10 Jaw-Droppingly Awesome and Motivational Tweets From Olympic Figure Skater Adam Rippon The openly gay bronze medalist has described himself as 'America's sweetheart' after gaining attention for his funny and honest Twitter presence.

By Lydia Belanger

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Roberto Schmidt​ | Getty Images

U.S. Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon is making a name for himself both on the ice rink and on social media.

In early January, the 28-year-old became the first openly gay American man to qualify for the Winter Olympics and quickly found himself -- and his sassy, candid tweets -- in the spotlight.

Related: The Inspiring Stories of These Trailblazing, Triumphant U.S. Olympic Athletes Will Warm Your Heart

"I've always spoken my mind and from the heart," Rippon told the Associated Press. "I think America's just catching up. The other day I was joking to one of my friends and he was like, you're kind of everywhere now. I said, "I know, I'm like America's sweetheart.'"

His tweets have gained the attention of Vice President Mike Pence, Donald Trump Jr. and actress Reese Witherspoon, in addition to nearly a quarter-million followers. He's posted many jokes and inspirational messages from his account even from PyeongChang, where he helped the U.S. figure skating team earn a bronze medal on Feb. 12.

"It might come off as cocky, but I've been through a lot in my life," Rippon added. "I've used my sense of humor as a coping tool. It's gotten me through a lot of challenging times."

Click through to see how Rippon communicates with fans -- and "haters" -- via the social platform.

He lets his personality shine through.

He called out Vice President Mike Pence.

In an interview with USA Today Sports published Jan. 17, Rippon responded to the news that Vice President Mike Pence would be present at the PyeongChang Olympics.

He said he wouldn't go out of his way to meet with Pence during the games, based on the widespread belief that the vice president implied support of gay conversion therapy earlier in his political career.

After Pence's team released a statement denying his support of the practice, Rippon fired back.

Pence has since tweeted at Rippon refuting the claims and showing his support for the athletes in PyeongChang.

And he calls out his haters.

Here's an example of him firing back at one who asked via Twitter, "So is he skating with the women?":

He exudes confidence.

He invokes his mom frequently.

He’s embraced Reese Witherspoon’s adoration of him.

He's even thanked Witherspoon offline in an interview, elevating the actress above his mom in a tongue-in-cheek way.

He’s extremely unfiltered.

He spins negativity into pep talks.

He stays down to Earth.

He expresses pride.

Lydia Belanger is a former associate editor at Entrepreneur. Follow her on Twitter: @LydiaBelanger.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Fans of Costco's $1.50 Hot Dog Combo Are In for a Big Surprise

Costco CEO Ron Vachris announced a change that's coming soon to the company's food courts.

Leadership

How a Mindfulness Practice Can Help You Beat Tech Overwhelm

This article explores how mindfulness can transform your tech choices, ensuring technology serves your business goals without adding unnecessary complexity.

Business News

'Nobody Ever Gave Me Anything': More Boomers Say They're Not Transferring Wealth to Family Until They're Dead

A new survey from Charles Schwab found boomers are more hesitant to distribute their wealth than other generations.

Business News

Instagram Is Offering TikTok Creators Up to $50,000 Per Month For Exclusive Content

Leaked deals show that there are strict terms to receiving the money.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Uber's CEO Says Drivers Have About 10 Years Left Before They Will Be Replaced

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the jobs of human drivers are safe for the next decade, but after that, another type of driver will take over.