Toronto-Based Talk Show Host Adam Lupis Discusses "The Up & Adam Show"

Talk show host Adam Lupis shares his passion for the 80s and 90s eras on his YouTube show “The Up & Adam Show,” where he interviews notable artists in the music, film and TV spaces. Some of Adam’s recent guests include singer AJA, actors Charles Baker (“Breaking Bad”) and Lillo Brancato Jr. (Sopranos), creator Butch Hartman (Cartoon Network’s “Fairly OddParents”), television host Carlos Bustamante (YTV, Canadian television), and horror host Dead Meat (4.4M subscribers). And some upcoming guests include Jesse Kove (Netflix’s “Cobra Kai”) and storied super villain Robert Davi (“Die Hard,” “James Bond: License to Kill,” and “The Goonies”). Adam hail from Toronto, Canada.

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

I come from an Italian background. Both my parents were born in Calabria, Italy and moved to Canada at a very young age. They passed on a lot of the Italian values to me, which has helped me to become the man that I am today. I was raised in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. My childhood consisted of spending time with my friends and keeping myself busy with other childhood endeavors. I was always an ambitious kid. When I was eleven, I started cutting my neighbour's lawn for money, which turned out to become bigger than I had imagined. I expanded my “business” and ended up cutting the whole neighbourhood’s lawns, and it was at that moment when I knew I could accomplish anything if I believed in myself and worked hard at it. I never did like working for someone else. There were a few bad bosses and always felt under-appreciated in those environments. That is what sparked my interest to become an entrepreneur and pursue my own passions.   

What inspired you to start your podcast?  

It’s actually a funny story. I was a barber for four years before I started my show. I always thought I loved the craft when in reality I really just enjoyed conversing with my clients. When the pandemic hit and I was out of work, I thought to myself, “What do I really want to do? What am I truly passionate about?” And the answer was talking to people. So I thought about how to approach that and, shortly thereafter, started my show and began sharing stories with my guests about my barbering days, which blossomed from there. I grew up inspired by Jay Leno and Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, which had such a genuine feel to them. I really admire that era of television and hope to convey a similar feel in with my show. 

How did you start it? What were the first steps you took?

I started out on Spotify and Apple. It was a mess at first because I was doing everything on my own. I had saved a lot of money from barbering, so I used some of it to invest in a graphic designer/editor. This made my job a lot easier and more efficient. He helped me produce the episodes and edited a lot of the audio. Fast forward to now, my creative director Justin produces all my content on YouTube, and we are currently revamping the look to give it that “Tonight Show” feel — with an Adam Lupis twist! 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your podcast?  

The most effective way to raise awareness is by networking with people. A simple introduction and asking someone to kindly check out your work can work wonders. That’s how I’ve made all my connections. I just reach out as genuinely as I can and tell them my vision for the show, and I’ve found that they really like it! It’s crazy, because people are often shy or embarrassed to promote themselves. We forget that everyone started from the bottom and had to do exactly the same thing. Everyone has to start from somewhere. But it’s all about putting yourself out there and hoping people take a liking.   

What have been your biggest challenges when launching your podcast?  

One of the biggest challenges was finding the right look and theme I wanted for my show. I tend to like a lot of things, and there are days when I want the show to look a certain way and then the next day it will want to change. I believe it’s all about staying true to yourself and sticking to that. Over time you can learn and adapt to changes, but it’s important to have a good base to work from. 

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new podcasters? 

My best piece of advice is to not listen to any negative people. It’s impossible to make everyone like you, and people shouldn’t be chasing for everyone’s approval anyhow. So, the other piece of advice would be to always do what makes you happy in life. You have to be you, do you, and then attract the right audience for that and build trust from there. When I first started, people were always saying, “Why are you doing this?” Or “You shouldn’t do this as a career because it’s not realistic.” But I’m a firm believer that, if someone has done something in life, it’s proof that it’s possible.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favourite app would be YouTube because it’s such a diverse platform. You can learn, laugh and be entertained all at once. My favourite blog is “Hardcore Italians Blog,” because my background is Italian and I tend to relate with a lot of their content! My favourite book is “Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban”! I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and I enjoy the books as well as the movies.  

What projects do you have planned for the next six months? 

For the next six months I will be booking more guests for the show and trying to finalize my new studio in the unit I am renting. I am always trying to better myself and the show and I think the more you put into your passions, the more success you will achieve. Also, I will be looking to expand through partnerships and sponsorships. So, I’ll be reaching out to some influencers to network with and to form partnership with! I will do whatever it takes to grow. 

How can our readers connect with you? 

You can find me on Instagram: @theupandadamshow. TikTok: @theupandadamshow. And on Linktr.ee at: https://linktr.ee/theupandadamshow.