Check In: Curtis Sittenfeld

Check In: Curtis Sittenfeld

Author: Pushkin Industries December 10, 2020 Duration: 31:59
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 Clinton.

There’s a particular kind of memory that doesn’t fade-it’s the unresolved moment, the regret that quietly shapes a life. Heavyweight, from Pushkin Industries, is built on the belief that it’s never too late to go back and try to set things right. Host Jonathan Goldstein doesn’t just reminisce; he gets in the car, makes the phone call, and arranges the meeting. Each episode is a deeply human, often surprisingly funny journey into someone’s past to confront a lingering question: an apology never given, a friendship lost over a misunderstanding, a childhood promise broken. The tone here is a unique blend, fitting its categories of Society, Comedy, and Culture-it’s empathetic and thoughtful, yet laced with Goldstein’s wry, self-deprecating humor. You’ll hear the awkward silences, the nervous laughter, and the genuine breakthroughs. This isn’t a podcast about easy answers; it’s about the messy, courageous, and cathartic process of seeking closure, one personal heavyweight at a time. The conversations are intimate, the stories are specific, and the emotional weight is real, making for listening that is both moving and unexpectedly uplifting.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Heavyweight
Podcast Episodes
Heavyweight Check In 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
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 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:06
A lot of people have been feeling lonely lately. So, they've been reaching out.
Heavyweight Check In 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:28
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 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:50
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 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:07
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 Jonathan’s here to hel…
#30 The Marshes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:43
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 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
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 years, Billy and Elyse…
#28 Dr. Muller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:28
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 if it really was his…