Heavyweight
Maybe you’ve laid awake and imagined how it could have been, how it might yet be, but the moment to act was never right. Well, the moment is here and the podcast making it happen is Heavyweight. Join Jonathan Goldstein for road trips, thorny reunions, and difficult conversations as he backpedals his way into the past like a therapist with a time machine.
Episodes (103)
2025 Update: Dina
It’s the last Heavyweight encore before our new season begins on September 18th! This week, we talk to Jonathan's mom about life in the years since her appearance in #15: Dina. During a visit...
2025 Update: Leif + A Conversation with Anna Konkle
For our penultimate Heavyweight encore, we’re joined by Pen15 co-creator Anna Konkle to revisit last season’s junior high drama — #53: Leif.On Valentine’s Day in junior high,...
2025 Update: Joey
This week, we check back in with Joey to answer everyone’s burning question: does he still have a mullet?Years ago, Joey had a very bad day — all due to awkward misunderstandings. Jonathan...
2025 Update: The Marshes
This week, we talk to Steve Marsh from our episode, The Marshes. The family has changed in ways they could never have guessed at when the story was first published in 2019. After a drunken slip of the...
2025 Update: Rose
This week, we’re calling up one of our fan-favorite guests from season two: Rose. Almost twenty years ago, Rose was kicked out of her college sorority. “You know what you did,” was...
2025 Update: Scott
This week, we check back in with Scott to find out what turns his life has taken since the original episode aired in 2019.When Scott was a heroin addict, he crossed a line he thought he would never...
2025 Update: Buzz
This week, we catch up with Jonathan's dad about the years since his appearance in our first ever episode — #1 Buzz. Buzz and Sheldon are brothers in their eighties who’ve been estranged...
2025 Update: Gregor
While the new season is under construction, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes and calling up former guests to see what’s happened since. This week: #2 Gregor. 20 years ago,...
Heavyweight Short: A Sobering Thought
For the better part of his adult life, drinking was Jonathan’s great comfort. But after getting laid off, something changed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Heavyweight Short: Returns and Reformers
In her year off, Stevie had a lot of time to wait on hold. And Kalila took a hard look at not wanting to be looked at.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Heavyweight Check In: What’s to Come
What we’ve been up to, and what’s in store through the coming weeks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Heavyweight Has a New Home
The Heavyweight team officially has a new home at Pushkin Industries. Tell your friends, your exes… tell the strangers on the subway! And be sure to subscribe now to hear about new episodes.See...
Hello from Heavyweight
A small hello from the Heavyweight team Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
#58 Harry
Before Scott died, he bequeathed to his brothers his beloved pet parrot, Harry. The brothers promised to care for the bird. Except they didn’t. Over twenty years later, they want to find Harry and...
Heavyweight Short: Loch
Loch swears his kindergarten teacher used to steal his cheese. But no one believes him.
Heavyweight Short: Yasser
When Yasser was a boy, he saw a cartoon that changed his life. He’s been searching for it ever since. The only problem is… it’s vanished.
Introducing: Death, Sex & Money
Heavyweight will be back next week with a brand new episode.
#57 The Budget Motel
In 1993, Nick was shot in an Idaho motel room. One stranger came to his aid. Nick wants to find him.
#56 44 Photos
One morning, Amy opened her mailbox and found a package with 44 photos inside—photos of complete strangers. Now Amy wonders: Who are they? And why were the photos sent to her?
#55 Toby
After his father’s death, Toby found a box of cassette tapes in his dad’s house. These private recordings tell the story of how his parents’ relationship fell apart—a story that Toby never knew, and...
Introducing: The Retrievals
Heavyweight will be back with a new episode next week.
#54 Victor and Maite
Victor can’t stop painting portraits of his ex-wife, decades after their divorce.
#53 Leif
On Valentine’s Day in junior high, Leif was supposed to ask Kalila out. But he never did. Seventeen years later, Kalila wants to know why.
#52 Lenny
Lenny was Jonathan's childhood best friend, but they drifted apart as they grew into adulthood. Now, Lenny is dying and needs a friend. So Jonathan makes the call.
#51 The Elliotts
In 1525, the Archbishop of Glasgow placed a curse on the Elliott family. Now, 500 years later, one very unlucky branch of the Elliotts wants it lifted.
#50 Nick
Is Nick hearing his dead brother’s voice in a song by a Grammy-nominated musician?
Heavyweight Short: Jesse & Tori
For Jesse, Tori has always been the one that got away.
#49 Another Roadside Attraction
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.
#48 Ben
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...
#47 Frederick J. Brown
Maia found a painting in the garbage and took it home. But as it turned out, it wasn’t just any painting.
Heavyweight Short: Cody
One day in high school, Cody received a hug that melted his heart. Sixteen years later, he still can’t stop thinking about it.
#46 Dan
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.
#45 Sgt. John Kapphahn
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....
#44 Sara
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.
#43 Maura
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.
#42 Mark
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.
#41 Barbara Wilson
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.
#40 Barbara Shutt
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...
#39 Stephen
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.
#38 Justine
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,...
#37 John
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...
#36 Brandon
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?
Heavyweight Short: A Canadian Tale
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 Short: The Sharing Place
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,...
Heavyweight Short: Hallie
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.
Check In: Holiday Special
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.
Check In: Curtis Sittenfeld
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...
Check In: Do You Like Music?
Jonathan, Stevie, and Kalila are back, to talk about Thanksgiving and music.
#35 Rachel and Jon
Rachel and Jon are siblings who were separated as young children. Jonathan helps them confront the woman responsible... fifty years later.
#34 Annie
Every time Annie’s family comes to town, they exclude her from their plans. Annie needs to know why.
#33 Bobby
How the worst McDonald’s commercial ever made came to be. And how Bobby got mixed up in it.
#32 Vivian
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.
Why Is Mason Reese Crying?
Mason Reese was the biggest child star of the early 1970's. Recently, he posted a YouTube video of himself crying. Jonathan sets out to discover why. This is a story Jonathan made for Reply All in...
Heavyweight Check In 8
As we turn our attention back to producing classic Heavyweight episodes, we leave you with one last check in. SPOILER ALERT: This check in contains a special treat.
Heavyweight Check In 7
During these times of uncertainty and sadness, we bring you two stories of two women seeking the comfort of childhood. Amber and Eva are in search of their first grade teachers.
Heavyweight Check In 5
Jonathan surprises Stevie and Kalila with some special friends from seasons past who, wouldn’t you know it, are still in need of his help.
Heavyweight Check In 3
A lot of people have been feeling lonely lately. So, they've been reaching out.
Heavyweight Check In 2
Jonathan, Stevie, and Kalila check in, to talk about what’s been going on in their lives, and in your lives, too.
Heavyweight Checks In
Things are feeling strange and uncertain right now. So we on the Heavyweight team decided to record our day and share it with you.
#31 Marie-Claude
Jonathan’s oldest friend, Marie-Claude, had a problem in high school. At 50, she thought it was behind her. But the problem’s recently returned with a vengeance. Lucky for Marie-Claude, her old pal...
#30 The Marshes
After a drunken slip of the tongue, Steve Marsh and his siblings discover a secret their mother has been keeping for almost 40 years. Now, Steve wants to help his mom take action.
#29 Elyse
When Elyse was 21, her father, Billy, disappeared without explanation. When Elyse finally learned of his whereabouts, she was shocked by the new life he was living. Now, for the first time in five...
#28 Dr. Muller
In his twenties, Jonathan began seeing an inscrutable, mysterious therapist. After 6 years without progress, she told him it wasn’t working out because of him. 25 years later, Jonathan wants to know...
#27 Scott
Eight years ago, when Scott was addicted to heroin, he crossed a line he thought he would never cross. And he’s been trying to uncross it since.
#26 Beverley and Van
Ashley’s grandmother, Beverley, had a hard life and an unhappy marriage. But she spoke frequently of a man named Van. Ashley believes Van was the great unfulfilled love of her grandmother’s life. And...
#25 Becky and Jo
Becky and Jo were raised by a procession of eccentric babysitters, 16 in total. But their favorite was Leticia. The girls adored her… right up until the day she mysteriously vanished. Twenty years...
#24 Jimmy and Mark
When he was only 10 years old, Jonathan Marshall was sent on a 240 mile bicycle trip. 3 days. Across 2 states. With no adult supervision. 45 years later, Jonathan can’t stop thinking about the trip....
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 8
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 8—the final...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 7
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 7, the most...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 6
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 6, Jonathan gets...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 5
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 5, the...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 4
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 4, Jonathan...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 3
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 3, Jonathan goes...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 2
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 2, Jonathan...
The Heavy Wait Diaries: Chapter 1
Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Thursday, a new chapter will be presented to ease the burden of your wait. In Chapter 1, Alex wants to...
#23 Alex
16 years ago, Gimlet Media CEO and founder Alex Blumberg made a promise that he didn’t keep. And it’s been eating at him ever since. In this season finale, Jonathan sets out to clean up his boss’s...
#22 Marchel
Russian Ark is a cinematic masterpiece. Dozens of sets, thousands of actors, years of planning. It’s a perfectly executed work of art. Almost. In this episode, Jonathan sets off to find the one guy...
#21 Rachael
Ten years ago, Rachael had a baby. She never told the father. All these years later, she thinks it’s about time she did.
#20 Soraya
When Soraya was in college, her favorite professor hired her on to help research a book she was writing. But when she fell into a deep depression and dropped out of school, she abandoned both the book...
#19 Joey
Joey recently had a very bad day, all due to awkward misunderstandings. So now, he's enlisted the help of Jonathan "Debonair" Goldstein and Jonathan’s friend Gregor to redo the day and set things...
Zoe, PJ, and Chanel
Heavyweight performed a sold-out live show in Brooklyn, NY, last June. Jonathan is joined by This American Life’s Zoe Chace and Reply All’s PJ Vogt to talk about Heavyweight stories that never made it...
#18 Sven
Sven was on a jury that sentenced a man named Paul Storey to death. He's regretted it ever since. Then, eight years later, Sven gets an email from Paul’s mother.
#17 Skye
When Skye was 11, her best friends turned on her out of seemingly nowhere. Now Skye has a son who's 11, & he can’t believe his mom never asked her friends why they did it. So, 30 years later, Skye &...
#16 Rob
Rob remembers breaking his arm as a kid. But the rest of his family says it never happened. Did he break his arm? The answer will determine Rob’s sanity.
#15 Dina
During a visit back home, Jonathan’s mother inadvertently admits something that forces him to question his past. In this season finale, Jonathan turns the mic around on himself for one of the more...
#14 Isabel
In 1999, an old suitcase was found abandoned on a Brooklyn street corner. The suitcase contained 5 years worth of love letters between a young man and young woman. In this episode, Jonathan tries to...
#13 Kenny
Ken Carter was a Canadian daredevil who dreamt of performing the biggest stunt the world had ever seen. For 5 years he prepared, only to have his dream hijacked at the very last moment by the very...
#12 Jesse
Four years ago, Jesse was hit by a car and nearly died. Now he wants to find the driver. And thank him.
#11 Christina
When Christina was in 11th grade, her foster mother made her quit playing basketball. After that, she felt like her life never got back on course. And so, she’s always wanted to ask her foster mother:...
#10 Rose
Over a decade ago, Rose was kicked out of her college sorority. “You know what you did,” was the only explanation she was ever given. All these years later, Rose still wants to know what it is she...
#9 Milt
Last season’s episode, "Gregor," led to an unfortunate event that Jonathan could’ve never predicted. In this pre-season episode, he tries to set things right.
#8 Jeremy
When Jonathan was 16, he went to synagogue every morning. He even thought that one day he might become a rabbi. Things didn’t exactly work out that way.
#7 Julia
In grade 8, Julia was bullied so badly by a group of girls that she changed schools without telling anyone. Soon after, the girls from her old school showed up at her house and rang her doorbell.
#6 James
James’s father’s dying wish was for his ashes to be disposed of on the 18th hole of a fancy private golf course. That was 16 years ago. James, Jonathan, and their friend Howard attempt a golf heist to...
#5 Galit
Galit was Jonathan’s first girlfriend. When she dumped him, he cried a lot and then locked away his emotional vulnerability in a safe for the next several decades. In this episode, Galit sends...
#4 Tony
Years ago, Tony messed up his relationship with each of his three godchildren owing to three difficult chapters in his life. Now, childless and single in his late 40’s, and fearing he may never have...
#3 Tara
Jonathan watched a short experimental video in college in which a little girl sat in silence while her parent sobbed. Now, Jonathan wants to know if that girl is okay.
#2 Gregor
20 years ago, Gregor lent some CDs to a musician friend. The CDs helped make him a famous rockstar. Now, Gregor would like some recognition. But mostly, he wants his CDs back.
#1 Buzz
Buzz and Sheldon are brothers in their eighties who have been estranged for decades. Buzz visits Sheldon to see if there’s still a relationship left to salvage.
Welcome to Heavyweight
A podcast about journeying back to the moment when everything went wrong. Hosted by Jonathan Goldstein. From Gimlet Media.
About this Podcast
Copyright
2025 2025 Pushkin Industries
Language
en
Categories
Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Relationships, Comedy