I love you. And pretty much 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 moved on to Sochi.

And the thing is about where we both come from. Obviously, we share a cast as figure skaters and elite athletes, and figure skating has a bad reputation for not being the warmest and cosiest of environments, because it's not like football where you have a game every single weekend to prove yourself. You 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. And 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 figure skating were warm and cozy would melt the freaking ice, 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, 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, you know, 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 figure 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 thing. Well, what 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. We were still me to inspire.

Like we barely understood it. Of course. But we realized that, you know, oh, when we get. get back, things might be a little different, and they were. We immediately sort of got the spot as the new primetime commentators. And then really the cherry on top for Johnny and I, where our careers together expanded was the offers and the opportunities to work within 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 have done the

create, we show up everywhere you think we shouldn't be. 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 whomever. And because we are so much like slighter and tinier than most of the other football people, we have to push through a little bit. 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 taken places. You get taken. Right. We're talented. They opened this little beautiful pathway and kind of pushed us forward. Here's Rob Grotkowski. Here's Tom Brady.

And 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 had my own reality show for a long time. And that was even more niche than Olympic figure skating. And like there was all the stuff that we've done. And like I can be getting gas. And I was in L.A. ones getting gas. And a group of motorcyclists stopped.

To be like, I love you and Tara. You guys are awesome. And 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. And 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 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 Traders' Knot coming at you guys for this year. Perfect.

For one of the looks. It's your season. On Traders 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 straight up both being cloaks.

I am a faithful. I don't know. what you're saying. There's going to be a turret-like space in Milan that we will stake out for you. And we'll find that turret for you. Thank you. 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 figure skating as, like, a niche thing, you guys really did. like push things forward in terms of people like projecting certain ideas onto you right like

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 do you guys think that's what's giving you this instinct and this maybe armor to like be in spaces like that well I think we 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, in the way that we grew up. And there's just that natural way that we respond to one another, just from humble upbringings. And then as we got into sports, we were both obviously very

competitive, Tara, you know, won 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, you know, in my own way, I didn't win the Olympics like her, but in my own way, I dealt with a lot of pressure, you know, to be the face of something when all I was trying to do was to be a skater and to be a great skater. And I think figure skating in any professional level sport

or Olympic level sport, it forces you into being flawless. And I think that both of us, and 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 great at 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, you know, to be a figure skater, you have to be a little bit of a perfectionist and a little bit competitive at least. 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 I think that 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 with your friend. And it's just so special that we have these, of billies, 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 it's sparkly. 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. And we were very, we skated at different times, but we, 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, the sport 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 just for the entertainment of it all and to have 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 ad. 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. We're seeing, 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. Isabella LeVito 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 Lou, who is just so much fun pushing all the boundaries, shows like dyes her hair every day and shows up to practice late. And it's like, this is who I am.

And this is what I want to ski to. And this is the dress I'm going to wear. and I think that's great 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, because it was the scuttle butt in town, just in Newark Delaware. There was like, Tara Lipinski's training here. And so I think you, you, you, you, you, you, figure very heavily into that town. Johnny and I both, again, all the Delaware icons. But we were both there.

We both, um, so in our area, the University of Delaware was the number one training facility for figure skating. And it's still, skating still like that. There will be huge training bases in, in Montreal,

in Michigan, in California, in New Jersey. But, you know, back in our time, it was Delaware, of all places.

And, um, my parents took me, there because of people like Tara Lipinski that have been training there and 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. Don't work. Don't work. Doer. Doer. Go work. 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're 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's 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 theory. I think that the choice of traders is top-notch on this season.

But Rob blows my mind. I don't know, Johnny. He's incredible. He's at the same when you're watching. Because in the castle, he was just so laid back. He's a sign for a way where I was like, maybe he 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. Like, he was, he would, everyone in the castle just adored Rock. And it was, it's hilarious the moment that he was chosen just to see him up there. And I'm like, I like, I watched them play chess because I thought it was weird. Yeah, yeah.

I was wondering if you were right there. But I'm like, oh, it's Rob. I mean, he might just be 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 not sure those two know how to play chess. Neither of you know the rules. I kept forgetting what I was doing, to be fair. I just, it's so overwhelming.

And I think, promontizing is 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 do my hair and makeup.

So that was one thing. But then otherwise, like, I am so chill with people. Like, I accept you as you are. I'm a cancer. so like give me all of your trauma, let me help you. Pisces Scorpio. Like that's my vibe.

So in trying to discuss out, especially from the beginning, Candace Rina and Rob, I was just like, I love everyone. And I want everyone to win. But it's just, it's such an overwhelming experience.

And Tara and I watched it back. That's what we were commenting the U.S. Nationals. We stayed up until two in the morning, watching the three episodes after work. And it was just so funny. because there are so many moments that you're not in the room for. And the conga line, I missed the conga line entirely, no idea where I was.

Well, I like a good time, too, Jay. The thing about the castle is traumatizing and terrifying most of the time. But then other times, this cast was so cool. I think all of us got along so well. For the most part. It was hard. But, you know, Congoline or dance party, I'm like any can't, you know, Castle can't, you know, Castle 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. Let's do a conga line. 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 conga line, let me get in. Once, Tara goes all in, too. Like, we didn't have normal childhoods or proper childhoods in any way. So anytime you give us like, a ramhead Easter egg hunt or a conga line. 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, oh, no, you're not allowed to say. They're not allowed to say. They really can't say, wow. And the way that they both were just like. You guys are good. Well, we signed crazy NDAs.

We can't tell anything. I can't afford a lawsuit. Yeah, I was going to say, now I want to know what does the NDA say. Can you say that? What are you up against? I can tell you you were there. And we were facing. 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 agree. The plan was just far away and just hope somehow they think we work together, but we're not that close. And we're in this and we're competitive in our own right.

So when Johnny, the very first day, 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 closer. 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 back. The thing is, like, I'm really socially awkward, and, like, I like my people. And something I think I'm going to be outgoing and stuff is just a very learned skill. So we, I don't think, T, 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 Pyong Chang. So we knew him, but he had to remind me that I knew him. Otherwise, I was just like, they're also pretty and loud. Like, what am I going to do for? Like, obviously, we knew like Lisa Serena, but I've never watched Housewives. I didn't know who Rob was. We had no idea. I think the question we get a lot is about Rappaport. 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 like Google people. And I didn't know how divisive he was because I take everyone at face value. When you shake my hand, that's when I kind of make my judgment about you. So we didn't have any background with me. about anyone. And, like, 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, he, I feel, like, divided the room within the traitors anyway. So, you know, he tips himself off in a way. So, 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 people who know I should be star-struck or not. Because I know I'm 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 had known Alan coming before in the city and was, like, not star-struck by him. I want to see what it was wearing, but I knew him. Castle was. 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. You probably were able to, oh, my God, that's Teril Lipinski. To really fake it. Well, what I think was cool is that because Johnny and I don't watch a lot of reality television, that we really,

I was talking to Candace about that. I really bonded with her. And I don't know anything about her history on housewives, any storylines. I don't know anything. So I just know who I met the human in front of me that I, you know, 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 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 dancing with the stars, but not the season that he was on a break that season. and I quickly fell in love with Candace and Caroline.

And I was just trying to be as chill and cool. Lisa Renna is the coolest. Yeah, we love Renna. We love her. Coolest. 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 can wear that as a bad to bond. He ran up because we 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 worked together when we did that piece for the Olympics in Korea.

I'm Eric. Context. Reminder. That's how you do it. Eric's the cutest. He's so sweet. I'll say. The best, the best.

You guys are very busy right now. We'll see you in Milan, hopefully. Yes, we will. We're going to be watching. We'll hang. We'll get a cocktail. I feel like this is a for some that needs to happen. We're going to be working so we can have like a butter noodle or some pasta.

We can't drink. Sure, sure. I mean, I like a glass of wine. Yeah, hello. I'll have dinner with you, though. It's heart healthy. There we go. See you there.

Thank you guys. Bye, guys. Bye. Bye. A stirring conversation. Truly. They, we're willing to get into it with us about Trader stuff. I'm truly grateful.

As much as they could. You know, I'm interested. I love hearing how the faithfuls. feel when the traitors are revealed on television. It's a whole other show they haven't even seen. Of course. Fascinating stuff. Fascinating stuff.

They're legends. I am genuinely so excited to hear them talk, talk, talk, talk, and come out and 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 a French wine. Yeah. A French wine in Italy?

Not an Italian. You're so subversive. On 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 might forget about it. 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. you both. I agree. Do do, do, do, do, do. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.