John Lapus is son of showbiz columnist, the late Jojo Lapus (1943–2007). Lapus started his career in 1993 and worked as a researcher of ABS-CBN's Showbiz Lingo. He is also an alumnus of University of Santo Tomas, where he was an active member of Teatro Tomasino. He appeared in numerous ABS-CBN shows and often moonlighted as Creative Consultant for the network's film arm, Star Cinema. His nickname "Sweet" was named after his character in a sitcom Arriba, Arriba!. In 2006, he transferred to GMA Network, joining S-Files after his assignments at ABS-CBN dwindled. When S-Files was cancelled by the network he was named main host of Showbiz Central together with Pia Guanio and Raymond Gutierrez. Since then, his career has experienced resurgence. He has planned to portray the villain character Ida in Zaido but Paolo Ballesteros was chosen for this character. Lapus won two awards namely, Best Male Stand-Up Comic in Aliw Awards 2006 and Best Game Show Host (along with Ai-Ai de las Alas) for ABC-5's (now TV5's) Sing Galing in PMPC Star Awards 2004.

Lapus is openly gay. He returned to his originally home network ABS-CBN. He had been casted first at Ikaw Ay Pag-ibig, Kahit Konting Pagtingin and now at Mirabella which he was known as Paeng Robles, foster father of Mirabella.