When I’d first heard that Adam Carolla was going to launch his own daily radio show at the dawn of 2006, I was furious.

Not because I despise the man; quite the opposite. I’d grown to love Adam’s sharp wit, forthright attitude, and appreciation for dick jokes for over a decade when he co-hosted Loveline. It saddened me when he left that show because I knew it wouldn’t be the same without him. My heart sank in fear that I may never hear his nasally drone again, or at least a very long time.

Adam started work on his own morning talk radio show on a Los Angeles-based station with no immediate promise of picking up any affiliates on the East Coast (where I currently call home). Luckily, through the power of the internet, I was able to acquire recordings of his show from other Carolla fans. Once again, I could enjoy daily helpings of Adam, with an additional hour of material per episode than Loveline.

Unfortunately, it was only a few months later that the spell began to lift as I was less and less enthusiastic about upcoming episodes of the show. The temporary addition of Danny Bonaduce only revived my interest for a short while before I eventually just stopped listening.

When I think back to where my attention dropped, I think it was because the show felt repetitious. Even though it gleamed with the Ace Man’s trademark style, it started to resemble every other morning zoo crew radio show. I wondered, is this it? Did Adam run out of material? Can he not make it on his own, or is he only at his best as someone else’s sidekick? I’d almost lost the faith.

I’d heard that Adam’s show had been canceled; his last broadcast appearance hitting the air this past February 20. Almost a week later, he’d set up his own podcast. I lamented that it was an act of desperation and the harbinger of dark times for Adam’s career. It took me nearly another week to finally give him another listen.

Once more, my faith is renewed.

In his first podcast, Adam Carolla spoke candidly about his show’s cancellation and his feelings regarding the overall experience. It was Adam in his most raw form; something that I’d never fully heard, but deeply missed. He assured his listeners that financially, he was perfectly fine (he’s being paid through the end of this year for his radio contract) and that he started the podcast in order to satisfy his own passion for talk radio. He’s hoping to build up a presence in independent broadcasting through internet media and he has plenty of side projects as well.

I owe a lot to Adam Carolla. By giving us a peek behind the curtain, he taught me the reality of business beyond the smoke and mirrors. From him, I learned that in order to succeed, you have to work hard, be smart, and always remain true to myself. If not for Adam, I may have gotten stuck in the dead-end clutches of corporate retail, rather than pursuing my dreams of establishing an independent business, sharpening my skills into marketable trades.

I’ve linked his podcast in my sidebar. I fully endorse giving him a listen yourself.