Rapper Snoop Dogg ran into an unexpected snag while ordering dinner at a restaurant in Livigno, Italy: his credit card wouldn’t go through.
He had placed a takeout order that included a cheeseburger, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, and french fries. Sofia Valmadre, the daughter of the restaurant owners at Cronox, said the payment attempt failed multiple times.
“He sent his staff to take it and pay, but they couldn’t pay. I don’t know why, it wasn’t going,” she said. “So my mother told him that it was okay without paying.”
The next day, Snoop thanked the family with five tickets to the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He’s in Italy as an Olympics correspondent for a major broadcaster and is also serving as an honorary coach for Team USA, a role the team announced in December. He has been prominently featured throughout coverage of the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina.
While in Italy, Snoop has been spending time around top athletes, including Ilia Malinin and Jordan Stolz. He was also in the stands when skier Lindsey Vonn crashed on February 8. During his visit, he’s tried a number of winter sports himself.
Snowboarding legend Shaun White even gave him a lesson. Snoop fell several times before starting to get the hang of it, comparing the sensation to surfing — before joking that he doesn’t actually know how to surf either. He also tried bobsledding, but that one didn’t win him over.
“I would never do bobsledding again. That’s just not me,” he said. “I look good in there, but I’m not going down that hill. I had a good time.”
Curling, on the other hand, was a hit. He also rode down a hill on a plastic trash can, calling it a first for him on ice.
“That was my first time ever doing something like that on ice, and I was courageous enough to try it. And let me tell you, I’d do it again and again and again. I had fun. That was super fun,” he said.
Snoop also met up with actor Stanley Tucci at a local bar, where Tucci drank a martini while Snoop ordered gin and juice. Reflecting on his Olympic experience, Snoop said he’s enjoying the way the event brings people together.
“I am the love vessel right now, and I love that I am the peace messenger,” he said. “That’s what the Olympics is about. It’s about bringing the world together to celebrate sports and unity, and I’m glad to be at the forefront of it all, because this is what I love doing. I love putting smiles on people’s faces.”
