Up + Adam with Adam Montiel

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Is It True Crime? Is It Comedy? Yes. Wisecrack Debuts at #1 - The Creators Join Up+Adam Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

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.

Jodi was on vacation in Scotland when she ducked into Edd’s set to avoid the rain and walked out knowing she’d just found her next big story. Together, they created Wisecrack, a 6-part series that’s already being called the next Baby Reindeer, but this time, it’s not fiction.

• Listen to Wisecrack: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-wisecrack-288632921/

• Follow Edd Hedges on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eddhedges

• More on Tenderfoot TV: https://www.tenderfoot.tv

********

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:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Men… Explained? Finally? Tom Sturges Cracks the Code on the Male Mind Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

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 for a heartfelt, funny, and thought-provoking look at why men do what they do, how to love them without trying to fix them, and why understanding the "14-year-old boy" inside every man might just be the key to better relationships. Whether you’re a man, love a man, or gave up on one, this episode is for you.

• Buy the Book: Men Explained, Finally

Amazon – Available Now

• Follow Tom on Instagram: @TomSturgesIdeas

********

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Looking Through Water – Trailer (YouTube)

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Born Into Fame, Built for Redemption: Actors Cameron Douglas & David Morse are Up+Adam Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

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, in Looking Through Water, he steps fully into his own as a performer and storyteller.

David Morse, known for unforgettable work in The Green Mile, The Hurt Locker, World War Z, House, and Escape at Dannemora, joins the conversation to reflect on the quiet power of restraint, the characters who have stayed with him, and what continues to draw him toward projects about pain, repair, and redemption.

Together, they explore the layers of legacy, the weight of silence, and the unspoken beauty of second chances.

Watch the Official Trailer:

Cameron Douglas

Memoir: Long Way Home → Buy on Amazon
Instagram @CameronDouglas

It’s Time to Write the Damn Thing - Central Coast Writers Conference is Here to Help! Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

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 belonging, and for finally hitting “go” on that thing you’ve been putting off.

Adam will be there too, hosting a live session on the art of the interview. Come for the craft, stay for the community.

Wanna go? Here’s everything you need:

• Website and registration: centralcoastwritersconference.com

• Dates: September 26 and 27, 2025 at Cuesta College

• Special event: The Princess and the Frog screening with screenwriter Rob Edwards

• Keynotes, master classes, teen program, and more

********

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-betrayal-weekly-95632727/

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Gaslight, Ghost, Repeat: The Psychology of Betrayal with Best Crime Podcast Winner Andrea Gunning Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

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 about the emotional cost of producing stories like these, how the show’s affected her personal life, and why betrayal is the most intimate kind of devastation.

Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday

Listen to Betrayal Weekly:

Watch the Stacey & Tyler limited-run series now streaming on Hulu, from ABC News Studios:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/discovery-hidden-camera-revealed-doctors-dark-secrets/story?id=124846612

Follow Andrea Gunning:

Instagram: @itsandreagunning

********

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Gen Z Puts Ice in their Beer | Labor Day Weekend Ahead | Pet of the Week Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Pier Pressure: How Pismo Beach Zoned Out, Now Closing the Pier Eatery That's Been There for Years Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

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 rallied around Sunsets from day one. Brian also shares what’s next, from his work at Rib Line and The Switch in San Luis Obispo, to the catering business that’s feeding everything from weddings to major concerts. It is a story about resilience, community, and what it means to keep moving forward when the rules suddenly change.

Support Brian and his restaurants:

Follow along on Instagram:

********

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Obstacles Are Just Training: NBC's ANW Champion Kai Beckstrand on Recent Win, Firefighting, & T1D Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

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 competition that drives Kai, the invisible math and strategy of balancing blood sugars mid-run, and the discipline it takes to live a life defined by grit and resilience. With insights shared from Wendy Theis Sell, a passionate advocate for T1D awareness, this episode explores not just the obstacles on the course but the ones we don’t always see.

Kai Beckstrand is more than a champion. He is a role model for every kid with Type 1 diabetes, and for anyone who has ever been told they “can’t.”

Follow Kai online:

• Instagram: @kai_beckstrand

• Watch his runs on American Ninja Warrior: nbc.com/american-ninja-warrior

********

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

This Podcast Could Free Her Mother: Maggie Robinson Katz | Hands Tied Podcast is Up+Adam Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

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 unforgettable. With her mother now serving time, Lizz believes the wrong person was convicted. Maggie, known for her deeply human approach to storytelling, takes listeners inside a case where the pursuit of justice is anything but straightforward.

In this conversation, Adam and Maggie dive into the emotional weight of telling someone else’s story, the unique challenge of reporting on an ongoing case, and why Hands Tied goes beyond true crime to become something much more powerful.

• Listen to Hands Tied

• Apple Podcasts

• iHeart Podcasts

• Follow Maggie Robinson Katz

• Instagram: @maggierobinsonkatz

********

• 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:

Official Website: adammontiel.com
Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

********

********

*********

Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!