Inside the Cartel: The Double Life of Martin Suarez - who’s been called the greatest undercover agent in FBI history

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 million followers across platforms, his message is clear and raw: your scars don’t disqualify you, they qualify you. This conversation dives into manhood, generational cycles, self-betrayal, the spiritual weight of healing, and the cost of choosing purpose over comfort.If you’ve ever felt stuck at the bottom of your own mountain, this episode will remind you—you were made to climb.Connect with Joshua Rosa: • Made For This Mountain Podcast: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-made-for-this-mountain-po-273843630/ • Book – Choosing to Do Wrong, Failing to Do Good: https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-wrong-Failing-good-Joshua/dp/B0D4B15QS8 • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_joshuarosa/?hl=en • YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmnIP09gWXqdvB6CX8lRUNg********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the current 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!Life ElementsCity of SLOWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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 visual memoir of chaos, brotherhood, ego, and art.Even if you weren’t a die-hard Oasis fan, this conversation opens up a world of creative tension, trust, and the magic that happens when a camera becomes a passport into cultural history.Whether you’re a music lover, a photography nerd, or just someone who remembers what “Wonderwall” felt like in the ‘90s, this one’s for you.GET THE BOOK • Oasis: Trying to Find a Way Out of Nowhere: Buy on AmazonFollow Jill Furmanovsky • Instagram: @jillfurmanovsky • Official Archive: rockarchive.com******** Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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 elephant-dung-covered fields to civil rights standoffs and Klan bombings, this isn’t just the most dysfunctional season in NFL history, it’s a forgotten American epic. David takes us behind the scenes of his years-long research journey, the characters too wild for fiction, and why this story had to be told now.This episode is for the football fan, the history buff, the curious soul, and anyone who knows that sometimes the biggest messes leave the deepest marks.Guest: David Fleming • Book: A Big Mess in Texas: The Incredible True Story of the Dallas Texans • Learn more: https://www.abigmessintexas.com • Order the book: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Mess-Texas-Incredible-Dysfunctional/dp/1250374305 • Follow David: https://twitter.com/FlemFile********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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.Together, Martin and Ian pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of undercover espionage, the failures of the War on Drugs, and the emotional toll of a life lived in shadows. This is not just a true-crime story; it’s a human one: about identity, faith, family, and the courage it takes to keep telling the truth, even when your voice is fading.Buy the book: Inside the Cartel on HarperCollinsFollow Ian Frisch: @ian_frisch********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

 UP+ADAM LISTENERS — FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS, GET SLO OPERA TICKETS FOR JUST $25! USE PROMO CODE: HANSEL25THIS IS MAJOR SAVINGS — SOME TICKETS ARE USUALLY $50, OTHERS UPWARDS OF $100 DEPENDING ON SEATING. DON’T MISS THIS LIMITED-TIME DEAL TO EXPERIENCE WORLD-CLASS OPERA FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE.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 grand production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s beloved opera, featuring a full 60-piece orchestra, massive two-story woodland sets, vivid costumes, and a talented cast of international stars and local youth.Adam sits down with mezzo-soprano Mandi Barrus (Hansel), soprano Amy Goymerac (Gretel), Children’s Chorus Manager Luana Gerardis, and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Brescia, who also serves on the OperaSLO board. Together, they talk about the magic of bringing opera to families, why it’s perfect for October and Artober in SLO, and the role of arts in education. Oh, and yes, Adam definitely tries his hand at opera himself in an improvised mini-opera you won’t want to miss.This episode is full of laughs, love for the arts, and a whole lot of talent. Whether you’re an opera lover or totally new to it, Hansel and Gretel is your gateway into something unforgettable.And remember - for the next 48 hours only, Up+Adam listeners can grab tickets for just $25 when you use the promo code HANSEL25 at checkout. Regular ticket prices range from $50 to upwards of $100 depending on your seat, so this is a rare and major opportunity to experience live opera with huge savings.• Get your tickets: https://www.pacslo.org/events/detail/hanselandgretel25• Learn more about Opera San Luis Obispo: https://www.operaslo.org• Show dates: October 18 & 19 at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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’s legacy, this conversation doesn’t hold back. If you grew up watching ANTM, or just want to understand how entertainment shapes culture, this episode is a must-listen.• Listen to the podcast: Curse of: America’s Next Top Model on iHeartRadio• Learn more about Bridget Armstrong: Muck Rack Bio********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Part of our month-long ARTober on Up+Adam seriesThis 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 don’t just keep time, they make moments. Adam also gets a surprise conducting lesson, a front-row breakdown of what musicians actually watch for, and a thoughtful dive into how music carries memory, legacy, and even grief. As part of our ARTober series celebrating arts and culture in San Luis Obispo, this episode offers a backstage pass into a world where timing, trust, and truth come together in sound.• San Luis Obispo Symphony slosymphony.org Explore concerts, events, education programs, and ticket info.• ARTober in SLO slocity.org/ARTober Find live performances, public art installations, studio tours, music, theater, and more.• Experience ARTober Downtown downtownslo.com/events/artober Incentives, pop-ups, and everything happening in the heart of downtown SLO.********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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, vulnerability, real-life motherhood through surrogacy, and the emotional moment that made even her stop in her tracks. This isn’t just a conversation. It’s a love letter to daytime, to presence, and to a woman who helped redefine what it means to be a TV legend.Support Deidre’s causes: All proceeds from her Days of Our Lives merchandise benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital • deidrehall.comYou can also shop her hand-painted greeting cards, with proceeds going to Wounded Warriors, on the same site.Follow Deidre Hall on Instagram • @deidrehall_official********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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 quiet moments that still echo long after the mic is off.They also dig into:LEARN MOREListen to America’s Crime Lab: iHeart Podcast PageElin’s Website: ElinLantzLesser.comMinimalism & Simple Living YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElinLesser********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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 quick wins, pantry power ups, and a couple of sauces you’ll steal immediately.Links & resources:Website: https://lindseyeatsla.com/Cookbook hub (all retailers): https://lindseyeatsla.com/cookbook/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseyeats/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lindseyeatsBuy the book, Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/059383545XBuy the book, Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/something-delicious-100-recipes-for-everyday-cooking-lindsey-baruch/22174598Publisher page, Ten Speed Press / PRH: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743700/something-delicious-by-lindsey-baruch/Target listing: https://www.target.com/p/something-delicious-by-lindsey-baruch-hardcover/-/A-94491961********Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********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!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com