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 c...
Jul 09, 2025•28 min
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 dependen...
Jul 08, 2025•25 min
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 rein...
Jul 07, 2025•19 min
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. Wit...
Jul 03, 2025•19 min
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...
Jul 02, 2025•31 min
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 questio...
Jul 01, 2025•17 min
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...
Jun 30, 2025•16 min
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 scroll...
Jun 27, 2025•36 min
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 make...
Jun 26, 2025•33 min
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 ...
Jun 25, 2025•17 min
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-u...
Jun 24, 2025•30 min
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 tha...
Jun 23, 2025•22 min
In this episode, Adam chats with Robin from Woods Humane Society with our Pet(s) of the Week. We say pets, cause…we…got…KITTENS! They are also on the heels of their big Tails gala event this weekend! Also, rosé all day? Adam is giving away a pair of tickets to Pink Drank, the Central Coast’s ultimate rosé bash. First ten listeners to hit up adammontiel.com get in. No code words. No nonsense. Just go. Buy tickets at pinkdrank.org - But win them from Adam. Learn more: woodshumanesociety.org instag...
Jun 20, 2025•13 min
In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down in the LoBro Studios with Jatzibe Sandoval, Community Impact and Volunteer Director at Lumina Alliance, for a conversation that’s as moving as it is essential. From her own personal journey through challenge and transformation to now leading community advocacy efforts, Jatzibe shares how lived experience becomes powerful leadership. We talk about the delicate art of trauma-informed care, what real allyship looks like outside of Pride month, and why show...
Jun 19, 2025•34 min
Today in the LoBro Studios at Timbre, we’re joined by longtime restaurateur and hospitality ninja John MacKinnon, the mind and soul behind two very different but equally beloved spots on the Central Coast: Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill in Cambria and Todo Bueno at the SLO Public Market. We talk about what it means to build something with intention. From the grind of surviving the pandemic as a restaurant owner, to the obsessive joy of layering a perfect taco or burger. John shares why quesadil...
Jun 18, 2025•36 min
Today on Up+Adam, Adam chats with Courtney Armstrong and Baudi Moovan, co-hosts of the nightly iHeartRadio podcast True Crime Tonight. Courtney has spent years inside the darkest corners of America’s most haunting cases, from the Piketon massacre to justice with Nancy Grace. Baudi became a household name after helping crack a murder case online, her story told in Netflix’s Don’t F**k With Cats. Together, they navigate the chaos of true crime headlines, digital manhunts, and human heartbreak five...
Jun 17, 2025•25 min
We’re kicking off a part 2 of our Farm Days series that takes you straight into the heart of the SLO County Farm Trail this weekend!. In this first episode, Adam sits down with some of his favorite ag fam to talk about food, farming, friendship, and how passion and product collide right here on the Central Coast. Joining Adam in Timbre LoBro studio: Lynette Sonne, the powerhouse behind Farmstead Ed and the SLO County Farm Trail, who’s connecting farmers to farmers and farms to YOU. Gina Hambly f...
Jun 16, 2025•34 min
This is one of those Up+Adam episodes you remember. When a guest like David Foster joins the show, you know you're in for something special. Sixteen Grammys. A career that’s defined the sound of entire generations. And now? He’s scoring Broadway. This is more than a cool conversation. It’s a front-row seat to one of music’s greatest living legends. What happens when a hitmaker steps into the world of Broadway? You get BOOP! The Musical, a lush, cinematic journey through the world of the iconic B...
Jun 13, 2025•18 min
In this episode, Adam reunites with a very special guest: Aiden Ponti, the 16-year-old founder of Breadin Bros, a Central Coast culinary brand built from scratch... literally. Two years after their first conversation at the Mid-State Fair, Aiden returns to talk about how his fried chicken obsession turned into a fast-growing business, now in local stores. We talk product innovation, personal growth, and the wild story behind launching his very own Breadin Bros Racing team in the 24 Hours of Lemo...
Jun 12, 2025•32 min
What does it sound like when a man sings from the middle of his comeback? On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with The Voice Season 27 winner Adam David, a soulful rocker whose voice is as textured as his story. From a single-chair turn to an Instant Save that felt more like a divine pause button, Adam’s journey through addiction, recovery, and redemption is nothing short of cinematic. We talk about the moment music stopped being a dream and started being a lifeline. This is more ...
Jun 11, 2025•17 min
In this episode, Adam chats with award-winning journalist and podcast host Melissa Jeltsen, whose latest true-crime series What Happened to Talina Zar dives deep into one of the most unsettling disappearances in recent memory. During the early days of COVID lockdown, 50-year-old Talina Zar posted an eerie message online and then vanished. What followed was a search unlike anything we’ve seen: led not by detectives, but by relentless internet sleuths. Melissa walks us through the bizarre twists, ...
Jun 10, 2025•24 min
What happens when Superman trades his cape for a clipboard… and ends up coaching a girls’ soccer team full of chaos and heart? In this episode of Up+Adam, Dean Cain joins the show to talk about his brand-new film Little Angels, in theaters now. But this conversation goes well beyond the movie. They dive into legacy, left turns, writing from the heart, and the real behind-the-scenes grit it takes to create something the whole family can watch...and actually enjoy. Dean shares stories from his Hol...
Jun 09, 2025•20 min
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Meathead: Adam chats with one of the most trusted voices in barbecue…Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer and the mind behind the wildly popular AmazingRibs.com. His latest book, The Meathead Method, isn’t just a cookbook, it’s a myth-busting, flavor-unlocking, science-soaked manual that turns your grill into an instrument of delicious truth. From the Central Coast to the science lab, Meathead talks about busting BBQ myths, cooking with our own Brigit Binns, and how flavor is...
Jun 06, 2025•25 min
In this episode of Up+Adam, we sit down with the ever-charismatic Kenny Crossley, a standout personality from A&E's hit series Storage Wars. From his early days in New Orleans law enforcement to managing storage facilities in Los Angeles, Kenny's journey to television stardom is anything but ordinary. He shares insights into the upcoming season of Storage Wars, premiering Saturday, June 7th at 9PM ET/PT on A&E, promising more auctions, action, and unexpected treasures. Kenny opens up abo...
Jun 05, 2025•18 min
Chef Kenny Seliger is no stranger to fine dining. After helping In Bloom earn a mention in the Michelin Guide, he’s now stepping into a whole new chapter as Executive Chef of Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles. This property is as soulful and intentional as the cuisine he’s now creating. In this episode, Adam sits down with Kenny after a weekend on-site to talk about what it’s like running a kitchen inside a luxury resort, how his mindset has evolved, and why sometimes the perfect omelet ...
Jun 04, 2025•28 min
Today on Up+Adam, on a #TrueCrimeTuesday we’re pulling back the curtain on Big Pharma with someone who lived the story from the inside. Lisa Pratta spent over 30 years as a pharmaceutical sales rep, climbing the ranks, crushing quotas, and doing what she thought was helping people. But when she saw her company pushing a powerful drug off-label, jacking up the price from $40 to nearly $30,000 per vial, and putting patients at risk, she couldn’t stay quiet. What followed was a nearly decade-long u...
Jun 03, 2025•19 min
On Today’s Episode Of Up + Adam, We Sit Down With Molly Kern, Ceo Of The Slo Food Bank, For A Real And Inspiring Conversation About What Food Insecurity Looks Like Right Here On The Central Coast. While Many Of Us Are Easing Into Summer, There’s A Silence Happening In School Cafeterias Across The County That Speaks Volumes, Because When School’s Out, For Thousands Of Local Kids, So Is Their Most Reliable Meal Of The Day. We Talk About The Power Of A Single Breakfast Bag, What A $1 Donation Can A...
Jun 02, 2025•18 min
This episode of Up+Adam is a full-on celebration of community, culture, and connection on the Central Coast. We kick things off with Ashley White from Firestone Walker Brewing Company , who gives us the inside scoop on the sold-out Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest and the growing list of community events surrounding it. From Friday’s all-day Block Party to Sunday’s “Beers & Brekkie” brunch, it’s more than just a beer fest. It’s a full weekend experience designed to celebrate Paso and ...
May 30, 2025•22 min
We’re kicking off a two-part Farm Days series that takes you straight into the heart of the SLO County Farm Trail. In this first episode, Adam sits down with some of his favorite ag fam to talk about food, farming, friendship, and how passion and product collide right here in SLO CAL. Joining Adam in Timbre LoBro studio: Lynette Sonne, the powerhouse behind Farmstead Ed and the SLO County Farm Trail, who’s connecting farmers to farmers and farms to YOU. Gina Hambly from Hambly Farms , where lave...
May 29, 2025•36 min
In this episode, Adam chats with the iconic Luvvie Ajayi Jones, four-time New York Times bestselling author, cultural critic, TED Talk powerhouse, and now the author of Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name, a children's book that hits home for anyone who's ever been told their name was "too much." They talk about what it means to be a “professional troublemaker,” the power of defending your identity, and how our childhood gifts, the ones we often got in trouble for, are usually our true superpow...
May 28, 2025•16 min
