Meet Kirby Adams, the Lifestyle Reporter with a Story of Her Own

Kirby Adams has been telling other people’s stories for decades, but behind the bylines and red-carpet interviews is a woman who has an interesting story of her own. Her award-winning career has taken her from Texas television studios and Seattle newsrooms to Louisville’s media scene, where she is the lifestyle and entertainment reporter for The Courier-Journal/USA Today. Equally adventurous and approachable, she brings curiosity and authenticity to every conversation, whether she’s interviewing celebrities or chatting up friends. We caught up with Kirby to talk about her career path, memorable moments, and the advice that continues to shape her life.

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Can you describe a typical day in your shoes?

I always try to start my day outside somehow, whether that’s going for a walk, heading to the gym, or meeting a friend for a run. I have to get out of my workspace before diving into everything else. Then I go through emails to make sure there’s nothing urgent or breaking in the entertainment world. Finally, I start working on whatever stories I’m assigned.

A lot of people don’t realize how much coordination goes into feature reporting. I often schedule interviews and coordinate photography. I gather archival images, help with a photo shoot, and then write the story quickly for publication.

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What led you down this career path?

I was actually a geology major in college because I love nature and being outdoors. I was in Texas at the time because that’s where the oil and gas industry was booming — until it suddenly wasn’t. A friend’s dad owned an oil company, and he told me he wouldn’t advise staying in that field, so I started considering other options.

I took a communications class that I enjoyed, and when my university offered Electronic News Gathering, it changed everything for me. After graduation, I convinced my dad to pay for one more class, and that launched my television career.

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I started in San Antonio on a show called PM Magazine, and we traveled constantly — all over Texas, the US, and internationally. It was such an incredible way to learn storytelling. Eventually, I moved to Seattle to work on a similar show called Evening Magazine. I was traveling to places like Tanzania and having all kinds of wild experiences.

One day, I saw an internal posting for a temporary live television job in Louisville. I planned to only stay a year to learn live TV. But nine months in, I met my husband. And decades later, I’m still here.

Can you tell us about some of your most memorable interviews?

My very first celebrity interview was with Willie Nelson when I was 20, and I was terrified. But he was incredibly kind to me, and that really mattered, because a bad first experience could have scared me away from celebrity interviews altogether.

One of my all-time favorite interviews was with Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno. He had just won Dancing with the Stars, and I interviewed him at the Barnstable Brown Gala. I brought along a Wheaties box with him on the cover, and we ended up doing this hilarious interview together while eating cereal directly out of the box. And he danced with me afterward!

If you weren’t working at The Courier Journal, what would you be doing?

Probably something in sports medicine. Health and fitness have always been a huge passion of mine. I’ve taught fitness classes and worked in wellness, and I love that world.

I’ve learned, though, that when athletics becomes purely a job, it loses some of the joy for me. That happened when I was training for the Olympic trials in cycling. I took a leave of absence from television and spent months traveling the country, racing bikes, and living out of a station wagon with two other cyclists.

I qualified for the Olympic trials and finished eighth in the country. I didn’t make the final team, but I’m still incredibly proud of that experience.

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What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

I worked with Bill Nye the Science Guy before he became famous — and that is the only thing my kids think is cool about me. In Seattle, there was a comedy show called Almost Live!, and Bill was part of the ensemble cast. He had this recurring character called “Speed Walker,” where he’d fight crime by speed walking in a cape, and sometimes I’d play his little deputy.

Years later, my daughter ran into him in Washington, D.C., and told him she was Kirby Oliver’s daughter (that’s my maiden name), and he remembered me. She was thrilled.

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What are you most proud of?

My family. One of my daughters works for the United Nations World Food Programme and lives in Laos, helping communities there. She’s doing incredible work in a very challenging environment. My younger daughter is a television reporter in Asheville, and she traveled all over the world on her own before settling there. She was also part of a national championship triathlon team in college.

My husband is a concert producer who has done so much for Louisville’s music scene. He’s helped create opportunities for people to enjoy free live music in the city, which is something I really admire.

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What are your favorite places to eat and play around town?

I love El Mundo in the Highlands, and I’m a big fan of Zanzabar because it combines food, live music, and pinball. I also try to support Twig and Leaf weekly. I live within walking distance, and I think the new owners are doing a great job and deserve community support.

I absolutely love Waterfront Wednesday. My husband actually started it, so I’m biased, but I truly think it’s one of the coolest things Louisville has to offer. Not many cities have a free live music series like that right on the waterfront.

Are there any hidden gems in Louisville you’d like to mention?

I think Jefferson Memorial Forest is one of Louisville’s greatest hidden gems. People don’t always realize how extraordinary it is to have such an expansive natural area so close to the city.

I also think Louisville’s Olmsted Parks are incredible. When you move here from somewhere else, you realize how special it is to have these beautiful Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks woven throughout the city.

And honestly, the Ohio River is something I think we sometimes take for granted. My husband races sailboats there every week, and I’m always reminding myself that we should spend more time appreciating it.

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What is the best advice you’ve ever given or received?

The best advice I’ve ever received came from Bob Richards, the Olympic gold medalist pole vaulter who was the first athlete ever featured on a Wheaties box. I interviewed him years ago, and he knew I was training competitively.

He dusted off one of his gold medals, put it around my neck, and said: “To be great, you must think it.”

That became my mantra when I competed. Whenever races got hard or mentally exhausting, I repeated those words to myself. It’s about believing in yourself enough to attempt difficult things. That advice has stayed with me my entire life.

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