Heavyweight: In which host Jonathan accosts many strangers to humorous and heartwarming effect
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 (𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 Apple Podcasts):
Maybe you’ve laid awake imagining 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.
Series or standalone:
Standalone
Begin listening to:
Any episode--they're all good
Format:
Storytelling/investigative monologue
Host(s):
Humorist Jonathan Goldstein
Sound/production quality:
Excellent
Rating/age suitability:
Best for adults
Approximate length of episodes:
45 minutes
Curricular ties:
None
Similar recommended pods:
It has glimpses of Mystery Show and episodes of Reply All, like The Case of the Missing Hit.
Podcast Librarian’s Review:
If you’re a pod connoisseur, then you’re probably rolling your eyes at me for just now becoming a fan of Heavyweight. I think I even listened to an episode and subscribed/unsubscribed from time to time, but sometimes you just need to find (or re-find) a pod at the right time in life. I’ve been bingeing the entire catalog for the last few days. Heavyweight is a storytelling podcast in which the host Jonathan talks to people about a moment in their life they would like to revisit and which is unresolved in some way. After talking to his guests (who are typically regular people, often his own family/friends), Jonathan tracks down the other players from the incident and calls them to ask the tough questions and help the guest achieve some closure. This probably sounds very serious and like therapy, but it’s not. Jonathan is a humorist and thus (almost always) funny, and the tone of the show is playful even though some of the incidents are fairly serious. The tracking-down of ancillary characters is almost reminiscent of Mystery Show (which regular PL readers will know is one of my favorite pods ever). A new season is coming this month, so if you are late to the Heavyweight party (as I was), make sure to listen.
