Unheard: True Crime in Their Own Words - All Bark, No Bite? The Reality Behind Dog the Bounty Hunter

Episode Date: April 13, 2026

What does it actually look like to chase fugitives for a living… and then have your life turned into a television show?In this episode, I sit down with Justin Bihag, someone who didn’t just appear on Dog the Bounty Hunter… he lived it.We get into what most people never saw. Not the edited version. Not the dramatized version. The reality of what it took to track people down, what those apprehensions actually felt like in the moment, and how quickly everything changed once cameras showed up.We break down the case that put everything on the map, the capture of Andrew Luster, and why that moment became bigger than just one fugitive. It shifted public perception of bounty hunting entirely and turned a dangerous, unpredictable job into something the world suddenly couldn’t stop watching.But the part that stuck with me most isn’t the fame. It’s what came after it. Because when the cameras stop, life doesn’t.Justin talks openly about the pressure, the personal struggles, the hits his life took behind the scenes, and what it’s like trying to rebuild when people think they already know your story. Addiction, scrutiny, relationships, identity, none of it wrapped up neatly when the show ended.And then there’s the comeback.We get into how he found his way back through music, why that outlet matters, and what it takes mentally to keep moving forward when you’ve already lived multiple versions of your life in the public eye.There’s also something else in this conversation that I think people will connect with, the idea of resilience that isn’t polished or performative. It’s messy. It’s imperfect. And it’s real.This isn’t just about reality TV. It’s about what reality actually looks like when the cameras aren’t rolling.Follow and subscribe for more stories that deserve to be heard. These stories don’t get told unless people are willing to listen.New episodes drop every Monday at 2:00pm CentralSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You've probably seen Dog the Bounty Hunter. What you haven't heard is what it's like from someone who is actually there. Justin B. Hag was part of that world, on the show, in the field, living it in real time. And today he's pulling back the curtain on what that life actually looked like. We're going to get into how he got started, what drew him into bounty hunting in the first place, and what it was really like being involved in cases that most people only heard about after the fact,

including the pursuit of Andrew Luster. We're also going to hear about the challenges in doing your job when cameras are constantly filming around you. But what makes this conversation different is what happens after that chapter. Because like a lot of people who get pulled into that kind of life early, there were challenges. There were setbacks and there were moments where things could have gone a completely different direction. And Justin talks about that openly. Today's conversation is not just about where someone's been.

It's about what they did with it. So if you've ever wondered what that world actually looks like from the inside and what it takes to rebuild when it's all behind you, then you're going to love this episode. Justin, thank you so much for joining me today. I really appreciate you taking the time. Alzaa, brother, Alzaa, thank you for the opportunity. So here's kind of what I want to do. You know, you were on Dog the Bounty Hunter, and you are not only were you on the show.

You are a real bounty hunter. You're license. Or at least you were, I don't know if you still are. I'm assuming you are. I just got my hunting license back. Yes. not my bail license. Nice.

But hunting lessons, correct. All right. So you're a bail bot, you know, you're a bounty hunter. And I think that people would kind of like to know, maybe, you know, talk a little bit about you, how you got into bounty hunting, like, you know, what the show was like, you know, whatever, whatever you're comfortable with. If we're going to do it like that, I mean, I would have to say I was 11 years old and it all started when we moved to Colorado from Hawaii. Auntie Beth, rest in peace. Obviously, you know I love her very much. But she had put an ad in for a nanny for the kids.

My mom ended up taking that ad and excelling in everything and every shape and form. They ended up becoming best friends. And of course, they have Free Isabelle Bonds, which used to be located in Edgewater, Colorado. And with mom doing such a good job, you know, auntie ended up having her become a license. and bail aging as well. So I was like that little kid that was always kind of watching Auntie Beth and Uncle Dog, if I can still call him that, you know, watching them do bail and having criminals come to the office.

And I was kind of that little kid that was just around the office, just observing, just kind of absorbing everything that, I mean, it fascinated me. You know, I'm seeing them go on these long, crazy hunts. all I'm doing is hearing them come back, telling the stories about it. So over time, you know, people have to come in when you bail out and you got to fill out an application. And, you know, we got to verify cell phone numbers, verify addresses. So I started doing just the little stuff like that, that, you know, that little totem pole working your way up the office type deal. So that's kind of where it started.

And then, of course, Aunt Beth and Mom would do female apprehensions where, you know, if it's a female criminal, you have to have a female to apprehend the female. So that's just really kind of how it all really started. But I was actually in college at the University of Albany, SUNY, Great Danes, in Albany, New York. So you have to understand what really happened and made it really kind of just this big. big blow take over the nation type deal was when uncle was in Mexico and how he got his fame, which was capturing Andrew Luster, which is Max Factor's grandson, who, by the way, I mean, he got denied parole last year, but he'll be out the end of the year, October-ish. But anyways.

If you don't mind, well, we'll put a pin in back. We're going to come back to him because people who don't know the year, I'll let you explain that. But you continue on your story. We'll come back to him. Okay, so then basically, I mean, it is raw, uncut, you know, unhurt. Yeah. But I'm in college and I get a call from my mom and Auntie Beth and they're like, you need to turn on the TV. And I'm like, for what?

You know what I mean? Like I'm trying to be a basketball player. I was a basketball star, you know, 45 inch. You can't be a white boy with a Jordan on your arm and not play a ball. So I just remember the call. I turned on the TV. and it was Uncle Leland and Youngblood and, well, most people don't know, Boris Krutanag, he was actually, oh man, what was that movie he was called where he was the gold bar.

I forget what it was called, but anyways, they're all on TV in prison, in Puerto Vallarta, and that's when Auntie was like, you know, we could kind of use your help right now in Hawaii. So I left New York, came to Hawaii, mom's helping with the kids. helping with the kids. Auntie Beth is like on the phone with probably maybe 20 different attorneys trying to figure out how to get them out of Mexico. And then of course it hit, you know, worldwide news, celebrity media, everything back then it was like National Enquirer, you know, nothing like social media today.

It was more like news, actual news and newspapers. Yep. And then of course that spread. And then one thing led to another. and I was just in the right place at the right time. My mom and Aunt Beth were best friends, so it was kind of just this mutual respect we all had, and it just so happened when we about the offer to do the show.

I was at the right place at the right time, and I could pull in a fan base of younger, of course, female viewers, to tune into our show. So that's really how it started, and then it just, it was like an overnight, how you hear nowadays, where they're like, Overnight, you know, two million streams viral. Back then, that's basically what we did overnight was basically just shock the world.

So that's where we all started. And for people who remember that time period, I mean, Dog the Bounty Hunter was, I mean, reality TV was all the rage. And, and, you know, at the time, I still always think today, there wasn't anything like that on TV. And it was so fascinating, watching people, you know, skip bail and having to go find them and hunt him down. And, you know, he'd always, you know, be kind to them, you know, put him in the car, give him a cigarette, pray with them, you know, whatever. It was, it was always, it was good TV. It was entertaining, you know, at the end, there was accountability for the person, but he did it with compassion, I think. And, you know, that was pretty great.

Now, I do want to step back before we go further with that. for people who don't know the Andrew Luster case, okay? And what happened? Because, you know, with dog and the team, I'm not going to give it away. I'm going to let you share it because you do it so much better than I do. I know what happens to people. But explain to people who don't know about that case,

what happened, why you had to all of a sudden jump a plane from New York back to Hawaii and help out with everybody. And why, you know, Beth was on the phone with a bunch of attorneys, He's explained to the people who may not remember or don't know how crazy that situation was. Oh, I mean, for at least through my eyes, I mean, you have to imagine waking up and all of a sudden your family, which we were family, no matter what anybody says nowadays. But when your family, yeah, when your family is on every single news station back when we had Larry King live on CNN and all. You know, back then when news was actually news, and then all of a sudden, you're having to get on a plane first class, New York. I was in Albany, so upstate, all the way to get to Hawaii.

And then you get off the plane and everyone's going crazy. Sorry about your uncle. We just, like, the news is everywhere. What happened? You're having to remain quiet and calm at the same time. But then again, you have a lot of people who, and this is what I want people to, understand as well is we didn't have the fame. We didn't have the money. We didn't have the show. We didn't have everything that we had later on. At this point, we're just doing bail bonds,

bounty hunting. And this is the case that actually got Uncle and us many offers to do this show. Because for you females that have that no makeup and cosmetic brands, there's a brand that's called the Max Factor. So, I mean, billionaire guy. lives in Cali, beautiful beaches, Malibu, but he had a grandson. And his name was Andrew Lester. So, I mean, at the time when he actually did his financial audits, he had like $80 million in the bank. So he definitely took care of his grandson.

But what people don't understand is even though Luster had the looks, had the house right on the beach, Malibu, the Toyota Land Cruiser, brand new, he couldn't talk freely like to women. So what it ended up happening was over time, women started seeing at this one bar in Ventura County, California, that a bunch of women were starting to say a lot of the same stories. They'd go there, have a drink with this guy, wake up, not know anything that happened. A lot of times, he'd just bring them back to their vehicle. So long story short, he ended up getting cents to 126 years. But anyways, so that's, this is the magnitude of Max Factor, grandson, on the run, cuts

his ankle monitor off in California, flees on a fishing boat to Proto Vallarta, Mexico, which I don't know if people understand, but if you are like a criminal and you run to Mexico, it's like the extradition process is not really as quick and things like that. with their country because it's almost like you can get away with it just go to mexico you're not going to be brought back type deal but uncle and them made um you know he got on the hunt and cali california law enforcement couldn't find him FBI nobody could find him um the uh what is it the john walsh um put a big thing out you know Andrew luster one of the biggest criminals on the run uncle jumps on that, goes to Mexico, lo and behold, catches luster.

They extradite luster back, but keep Leland, Youngblood, Uncle Dog, Boris Krutonog, and just a freelance photographer, they're in prison. So that's where all of this just started. I get to Hawaii, where, you know, the kids were little, little. So it gave my mom and me, you know, kind of to take care of the kids. while Aunt Tibet could literally call every attorney in Hollywood or California or New York because at that time, Uncle and everybody still had to sit in Pretta Vallarta, prison. So why did they get arrested?

Because in Mexico, it's illegal, bounty hunting is illegal. And it was basically like the charges they were assumed that they were going to get that never got, that ended up years later falling off, was deprivation of liberty. So it was like they had no reason to be there. They don't have, you know, the right to even apprehend anybody in a whole different country that you're not a part of. So that's really what created this craze of you have a rapist on the run that has over 126 counts of drugging in GHB. That's insane. I mean, that's, I could see, you know, one or two.

two and that's still bad. But the VHS is he was trying to become this adult film star. That's what really got Luster bad was he would get them intoxicated to where they don't remember. He's filming them. I'm not really going to get into detail on this because we're probably going to have a bunch of different ranges of fans and people watching this. But you can get into as much or as little detail.

Yeah. So if you can imagine, he's trying to be an adult. film star these women are passed out in his room he's got five cameras around the room filming him back then we had what's called a VHS not sure if anybody remembers that but we do that's what actually at the end game got him all those charges was because he had proof of every single interaction in his home so I mean that's a lot of VHS's that's a lot of filming that's a lot of improper actions so that's really what started it off all. And then what really got us to show was when we went to the court date in Ventura County.

If I remember, his attorney was something diamond. Oh, man, he was, ooh, snapper. But we went to court there because guess what? Andrew Luster was caught. And guess what? He put up a million cash. which means whoever catches,

especially if you're a bounty honor, catching Andrew Luster on a million dollar bond cash, you're supposed to get a percentage of that cash, you know, the cash amount for the apprehension. We went to court that just looked us all on our faces. I'll never forget it. And said, we don't condone your vigilante justice. You don't get any money from the bond.

And literally the courtroom goes, hysterical crazy. There's still probably footage out there somewhere of Liden and I pushing people out of the elevator because we literally got up and just walked out. And then we walked downstairs and you have the CEO of A&E. You got the CEO of Spike TV because they were actually kind of big at that time. I remember that. And then the creator of all reality TV, he's down there, the survivor guy. He's, what's his name, Burnett? Or what's his name? Mark Burnett.

Mark Burnett. The creator of reality TV. Mark Burnett, you'll see his name on like every reality show because he basically invented it. And then they were very creative because the original first ever reality show was actually Meet the Osbournes on MTV. It was actually a reality show the first one of its kind as a family. Rest in peace, Ozzy. Rest in peace to Ozzy. But then they've aligned everything up.

TV networks are making offers. Uncle picked A&E. And it just so happened. Ozzie decided to jump on the opening theme song for us. And then the rest was that. Yeah, that was Ozzy Osbourne. I didn't know that. Yep.

That was good old Ozzy, rest and peace. I went through his house for two weeks. Most people don't know this. If you're out there, Charlotte, I. But I was actually with his niece through season one and season two. And then, of course, work just got in the way. She lived in England.

but yeah, Ozzy rest in peace. And then everybody started blasting that on the papers and National Enquirers. Ozzy's on the new theme song. And then we all show out licking like, you know, human cartoons almost. And the rest is a rat. The rest is a ride. It was around. Once the South Park episode aired, that was a route.

I forgot about the South Park episode. Yeah, the hallway monitor. Shout out. There was. There was not. It was an era, guys. It was an era back in the early 2000s. So, and that's another thing I try to tell people, too, is what we did still to this day,

because we were actually considered a real life series. Yeah. It wasn't reality TV. Yeah, that's our job. You know, so we were one of the first of our kind in a real life series. And then, of course, came the growing up goties, the Gene Serran's family jewels. And then, of course, you know, Doug Dynasty, which, you know, I'm pretty sure it broke almost every record we had on A&E.

But for the record, everybody, if it wasn't for the dog, there'd be no duck. So, then everything just, I mean, literally overnight, it was as soon as the first and second episode aired, that week in the New York Times, we broke every rating on the man. We topped every single television show on TV at that time from a little network on A&E, which was unheard of. And then the rest is a wrap. Let me ask this, because I'm actually just curious about this because I don't know how it would work. I mean, so I don't know if you know this or not. Fun fact, and this is for listeners too who may not know this. My wife Alyssa and I were actually married on reality TV.

Oh, man. You just know that? I remember you saying that when we did the Gabby Petito thing. Yeah. So for people listening, Justin B. Hagg and I have been friends for, I don't know, several years now. And we did a lot of lives together and stuff. And he's done some other stuff with me. And I asked why I wanted to come on the podcast because he's got a very unique, you know, skill set that I thought you guys would find interesting.

But yeah, so there was a show. We lived in Texas at the time. It was called the Swanderosa. It lasted like six episodes. And basically there was this really well-to-do prominent gastroenterologist in San Francisco. in San Antonio. His last name was Swan, Dr. Swan, and he had this property,

and he called it the Swan Derosa. And so basically, I don't know how it came about, but basically what happened was they ended up getting a show on CMT. They wanted basically the daughters, who, you know, his daughters and his wife to run it, that he was basically trying to leave a legacy

because obviously they can't just go into the business of gastroids, neurology. So he wanted something to happen. His daughters were both, you know, very pretty, interesting backstories. But the show was boring. We were the pilot episode. But the nice part is, is like, Alyssa and I, our budget was, was like, we didn't have

any money. Nobody was paying for it. So it was like $5,000. And we ended up having like a $7,500,000 wedding that was on CMT's dime. So I'm not complaining. But the show, the show was kind of boring. And actually, people go to my, I'll just, I'll give this. plug, which I never do. But if you go to my website, just the nick of crime.com and you scroll down,

I'm not putting it in the show note or maybe it might be in the show notes. Who knows? It doesn't matter. If you go there, you can see the show. And yeah, we got married on it. We did like, it was like this 1930s, great Gatsby kind of style wedding. And the show, we were the pilot, the show just didn't last because it was boring. So anyways, I digress on that. There's that story. But my question for you is this. So like, I understand how reality TV works to a degree. when we had guests come to show up, they all had to sign releases. So when you guys were arresting somebody

who had, you know, skipped bond and y'all were, you know, hunting them, getting them, bringing them in, because they were under arrest, did they have to sign releases as well or because of the situation, did they not matter? No.

A&E was very smart. I'd say A&E is a very smart television network. So just because we're apprehending them, that's our job, right? But we're filming them and it's going to be going on a national at that time, national television show. So they still had to sign releases because what most people don't see is we lost a lot of them because there'll be people like, dog, your brother, F you. I ain't signing crap. And then we lose one, two weeks of footage, whatever budget A&E had. I mean, so when they didn't turn, it was like,

could they have done just blur them out? I mean, there are certain episodes that you do see where if they're blurred out, that's why. Just because once the show started getting bigger and more millions and then more millions and then the show just kept growing and growing, we had to be very tactful and smart with apprehensions because everybody's hoping you mess up or everybody's hoping you do something wrong because guess what? You're the biggest company out right now and you're the biggest show, one of them, out right now. So it was you kind of had to watch your back a little bit more and make sure you run your peas and cues because that's another thing it did also was it like saved us

because if we got hurt or something with the footage, everybody has releases. So we could all kind of blend through and the editors of any can all kind of mesh through all the footage and find certain things that we desperately needed at certain times. Um, did, I was going to ask with this question. Um, I totally, I'm having a moment. I had a question I wanted to ask you regarding A and E and this. Oh yeah. Um, and you may not be allowed to answer this. Uh, and if that, if you can't, that's okay, you can just say I'm not allowed to answer this because I, well, I just know that you, that when you work with networks and stuff like that, you have to

oftentimes sign NDAs and stuff. So you, yeah, yeah, yeah, go ahead, go ahead. I knew it was coming anyway. I knew something was coming from. me. I was expecting you. I mean, I don't know if this is something. I just thought about it. We're talking, but I'm just curious. Like, did they ever, like, to try to get the footage? Did they ever offer any of these, like, perpetrators and people that you guys apprehended? Did they ever offer them some sort of incentive to sign the release?

Like, you know, money. No. We were straight, real, straight scripted. The only time anything like that was ever done was when we were on a bounty hunt and you'd see Antebus out that $1,000 and be like anybody who has information. on this guy right here, there's $1,000. That's the only time where a lot of times we would have confidential informants, call it and you'd be like, hey, actually, she's right here. Are you serious about the thousand?

You know what I mean? So, because you got to think $100,000 bond, you take a loss on $100,000. What's paying $1,000 to actually guarantee find this person? Just for perspective, too, like, okay, so for full reference, fun, fun story for you, too. I've never been to Hawaii. It's definitely on the very short. list of in the next couple years when my daughter's a little older. But when I was in medical

sales, inside medical sales, I worked Hawaii. So I worked, I had the, I had the territory I had was Pacific Northwest. It was, it was inside of rep. So I had Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii. And a lot of people might not know is so Hawaii is beautiful, beautiful island. Things are incredibly expensive there. Like, I think back in the day, milk was like four bucks a gallon, which I mean, now is about average. But back then when milk was $1.75 a gallon, it was $4 there. Cars are expensive of everything. There's also a lot of poverty in Hawaii.

So $1,000 for a lot of these people, that is make or break money. Oh, yeah, that's, I'm living nice for the month. I'm getting a whole, I'm getting a crappy motel for the whole month for 400. I got 600 left. I'll grab a little bit of snacks because I'm probably an addict or a criminal myself. And that $1,000 just made this. whole next month, basically my brand new life. Yeah, exactly.

So I want people to realize, like, when it comes to stuff, the $1,000, which may not be tempting to a lot of people for somebody in that situation, especially going back to the early 2000s, that was a very tempting offer. Oh, and you'd see it. You know, you'd see it on the show. Uncle would be like, I'm on the phone with the CI. You know what I mean? Like, you would see certain people that are like, oh, man, I could really use that

thousand. Or I got kids and I don't work and I don't really have anything. So people didn't understand my anti-Beth's heart. like that even on that side because yeah it's saving us money but at the same point in time she knows that that money is going to literally help somebody else a lot more than probably that bounty is going to help us so yeah so i just wanted people who don't know that to kind of understand that um but yeah i mean i learned that when i was there there were so many people on like state assistance and stuff like that because it was just you know destitute and they you know these areas and they

where people were doing, you know, when you're working at an island, you know, and Hawaii is not really huge. There's only so many jobs. Well, you have to go to the big island where Leland and myself are from. Leland's from the opposite side of me. We're from the big island. And you would have probably had a probably a better time in the big island or on Maui, just because Oahu is so expensive for tourists and so crowded.

All the other islands, it's actually not that expensive. I mean, nothing compared to Oahu, but. That's what you, you know, pay for when you want to see Diamondhead and Waikiki and, you know, all these things that people have seen over all these years from Elvis and Blue Hawaii to Hawaii 5O to Magnum P.I. You know what I mean? All over the years, you know, so you're paying for that mystical paradise that you see on TV. So there's a little tip. You want to save money going to Hawaii? Go to all older islands, Botoahu.

Hopefully that doesn't come back to buy. bite me in the ass. I love you guys. I got family on E. Charlene anyway. Take a puddle jumper and go see her for the day and then come back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. All right. So talk to me.

I'm curious. What was, as a licensed bounty hunter, what was your, tell me about your first, your first apprehension. I want, like, what did the guy do? I assume it's a guy. What did he do? First off, I'm just curious. I've never asked you this.

I had been on a bunch of a bunch of bounties. Um, and of course, when the show came, I still can't believe it to this day, you know, to be 20 going on 21. You're hunting. You know, you're filming. You're seeing cameras everywhere. Like, you're seeing people like you're feeling this buzz. I'm not even 21 yet. When the show aired, I was 21.

So I had been on bounties, but I mean, one day they were just like. like Justin, we're going to make an episode on you. And I was like, why? And they're like, because you're the rookie, bro. You're the low man on the totem pole, bro. It's just, it's great TV. And at the time, I'm like, how was that great TV? I don't want to be on the bottom of the barrel.

Like, I don't want to be. Yeah, you're like Justin. They're like Justin, but it's like your auntie best says, you're a Hawaiian warrior. And, you know, you're a strong, you know, you're a very strong individual. And you've been through this, this, this and this. So we want to even name it, Justin's big day. And I was like, what? you gotta be kidding me right now so from the get-go it was

had to pay attention super pressured because not only I mean I could see if it was like your own little town talking about yeah Justin did his first bounty and it was this that and the other and then Justin's big day drops and it's just this crazy thing but what people don't understand is in the back of my head I'm like so that this is going to be on an episode I'm going to have my own episode first season at that time there was nobody else around It was just Auntie Beth, Rest in Peace, Uncle Dog, Lee Lynn, Youngblood, and myself, my mom and the kids.

It was only three kids, Gary, Bonnie, and Cessley. Everybody else was gone. So for me, it's like it was this big thing. I want to be a part of this team. I still didn't get fame yet. It didn't, you know, the episode didn't hit yet. So I'm filming it. So we have to film it.

They got to edit it. It goes out later. So it's this fisherman who was on a boat, Solomon Fuller. I was a little nervous. He's kind of bigger back then when I was 20 going on 21. I've always been kind of thin, you know, tall, thin basketball, volleyball, baseball, that guy. So I just knew that if this episode was going to be about me, Antibet's giving me, you know, the freedom to do and just be me. uncle everybody's letting me do this it was this great big feeling of like i'm not even 21 yet i just

left college i had to go back and graduate by the way after season one that's why you didn't see me season two um and then came and then came back season three after but um at the same point in time it was like the greatest feeling but i was nervous as heck just so happens they go to apprehend this guy who i know for a fact wasn't the guy but they're were all in like this circle. And I remembered he had a scar on his forehead. So that's literally what made the ending of the episode was I remember the guy's scar. It was, they grabbed the wrong guy.

I was like, no, you're Solomon, bro, because he had this, I mean, very, you could see that scar a mile away type deal. So then I apprehended him. And then, of course, they didn't tell me, but they had called my mom. Auntie Beth called my mom, had her on the phone, didn't tell me. And that's what actually ends Justin's big day is I'm talking to my mom. She's out here in Colorado doing stuff for the Denver office while we were in Hawaii filming, working out there. So then it ended with his mugshot.

We still got it framed. Mom's got it somewhere in our office. I think I'd have to give her a call and see. But I know it's framed somewhere. I still got the mug shot. I get asked out all the time. And now it's going to be one of those things. Things, kind of like when I'm dead and gone, that, you know, either give to my kids or grandkids or

something just so they kind of know, you know, in this, in dad's lifetime or grandpa's lifetime, this is what he was a part of at a certain period of time of life. And, you know, it is what it is. I'm thankful. So I got, I got to tell you, I looked up this episode, and I think it aired October 21st, 2004. So almost, almost 24 years ago. Yeah. You look like a baby.

Yeah. And you got to think, that's when it, that's when it aired. That's when it aired. So we had to like constantly film, film, film. Yeah. We had to constantly film. So it was before that that we filmed it. So, you know, and then it drops.

And then of course, you know, we all see certain things that, you know, I got, I got to get in better shape. I got to start working out. I need to maybe get more sun. And, you know, first season is really what molded us. First season is really for the few that were there first season, that made it this big success for the very few that was there. I think everybody learned a lot from season one because we never did it before.

We didn't know how to act or react to cameras. We're in Hawaii. We're here in Colorado. Huh? That makes it more natural, though. Oh, yeah. But you have to understand. you're in Waikiki with 1.1 million tourists and we're on a bounty.

I mean, it's very hard. It definitely created obstacles the bigger and bigger we got over eight seasons. 2004 to 2012. We, I can govern the Cerep. And your episode was season one, episode 10. And I think that we should do this. And I didn't know I was going to do this. And you definitely didn't know I was going to do this.

We should play some of it. Let's do it. I'm not even giving you a choice here. Look at this. Hey. Right here. It's your show. All right, let's do this.

It's your show everybody, too. Look who was here before this airs. Look who was there, you know? I'm trying to get you graduate this bus for you. Hungry for negative. Now it's time now to see if I'm hungry enough. So Justin's initiation is going very good. Playtime's over. It's time to be a man.

I'm ready to strap up and take them off. Nothing to stop you, not even a boat. Justice, get it, Justin. This is fun. I love early 2000. I can stick this. Yeah, I hear it talking about it. Crazy.

You're hearing it. You're hearing it. You aren't being able to be a guy at this type of vibe. You look like you could be an avoidant. Get up, baby. Justin is my nephew and he's in training. So Justin's the new guy. Justin's girlfriend is page and full night.

Text message. Is that you know, A, W-O-W-O. I woo-woo. What? I wu-w-w-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h. Go-I. I wobu. Dear.

Justin, we love you. What is this pick on Justin did? There's your phone at Woo Woo again. You get ready for work, Justin. I woo woo. Duane is on the body. Okay, so yeah, 4-28-04 is when you guys were going to look. Justin.

Would you feed Dakota before we go, please? Yes. This is one of the things that I do because I'm the new guy, but I'm hoping to be more... Go down in there and look. You're down. Go in. Oh. You smell it?

I mean, do you see any day? Hold on. You want to talk about Eric? Hey, I feel like you got something to say right here. We're going to pause it on this picture. Oh. I feel like you got something to say here. Oh.

Oh, so ticked. But I made a funny obviously, but I'm so ticked on that. Okay. I'm thinking that that could possibly be under there. So I go in there thinking he could possibly be freaking under there. And all they did was mace down there. And I walked into a bunch of spot. Wibbs.

You have to be pissed about that. You know, initiation stuff, you know, it's like college sorority tricks kind of, you know. Okay, let's get going. See what else you got to say. It's not there. No matter what, Justin will always be the low man on a toilet ball, even if it's 20 years from now. So add two-star tacos with everything to the list. Oh, wow.

Sometimes you've got to get coffee and stuff like that, so it takes me off. Taco Supreme, y'all with extra, extra cheese on the side. But I'm helping out the team. That's the thing. You start small and you move big. I'm ready to call on a bounty. I'm ready to strap up, put some gloves on and take them on. What's going on here? This is our bounty hunter's initiation.

Yeah, it's hard, but it's a lot less of what could happen. Well, they actually tricked me. Talk about it. It actually tricked me. So how this happened was out of nowhere. Like I was told to go grab some camera equipment. If you could see right now that you got a freeze frame with Antibeth, rest in peace, miss you love you.

If you look, the back of that, they made like I had to get camera equipment. So I went in the back and out of nowhere, I felt like someone grabbed my left wrist. And I'm like, what the heck? And it's Youngblood. And then I look and then Onks is like behind me and I'm like, what the hell is going on right now? And then I just kind of engaged in my own way of. being raised in my family and how strong we all were on from in Pahoa, Hawaii. So I kind of just didn't know really what was going on.

So I just decided to do what I know best. And that's not let nobody take me down. So I had a pretty good one on three. It wasn't really bad until Leland came in. Yeah, it wasn't really bad until Leland came in because I've boxed. He's done boxing in MMA. So, you know, we know certain things that. most people that don't fight don't know you know what I mean um so I thought I was doing pretty good

but once Lee Lynn showed up and I mean once the Adams apple goes up and tries to come back down and they get you right there that's I I thought all I could you know here here's what I think we ought to do I'm gonna I'm gonna put a pin in that one because I didn't I didn't I surprised you with that I surprised myself with that one but you know what we ought to do we ought to plan another recording where we watch this episode and go through it scene by scene and have you kind of like talk about it. Because for those of y'all who are watching this and not just listening, you know, you can watch it on YouTube or listen to it wherever you stream, you should see Justin's face right now. Like, we're watching all of this. I think, I think that that could be a good idea. You know,

there was a show that I loved or podcast that I loved. Believe it or when I listen to podcast, it's not really true crime. It's because it's stuff so heavy and it's what I do. But there was one called Zach to the Future. And it was made by, do you remember the funnier die like Zach Morris's trash? Yes. Okay. So it was saved by the guy who created that.

And they got Mark Paul Gossler on. And Mark Paul Gossler apparently had never seen a single episode of Saved by the Bell. Well, that's funny. You bring that up because we were always taught to not to not watch ourselves. Yeah. So this whole podcast series was them going through the series of Save by the Bell and him, like, reacting to to his character and everything that's going on. I think we ought to take that concept and do that with like one or two episodes for you. Oh, man.

I'm always down for. I've always been pretty funny. I'm always pretty outgoing. I can talk about whatever you want, good or bad. I'm pretty open, like an open book. But that would be pretty cool. man because even watching it it's like you know there was a there's a lot of things in that episode that showed we're a very small net family at that time yeah it was very close we only had the babies

you know there was nobody else around nobody else who's even come at me or things like that nobody was around you know this was us as raw as it gets is season one where if you look i mean i'm all the way on the right you got lilan you got unks you got auntie and young blood that's it and three little kids gary boy bonnie and cessie nobody else was around so i mean one thing about that episode that makes me very proud is he's the one that said justin's my nephew and i think that's a big respect thing obviously we're not blood people have made that blatantly clear but i think the love was shown as family ohana as we call in hawaii the love we all really did have for each other at that time And then of course, as you know, fame and money and the bigger you get can bring a lot of things even within your own family that can create negative energy.

So I'm very thankful for that episode. And the crazy thing is now we're airing in 83 countries. So back when that first aired, it was only nationally. So I'm very thankful to all streaming services. I mean, I've got fans all over the world now. they're just watching that episode in some seasons. So it's like brand new to certain countries. Well, I think we should plan on doing it.

So, of course, make sure to subscribe, like and follow so that you don't miss it when we do this one. Maybe we'll do this in the next season of this podcast. We'll have you back on for that, which I don't know if we're going to have definitive seasons because I think this is just going to go every week until, you know, we run out of episodes, which unfortunately with the true crime space, there's plenty of episodes. that you can do on horrible things. But that's why I like this. It's a little bit lighter. So we'll do that on a different day when I won't blind. You're talking about it.

I'm like, you know, I wonder if I can find this. And so I pull it up and we found it. And sometimes it happens like that, man. Yeah, but I loved your reaction. This is unscripted. It is unscripted. So yeah, this show, guys, I don't really edit.

The only time I edit is if the guest says something, they're like, man, maybe I don't like how I said. that let me take that out and that's very rare i've only had that but like twice um but other than that we pretty much just have the show go through as it is as we talk um because that's the point of it's supposed to be completely unscripted with no angle no biases just you know in their own words and we just have a conversation like we're doing and it's a little different with just and i because he and i are friends and so i can you know we can cut up a little bit but um that being said let's let's shift gears a little bit where do you want to go in this conversation because

I don't want to step on any toes here. And I know that for people who don't know, or people don't know this, but we actually, Justin and I recorded this episode back in September. And then I wanted this to launch prior to this. And I'll tell people listening, we're recording this on a Tuesday.

And this episode's going to go out on a Monday because I wanted Justin's episode to go out this past Monday. But there was an issue with echo and recording. So I'm like, dude, we got to re-record. So that's what we're doing. Um, and so, you know, it's other than that, you know, we recorded and, and you had a lot of things that were kind of going on at that time. And then, you know, it's up to you how much or how little you want to get into what's changed or any of that. I don't want to like, look, I'm not here to air dirty laundry. If you don't want to air dirty laundry, but if you want to air dirty laundry, I'm, I'm all, I'm all ears for it. You know, you know, I love me. We started on the, the dirty laundry case. Fair enough. Fair enough. That's funny. I get it. He's talking about Brian and Audrey. Bobby Petito. That's when we first met.

Met and kind of collaborated on a few things. So I'm, I am open. I'm prepared. I have had more than enough time to think about certain things to say. As of course, people saw me get arrested in 2020. People saw certain people kind of try and come at me or think. You know, I've reached a point in my life with everything that I've made it through, through jail, prison, the halfway, everything that I had to go through because of an alcohol addiction that I had to really overcome. I was using people left and right. And then, of course, it's different.

I can definitely say from people I've loved in my family that have passed. Yes, it hurts. And I still heard, especially over my brother, Alex, that. hasn't been here for a long time but when you're like a celebrity and it's her death was exposed to the world and you have her fan base and then you also have her haters or people that didn't dig her or you know what i mean it was this very weird time so i'm thankful to get past all that jail prison halfway it wasn't uh i get asked this a lot they go so how was it being a bounty hunter or a bail agent in prison or in jail or around

criminals and I said it's all about respect and how you treat people. And a lot of times we bailed a lot of these people out. So we actually help you first. And then we give you the benefit of the doubt. You go to court, great. You don't see us again. You mess up. We got to catch you. So everything I've been through, I think a lot of people in that family. And it's just getting to that point in my life and our relationship since they want to pull this way and I'm pulling this way. One thing I'd like to say is obviously I'm very glad you showed that episode because it showed I was family. It showed from Uncle Dog's own mouth.

I was nephew. It showed everything I had to do to be a part of this television show. I did it all. And I had to work my ass off to be on this show while a lot of other people came later after the fame or money came and barely didn't have to do. do anything. All they had to do was put on makeup, show up and fail. I mean, I'm taking care of kids. I'm feeding the dogs. I'm doing the house. I'm doing clothes. You know what I mean? Like I actually paid, you know, Boris Krutonog said it probably the best. The Italian job. It hit me just now.

If you ever watch the Italian job, Boris Kruytanog is the guy that was selling Mark Wahlberg, the gold bars. He was at the pawn shop. That's Boris. He also helped get the the show and make all the legal Hollywood connections, you know. But shout out to Boris. Love you. But he said it best of there comes a certain point of time in your life where do you want to continue to create war or do you want to stop war? Because there's certain things in life that and people saw probably last year with a lot

of things that I was going through where certain people were saying about me that I made it through all the pressure. I took my bruises. I took my lumps. I fell down and I got back up. Remaining sober. No alcohol. That was a big problem for me.

And to overcome that, to overcome media scrutiny, to overcome my mugshot in TMZ and in People magazine. And all this stuff I've had to go through where I'm at now is I really don't want to create war with them. Because there was a time where we really were family. There was a time my other,

going off for a recording studio. But Wishmaster 2. But I think with everything that's gone on and certain people's smear campaign tries and all it did was make me even stronger because I know what I had to do as that even episode showed back in 2004 when nobody else was a brand that came at me.

Oh, that still comes at me or bashes me. I was there in the nitty-gritty when we broke our ass. So I'll always be a part of the show. I'll always be on seasons 1, 3, 6, and 7. I'll always be thankful for the great times we had because even the people that were trying to smear camp in me or talk smack about me, they weren't even around for a lot of that.

You know, so we were a family. I'm thankful for the good times. Auntie Bet's no longer here. Rest in peace. You can't take me away from the Dog, the Bounty Hunter show. You never will be. We're syndicated. I'll die, my kids will die,

and the show will still be airing like my Pulpaw used to watch gun smoke, have gun will travel, Nash, all these old shows that are still on TV, why, because we're syndicated. So I'll always be Doug's nephew on that show. I'll always be on all those seasons. We really did have a lot of good times.

You can tell. In that scene that we saw, you can tell. Well, and that's what I think a lot of people, I think everybody kind of underestimated me because I was always the guy that came back. Always. Like Auntie Beth knew. I did season one, had to go back to college school, left, graduated, come back, did season

three. Then we did the Bustin with Justin episode, which at that time was the second most watched episode on season three. Well, I think that we need to do two episodes then when you come back. I think maybe you're on to something. I mean, it's been, you know, it's been decades since I've watched the show. I mean, you know, you might catch one here or there, but, you know, for the most part, it's been a really long time. But, I mean, not going to lie, I'm not going to say I was a religious watcher, but like you, like, we watched it.

You know, like, I'm in college in that time period, too. And, you know, you and I are about the same age. I think we're like a year off. And just turned 43. Yeah, I'll maybe 44 this year. So, um, barely old on. Yeah, yeah, I'm a year. I was 82.

I think you're 83. But, um, anyways, like, I mean, we watched it. It was always, you know, again, reality TV was that was. that was it back then. We were one of it. That's for sure. We were definitely one of the bigger ones. You were definitely one of it.

Like you said, the Osbournes was another one. Everyone was walking around. You know, talking about Ozzy. You can't understand a damn word he says unless he sings. It's like mumbling. What people don't know is, too,

is we were actually on Sharon and Ozzie's 40th anniversary episode on Ruthie Osbournes in Hawaii. We actually, that's where I met, you know, his niece and all that. And we all just became this kind of friendly family, you know, friendly TV family. Because before that, I'd never thought I'd meet Ozzie or Sharon or any of them, you know. Well, yeah, and here's the thing I'm going to say to you on this. And this is from my personal experience. Sometimes the people who are blood family aren't always the best.

And sometimes you find family with those who aren't blood. and also people are in your life for a season, right? They're in their life when you're supposed, when they're supposed to be, and then sometimes they aren't. And that's often a hard thing to accept. Like, you know, I mean, you know my story. This whole, all this started with a video about, you know, toxic,

my, you know, toxic family and the things that my, my mother has done. And that led to Gary Petito and led to where we are today. So I was making that. video. So I mean, I first hand know how tough it can be to to feel that rejection, but you got to get to a, which it sounds like you have, I commend you for it because, you know, you absolutely would have had the platform to air whatever you wanted to air if that's what you wanted to do. But I think that you taking the high road is, is a good decision because after years of dealing with this stuff, it eats you up and you just get to a point where you're like, you know, it's not, I got to, I got to think about what's

best for me. And, you know, these people, if I come on here and I talk, negatively about them or whatever, then all that's going to do is fuel the fire. And so I think that you're making a good decision, let sleeping dogs lie and just, you know, move on. Well, I wish everybody the best for certain people that's come at me. I don't see the reason why. But I even wish them the best. It's just with the more I think of Auntie Beth and what she believed in me, which she's not here, which I also fail is a big reason of this conflict because we don't have the queen stopping

it and saying it. But I think if she was standing here now, I feel it's time to do everything I'm doing right now. Which like Auntie Beth used to say, do your music. I was rapping on an episode. She actually told me to freestyle on an episode in season one. You know, like she always knew.

Yeah, I believe it's the father and son episode when we're in Kona, season one. There you go. But I really truly feel. it was affecting me. I don't think a lot of people understand waking up and then you're all of a sudden your inbox is flooded with thousands and thousands of messages you can't even get. I don't even know why.

And then I see a video and then I see another video and I'm like, you know, so it's very, I was very angry and I was going through a lot of stuff at that time. And I do feel in my heart, you can't take me away from the family. You can't take away stuff when you were any. in there. But then again, part of me right now is like, I'm already getting too angry about it because it hurts. And then when you have a fan base and you have people who have watched you for over 20 years now and they're seeing this video and then they're going, wait, what's going on? Is this true? Is this false? Is this this? So it's very time consuming in your own brain and it was. I'm not going to lie.

but with my new with my new music coming with me letting a lot of my pain from that and from most of the instances that happened over the last year I was able release it through my music like I normally do and I don't feel no bad vibes or anything like that towards Uncle Dog he'll always be Uncle Dog to me there has been certain things that were said on you know the bunny exo podcast jelly rose wife and that aired and i saw a couple jabs that they tried to take at me and that's totally fine but i think what they forgot was auntie beth always called me the hawaiian warrior i always make it through everything that for some reason i'm

just that way good or bad it's like i always come back and i'm to the point in my life where i'm about to be on top of the mountain by myself and i don't want to come back no more so i think the only way for me to do that with my music, with tattoo down in Louisiana for when we do the Southern Bonds Bail Company, for all the future plans that I have literally wind up, I feel I don't want to work. I don't want to have something happen to Uncle Dog tomorrow and because of the conflict. And I wasn't able to tell him, I love him. And I'm thankful. And I don't get a lot of things that has gone on, but I want you to know, I appreciate you. Like, you did a lot for my family. You know what I mean? When it really gets to that point, because I have lost so many people,

that's another thing I feel my mom and my Aunt Beth kind of instilled in me was there's got to be a time where you pull back. There's got to be a time where you don't continue to be an aggressor in a situation or heighten a situation. There's got to be a time where you go. I get it. Some things are bad. Some things were good. But I truly wish them all the best.

A lot of people ask, do I fill a reconciliation or anything like that? Respectfully, I don't. I think. And then here's another thing, too, as of my reasoning, is he is the dog. I got to give the man respect. He has come from a prison sale to TV. to whatever he's doing right now in his life. He's earned the right to do whatever the heck he wants.

So I've also had to have time to heal, focus, and really look at, we had some amazing times, man. I really don't want it to be this aggression between the family. And I really do just wish them all the best. I'll always be Doug's nephew. The show will always be there. Who knows what streaming devices are going to have in 20 fucking years. but we're going to be part of history since 2004 till whenever the heck it stops.

So I'm thankful. I wish everybody the best, but I think it's time for me to do my career, my music, which I'm doing. And I don't want bad blood because like I said, well, what happened if he passed tomorrow?

I didn't get a chance to tell him. I loved him and thank you. And sorry. or, you know, I wish things were different because he really did do a lot for us. And we really were a family. So what type of dude would I be if I just wanted to continue fighting this war that's only going to end up in graves for everybody, not realistically, but figuratively speaking, that could just ruin us all.

So I don't feel the need to be aggressive with them anymore. And especially with the new single, my music everywhere, tattoo the bounty hunter down in Louisiana, everything I have planned moving forward. I think it's just their time to do them and I'm going to do me. So let's talk about this. I've heard Justin's music guys. You can, you can stream it on Spotify, download it. It's, I say actually like it's like, oh, surprisingly.

No, but it's actually really good. I would say definitely give a stream. I'll let him kind of explain where to find it. It's Jay Breezy, right? It's everywhere. It's j. It's J.d. Belize. B-L-E-Z-Y.

Belizee. And I'm not going to say, oh, I got the nickname in college. But it's basically my initials with a little bit of East Coast flare on it. But it is everywhere. I'm very thankful for that.

The album is roller coaster. I decided to, through jail, prison, the halfway house, my childhood, everything I've been through. I really just put into writing music. So every song on the album, that's why I called it roller coaster is because it's a roller coaster ride.

You're going to have songs about me losing Auntie Beth and my brother, leave me. You're going to see songs about younger years in the club when I was just having this great time. And there was never a bad time, you know, just like a journey through my life. But what most people don't understand is the music pulls a lot of pain I've gone through or it pulls a lot of sadness that I've gone through. Or it makes me happy. You know, I'm writing about something happy or falling in love for the first time. Then I got breakup songs.

I got, I mean, you know, it's, I had to release a lot of things that were eating me alive. Yeah, I get it. And it just so happens that a producer, nine-time Grammy-nominated producer, who's worked with T-Pain, A-Con, Rick Ross, Over the last 25 years, Wishmaster Beats with a Y-W-YS. I mean, he's had some of the biggest songs. I didn't even know. No disrespect.

I know. I love you, Adam. But when I did research, I couldn't believe who was writing me. You know, he was hitting me up on Instagram. I see your music. I see this. I actually watched the show. My wife and me were fans.

And it was just this unreal. And at this time, you have to think, I just had the video from, whatever her name is. And then I'm getting hit up by Wish. And I'm like, I was kind of bummed. I was down. I was like, how do I retaliate? Do I retaliate?

Do I keep going? Like, this is a big part of my life that people are trying to take away. Like, what do I do? And Wish was like, dude, I kind of see your journey. And I'm all about the underdog. And you've always been the underdog. You're always overcoming obstacles. And he's like, I got some beats that I think.

would really fit you. And I was like, what the heck are you talking about? Like, I was just hoping to do a podcast, kind of clear the air. You know, a few months. Well, well, last summer or whenever, I was in a different mind frame. And I didn't have all these things lined up. And I didn't have to go through that hard times of doubt. And is this going to work or what's going to happen next?

Or I literally had to focus. And he sends me the beat to the new single is going to be called. struggle was the pain, Wishmaster on the beat, and he sent me the beat. I wrote to it, and I just remember going, if I'm,

I had this opportunity to go from being little Justin, from Dog's nephew and this, that on this little show years ago, and come back after all these things that have come after me, whether it was the tabloids or the TMZ or the people magazines or certain people in the family, if I was going to come back, I need to do this right.

And even wish agreed, he's like, bro, just do you. So this new single, I've posted snippets of it and clips out and all my social media. I'm not foul. I'm honest. It's the song's freaking amazing. It's going to be dropping here when we have his podcast episode next month. So, send me an early preview. I won't share it.

I will be able to send you the version. we have now and we're going to do one more master on it just because there's a couple spots we can be like but i can send you the first master and critique it whatever i love people i'm not going to critique it i'm sure it's great and i'm not the one to critique me but you have to understand if people really look up wishmaster and really understand the magnitude for my life for my family for everything of what it means to be resilient or to persevere or so many times where I was like, dude, this is, I'm depressed, I'm sad, like the media's attacking me. These people are attacking me.

What the heck do I do and Wish actually helped me kind of go listen, bro. I don't know if you know who I am, but look me up and what did I do? Of course, I looked him up real quick. I'm like, wait, what? I'm on a boat with T. Payne. And then I was like, with Andy Sabre, who is this guy? And then song after song over the last 25 years that I never even thought he produced was Wishmaster.

So then it really hit me as to everything that's happening from this podcast to his podcast, the wish list, to everything I'm doing moving forward. It's just flowing how it's supposed to flow. It's very organic. And to have a nine-time Grammy-nominated, I'm going to get you that damn Grammy wish. But nine-time Grammy-nominated producer in the business for over 25 years, some of the biggest hits out there believes in little old me. I mean, that was definitely a big change in why I'm doing everything I'm doing moving forward. And it's a release. And it's a release.

So I get that. You know, to come back, you know, I had somebody joke the other day about the biggest comebacks in history. And I said, I don't want to be part of the biggest comebacks in history. I just want to come back and stay on top of the mountain. I'm getting too old to come back. I get that too. as I shifted into a new career in social media at my age. But anyways, where, before we wrap up, where can they find you on social media?

You can find me on my Instagram, Justin DeRigo B.Hag, Facebook, justin.bhag.9. On X, Justin B.Hag 23. Snapchat, Justin B.Hag, 1983. TikTok, real Justin B. and just that. Every other one is a fake profile. I noticed they're starting to come out as soon as this podcast airs

and all the other podcasts are airing. But that's all my social media, my music's everywhere. J.D.Bleazy, everywhere. iTunes, I became the first artist. Over the last 15 years, now multiple singles hit multi-milliones of streams without a music video.

I didn't get anybody visuals and it was very strategic because I wanted to see what they actually felt from it. what their own personal feeling is about my songs because anybody can post a video and be like, oh, yeah, that's cool. Yeah, look at that. Oh, look at the background.

Or look at his jewelry of the car. I wanted people to actually really fill my soul. So I did it the unorthodox way, and it's starting to pay off. So I just got to keep going, man. Well, I hope, you know, one thing that I'm really excited about with this podcast, so you're going to be episode, I believe 12, coming out.

next week. And by the way, real quick for everybody, I'm going to drop this to the week after that. So you're going to be coming out on April. What is next week? Let me look at a calendar here. I don't normally do this. Normally we keep them evergreen. 13th or we got we got some dates here for you. I'm going to do a couple of things here. So we're recording today. So your episode is going to drop on the 13th, Monday, the 13th of April, 2026. And the week After that is 420, which is the anniversary of Columbine. Very tragic situation. You know, you were in school with Columbine happen. I was here in Colorado.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was sure when it happens. Yeah. So, so I sat down with Daryl Scott for that, for that interview. Daryl Scott's the father of Rachel Scott. She was the first victim, the first death of Columbine. And so it's a very powerful episode. so of course, make sure to tune in for that.

But the reason I bring all, I bring that up, because obviously it's, you know, let people know that that's coming up. But to tell you, and for the listeners, too, because I'm so appreciative of the listeners,

this podcast aired on, I believe, January 26th, I think with the first episode is, yeah, I was on, I think January 26th, and it was with Elizabeth Smart. And fun, fun fact, I don't think you know this, because we haven't talked about since then,

but like, when Elizabeth agreed to do it she did not tell me that she had a Netflix documentary getting ready to come out and so and by the way Elizabeth is wonderful like I can't stress like what that

woman has been through and the way she advocates she really is just on inspiring but you know we started off with 300 downloads that month and now we're at we're 10 episodes in officially 11 episodes in officially and we're

sitting at or right at 50,000 downloads and growing. So my point is to you is that I think this episode's coming out a good time when we have some good growth. And for the followers, you know, I just want to tell you guys, the listeners, that I appreciate you guys. Of course, make sure to subscribe.

You hit the subscribe button so you don't miss it. When I said to come out, we drop them every Monday at 2 p.m. Central Time because I'm in central time. But I'm hoping that some of you all will listen to this and we can maybe see some crossover and see some of Justin and streams go up. I would love to see that, support his music a little bit. If, look, I know I have, I have, uh, listen. I'm not trying to like,

quantify anybody here, like put anybody in a box, but I know that I have listeners from all different different graphics, um, but specifically for my millennials, if you are a millennial late gen X to millennial, early mid millennial, you're going to really like his music. It's for everybody, but it's got like that vibe that we all loved back in the day, but he did. I don't know how to explain it, man, because you did it. Like, it's got that vibe, but it's got it like where it's not, it's like retro, not vintage. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's, it's retro.

You still have enough modern elements in it, but it kind of gives you that like, oh, man, this is like a throwback to where you. I made the old, new and just combined. And it helped. It didn't, I mean, it didn't hurt that I was raised in Hawaii. so you know there is kind of well I know I don't know our here

but my point is it's good I genuinely I genuinely mean that you sent me a few things over the past I've listened to it but like it's it's your music's good I think people would really enjoy it so I'd be curious to see after this airs what that does

for streams for you as well but man listen I love you I appreciate you coming on you're a great friend I love you like a brother and I love you like a brother motherfucker sucker

I like this seven A lot of these episodes we do are really heavy. This one's lighter, so I appreciate it. But no, this was, this was great. I'm glad you came on it. And I want to hear back from the followers as well, from the subscribers. You know, if you guys want to shoot me a message or an email, I don't make it easy. You can throw the threads, Instagram, TikTok, whatever, YouTube.

Could I do a couple of shoutouts too just for the people who have backed me and who actually helped me to kind of stay positive and actually make all the moves that I'm making? because Nikki 911 on TikTok, amazing creator, missing in USA, Dan. I love Dan. And of course, Gene Thacker, also known as tattoo. They all kind of came together at a time where I was very, how do I say this, uneasy about a lot. And Nikki stayed positive with me.

Dan stayed positive. Did a couple lives with him. Broke a bunch of live records. And then, of course, Gene Thacker tattoo. who I'm opening up Southern Bell Bonds with down in Louisiana here. We're hoping for the end of summer. I will be moving, leaving Colorado when the time is right, as I think it's just time for me to close the book on everything that's happened here

and truly move on and just like start another book. So I do want to thank Nikki, Dan, Gene Thacker. I want to thank Wishmaster. He was about to be shocked with this single. I'm excited. I'd like to thank everybody who I've messed with, Chosen, Johnny Downer Romanois, Asim, Gagio, L.J. Gonzalez, Justin Lawless. I've lived a great life, and I'm to this point where I want to give thanks to the people that actually helped me out in a time that was really unsettling. So I appreciate you all. The future is, you guys are going to see, I told everybody, 20. 2026 is my comeback here. So I just appreciate everybody and go check them out.

Mickey 9-1-1 on TikTok. Missing in USA on TikTok, pony boy blessed, also known as Tad to the Bounty Hunter. The Rich Frost is everywhere. I'm going to second to missing in USA on TikTok. That's Dan and I know Dan really well. I don't know all the others, but I can tell you that Dan's account,

he literally, his whole account is devoted to finding missing people and he's very successful at it. That's a count that could you support a free follow does more than you think. So definitely check him out as well. Yeah, I mean, I love him. He's a great guy. I dig him. I dig him.

I was texting him later earlier today, actually. So he makes him want to go hunt missing children. I'll tell you that. That's an industry in itself, just hunting missing children. Let's go find him. Yeah, you all don't let it with a different episode altogether. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which I think we are.

We're going to have you back to go through a couple of these episodes. I think that could be fun, especially when we need some levity from some of the stuff that's going on. I know how it works, big dog. You might need some laughter fillers or something. I know, you know, this stuff gets heavy. You know, this is, this is an interesting side of things that people don't always get to see the background of. And I think it's a good conversation. I agree.

But that being said, man, I so appreciate you coming on. Thank you so much. And everybody else, you know, next week, tune in for the Columbine episode. check out Justin's music, check him out on social media. Until next week, I love you guys. Thank you guys so much for the support in helping this podcast growing. Justin, thank you again for joining me. Aloha, everybody.

You're witnessing the comeback, y'all. Until next time, guys. Hi. Before we go, I want to tell you about next week's episode, because this is one you're not going to want to miss. I'm going to be sitting down with veteran investigative journalist Alison Weiner, someone who has been close to some of the biggest crime stories in history. Cases like Holly Bobo, Amy Harwick, and Robert Blake, and most recently, Nancy Guthrie.

And when I say close, I mean she has been there. She's been with families at their absolute lowest working alongside law enforcement and even sitting across from the people accused of these crimes. And in this episode, she talks about what it's really like to stay with a family for years from the moment their child goes missing to the day they finally get into a courtroom. What it's like to be in rooms where you hear things you're not allowed to repeat. What it does. to you and what the public never sees. This one is different. You're not going to want to miss it. So make sure you're subscribed to Unheard with notifications on. We'll see you next Tuesday at 2 p.m. Central with Allison Weiner. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the individuals speaking and do not necessarily reflect those of the host.

Unheard is intended to provide a platform for personal stories and lived experiences, not to establish facts, determine guilt, innocence, or provide legal, medical, or professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to conduct their own research and form their own conclusions. Thank you for listening to Unheard.