Overview of Not Skinny, But Not Fat — Chloe Kim episode
Amanda Hirsch interviews Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim for a candid, wide-ranging conversation that blends sport, family, identity and everyday life. Kim — a two-time Olympic medalist (gold in 2018; silver in 2022) — talks about her recent Winter Olympics experience, injuries and recovery, the pressures of elite sport, her upbringing and finances, time at Princeton, navigating racism and mental health, and her relationship with NFL player Miles Garrett. The tone is conversational, informal and often humorous; Hirsch frames the interview as a “chat with a friend.”
Key topics covered
- Olympic performance and media narratives (the “gold or bust” mentality; color analysis joke: “silver/white gold is my color”)
- Injury story: shoulder dislocation during training, need for possible surgery, and long-standing ACL issues
- Training realities: limited practice time before competition, how that impacts performance and expectations
- Sponsorships and finances: early Monster Energy deal and its life-changing impact
- Family background: parents’ sacrifices, dad traveling with her to events, retiring her parents young
- Growing up: being homeschooled for snowboarding, living in Switzerland (age ~8–10) to learn French
- College: brief, positive year at Princeton (attended 2019–2020; left after a year to train)
- Racism and mental health: cyberbullying, microaggressions, feeling isolated despite success
- Lifestyle and routines: music rituals before runs, “lucky” hoops, living solo since 18, shopping and downtime preferences
- Relationship: dating NFL star Miles Garrett; how they met and manage long-distance during seasons
Notable quotes and soundbites
- On media framing of medals: “Who cares? I have a medal. Three people get a medal. I was one of the three people.”
- On pre-Olympic prep and injury: she had “four days of training outside of competition” and then two practice days at the Olympics.
- On sponsors and finances: her first big sponsor was Monster Energy at age 13 — “that contract changed my life” (she describes it as a six-figure deal).
- On family support: “I retired my parents by the time I was 15” (Kim describes using her earnings to support her family).
- On identity and racism: she described receiving racist messages and microaggressions and feeling alone even when she was successful.
- On approaching risk: “I’m not allowed to be scared. I picked the wrong sport to be scared.”
Sports, training and injuries
- Event format explained for non-experts: in halfpipe she commonly gets five hits (jumps) per run and must manage airtime/room for tricks.
- Injury details: Kim dislocated her shoulder in a weird fall between jumps (not on a trick); it was popped back in but may require surgery for continued athletic performance. She also notes an ACL that she describes as “85% torn” for a decade — it sometimes gives out but is not always painful.
- Training choices: Kim purposely reduced the number of competitions she enters (from many per season to ~3–4) to protect her wellbeing and focus on quality over quantity.
- Mental approach: uses music (rap/energetic tracks like Young Thug, Baby Keem, Cardi B, Meg Thee Stallion) to regulate pre-run anxiety and get in the right headspace.
Background, family and finances
- Parents: father quit steady work early to support her snowboarding; both parents later traveled with her to events. Kim says her early sponsorship income allowed her to financially help and “retire” her parents young.
- Early life: homeschooled from ~age 11–12 because of travel; lived in Switzerland from ages ~8–10 to learn French (parents arranged through a relative).
- Sisters: two half-sisters, much older (10 and 15 years older); relationships evolved over time — now close.
- Living situation: moved out at 18, values independence and routine; describes herself as “responsibly messy” and purges frequently.
Identity, racism and mental health
- Kim discusses online racism and microaggressions she experienced while competing as a Korean American representing the U.S.
- She describes feeling isolated despite athletic success, cyberbullying and the emotional toll of being a public figure from a young age.
- College at Princeton was partly a bid for normalcy and broader identity development — she wanted friends and experiences outside snowboarding.
- She highlights the importance of boundaries and choosing a career rhythm that protects mental health (e.g., fewer competitions, longer off-season).
Personal life, routines and fun details
- Music: uses energetic rap for performance; sometimes listens to calmer music when trying to chill but prefers hype tracks for competition.
- Superstitions/rituals: has “lucky” white-gold hoops and prefers not to be dependent on “lucky underwear” or fragile superstitions.
- Medals: her mom tucks her medals away (she jokes about her mom squirrel-ing them into a shoebox), and Kim says she’s not overly attached to physical objects.
- Relationship: dating NFL star Miles Garrett; they met via a mutual friend/therapist/trainer contact and have been together over a year. Kim emphasizes compatibility, shared humor and mutual support (stories about meeting, the pink Bronco birthday gift, managing schedules).
- Lifestyle: enjoys California warmth, shopping, and taking spring/summer mostly off to recharge.
Practical takeaways and recommendations
- For media/interviewers: avoid reductive or antagonistic framing (e.g., “two silvers gained or two golds lost”); athletes often appreciate respect for context and process.
- For athletes and coaches: selective competition scheduling can preserve longevity and mental health; quality over quantity matters.
- For fans and the public: recognize athletes’ humanity — success and medal wins don’t remove vulnerabilities (injury, isolation, racism).
- For parents and supporters: Kim’s story underscores how parental sacrifice and practical support (travel, supervision) can be critical, and how that dynamic shifts as athletes grow.
Bottom line
This episode presents Chloe Kim as more than an Olympic medalist: she’s a young athlete navigating elite sport, commercial success, identity and personal life while prioritizing mental wellbeing and a sustainable approach to competition. The conversation mixes candid disclosures (injury, racism, family struggles) with light, relatable moments (music, fashion, dating), giving listeners both an insider’s view of high-level snowboarding and a window into Kim’s personality and values.