Up + Adam with Adam Montiel

UNCLE BANANA CHILDREN'S BOOK - CHRISTMAS LESSONS - PROCEEDS BENEFITTING BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

Today’s Guest: Hollywood star Hunter Doohan!

Hunter Doohan is on fire. From his breakout role in Netflix’s Wednesday to haunting performances in Your Honor and Daredevil: Born Again, Hunter is proving he’s not just rising. He’s redefining what it means to show up in this industry with depth, drive, and zero fear of the dark.

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Hunter to talk about his newest project, The Wilderness. It’s a chilli...

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS FAMILY HERE

JINGLE JAM TICKETS HERE - DOZEN LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY XMAS MUSIC FOR A GREAT CAUSE, OUR BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

UNCLE BANANA CHILDREN'S BOOK - CHRISTMAS LESSONS - PROCEEDS BENEFITTING BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

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JINGLE JAM TICKETS HERE - DOZEN LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY XMAS MUSIC FOR A GREAT CAUSE, OUR BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

UNCLE BANANA CHILDREN'S BOOK - CHRISTMAS LESSONS - PROCEEDS BENEFITTING BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

Steve Rossi | Christmas at the Ranch, Family Legacy, and Making Holiday Magic in Wine Country

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What happens when you mix 14,000 acres of ranchland, a few snow machines, and a guy with big holiday vision? You get Christmas at the Ranch. Today’s guest is the man behind it.

Steve Rossi grew up surrounded by story and le...

JINGLE JAM TICKETS HERE - DOZEN LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY XMAS MUSIC FOR A GREAT CAUSE, OUR BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

B&E FREE WINE-COUNTRY XMAS MARKET THIS SUNDAY

UNCLE BANANA CHILDREN'S BOOK - CHRISTMAS LESSONS - PROCEEDS BENEFITTING BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

It’s more than a pop-up. It’s a handcrafted movement rooted in the heart of San Luis Obispo.

On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Sadie Moss and Kerry Long, the creative forces behind SLOcally Made, a seasonal artisan collective and holiday marketplace that has become a do...

JINGLE JAM TICKETS HERE - DOZEN LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY XMAS MUSIC FOR A GREAT CAUSE, OUR BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

B&E FREE WINE-COUNTRY XMAS MARKET THIS SUNDAY

UNCLE BANANA CHILDREN'S BOOK - CHRISTMAS LESSONS - PROCEEDS BENEFITTING BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

This holiday season, a brand-new event is bringing that signature SLO CAL spirit to Paso in a way only the Central Coast can.

In this episode, Adam is joined by Meghan Ball of Vinlumia and Rob Tredway of McPrice Myers, who also co-founded Unhinged Craft Candles with his husband. Together, they...

JINGLE JAM TICKETS HERE - DOZEN LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY XMAS MUSIC FOR A GREAT CAUSE, OUR BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

B&E FREE WINE-COUNTRY XMAS MARKET THIS SUNDAY

UNCLE BANANA CHILDREN'S BOOK - CHRISTMAS LESSONS - PROCEEDS BENEFITTING BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS

Nathan Long, Owner of Nate’s on Marsh

What happens when you take a San Luis Obispo native, run him through the fires of San Francisco’s culinary scene, hand him a blank canvas on Marsh Street, and tell him, “Build something unforgettable”? You get Nate’s on Marsh. It’s a restaurant...

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LEARN ABOUT OUR B&E WINE COUNTRY XMAS MARKET

Welcome to a holiday edition of Up+Adam that glows a little brighter. Adam sits down with Mike Arnold, General Manager of the Cambria Christmas Market, to take you behind the scenes of one of the most magical events in SLO CAL. What started as a modest stroll for hotel guests has exploded into a nationally recognized winter wonderland with over 3 million lights, more than 30 local vendors, live music, wood-fired pizza, mulled wine, and selfie spots for days.

...

Enjoy last year's Breaking & Entering Christmas Jingle Jam live performances and,

GET TICKETS TO THIS YEARS JINGLE JAM 12/11 LIBERTINE DT SLO

A Night of Music, Magic, and Local Holiday Heart

Join broadcaster Adam Montiel and an all-star lineup of SLO CAL artists for a holiday concert that makes a real difference. Jingle Jam is the live benefit show that fuels Up+Adam’s Breaking & Entering Christmas, a 12-year tradition where Adam and his crew quietly deliver a full Christmas for a local family who has faced an impossible year. It is...

GET TICKETS TO JINGLE JAM HERE!!

COME TO OUR FREE WINE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS MARKET HERE

Downtown SLO is more than just a charming slice of San Luis Obispo. It’s a living, breathing experience. In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with LaBren Harris, CEO of Downtown SLO, and Events Manager Maggie Kovach. They are two of the visionary minds responsible for making downtown feel like a true community stage. From the Thursday night Farmers’ Market that draws over 10,000 people each week to the concerts that soun...

GET TICKETS TO JINGLE JAM!

LEARN MORE ABOUT BREAKING & ENTERING CHRISTMAS



NOMINATE A FAMILY

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CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF

Is humanity ready to hear the truth? In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel welcomes Dan Farah, the director and producer of the groundbreaking new documentary The Age of Disclosure. This isn’t your average UFO conversation. This is testimony from 34 insiders across the U.S. Government, military, intelligence community, and even the Senate floor - names like Rubio, Gillibrand, Clapper, Mellon, and Fravor, speaking on the record about what they know, what they’ve seen, and why the time for secrecy is over.

Dan shares what it was like to make this film...

LEARN MORE AND GET YOUR TICKETS TO JINGLE JAM HERE!

Today on Up+Adam, we’re stepping behind the curtain and straight into the holiday magic.

In celebration of The Great American Melodrama’s 50th anniversary, Adam sits down with four of the vibrant performers lighting up the stage this season: Joshua Kenebrew, Anjewel Lenoir, Rollins Mosley, and Kelly Brown. From backstage bloopers to standing ovations, this episode dives into what makes TGAM’s Holiday Extravaganza so iconic, so heartfelt, and so hilariously human.

You’ll...

Even if you've never seen a frame of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

Adam sits down with Pati Rock, the wife, creative partner, and now legacy-keeper of the legendary rock photographer Mick Rock. Mick captured some of the most iconic images in music history — Bowie, Queen, Iggy, Lou Reed — and was the only photographer given full access during the filming of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025.

In this intimate and unforgettable conversation, Pati shares what...

Every Thanksgiving in Paso Robles, something extraordinary happens long before most people sit down to eat. Centennial Park transforms into a full-service restaurant complete with hosts, servers, menus, and real plates for anyone who needs a warm, dignified meal. No judgment. No questions. Just hospitality, humanity, and a whole lot of turkey.

On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel welcomes two community pillars: David Kudija, who has been carving turkeys and leading the steering committee for decades, and Jimmy Purdy, local business owner and host of Gearhead Radio on KPRL. Together, they help...

In this episode of Up+Adam:

 Duration: 00:30:16

Jingle Jam Announced 

Thursday December 11, 2025 at Libertine Brewing, Downtown SLO

Listen to the show for the first wave of artists announced. 

Tickets on sale soon!



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CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

This episode of Up+Adam features rising country artist Timothy Wayne, whose new single “Good Ole Boys Girl” is already gaining traction. He carries a famous last name and a powerful connection. His uncle is country icon Tim McGraw, but the conversation goes beyond music and into what it means to build a career under the weight of legacy.

More than just a country story, this episode explores what it’s like to have an "in" that can open doors but also raise questions. When someone comes from a high-profile family, the assumption is often...

In this special follow-up episode of Up+Adam, Rob Rossi is back, and this time, we go deeper.

If you thought Part One showed you who Rob Rossi is, Part Two shows you why.

This is not just real estate. It is personal, reflective, and unfiltered.

ICYMI:

Listen to Part One first — the origin story, from frat houses to Disney trains:

Rob Rossi on How a Trashed Frat House Turned Into Dreams, Deeds, and Disney Trains



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Duration: 00:39:42

Happy Veterans Day!

Met Richard “Dick” Grantham in 2021 when I hosted a Veterans dinner at the Elks. He stood up, shared his WWII story, and left the whole room in awe. He served in the Navy, survived some of the fiercest battles in the Pacific, and was awarded a Purple Heart after a kamikaze strike hit his ship.

Nearly a year later, his daughter reached out. Dick was home, frail, and in hospice care, but wanted to sit down with me and tell his story in full. I spent over an hour with him at his...

What happens when two of the most unforgettable characters from Ugly Betty sit down to relive the show that made being different feel like a superpower? You get Viva Betty, a rewatch podcast that is heartfelt, hilarious, and loaded with behind-the-scenes gold.

In this episode of Up+Adam, Ana Ortiz and Mark Indelicato, aka Hilda and Justin Suarez, join Adam for a conversation that goes far beyond nostalgia. From representing communities and culture on primetime to the moments on set that changed them forever, this one pulls back the curtain on the impact Ugly...

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam shines a spotlight on the heart and soul of Arroyo Grande with three local legends making waves in wine, beer, and hospitality. He’s joined by Josh Klapper, the winemaker behind Timbre Winery and owner of LoBro Studios (where this very show is recorded), Laura Beth Amy of Humdinger Brewing, a dual-threat in AG and SLO, and Mindy Calmenson, general manager of Rooster Creek Tavern and a pillar of the Village scene.

Together, they preview the 4th annual Arroyo Grande Beer and Wine Festival, happening this Saturday, No...

Rob Rossi isn’t just a developer - he’s a straight-up architect of identity on the Central Coast. In Part One of this two-part interview, Adam sits down in the Timbre LoBro Studios with the man behind some of San Luis Obispo’s most iconic buildings, boldest bets, and most emotional preservation projects.

From buying a trashed frat house out of college to rescuing original Disneyland train cars... from shaping downtown SLO to reviving the world’s first motel - this is a rare, real conversation with one of the most quietly influential people t...

What does it take to step into the spotlight of a legacy brand while holding a toddler’s hand and carrying new life inside you? In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Meghan Burkhardt, the new publisher of SLO Life Magazine, for a conversation about bold pivots, personal purpose, and the stories that make this Central Coast community so rich.

Meghan shares the moment she knew she had to own the magazine, what keeps her up at night (besides a toddler), and how she is redefining what makes a story cover-worthy. Yo...

On this True Crime Tuesday, Adam sits down with Zoe Rosenberg, an animal rights activist from San Luis Obispo who’s no stranger to headlines. From being tackled on an NBA court to getting arrested at Cal Poly at just 15, Zoe’s activism has been bold, controversial, and now convicted.

In her first exclusive local interview, Zoe talks about the felony charges she just caught for taking chickens from a Petaluma poultry facility. She calls it a rescue. Prosecutors called it theft. Either way, the jury found her guilty. But Zoe doesn’t flinch, not ev...

Today on Up+Adam, we’re joined by powerhouse actress and author Marianne Leone. You may know her as Joanne Moltisanti on The Sopranos, or from working with legendary directors like Martin Scorsese, John Sayles, and Nancy Savoca. But today, she’s with us as the author of one of the most irreverent, heartfelt, and hilarious novels to come my way in a long time.

In this episode, Marianne opens up about her new book, Christina the Astonishing, a coming-of-age tale set in 1960s Boston where sainthood, sarcasm, immigrant grit, and Catholic guilt all coll...

On this Halloween episode of Up+Adam, Amy Hargreaves and Landry Bender drop in with a thriller built for tonight. Self-Help follows a young woman who goes undercover inside a self-actualization community to pull her mother away from its dangerously charismatic leader. We talk about power, persuasion, and the thin line between guidance and gaslighting. Amy and Landry open up about the scenes that rattled them, what they protected as co-creators, and why this story sticks to you on the ride home. Self-Help is only in theaters today, October 31, 2025.

• Official trailer: https://www.youtube.co...

What does it mean to tell a powerful story with no words? In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Theresa Slobodnik and Blair London, the powerhouse duo behind Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo (BT-SLO). Theresa, a lifelong choreographer and artistic director, and Blair, a retired engineering professor turned ballet teacher, are proving that ballet isn't just an art form. It’s a soulful, emotional experience that can move audiences of all ages.

From honoring mentors and pushing creative boundaries to empowering dancers young and old, Theresa and Blair open up ab...

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel welcomes Karla Langner, owner of Central Coast Bride and the creative powerhouse behind the San Luis Obispo Fall Wedding Expo. Whether you're newly engaged or just deep in the Pinterest-scroll phase, this conversation is your permission slip to breathe. Karla breaks down why this isn't just a wedding expo. It’s an experience.

From VIP swag bags to signature cocktails, from meeting the region’s top florists and DJs to scoring exclusive deals you won’t find anywhere else, this event brings all your “big day” dreams und...

In this episode of Up+Adam, we welcome award-winning author and cultural historian Jeff Chang for a powerful conversation about his upcoming book, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America.

This isn’t just about Bruce Lee the legend, it’s about the human behind the icon. The immigrant. The artist. The man navigating masculinity, identity, and expectation in a world that demanded he be a symbol before he could even be himself. Drawing from never-before-seen letters, intimate interviews, and rare archives, Jeff’s new book paints a bold, deeply emotio...

What do you get when you think you're interviewing Lin-Manuel Miranda… but instead end up with the scholar who might know him even better?

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Daniel Pollack-Pelzner - New Yorker contributor, Shakespeare scholar, and author of Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist. Daniel spent years talking with over 150 people from Lin’s world, his family, mentors, collaborators, and Lin himself - to unpack how a sweet, curious kid from Washington Heights became the most transformative voice in modern musical theater.

What do you get when you combine aerospace engineering with live comedy? You get Dane Larkin. As Director and founding board member of the Central Coast Comedy Theater, Dane is helping to shape a community where laughter isn’t just entertainment, it’s healing. From designing rocket thrust-vectoring systems in college to now teaching improv two nights a week, Dane brings left-brain brilliance and right-brain heart to the local arts scene.

In this special Artober edition of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel dives deep with Dane about how the Theater is using comedy to support ment...

Grenache Giddy-Up at The Loading Chute Barn

Creston is calling. One grape in three colors - Paso powerhouses pouring in Creston. One grape in three colors inside the Loading Chute Barn. Meghan Ball and Kristen Parker join Adam to talk why Grenache hits in white, rosé, and red, who is pouring, what to pair with a Chute bite, and how that barn turns into a Sunday afternoon party.

Event details

Delta Force to Bestseller: The Brad Taylor Debrief

In this episode of Up+Adam, we step into the shadows with Brad Taylor, former Delta Force commander and New York Times bestselling author whose thrillers hit harder because they come from real-world experience. With 21 years in the Army, including eight inside the elite and secretive 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, Brad knows exactly how modern conflict moves… quietly, strategically, and often without headlines.

His newest novel Into the Gray Zone drops us into modern-day India (pretty damn timely if you ask me), wher...

On today's episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Jonathan Goldstein, the creator and host of the acclaimed podcast Heavyweight. Known for helping real people revisit the moments that still weigh on them—lost friendships, family fallouts, the apology that never happened—Jonathan brings his signature mix of humor, depth, and emotional precision to a conversation that’s part storytelling masterclass, part human excavation.

They talk about the origins of Heavyweight, the ethics of revisiting pain, the stories that still haunt him, and how silence can sometimes say more than any scripted line. This e...

What if the mountain in front of you wasn’t meant to break you, but to build you?

On today’s episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Joshua Rosa, a nationally recognized speaker, author, and the voice behind the powerful podcast Made For This Mountain. Joshua shares his journey through trauma, redemption, and obedience, inviting listeners into a deeper understanding of faith, failure, and healing.

Raised in New Jersey by a proud Dominican mother, Joshua has become a force in the space where authenticity meets ministry. With nearly a mill...

She’s photographed the gods of rock, from Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan to Amy Winehouse and Leonard Cohen, and somehow, in the eye of Britpop’s loudest storm, she captured the rise and fall of Oasis like no one else ever could.

In this episode of Up+Adam, award-winning music photographer Jill Furmanovsky joins Adam to talk about her stunning new book, Oasis: Trying to Find a Way Out of Nowhere, created in collaboration with Noel Gallagher. Featuring over 500 never-before-seen images and raw backstage commentary, this is more than a photography book. It’s a vi...

What happens when a football team becomes a time capsule for a country on the edge of change? In this episode, Adam sits down with award-winning journalist and author David Fleming to unpack A Big Mess in Texas, the jaw-dropping, hilarious, and deeply human true story of the 1952 Dallas Texans.

You don’t have to know a first down from a fumble to love this story. Whether you're a sports fan or not, this one grabs you with its chaos, characters, and cultural crossroads.

From drunken halftime quarterbacks and el...

In this #TrueCrimeTuesday episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel goes deep Inside the Cartel with former FBI Special Agent Martin Suarez, the man known inside the Bureau as its most prolific undercover operative in FBI history, and Ian Frisch, the acclaimed journalist who helped him bring his untold story to life.

For 23 years, Suarez lived as “Manny,” infiltrating a Colombian narco empire, smuggling $1 billion in cocaine, and laundering $50 million, all in the name of justice. Now, living with ALS, he’s breaking his silence about the double life that cost him almost everything.

Duration: 00:24:57

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Continuing with Artober coverage on Up+Adam, we’re diving into the whimsical and slightly wicked world of Hansel and Gretel, but not the bedtime story version. Opera San Luis Obispo is pulling out all the stops for their gran...

What happens when the dream of reality TV becomes a nightmare? In this episode of Up+Adam, broadcaster Adam Montiel sits down with award-winning journalist and podcast host Bridget Armstrong to talk about her hit investigative series, Curse of: America’s Next Top Model.

Bridget takes us behind the scenes of one of the most iconic and controversial shows of the early 2000s, peeling back the glamorous facade to reveal a world of contracts, control, body-shaming, and emotional manipulation. From interviews with former contestants and producers to questions about Tyra Banks’ role in the show...

Part of our month-long ARTober on Up+Adam series

This week on Up+Adam, Adam welcomes Andrew Sewell, the visionary conductor and Music Director of the San Luis Obispo Symphony, for a rich and revealing conversation about the power of music, the art of conducting, and the emotional undercurrent of performance. From the magic of the baton to the subtle skill of knowing when to disappear into the music, Andrew shares what it really takes to lead an orchestra, not with ego, but with empathy.

You’ll hear why the best conductors do...

She’s been possessed, kidnapped, cloned, and married more times than we can count, and we’ve loved her for every second of it. On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with the incomparable Deidre Hall, the woman behind one of television’s most iconic characters: Dr. Marlena Evans of Days of Our Lives.

As Days celebrates its upcoming induction into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, Deidre reflects on her nearly 50-year journey on the show, how it shaped her, and how she’s shaped it in return. We talk legacy...

In this #TrueCrimeTuesday episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Elin Lantz Lesser, award-winning producer, former clinical psychologist, and host of the powerful new podcast America’s Crime Lab.

Together, they explore the heartbreak and humanity behind unsolved crimes, and the revolutionary forensic science giving victims and families a voice—sometimes decades after the fact. From the gut-wrenching case of 9-year-old K Rogers to the surprising role of genealogy websites in solving murders, Elin opens up about the emotional toll of telling these stories, how her psychology background shapes her work, and the...

Adam chatted with Lindsey Baruch of Lindsey Eats, a creator with over 1 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and her blog, about her debut cookbook Something Delicious: 100 Recipes for Everyday Cooking (Ten Speed Press, releases September 30, 2025). They dive into cooking with all five senses, how to build confidence fast with low-fuss techniques, and why “delicious beats pretty” every time. Expect crunchy-creamy eggplant, a legit 30-minute chicken move, wedge salad theater, a pepper mill splurge Adam can’t stop raving about, and easy entertaining pairings that make weeknights feel like an invitation. If you’re cooking today, you’ll walk away with...

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Robin Wolff, committee member of the City of San Luis Obispo’s Promotional Coordinating Committee, to talk about ARTober, SLO’s month-long celebration of arts and humanities held every October. Robin breaks down what ARTober is, how the city activates public art and performances (think: Piano in the Plaza, gallery openings, theater, open studios, public art displays), and how local residents and visitors can get involved. We discuss how the city partners with nonprofits, how the program has evolved, and where she hopes ARTober will go next.

Duration: 00:22:11

She’s not just the daughter of comedy legend Don Rickles. Mindy Rickles is a sharp, hilarious, and deeply human storyteller who’s carving out a voice all her own. In this episode, Mindy joins Adam for a one-of-a-kind conversation about growing up in the house that comedy built, the moments Don Rickles did (and didn’t) turn it off, and why her new podcast “Mindy, Ed & Don Rickles” is more than a tribute. It’s a time capsule of family, fame, and fearless funny.

This one’s got laughs, heart, and stories you haven’t heard anywhere else.<...

On this True Crime Tuesday, former Brooklyn homicide prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi (pretty positive you’ve seen one of her many shows on TV too!) joins Up+Adam for a gripping conversation that pulls back the curtain on the real-life cases that shaped America’s approach to terrorism. As the host of Law & Order: Criminal Justice System, Anna-Sigga shares stories that go beyond the headlines and into the hearts of survivors, investigators, and communities forever changed.

To learn more:

• Listen to Law & Order: Criminal Justice System → iHeart Podcast

• Subscribe to Anatomy of Murder...

Today on Up+Adam, we’re sitting down with Nick Firestone, CEO of Firestone Walker Brewing Company and one of the most respected names in craft beer. With the brewery just announcing a multi-year extension of its partnership with Cal Poly, we dive deep into what this collaboration means not just for beer, but for the community, for student-athletes, and for the future of brewing talent coming out of San Luis Obispo.

Nick shares what the past year has brought, rom new beers and behind-the-scenes pivots to the legacy milestones brewing ahead of Firestone Wa...

What happens when two theater kids say "yes" to flavor, passion, and building a cocktail empire from the ground up?

In this episode, Adam welcomes Lauren Butler into the Timbre LoBro Studios, the co-founder of Yes Cocktail Co., as she pours out the story behind one of Paso Robles' most exciting and nationally celebrated brands. From their early days slinging small-batch syrups at Farmers’ Market to landing features in Oprah Daily, USA Today, and the Good Food Awards, Lauren and her husband Brandon have turned their love of mixology into a movement. This is a...

What do Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World, and TV classics like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In Living Color, Full House, and A Different World all have in common? Writer Rob Edwards. For more than 40 years, Rob has been shaping the way we laugh, cry, and see ourselves on screen. In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Rob to talk about surviving Hollywood with “Detroit hustle,” why Disney and Marvel story rooms are more alike than you’d think, and what it means to close out this year’s Cen...

Comic René Vaca Is Up+Adam



Comedian René Vaca joins Adam Montiel ahead of his upcoming show at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo on Wednesday, September 25. From growing up in Van Nuys to winning StandUp NBC and performing with the likes of Bill Burr and Ken Jeong, René shares how comedy became his therapy, his hustle, and his way through it all.

In this candid conversation, the two talk about growing up just outside of LA, collecting rare Disney art, calling out Hollywood in a meeting that actually led t...

Adam will be leading a live workshop on The Art of the Interview at this year’s Central Coast Writers Conference, happening September 26–27, 2025 at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. For details and registration, visit cuesta.edu/writers-conference

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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In this episode, Adam sits down with the always soulful and ever-authentic Dan Curcio, frontman of Moonshiner Collective, to talk about the final Under the Moon concert of the season, happening Saturday, September 20th at Marcerro at Dairy Creek Golf Course in San Luis Obispo. These shows have become iconic on the Central Coast, blending music, memory, and the kind of open-air, magic-hour energy that just hits different.

Dan opens up about what makes this setting so special, how the band curates not just a setlist but a vibe, and why sharing the stage...

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam chats with Dr. James McGibney, the former U.S. Marine turned digital justice warrior, to talk about what it takes to take down cyberbullies, online predators, and the shadow networks that traffic in shame.



You’ve seen him in the Netflix doc The Most Hated Man on the Internet. You’ve seen his work on VICE, Dr. Phil, and now on A&E’s brand-new special Bully Hunter, premiering Tuesday, September 23rd at 10pm. But this conversation isn’t just about the mission. It’s about the man behind it. F...

On this episode of Up+Adam, broadcaster Adam Montiel sits down with William and Mary Jane Jodry, the parents of Thomas “Tommy” Jodry, a 21-year-old man who died after falling from a San Luis Obispo parking structure under deeply suspicious circumstances. While officials quickly closed the case, the Jodrys have spent nearly six years piecing together what really happened that night, facing roadblocks, redacted timelines, and a man of interest whose presence raises more questions than answers.

Also joining the conversation is clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson, whose trauma-informed lens brings clarity and...

What do Bruce Lee, Saturday morning cartoons, bootleg VHS tapes, and the birth of hip hop all have in common?

Today on Up+Adam, we go full roundhouse into the cultural explosion that was the kung fu movie craze, and the two men who’ve written the definitive, illustrated, and absolutely jaw-dropping story behind it. Adam is joined by Grady Hendrix, bestselling author and co-founder of the New York Asian Film Festival, and Chris Poggiali, film historian and editor of the legendary Temple of Schlock, to talk about their new book: These Fists Break Br...

You’ve heard his voice for decades on The Price is Right, Deal or No Deal, Supermarket Sweep, and so many more. But Randy West has seen more than just the shiny side of television. In his new book TV Inside-Out, this 30-year TV veteran takes us deep backstage into the chaos, feuds, and unforgettable moments that shaped the medium we thought we knew. From Johnny Carson’s dark family drama to wild nights at The Price is Right, Randy has been there, and now he is telling it all.



In this conversation with Adam, Randy...

In this episode of Up+Adam, broadcaster Adam Montiel chats with urban free climber Adam Lockwood, known around the world as Nuisance. You’ve probably seen one of his videos without even realizing it was him: scaling towers, cranes, and high-rises barefoot, no ropes, no permission, and somehow, no fear. But behind every climb is something deeper.

Recorded before his jaw-dropping jump off the Eiffel Tower (yes, that one), this conversation captures the raw heart of why Adam climbs, what it feels like to be alone hundreds of meters above a sleeping city, and ho...

What do you get when a stand-up comedy set crashes headfirst into a real-life murder? On this True Crime Tuesday, we sit down with comedian Edd Hedges and Emmy-nominated producer Jodi Tovay, the duo behind Wisecrack, a genre-bending true crime podcast that’s part comedy, part nightmare, and completely real.

Edd returned to his hometown for a charity show, only to find himself at the center of a horrifying true crime story involving a childhood bully turned killer, a terrified woman at the foot of his bed, and a moment that would change everything.

Why are men the way they are? Why do they forget birthdays but remember every detail of their first crush? Why do they seem stuck at 14... even when they’re 54? Legendary music executive Tom Sturges has worked with icons like Foo Fighters, Outkast, and 50 Cent, but his newest project may be his most revealing yet. His book Men Explained, Finally is a laugh-out-loud, startlingly wise, and surprisingly tender collection of essays that crack open the male mind and help us all make a little more sense of it.

In this conversation, Tom joins Adam fo...

On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with two powerhouse talents, Cameron Douglas and David Morse, to talk about their new film Looking Through Water, a stirring new drama about estranged fathers and sons reconnecting during a fishing competition in Belize.

Cameron Douglas, actor, author, and the son of Michael Douglas and grandson of screen legend Kirk Douglas, shares how his deeply personal journey from addiction and incarceration to clarity and purpose prepared him for this role. His bestselling memoir Long Way Home revealed the truth behind the tabloid headlines, and now...

If you’ve ever told yourself, “One day I’ll write that thing…” this is that day. Adam chats with Meagan Friberg, writer, journalist, and director of the Central Coast Writers Conference, now celebrating its 41st year. This year’s theme? “It’s Time.” And it is.

After a few years of pandemic pivots and Zoom fatigue, the conference is back live and in person at Cuesta College. Two full days of keynotes, workshops, master classes, and creative electricity. Meagan shares how this isn’t just an event for writers. It’s a space for courage, for belon...

On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Andrea Gunning, the voice behind the hit true crime podcast Betrayal Weekly. From fake cancer scams to shocking double lives, Andrea isn’t just telling wild stories, she’s exploring what happens when trust breaks so badly, it redefines reality.

A Best Crime Podcast Winner, she will dig into some of the most jaw-dropping cases from the show, how betrayal hits differently than true-crime, and what it really takes for someone to tell the truth after living a lie. Andrea also opens up abou...

Adam will be leading a live workshop on The Art of the Interview at this year’s Central Coast Writers Conference, happening September 26–27, 2025 at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. For details and registration, visit cuesta.edu/writers-conference

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Few restaurants capture the SLO CAL vibe like Sunsets at Pismo. For six years, Brian Appiano’s shiny silver Airstream on the Pismo Pier has been serving up tacos, fish and chips, and margaritas with one of the best views you’ll find anywhere. But now, because of a decades-old zoning technicality, the City of Pismo Beach has voted to phase out commercial food vendors on the pier, and Sunsets will close in October 2025.

In this conversation, Adam talks with Brian about what this decision means for his family, his staff, and the community that...

On this episode of Up + Adam, we’re joined by Kai Beckstrand, the 18-year-old champion of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior Season 17. Known as the fastest ninja on the planet, Kai has broken records with his speed and precision, hitting buzzers and making history alongside his brother and father. But his story runs deeper than the highlight reel. Kai is also a certified EMT and firefighter, dedicating his life to running into danger when others can’t, and he does it all while managing Type 1 diabetes.

In this conversation, Adam digs into the love of com...

What happens when true crime gets personal? When the mystery isn’t something you binge in your earbuds, but something you’re suddenly living inside? On this True Crime Tuesday, Adam sits down with award-winning journalist Maggie Robinson Katz, the host of the gripping new podcast Hands Tied, an original series from BBC Studios and iHeartPodcasts.

The show follows Lizz Melgar Rose, whose mother was found bound in a closet and whose father, Jim Melgar, was murdered. The tragedy shocked their Houston community. But it’s what happened after the crime that makes this story...

What happens when the man behind some of the biggest names in music, like Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Justin Bieber, starts asking the real questions of himself?

In this powerful episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Lex Borrero, the visionary co-founder of NEON16 and host of the podcast You vs You. Together, they dive deep into the mindset behind meaningful success, the internal battles that continue even at the top, and why redefining hustle might just be the secret to true peace. Lex opens up about imposter syndrome, building a legacy...

We talk to Robin Coleman from the Woods Humane Society about our Pet of the Week

Today’s episode runs a little shorter than usual — Adam got rear-ended (he’s okay!), and he’s got to take care of the necessary things.

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This morning on Up+Adam, we take it all the way back to when “indie” wasn’t a playlist category—it was a movement. Adam sits down with Chris DeVille, longtime music journalist and Managing Editor at Stereogum, to talk about his incredible new book, Such Great Heights.

From blog rock to Bon Iver, from Phoebe Bridgers to the almighty O.C. soundtrack, this is a nostalgic, clever, and heartfelt conversation about how indie rock didn’t just soundtrack a generation, it defined it. Adam and Chris dive into the hunger of indie artists, the weird...

In this episode, Adam Montiel chats with Glam Ham (callsign: NW6S), the truth-seeking ham radio operator and content creator whose viral dive into the San Luis Obispo blackout during the Gifford Fire turned heads across the Central Coast and beyond. From decoding strange signals and fire maps to asking the questions most news outlets won’t, Glam Ham has built a following of nearly 100,000 (Used to have 300K until she got banana’d and had to start over), by turning static into story.

But that’s just one frequency in her life. Before she wa...

What happens when a rockstar trades the stage for the archives? Bob Crawford, bassist for the Grammy-nominated Avett Brothers and now host of American History Hotline, joins Adam Montiel for a conversation that hits harder than any history class you’ve ever taken. From tales of Founding Fathers dying on the same day to asking if the Constitution can really stop a dictator, Bob’s new podcast is flipping the script on how we connect with America’s past.

In this episode, Bob talks candidly about what studying history for 25 years has taught him, not ju...

This episode is served spicy, with a splash of community spirit. Adam welcomes Maegen Loring, General Manager of the Long Branch in Creston, and Lisa Miller, President of the Creston Women’s Club, to talk all about the Creston Bloody Mary Battle, a 21+ event that mixes local flavor, homemade Bloody Marys, live music, burritos, beer, wine, and even bovine bingo (yes, cow plop for a cause).

Recorded live from the Timbre LoBro Studios, this conversation dives into how two powerhouse women are bringing their town together for a good time and an even better ca...

Today we have a curve ball in Don from Los Osos called in as Adam was preparing the show OUT OF NOWHERE - So mix in a little adhd, and you got a Don from Loso Osos (IYKYK) flashback with Robin from Woods along for the ride as well 

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Today on Up+Adam, we sit down in the Timbre LoBro Studios with Shawn Sherman, owner of Golden Apple Cannabis Company, for a conversation that cuts through the clichés and digs into the real cannabis industry, past, present, and future. Shawn’s been in the game since before legalization, navigating one of California’s most overtaxed and overregulated markets while staying true to his mission: educate the consumer. We talk about why “sativa” and “indica” don’t actually mean what you think, how terpenes are the true drivers of your experience, and why bridging the gap between science, policy, and pub...

In today’s episode of Up+Adam, comedy icon Colin Mochrie, whose lightning-fast improv on Whose Line Is It Anyway? has kept us laughing for decades, joins Adam for a conversation that’s as hilarious as it is heartfelt. We talk about his decades-long run on television, his two hit live tours (Asking for Trouble with Brad Sherwood, and HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis with Asad Mecci), and his new film Magnetosphere, a moving story about embracing the quirks that make us unique.

See Colin Live: 

• Asking for Trouble Tour – Official Site: https://www.colin...

Today on Up+Adam, we meet two young entrepreneurs who are redefining what it means to “start early.” Fourth-grade best friends and baseball teammates Jackson Houser and Jackson Judge turned a simple school “mini mall” project into The Drip Bros, a real business making custom, team-colored “drip” necklaces that blend sports style with community spirit. Their first run sold out in 15 minutes, raised hundreds for charity, and set them on a path to keep creating and keep giving back.

They design the necklaces themselves, pack orders after homework, and even donate a % of each sale to Keen...

Adam’s back from a long vacation and hitting the ground running with a Hollywood heavyweight, Lou Diamond Phillips. From La Bamba to Longmire, Lou’s career has been a masterclass in range, resilience, and reinvention. In this episode, Lou talks about stepping into the role of Brent in his new film ET TU, a darkly funny dramedy about love, betrayal, and the beautiful chaos of live theater. He opens up about imposter syndrome, the mentorship of young actors, and what still connects him to Richie Valens after all these years.

It’s Adam’s first day back, an...

Adam is on Vacation - Please excuse the scrappy editing - . Robin Coleman returns to the show after many weeks off after she lost her dog. We talk to Woods Humane each week, so if you love dogs, this will touch you. We love Robin, her work, and glad shes back.

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Today on Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Emmy-nominated journalist and host of The Bright Side, Simone Boyce. From breaking news to breaking cycles, Simone opens up about her transition from the hard edges of national news to the warmer, deeper spaces of cultural storytelling and soul-level joy.

They get into it all. What it's like leaving legacy media for something more personal. How motherhood rewired her approach to journalism. And why “choosing the bright side” isn’t just optimism. It’s a practice. Simone shares a vulnerable turning point at a trauma retreat, her favo...

What’s the deal with jam bands?

 Are they cults? Are they concerts? Are they just… long songs with extra sweat? Turns out, they were something bigger—a full-blown movement with its own rules, rituals, drug codes, and DIY economy that quietly rewired the way we experience music today.

In this episode, Adam sits down with Mike Ayers, veteran music journalist and author of Sharing in the Groove: The Untold Story of the '90s Jam Band Explosion and the Scene That Followed. From Phish to Panic, Spin Doctors to secr...

They’ve shipped over a million handcrafted wellness products around the world, but still fly under the radar in their own hometown.

In this episode of Up+Adam, we sit down with the magnetic duo behind Life Elements, Martha and Curt. Based in Atascadero, these two have been quietly redefining wellness with small-batch, plant-based products that actually work. Their CBD relief sticks are legendary, their deodorants are changing the game, and their magnesium lotion? Let’s just say it’s giving people their sleep and their sanity back.

But this i...

In this very special episode, Adam sits down with Don Felder, guitar legend, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and the man behind one of the most iconic solos in rock history: Hotel California. But there’s a whole lot more to Felder’s story than one song.

We talk about his brand new album The Vault: Fifty Years of Music, a stunning collection of unreleased tracks, reimagined demos, and personal time capsules from a half-century of playing, touring, and living the rock and roll life. Felder opens up about the tracks that almost never saw...

When you hear the word Taser, what comes to mind... safety, control, compliance? But what if behind that word lies a story of unchecked ambition, corporate influence over public safety, and a device that has contributed to the deaths of over 1,000 people in the U.S. alone?

On this episode of Up + Adam, Adam Montiel welcomes award-winning journalist and filmmaker Nick Berardini, the voice and mind behind the powerful new podcast Absolute: Taser Incorporated. From the boardrooms of Axon Enterprises to the streets of America’s most policed neighborhoods, this series pulls back the cu...

Headaches are universal, but for millions, they’re more than a nuisance. They’re life-altering, misunderstood, and often misdiagnosed. In this episode, Adam sits down with award-winning science journalist and former New York Times reporter Tom Zeller Jr., whose powerful new book, The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction, dives deep into the mysterious world of chronic head pain, especially the brutal beast known as cluster headaches.

From the ER to experimental drug trials, to the emotional weight of invisible pain, this conversation blends science, soul, and storytelling in a way only Up+Adam can. If y...

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What really happened on America’s Next Top Model? Sarah Hartshorne joins Adam Montiel with the kind of honesty that flips the script on everything you thought you knew about reality TV. A contestant on Cycle 9 and the author of You Wanna Be On Top?, Sarah unpacks the contracts, the calorie limits, the casting manipulation, and the emotional aftermath of living inside a show that was built for drama, not truth.

They talk about how the show shaped her body image, what it was like to be the only plus-size contestant, how the producers cr...

Today’s episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes, the smallest items make the biggest impact. Adam sits down with Cami Statler, Executive Director, and Lydia Gong, Bilingual Operations Manager and Lactation Educator at Pregnancy and Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County (PPS), a nonprofit many are calling “the sweetest on the Central Coast.”

They talk openly about the emotional realities of parenthood, the transformative power of early support, and why something as basic as a diaper can be the difference between a parent staying in school or having to drop out. PPS isn’t just handing...

What do Shakespeare, Steve Jobs, Queen Victoria, and a pope with a taste for cocaine wine have in common? According to historian and viral storyteller Sam Kelly, more than you’d think. In this episode, Adam chats with the author of Human History on Drugs: An Utterly Scandalous but Entirely Truthful Look at History Under the Influence to uncover the hilariously human, shockingly drug-laced past of some of the world’s most iconic figures.

Adam talks psychedelic breakthroughs, presidential dependencies, the birth of AA, mushrooms in power, modern meds like Ozempic, and how history migh...

From comedy royalty to soul-stirring truth-teller, Lisa Lampanelli is back, but not like you remember her. In this episode, Adam sits down with the iconic “Queen of Mean” turned self-help sage to talk about her powerful (and hilarious) new podcast, Shrink This! Alongside co-host Nick Scopoletti, Lisa tackles listener-submitted problems with the kind of tough love and hard laughs only she can deliver.

In this candid conversation, Lisa opens up about walking away from insult comedy, embracing reinvention, and why authenticity is the new punchline. We talk therapy, self-sabotage, letting go of what hurts us...

In this gripping follow-up conversation, Adam welcomes back investigative journalist and bestselling author Howard Blum, just one day after Bryan Kohberger, accused in the shocking 2022 Idaho college murders, pled guilty to four counts of first-degree murder. Blum, author of When The Night Comes Falling: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders, breaks down what this plea really means for justice, the unanswered questions that still linger, and the emotional fallout for the victims' families.

With Howard’s signature blend of old-school reporting and narrative mastery, this conversation goes beyond headlines, from courtroom strategy to th...

In this episode of Up+Adam, we crank the dial all the way up with journalist and author Brian Anderson, whose debut book Loud & Clear tells the jaw-dropping story of the Grateful Dead’s legendary Wall of Sound. Even if you’ve never spun a Dead record in your life, this conversation is for you. Because it’s not just about the music, it’s about ambition, obsession, and the kind of wild, world-changing creativity that rewrites the rules.

Brian walks us through the rise and wild fall of the Wall. A live sound system s...

What really happens when we die? Or... what if we don't?

On this episode of Up+Adam, I chat with filmmaker and podcast host Dan Bush, the creator of Alive Again, a gripping series that explores near-death experiences and the people who live to talk about them. These aren’t just brushes with death; they’re deep dives into the stories, sensations, and transformations that follow. We talk about the patterns that show up again and again, regardless of culture, gender, or age, and ask the big questions: Where does skepticism fit in? What happ...

What really happens when we die? Or... what if we don't?

On this episode of Up+Adam, I chat with filmmaker and podcast host Dan Bush, the creator of Alive Again, a gripping series that explores near-death experiences and the people who live to talk about them. These aren’t just brushes with death; they’re deep dives into the stories, sensations, and transformations that follow. We talk about the patterns that show up again and again, regardless of culture, gender, or age, and ask the big questions: Where does skepticism fit in? What happ...

On today’s Up+Adam, best-selling author and TV chef Deborah VanTrece joins Adam for a rich and flavorful conversation about the universal language of food, the roots of soul cooking, and how she’s blending global influence with deep Southern tradition. From serving up creative twists like Jamaican beef pot pie and adobo ribs on FYI’s Global Soul Kitchen, to redefining airport dining as Executive Chef of the Centurion Lounge at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, Chef VanTrece is a culinary storyteller. She shares the emotional heartbeat behind her dishes, the cultures that inspire her palate, and the one recipe s...

What happens when justice goes viral? When the courtroom becomes content? And when the story isn't just about two celebrities, but about us?

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel welcomes journalist and documentarian Makiko Wholey, co-author of Hollywood Vampires: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, and the Celebrity Exploitation Machine. Makiko takes us behind the scenes of one of the most chaotic, consequential trials in modern celebrity history, revealing what most of us missed while we were scrolling. From overnight fan campouts in Fairfax to the quiet conversations that never made it to YouTube...

Get ready to dive deep with one of the Elks Lodge’s most dedicated leaders, Nancy Lewelling, as she joins Adam Montiel to talk about Pink Drank, a vibrant summer event that’s become one of San Luis Obispo’s most anticipated gatherings. Poolside, dressed in pink, with over 30 of the hottest producers in wine, beer, spirits, and craft cocktails. Add in a live DJ, curated bites, a grazing table, a wine pull, and you've got a celebration that’s as playful as it is purposeful.

Nancy shares what makes this event so uniquely Central...

In this soulful episode, Adam chats with the incomparable Ziggy Marley: eight-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, musician, humanitarian, and now, bedtime book wizard. Ziggy opens up about Pajammin’, his newest children’s book inspired by his father Bob Marley’s iconic song “Jamming.” But this conversation goes way deeper than pajamas.

Together, they unpack family rituals, the evolution of legacy, and what it means to create joy that outlives you. Ziggy shares the heart behind the pages, how music still guides his fatherhood, and why stories matter more than ever. If you’re looking for a conver...

What if the story we’ve been told for 60 years… was never meant to hold up? Legendary prosecutor and former Deputy Chief Counsel of the U.S. Congressional JFK assassination probe, Robert K. Tanenbaum, joins Up+Adam for a truth-bomb of a conversation that challenges the official narrative of Dealey Plaza. His new book, That Day in Dallas: Lee Harvey Oswald Did NOT Kill JFK, makes the case—with evidence, not theory—that the assassination was not the act of a lone gunman, but a multilayered cover-up by forces inside our own government.

In this epi...

Montel Williams is Up+Adam! What happens when a 36,000-ton aircraft carrier gets torpedoed in WWII, its rudder jammed, and it starts spinning helplessly in enemy waters? In most timelines, it’s the end of the story. But in Montel Williams’ new book The Sailing of the Intrepid, it’s just the beginning.

On today’s episode, Adam welcomes Montel…yes, that Montel for a conversation that’s part history, part masterclass in resilience. They dive into the wild true tale of the USS Intrepid, the crew that refused to surrender, and the 3,000-square-foot sail that st...