Heavyweight

When Stephanie was in high school, a bookstore seemingly dropped out of the sky into her small Texas town. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. Credits If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, dial the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Those outside the US can find your local helpline at befrienders.org. Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episo...

Ben was just a kid when Sihan arrived from Korea. He lived with Ben’s family for several years. And then one day, just as suddenly as he’d arrived, Sihan was gone. Ben has been trying to find him ever since. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Mohini Madgavkar. The Supervising Producer is Stevie Lane. The Senior Producer is Kalila Holt. Pr...

Maia found a painting in the garbage and took it home. But as it turned out, it wasn’t just any painting. Credits This episode was hosted and produced by senior producer Kalila Holt, along with Jonathan Goldstein. The supervising producer is Stevie Lane. Production help from Damiano Marchetti. Special thanks to Sam Reisman, Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, Lydia Polgreen, Marcy Flynn, Karl McCoo...

One day in high school, Cody received a hug that melted his heart. Sixteen years later and he still can’t stop thinking about it. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by senior producer Kalila Holt, and Mohini Madgavkar. The supervising producer is Stevie Lane. Production help from Damiano Marchetti. Special thanks to Special thanks to Emily C...

On Dan’s first date with his wife Nancy, a stranger took their photograph. Nineteen years later, Dan wants the photo back. But to get it, he'll have to face the last person he wants to. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by supervising producer Stevie Lane, and Mohini Madgavkar. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. Production help from...

When Melanie was a kid, she recorded Billy Ray Cyrus’s 1993 TV Special over something irreplaceable: the sole copy of an interview her father did on Walter Cronkite after being injured in Vietnam. Thirty years later, she wants to make things right. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by senior producer Kalila Holt, along with Mohini Mad...

Sara received a letter from a woman with the exact same name as her. In it, the woman claimed to be her childhood best friend. The only problem? Sara doesn’t remember this person. At all. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by supervising producer Stevie Lane, and Mohini Madgavkar. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. Production help fro...

When Maura was 17, her favorite cousin died in a car crash. Maura’s been too afraid to drive ever since. But now, a decade later, she wants to face her fear. Credits This episode of Heavyweight was hosted and produced by Kalila Holt, Mohini Madgavkar, Stevie Lane, and Jonathan Goldstein. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Augie Goldstein, Alex Blumberg, Bethel Habte, Anna Foley, Lynn Levy, Paul...

When Mark was in college, his dream was to be a famous painter. It’s a dream he missed out on by only an inch. This is the story of that inch. Credits This episode of Heavyweight was hosted and produced by Stevie Lane, along with Mohini Madgavkar and Jonathan Goldstein. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, Phoebe Flanigan, Reyhan Harmanci, Andrea...

This is the second and final part of episode #40 Barbara Shutt. So if you’ve not yet heard it, go back and listen to that first. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Stevie Lane, along with Mohini Madgavkar. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, Phia Bennin, Justin McGoldrick, JT Townsend,...

In 1968, Jonathan’s mother-in-law Becky spent one of the best summers of her life with a woman named Barbara. But then they never spoke again. Now, over fifty years later, Becky learns something about Barbara that makes her question whether she ever really knew her at all. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Stevie Lane, along with M...

This is the second and final part of last week’s episode. So if you’ve not yet heard the episode “Justine,” go back and listen to that first. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by senior producer Kalila Holt, along with Stevie Lane and Mohini Madgavkar. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Jorge Just, Alex Blumberg, Sharon...

Growing up, Justine’s father always told her unbelievable stories about his life: that he was a big winner on Jeopardy; an outlaw who robbed banks armed only with flowers. But now, as an adult, Justine has started to question—are her father’s stories so unbelievable because none of them are true? In the process of fact-checking her dad’s life, something surprising emerges t...

Before he became a best-selling author, John Green was going to dedicate his life to God. Until he crossed paths with Nick. Twenty years later, John sets off to find Nick and revisit the day that changed the course of both their lives. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by senior producer Kalila Holt, along with Stevie Lane and Mohini Madgav...

Throughout high school, Brandon was a misfit. Then one day, out of the blue, one of the school’s prettiest, most popular girls asked him to prom. Fifteen years later, Brandon wants to know: why him ? Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Stevie Lane, and Mohini Madgavkar. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. Special thanks to Emily...

Adam swears he met Fidel Castro in Montreal 25 years ago. But ever since, no one’s believed him. Fortunately for Adam, the one person—one Canadian—who can prove his story is Jonathan Goldstein. Heavyweight returns with a full new season on September 30th. Credits This episode was produced by Stevie Lane, Kalila Holt, and Jonathan Goldstein. It was mixed by Catherine Anderson, with music by Trabant...

Heavyweight often features grownups grappling with childhood trauma. But in today’s Heavyweight Short, Jonathan visits a place where children grapple with trauma in the present. At The Sharing Place, kids talk about things most adults can’t even face. A warning: This episode deals with sensitive topics like suicide and death. Credits This story originally ran on This American Life in 2015, and was...

When Hallie was 17, she spent a few minutes with a stranger who changed her life. A decade later, Hallie sets out to find her. Credits This Heavyweight short was hosted and produced by Kalila Holt, along with Stevie Lane, Mohini Madgavkar, and Jonathan Goldstein. Special thanks to Sam Reisman, Cheri Mantz and Dr. Lynd. The show was mixed by Catherine Anderson.  Music by Christine Fellows, Joh...

Happy holidays! In our last check in of 2020, Stevie confronts her grandfather with a question she’s been afraid to ask for over twenty years, and Kalila solves the mystery of an enigmatic gravestone. Mixed by Bobby Lord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit  podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan speaks with Curtis Sittenfeld about her novel  Rodham , which deals with many of the themes we explore on  Heavyweight : things like returning to the past to change it, and the question of what our lives might have been like if we’d made one decision differently.  Rodham  is a novel about what Hillary Clinton’s life and political career might have looked like if she had never married Bill...

Jonathan, Stevie, and Kalila are back, to talk about Thanksgiving and music. Music and mix by Bobby Lord. Additional music by Sean, Ryan, Kevin, and Brian Jacobi. Find our playlist, "Goldstein's Party Faves to Get the Party Going," here Find Madeline Forman's music here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel and Jon are siblings who were separated as young children. Jonathan helps them confront the woman responsible... fifty years later. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Kalila Holt, along with Stevie Lane. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, PJ Vogt, Mohini Madgavkar, Nabeel Chollampat, and Jackie Cohen. The show was mixed...

Every time Annie’s family comes to town, they exclude her from their plans. Annie needs to know why. Credits This episode of Heavyweight was hosted and produced by Kalila Holt, along with Stevie Lane and Jonathan Goldstein. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, Mathilde Urfalino, Mia Bloomfield, Emma Munger, Zac Schmidt, Sam Reisman, and Jackie Cohen. The show was mixed by Bobby Lor...

How the worst McDonald’s commercial ever made came to be. And how Bobby got mixed up in it. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Stevie Lane, along with Kalila Holt. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, Chris Neary, Nazanin Rafsanjani, Phoebe Flanigan, Nabeel Chollampat, Jake Anderson, Billy Klein, Nicholas Papaleo, and Jack...

In 1995, Vivian’s uncle Helio died of AIDS. Now, 25 years later, Vivian’s on a search to find the man who cared for him until his death. Credits Heavyweight is hosted and produced by Jonathan Goldstein. This episode was produced by Stevie Lane. The senior producer is Kalila Holt. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Alex Blumberg, Caitlin Kenney, Mimi O’Donnell, Lydia Polgreen, Reyhan...