‘Remember when you were a kid and all you wanted to be was an adult?’ asks the So This Is Adulting podcast. For adults who are finding the whole ‘adulting’ thing a bit of a struggle, Australia-born podcaster Rebecca Adams is here with celebrity guests and tales from her own life to help with getting through the tough bits.  

What sparked the launch of So This Is Adulting?

I never wanted this to be a podcast as I thought no one would care to listen (Insert violin music here). An agent in the entertainment industry asked me what I was writing about and I told her and she then said this should be a podcast as no one is doing a story time/interview time podcast. After I thought about it and asked a few friends if this was a good idea, I then approached someone who must have told the BBC about it as I was approached by them. Long story short, it made it to the final stages and nearly made it into an actual radio programme as well as a podcast but then the pandemic hit and it didn’t get submitted. Wasn’t all bad as after a few phone calls a podcast company agreed to work with me on this and here we are! Everything happens for a reason!

What have been some of your favourite moments so far?

Being able to speak to people during a difficult time has been great and also to do something creative, which I really love. After each episode, I get so excited as I know a lot of young adults are going to learn a thing or two and laugh from my experiences which has also been a great moment. Another funny moment I should say, was when I spoke to Will Manning from Capital FM who shared his struggles on taking out the bins, which has also happened to me and then we unintentionally spoke about bins for like 20 minutes. I can only imagine what my producer was thinking!

Who have been some of your favourite guests?

I love all the guests who have come on so far, however the one episode that I am super excited for people to listen to is the episode with Pippa Taylor from Radio X. Reason being is because she is on the ‘climbing up the ladder’ episode and she shares how she made it as a successful executive producer on a successful radio show. Pippa reveals things throughout her career including struggles which I am sure a lot of adults will learn from. Even I did! We were recording for over an hour and my producer literally had to tell me to stop talking as Pippa and I were having a good old chinwag! That’s the best part of being an interviewer and having someone like Pippa who is so open and lovely to speak to.

Who would be your ideal guest and why? 

My ideal guest is someone who doesn’t have it together, not the ‘perfect’ celebrity that we see on social media. I like talking to people who I know worked hard to get to where they are today and have a voice that can help others. My dream celebrity guests would be Oprah Winfrey, Tiffany Haddish, Jameela Jamil and Michelle Obama. David Attenborough would be awesome too. Maybe the next season?

Tell us a bit about your career leading up to the launch of the podcast…

I initially did comedy, broadcasting and producing work in Australia then moved to London in 2018 to pursue the industry here. While in London, I have also dabbled in the PR world which has definitely helped with the podcast. I’ve always enjoyed presenting quirky and ‘out there’ content so I have really enjoyed making this podcast and I can’t wait to hear what people think of it!

The entertainment industry is very fake and superficial so I definitely struggled to have the ‘ideal look’ until I realised I want to embrace being different. I am no size 6 and I am not a model and nor do I want to be. I am different and have often felt like an outsider; that’s why I made this podcast, so other people who might feel the same way can take enjoyment from my experiences and embrace who they are.

How has the pandemic impacted your work?

Professionally it hasn’t really affected me that much besides from getting fired from a full-time job to go back home (to Australia) to visit my family, but that’s a story for another place and another time. In terms of the podcast, it definitely has made things a little easier as a lot of people are not as busy as they would usually be, so I guess that is a good thing. 

What are the pros of podcasting over radio/TV?

The pros are the content goes for longer and it is more of a series-based show rather than a radio or TV show that you feel is different every episode. I also like the fact that a podcast has many applications that people can listen to, so it is available for everyone. I also like the fact that people can search for their favourite genre to listen to and it is right there for them! My podcast it is lifestyle and comedy with celebrity elements and hopefully when people search for that they will see our genre to listen to it! 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

To take every day as it comes and to not let the bad times in your life define you as a person. Speed bumps in your life are only temporary and you’ll get back to your destination in no time!

What media do you enjoy?

I am very old school. I prefer an old black and white film over a modern film any day (unless it is a movie with Will Ferrell and Amy Schumer in it). My favourite magazine is the Retro magazines that randomly come out during the year full of 50s and 60s entertainment personalities from the era. It just takes me back to a calmer time rather than this superficial lifestyle that we all live in now. I also like reading interior magazines occasionally.

Like everyone, I do love a good Netflix show and when I am not watching I Love Lucy you can see me watch reruns of New Girl, The Inbetweeners and Bridgerton. I also like to watch documentaries and I swear I have watched the Meghan Markle documentary on Amazon Prime like 50 times… The media application I am probably most on is YouTube whether it is watching funny interviews with my favourite celebrities, funny cat videos, old clips of Audrey Hepburn or new music videos that have come out. I may or may not also listen to a lot of Justin Bieber and One Direction…

Listen to full episodes of the podcast and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts here. You can also find updates on future celebrity guests on Instagram.