Heavyweight

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the last Heavyweight encore before our new season begins on September 18th! This week, we...

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For our penultimate Heavyweight encore, we’re joined by Pen15 co-creator Anna Konkle to revisi...

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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This week, we check back in with Joey to answer everyone’s burning question: does he still hav...

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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This week, we talk to Steve Marsh from our episode, The Marshes. The family has changed in ways they...

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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This week, we’re calling up one of our fan-favorite guests from season two: Rose. Almost twent...

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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This week, we check back in with Scott to find out what turns his life has taken since the original ...

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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This week, we catch up with Jonathan's dad about the years since his appearance in our first ever ep...

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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While the new season is under construction, we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes and...

Thu, 29 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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For the better part of his adult life, drinking was Jonathan’s great comfort. But after gettin...

Thu, 22 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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In her year off, Stevie had a lot of time to wait on hold. And Kalila took a hard look at not wantin...

Thu, 15 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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What we’ve been up to, and what’s in store through the coming weeks.  See omnystudi...

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 14:46:58 +0000

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The Heavyweight team officially has a new home at Pushkin Industries. Tell your friends, your exes&h...

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:06:00 +0000

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A small hello from the Heavyweight team Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/a...

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

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Before Scott died, he bequeathed to his brothers his beloved pet parrot, Harry. The brothers promise...

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

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Loch swears his kindergarten teacher used to steal his cheese. But no one believes him.CreditsThis e...

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 09:00:00 +0000

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When Yasser was a boy, he saw a cartoon that changed his life. He’s been searching for it ever...

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

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Heavyweight will be back next week with a brand new episode. But today, we’re excited to introduce...

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

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In 1993, Nick was shot in an Idaho motel room. One stranger came to his aid. Nick wants to find him....

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 09:00:00 +0000

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One morning, Amy opened her mailbox and found a package with 44 photos inside—photos of comple...

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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After his father’s death, Toby found a box of cassette tapes in his dad’s house. These p...

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Heavyweight will be back with a new episode next week. In the meantime, we’re excited to introduce...

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Victor can’t stop painting portraits of his ex-wife, decades after their divorce. You can find...

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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On Valentine’s Day in junior high, Leif was supposed to ask Kalila out. But he never did. Seve...

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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Lenny was Jonathan's childhood best friend, but they drifted apart as they grew into adulthood. Now,...

Mon, 02 Oct

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Here’s a taste of what’s in store. Season 8 begins October 5th. Listen on Spotify or wherever yo...

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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In 1525, the Archbishop of Glasgow placed a curse on the Elliott family. Now, 500 years later, one v...

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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Is Nick hearing his dead brother’s voice in a song by a Grammy-nominated musician?CreditsHeavyweig...

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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For Jesse, Tori has always been the one that got away. Credits This Heavyweight short was hosted and...

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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When Stephanie was in high school, a bookstore seemingly dropped out of the sky into her small Texas...

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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Ben was just a kid when Sihan arrived from Korea. He lived with Ben’s family for several years. An...

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +0000

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Maia found a painting in the garbage and took it home. But as it turned out, it wasn’t just an...

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +0000

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One day in high school, Cody received a hug that melted his heart. Sixteen years later and he still ...

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +0000

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On Dan’s first date with his wife Nancy, a stranger took their photograph. Nineteen years late...

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0000

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When Melanie was a kid, she recorded Billy Ray Cyrus’s 1993 TV Special over something irreplac...

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 18:47:00 +0000

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Sara received a letter from a woman with the exact same name as her. In it, the woman claimed to be ...

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 09:00:00 +0000

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When Maura was 17, her favorite cousin died in a car crash. Maura’s been too afraid to drive e...

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 09:00:00 +0000

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When Mark was in college, his dream was to be a famous painter. It’s a dream he missed out on ...

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 09:05:00 +0000

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This is the second and final part of episode #40 Barbara Shutt. So if you’ve not yet heard it,...

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 09:00:00 +0000

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In 1968, Jonathan’s mother-in-law Becky spent one of the best summers of her life with a woman...

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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This is the second and final part of last week’s episode. So if you’ve not yet heard the...

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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Growing up, Justine’s father always told her unbelievable stories about his life: that he was ...

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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Before he became a best-selling author, John Green was going to dedicate his life to God. Until he c...

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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Throughout high school, Brandon was a misfit. Then one day, out of the blue, one of the school&rsquo...

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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Adam swears he met Fidel Castro in Montreal 25 years ago. But ever since, no one’s believed him. F...

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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Heavyweight often features grownups grappling with childhood trauma. But in today’s Heavyweight Sh...

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:00:00 +0000

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When Hallie was 17, she spent a few minutes with a stranger who changed her life. A decade later, Ha...

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +0000

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Happy holidays! In our last check in of 2020, Stevie confronts her grandfather with a question she&r...

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +0000

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Jonathan speaks with Curtis Sittenfeld about her novel Rodham, which deals with many of the themes ...

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +0000

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Jonathan, Stevie, and Kalila are back, to talk about Thanksgiving and music.Music and mix by Bobby L...

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 09:00:00 +0000

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Rachel and Jon are siblings who were separated as young children. Jonathan helps them confront the w...

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 09:00:00 +0000

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Every time Annie’s family comes to town, they exclude her from their plans. Annie needs to kno...

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 08:00:00 +0000

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How the worst McDonald’s commercial ever made came to be. And how Bobby got mixed up in it. Cr...

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 08:00:00 +0000

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In 1995, Vivian’s uncle Helio died of AIDS. Now, 25 years later, Vivian’s on a search to...

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 08:00:00 +0000

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Mason Reese was the biggest child star of the early 1970's. Recently, he posted a YouTube video of h...

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 08:00:00 +0000

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As we turn our attention back to producing classic Heavyweight episodes, we leave you with one last ...

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 16:27:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

During these times of uncertainty and sadness, we bring you two stories of two women seeking the com...

Fri, 22 May

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Milestones and cramped houses.Mix by Bobby Lord. Music by Christine Fellows, Bobby Lord, and Blue Do...

Thu, 07 May 2020 15:23:00 +0000

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Jonathan surprises Stevie and Kalila with some special friends from seasons past who, wouldn’t...

Mon, 27 Apr

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Stuck in new homes and old.Mix by Bobby Lord. Music by Christine Fellows and Bobby Lord.Also, we put...

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 08:00:00 +0000

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A lot of people have been feeling lonely lately. So, they've been reaching out. Music by Christine F...

Fri, 27 Mar

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Jonathan, Stevie, and Kalila check in, to talk about what’s been going on in their lives, and ...

Wed, 18 Mar

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Things are feeling strange and uncertain right now. So we on the Heavyweight team decided to record ...

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 09:00:00 +0000

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Jonathan’s oldest friend, Marie-Claude, had a problem in high school. At 50, she thought it wa...

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 09:00:00 +0000

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After a drunken slip of the tongue, Steve Marsh and his siblings discover a secret their mother has ...

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 09:00:00 +0000

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When Elyse was 21, her father, Billy, disappeared without explanation. When Elyse finally learned of...

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 09:00:00 +0000

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In his twenties, Jonathan began seeing an inscrutable, mysterious therapist. After 6 years without p...

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:00:00 +0000

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Eight years ago, when Scott was addicted to heroin, he crossed a line he thought he would never cros...

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 08:00:00 +0000

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Ashley’s grandmother, Beverley, had a hard life and an unhappy marriage. But she spoke frequently ...

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 08:00:00 +0000

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Becky and Jo were raised by a procession of eccentric babysitters, 16 in total. But their favorite w...

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

When he was only 10 years old, Jonathan Marshall was sent on a 240 mile bicycle trip. 3 days. Across...

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 08:00:00 +0000

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Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 15:29:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Heavyweight Season 4 begins September 26th. Until then, we bring you The Heavy Wait Diaries. Each Th...

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:15:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

16 years ago, Gimlet Media CEO and founder Alex Blumberg made a promise that he didn’t keep. And i...

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 08:15:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Russian Ark is a cinematic masterpiece. Dozens of sets, thousands of actors, years of planning. It’...

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Ten years ago, Rachael had a baby. She never told the father. All these years later, she thinks it’...

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

When Soraya was in college, her favorite professor hired her to help research a book she was writing...

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

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Joey recently had a very bad day, all due to awkward misunderstandings. So now, he's enlisted the he...

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 08:00:00 +0000

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Heavyweight performed a sold-out live show in Brooklyn, NY, last June. Jonathan is joined by This Am...

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 08:00:00 +0000

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Sven was on a jury that sentenced a man named Paul Storey to death. He's regretted it ever since. Th...

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 08:00:00 +0000

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When Skye was in middle school, her best friends showed up at her home one night and wrote “f*ck y...

Thu, 04 Oct 2018 10:30:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Rob remembers breaking his arm as a kid. But the rest of his family says it never happened. Did he b...

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 18:36:00 +0000

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During a visit back home, Jonathan’s mother inadvertently admits something that forces him to ques...

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 18:23:00 +0000

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In 1999, an old suitcase was found abandoned on a Brooklyn street corner. The suitcase contained 5 y...

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 20:38:00 +0000

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Ken Carter was a Canadian daredevil who dreamt of performing the biggest stunt the world had ever se...

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 18:44:00 +0000

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Four years ago, Jesse was hit by a car and nearly died. Now he wants to find the driver. And thank h...

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 17:58:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

When Christina was in 11th grade, her foster mother made her quit playing basketball. After that, sh...

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:13:00 +0000

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Over a decade ago, Rose was kicked out of her college sorority. “You know what you did,” was the...

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 17:36:00 +0000

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Last season’s episode, "Gregor," led to an unfortunate event that Jonathan could’ve never predic...

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 18:55:00 +0000

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When Jonathan was 16, he went to synagogue every morning. He even thought that one day he might beco...

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 21:19:00 +0000

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In grade 8, Julia was bullied so badly by a group of girls that she changed schools without telling ...

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 19:43:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

James’s father’s dying wish was for his ashes to be disposed of on the 18th hole of a fancy priv...

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 19:31:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Galit was Jonathan’s first girlfriend. When she dumped him, he cried a lot and then locked away hi...

Tue, 11 Oct 2016 19:37:00 +0000

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Years ago, Tony messed up his relationship with each of his three godchildren owing to three difficu...

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 17:39:00 +0000

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Jonathan watched a short experimental video in college in which a little girl sat in silence while h...

Sat, 24 Sep

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20 years ago, Gregor lent some CDs to a musician friend. The CDs helped make him a famous rockstar. ...

Fri, 23 Sep

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Buzz and Sheldon are brothers in their eighties who have been estranged for decades. Buzz visits She...

Sat, 03 Sep

Contributed by Lukas • Default Dataset

Maybe you’ve laid awake imagining how it could have been, how it might yet be, but the moment to a...