Just before the holidays, we recorded three Spotify-exclusive check ins, and today we’re excited to release one of them internet-wide. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 by Bobby Lord.  Music by Christine Fellows, John K Samson, Blue Dot Sessions, and Bobby Lord. Our theme song is by The Weakerthans courtesy of Epitaph Records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Lord.  Music by Christine Fellows, John K Samson, Bobby Lord, Hew Time, Blue Dot Sessions, and Shanghai Restoration Project. Our theme song is by The Weakerthans courtesy of Epitaph Records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heavyweight will be back with a new episode next week. In the meantime, we’re excited to introduce you to a new Gimlet show. It’s called Resistance, and it’s all about stories from the BLM movement. Jonathan talks with host Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr., and then plays a favorite episode, about the only black man living in a small town in Nebraska. Here's where you can find Resistance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Jackie Cohen. The show was mixed by Bobby Lord.  Music by Christine Fellows, John K Samson, Michael Hearst, Podington Bear, Blue Dot Sessions, Lost Condors, Hew Time, and Bobby Lord. Our theme song is by The Weakerthans courtesy of Epitaph Records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Harmanci, Nabeel Chollampat, and Jackie Cohen. The show was mixed by Bobby Lord.  Music by Christine Fellows, John K Samson, Michael Hearst, Haley Shaw, Blue Dot Sessions, and Bobby Lord. Our theme song is by The Weakerthans courtesy of Epitaph Records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 2015. The new season of Heavyweight starts next week.  Credits This episode was produced by Jonathan Goldstein, along with Chris Neary, Tim Howard, Sruthi Pinnamaneni, PJ Vogt, and Alex Goldman. Editing by Alex Blumberg. The show was mixed by John DeLore and Bobby Lord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Special thanks to Matthew Boll and Doug Barron. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Mix by Bobby Lord. Music by Christine Fellows, John K Samson , Bobby Lord, and Blue Dot Sessions. Further Reading: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/06/becoming-a-parent-in-the-age-of-black-lives-matter/612448/ https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a23960/james-baldwin-cool-it/ https://www.mpd150.com/report/overview/ https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/george-floyd-houstons-protests-and-the-privilege-of-the-benefit-of-the-doubt https://newrepublic.com/article/157949/fascism-america-trump-anti-police-george-floyd-protests https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ And you can find Amber’s memoir about leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses here: https://bookshop.org/books/leaving-the-witness-exiting-a-religion-and-finding-a-life/9780735222540 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices