Heavyweight - Zoe, PJ, and Chanel

Starting point is 00:00:00 Last June, Heavyweight performed a sold-out show in the borough of Churches, Brooklyn, New York. The show was part of Gimlet Fest, a two-day podcasting festival that rivaled Woodstock 94 in terms of historic and cultural significance. If you came to that show, good for you. of historic and cultural significance. If you came to that show, good for you. And if not, well, you'll have to live with that fact for the rest of your life. So please, sit back, wallow in that regret, and try to enjoy this slightly edited version

Starting point is 00:00:38 of Heavyweight Live. Thank you. Hello? Jackie? Did you hear me okay? I'm in the car. Yeah, it sounds like you're on a speakerphone. Oh, that's really good. Yes. So, you know, I have a podcast.

Starting point is 00:01:12 Do you remember the name of it? John? Yes. If it's going to be this basic. Okay, what is the name of the show? You know what? Next question. Okay, you know that the name of the show is Heavyweight, right? Yes.

Starting point is 00:01:26 Does that ring a bell? It rings an annoying bell, yes. What does an annoying bell sound like? You just rang it. Okay. So I am doing a live show. I don't think the visual dimension adds much. They could just look at a photograph of you and probably get the same thing.

Starting point is 00:01:45 Yeah. You know, I certainly hope you have a little bit of something to drink before. You tend to do much better in your live performances if you add a little something. We all know that about you. A little hooch? Yeah. Yeah, I suppose. Take the edge off?

Starting point is 00:02:00 Yeah. A little hooch is a part of the show business tradition. Back to the days of Bing Crosby. Do you consider yourself in show business? Yes, of course I do. Why is that so funny? I am in show business. I'm in show business. I mean, it's a statement of fact.

Starting point is 00:02:17 I host a podcast. I just want to know, is that considered show business? Yes. And if so, why? Why? Yeah, I guess it's a show. It's a show and people are entertained by it, so. I'm in show business.

Starting point is 00:02:36 Nothing. I guess you are in show business. laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter

Starting point is 00:02:49 laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter

Starting point is 00:03:04 laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter laughter Ladies and gentlemen, Jonathan Borgstein. Thank you. CEO and Gimlet Media founder Alex Bloomberg is trotting in place beside my workstation. How do you like apples, he asks. I don't care for apples, I say. When bruised, they remind me of my mortality. When served cold, they tend to hurt my teeth.

Starting point is 00:03:46 So no, Alex, I do not like apples. Though I do like applesauce. Well, how do you like these apples, he asks. Without looking away from my computer screen, I ask if these apples are sauced apples. Mr. Bloomberg thrusts a letter-pressed handbill in front of my face. It smells like the clone department of a European duty-free. The handbill reads, Gimlet Fest. Fest, it seems, is short for Festival. Are we disarming a bomb while falling from a rooftop, Alex?

Starting point is 00:04:22 Is your time so precious that you can't afford two lousy extra syllables? Of course I say none of this out loud. The last thing I need is to be fired from podcasting and forced to recite my monologues into a CB radio while seated on the lap of some trucker named Jean-Francois.

Starting point is 00:04:42 Mr. Bloomberg checks his Fitbit, pumps his fist thrice, and stops running. Though his brow is virtually sweatless, he wipes it with a silken kerchief and crumples the handbill into my chest. Then he asks his real question, What are you going to do for Gimlet Fest? I don't like public speaking, I say. The very thought of a live event was enough to make the borscht I'd eaten for lunch perform a slow, spiteful kazatska in my kishkas.

Starting point is 00:05:14 Mr. Bloomberg laughs. You're hilarious, he says, slapping my back hard enough to make my fillings rattle and the day's borscht enter its final curtain call. For the next several months, I do nothing but worry. By day I hide out, shivering in Mr. Bloomberg's executive bathroom. By night I sit at the kitchen table in darkness eating unsalted peanuts and drinking bourbon. And so the days run away like wild horses at a farm wedding in upstate. I make a mental note to tweet that.

Starting point is 00:05:50 And all the while I can do nothing else but think of Gimlet Fest. What will I wear? To what number will I set my beard trimmer? Come to bed, the wife cries. It's four in the morning. When sleep does come, it brings ominous dreams. In one, I hop out of a papier-mâché cake onto a cool, dark stage. I am holding a ukulele. Hello? I say into the blackness.

Starting point is 00:06:19 I'm certain there is an audience out there somewhere judging me. In the silence, I hear a cough. Then, a Werther's Original slowly being unwrapped. A face emerges from the darkness. It is ABC television personality Zach Braff. He informs me I've been cancelled. I awake in a cold sweat, surrounded by Werther's original rappers and four-year consideration DVDs of Alex Inc. A week before showtime, I feel my bowels quake.

Starting point is 00:07:01 Had my nightly prayer for diverticulitis been answered? Dear God, I intone, please give me diverticulitis so I don't have to do Gimlet Fest. But no such luck. It is only a visit from my old friend, Gas. Mere

Starting point is 00:07:20 days before the event, Mr. Bloomberg corners me in the Gimlet Cat Cafe, the one on the second floor. How's that live show coming, he demands. Superb, I croak stoically, my voice cracking in three different places.

Starting point is 00:07:36 Good, good, he says, taking a long drag of avocado-flavored vape. What's the run of the show he asks i don't know i say ending the charade i have nothing planned mr bloomberg twitches violently causing the two task monkeys carrying his e-hook at a lurch from side to side what have you been doing with your time, he asks. The former Planet Money spokesmodel was still capable of a hard-hitting question. What had I been doing with my time? Tweeting, I say, about the festival. Let's take this to the kitchen hammocks, Mr. Bloomberg commands. this to the kitchen hammocks, Mr. Bloomberg commands. Dutifully, I trail behind him. Trying not to spill his chocolate mint julep while swinging on his stomach,

Starting point is 00:08:39 Mr. Bloomberg explains how Gimlet Fest is about influencing. It's about inspiring positive change, he says, while sipping from a very long straw. Oh, indubitably, I squeal, let's force-feed positivity down the throats of non-mat believers everywhere. Of course, I only squeal this to myself. The last thing I need is to be sent back to Canada to do the overnight weather report from Moose Factory, Ontario. I've been thinking a lot about engaging our brand loyalists, Alex continues,

Starting point is 00:09:04 but I'm barely listening. The gentle rocking of the hammock has sent me into a reverie. I've been thinking a lot about engaging our brand loyalists, Alex continues, but I'm barely listening. The gentle rocking of the hammock has sent me into a reverie. When I awake, I'm alone. The office is dark but for the muted headlamps of the task monkeys polishing Mr. Bloomberg's vape pen collection in preparation for the day ahead. Come to bed, the wife texts. It's 4 a.m. Of course, I want to help Mr. Bloomberg.

Starting point is 00:09:27 I've been listening to him radio DJ on This American Life since I was but a mop-headed child strapped into the back seat of Maman's minivan on the way to curling practice. Leaving the office, I pass by his treadmill desk. He is still here, slowly trotting along. Working hard, I ask, but there is no answer. After several minutes, I realize that he has fallen into a deep sleep.

Starting point is 00:09:56 Only the support of his loyal task monkeys is keeping him upright. Good night, podcast prince, I whisper, before wandering out into the night. The night before Gimlet Fest is one of the worst of my life. How's everybody doing tonight? I practice over and over into my wife's hairbrush while staring into the bathroom mirror. How is everybody doing tonight? How is everybody doing tonight? Go to bed, the wife cries.

Starting point is 00:10:24 It's four in the morning. But I can't. I know that if I can just nail my opening line, everything else will fall into place. The audience will applaud. Mr. Bloomberg will sign my paycheck. And my infant son will start calling me Dada instead of haha. haha. And so I practice. How's everybody doing tonight? How is everybody doing tonight? And then it comes to me. How's everybody doing this evening? So how's everybody doing this evening? Hello, Jonathan Goldstein. That's my human beatboxer, Devin. And this is my co-host and producer, Kalila Holt.

Starting point is 00:11:36 Hello. Hello. Do you want to tell these people what we're going to do? Yeah. So tonight, the theme of this evening is killed stories. And so we were going to play for you some of the stories or clips of the stories that didn't make it onto the air. And also we're going to have some guests, some special guests, and they're going to be human beatboxed onto the stage.

Starting point is 00:12:09 Are you suggesting that I should be human beatboxed? Yeah, would you like to be human beatboxed onto the stage? Not particularly, but I will. I think you're going to like it more than you anticipate. You're going to find it very enlivening. I did. Do we call it human beatboxing or do we just call it beatboxing? He's human and

Starting point is 00:12:29 he's beatboxing, so... How'd you like that it was okay makes me so happy devin come out here i'm sorry i want to tell you i want to thank you again i want to tell you a story about how my interest in human beatboxing came about you're familiar with the fat boys i am. So I really liked the Fat Boys as a child and I would try to human beatbox myself and I wasn't good at it and I started to feel chest pains and

Starting point is 00:13:36 my parents had to take me to the Jewish General ER in Montreal and the doctor in the ER told me that I had given myself these chest pains from the beatboxing that I was doing. Rookie mistake. Is that a peril of...

Starting point is 00:13:52 It can happen. Yeah. It definitely seems to have happened. Yeah. So I had to stop doing it. Yeah. Well, I think anybody can beatbox. So I think if you push through the pain, yeah, one day you could get there.

Starting point is 00:14:08 Can we hear just like a little something? Yeah, can we hear just a tiny little... Here, I'll set you up. Shush, shush, shush. I know you're patronizing me, but I still like it. Okay, thank you, Devin. You can leave the stage now. I think it's time to introduce our first special guest.

Starting point is 00:14:34 Please introduce them. You may know her from the social security number 823-638-297 or from her work on Planet Money and This American Life, ladies and gentlemen, Zoe Chase. Devin, bring Zoe to the stage. Zoe! Chase!

Starting point is 00:15:16 Huh? How was that? Why? Have you ever been human beatboxed onto a stage? Nope. That's pretty nice. You get used to it. Oh, yeah? Yeah, you can't live without? Nope. It's pretty nice. You get used to it. Oh yeah? Yeah, you can't live without it eventually. That's hard to imagine. Hi. Hi. So, okay, so we're going to talk about killed stories and at your prompting, we're going to talk about a killed story of mine. And I know that it made an impact on a young Zoe Chase. And this is a story that almost, almost got killed

Starting point is 00:15:46 when I was working as a producer at This American Life many, many years ago. And during that time, there were so many of my stories that were getting killed all the time. But this is one that somehow evaded death, barely. And you wanted to talk about it. Yeah, no, this story is the reason that I started working in radio.

Starting point is 00:16:07 You're talking about the Little Mermaid story, right? You guys know that story, right? Yeah. So this is a story I would call my friend Josh up on the phone just because I thought he was very funny and I was always looking for a way to get him on This American Life and because

Starting point is 00:16:24 This American Life is all about storytelling, Ira would always say, your friend Josh has to have a story, and he'd tell me stories, and they would go nowhere. They'd be stupid, and then this was one of those stories that he told me, but it just happened to actually turn into something. You know, I think we just happen to have a clip. There was this guy named Fred, okay? And he got this message,

Starting point is 00:16:51 well, his mother left him a message on his answering machine, okay? And he forwarded it to, I don't know, maybe one or more of his friends. And they forwarded this message across campus to everyone, okay? So, you want to hear the message? Mm-hmm.

Starting point is 00:17:06 All right. So, he prefaced it by saying... Do you have it? You have the message? I do not have the message. I have the message in my head. I'm telling you a story. So, the message...

Starting point is 00:17:15 He prefaced it by some kind of sad little lead-in. In a little voice, he was like, I think you'd appreciate hearing this message from my mother. Okay? And then the message played. This was the entirety of the message. And I'm going to do the voice for you as best I can. You ready?

Starting point is 00:17:29 Yeah. All right. Oh, sorry. More background. He apparently, he had a hard, he was not a hit with the ladies, Fred. Okay? This is what I was led to understand. Okay?

Starting point is 00:17:39 I'm not sure if this is true or not. Okay. But he had managed to score a date to go see The Little Mermaid of all movies. Okay. The Little Mermaid. Okay. Yeah. So this is the message his own mother, okay, his blood relation leaves for him.

Starting point is 00:17:55 Yeah. And I quote, You and the Little Mermaid can both go f*** yourselves. The books you wanted, they're not here. They must be in La Jolla. I'm not going to wait up all night for you. Goodbye. That's the entirety of it,

Starting point is 00:18:07 all right? Yeah. That's a message that his mother left him. That's correct. You catch that part? You and the little mermaid can both go f*** yourselves.

Starting point is 00:18:16 I love you, son. Okay? That's gold. So yeah, that's how it starts.'s the best it's so the reason why was because um i wasn't in radio and i was just living in in philadelphia and i was very lonely and i heard this story somebody said like listen to these things these streaming mp3s whatever and so i listened to this and i was like that's it like you can just talk to your friends about being in college evidently and it's so funny and it's like that's all and you're on the radio like that. So that's easy. That's the best thing. I'm glad it didn't seem like hard because then you'd be like, I can never do this. I'm not going to get into radio and you do in radio is like, I have funny friends.

Starting point is 00:19:26 And I'm like, you should be on the radio telling your story. I'm going to do it like Jonathan and Josh. It's going to be a whole thing. It's just going to be like a conversation that kind of unfolds naturally. And it's funny. And then it'll kind of morph into this American life story. And that's been my plan for a really long time. And now I work at This American Life

Starting point is 00:19:51 and I still can't get my friend Linz on the radio. Like, I try, I, like, beg her to let me record her and I lie to her that I'm not going to use it, that that's not the plan and now she's a very tense serious immigration lawyer so she has a lot of stories that are relevant to the

Starting point is 00:20:13 current moment stories that she thinks like aren't appropriate to tell on the radio because they're about her clients but like I don't see it that way you know we have a clip I just know um we have a clip uh-huh i just so happen to have a clip i'm gonna record you no but then i'll remember it better no you can't first of all i can't even tell you about it because it's a client so i'm supposed to give you but then i'll

Starting point is 00:20:37 remember it better uh just ask me i see you like every day that's like all the time so that it's like every day you still that is still something that you want to do yeah man somehow the way that you interviewed your friends on this american life like decades and decades ago you know long ago. It's a long time ago. Yeah. It's like the best radio ever. You know, it's funny to me to hear you say that because you do all of these serious, important political stories for this American life.

Starting point is 00:21:17 And I feel like I'm just making knock-knock jokes on the radio. And to me, the irony has always been that I'm not an easy laugh. And that's been a problem for me in broadcasting because laughing can say so much. Like when you're interviewing someone, a laugh can feel like a warm arm around the shoulder and let the person know that you're enjoying them and it gives them confidence and I'm not much of a laugher and um and I've suffered for that but but having my close friends to do stories with

Starting point is 00:21:53 people who legitimately make me laugh make me a better broadcaster than I naturally am should we introduce another person who makes you laugh? Yes, please. Zoe, you're going to stick around, right? You don't have to go anyplace yet, right? No, I have nothing going on. Okay, great. Previously, the host of It Was Too Long and So I Didn't Read It,

Starting point is 00:22:22 he now hosts the show Reply All with Alex Goldman. He has a small dog which once peed on Alex Bloomberg's desk. PJ vote, everyone. PJ vote, everybody. PJ vote. DJ Vogue, everybody. DJ Vogue. Vogue. Vogue.

Starting point is 00:22:50 Vogue. Vogue. Vogue. Vogue. Vogue. Vogue. DJ Vogue. Vogue.

Starting point is 00:22:58 Vogue. Vogue. Vogue. You just received the human beatboxing of a lifetime, my friend. How'd that feel? It felt like three different stress dreams that I had happening in real life at the same time. Now, PJ, so when I was figuring out Heavyweight,

Starting point is 00:23:19 I was talking to you a lot. You were still sort of figuring out, like, what is the show? Yes. And at the time time it was sort of about it had to do with this idea that like every the irony of living in society was that everybody knows something about you that you just can't figure out about yourself. Right. Like the ultimate irony is how one cannot know oneself just as a knife cannot cut itself, or a fire cannot burn itself. A human being

Starting point is 00:23:48 cannot really know itself. I think a fire can burn itself. Anyway. I was getting poetical, alright? Anyway, so the idea was a little broader than heavyweight. It was just sort of like, I'm going to help people figure out

Starting point is 00:24:04 things that they can't figure about themselves. I think at that point you were calling it Jonathan Goldstein Medicine Woman. That was my wife's idea. That was Emily's idea. Jonathan Goldstein Medicine Woman. And so you came to me with a particular problem, which was?

Starting point is 00:24:21 I've been told or hinted at on more than one occasion that there was something about my face that was inherently punchable. That you had a punchable face? I had a punchable face. Right. I'm sorry, I can just literally feel a bunch of people looking at my face, sizing up.

Starting point is 00:24:40 It does not feel good. Sorry. And how was it that you described what makes a punchable face? I think that people see either a... I think there's a couple of kinds, but one is a kind of inherent smugness, and one is a sort of dopiness.

Starting point is 00:25:01 And if you have both of them, I think that's like... Yeah. So I think that's like... Yeah. So I wanted to make PJ... I wanted to eradicate that, really. I don't think it's true, any of that. But anyway. And I was re-listening to the tape,

Starting point is 00:25:18 and so much of it was making me wish that we had actually been able to do this story. You describe yourself as a kid wearing, kid wearing bifocals or something, and a skin-tight white turtleneck with Hawaiian punch stains all over it. And it was heartbreaking. Anyway, so I set out, and I talked to your friends. I talked to former employers. I really covered a lot of bases.

Starting point is 00:25:45 I don't know. Have we ever talked about this? Not in detail. Okay. So at one point, so desperate I was to find, because the problem with the story was that in the end,

Starting point is 00:25:57 people didn't really think you had a punchable face. And so I felt desperate. I felt like, well, I've got to find people that think he has a punchable face. And so I felt desperate. I felt like, well, I've got to find people that think he has a punchable face. And so I went to a place where I thought people would be most inclined to want to punch you in the face.

Starting point is 00:26:13 So I went to a boxing gym. And I carried with me a framed photograph of you to really get them riled up, to kind of bait them. And so this is tape of me talking to some of the boxers. As a boxer, do you think that this guy has a punchable face? No. Does he seem like he has a punchable face? No.

Starting point is 00:26:42 Do you think that he has a punchable face? No. Nope. No, I do not think he has a punchable face? Nah. Do you think that he has a punchable face? No. Nope. No. No, I do not think he has a punchable face. Looks like a very talented, strong young man.

Starting point is 00:26:51 A real social, outgoing kind of person. I mean, he looks friendly. He looks smiling right now. How would you want to punch him, you know? Why would you say he has a punchable face?

Starting point is 00:27:00 I think sometimes, like, people have felt like because he seems so smiley. There's no reason to be punched in the face just for being happy. Who is this guy? He's a friend of ours. His name is PJ.

Starting point is 00:27:13 Well, you know, PJ, I don't know why people have been telling you that. Maybe you have to work on your attitude, guy, but you don't look punchable, man. All right, PJ? Wherever you are, P. So that was it. You didn't have a punchable face. They're applauding for you for not having a punchable face.

Starting point is 00:27:31 I'm honestly surprised at how hard it is to get boxers to say that they want to punch somebody. I know. We have a photograph of the photograph that I brought into the boxing gym. PJ, I'll ask you to describe it.

Starting point is 00:27:46 I feel like this goes against everything that you've said. Just a ninny with a stupid punchable face. No, no, that's not true. It's like, it's like the smile is like, I think I'm better than you,

Starting point is 00:27:58 but also worse. But like, but like you're, you're standing on a yacht or something I'm standing on a building a balcony and you're wearing I'm lying yet

Starting point is 00:28:12 you're wearing a watch like who do you think you are anyway not a punchable face ladies and gentlemen face, ladies and gentlemen. Oh, PJ, you crack me up. Anywho, we've got to take a short break. And when we come back, you'll hear the shortest heavyweight story ever made. But first, some important words from some very important sponsors. This next Killed story.

Starting point is 00:29:03 This was something that we really liked and it worked out well, and it totally fit the form of the show, but it was just really short. It worked out too well. It all came together in just a few minutes. But so we made it into an animated video for all of you here at the Heavyweight Live show. For your viewing enjoyment. And we will play it now.

Starting point is 00:29:26 Chanel comes from a family that has a hard time saying, I love you. They hardly ever say it. Actually, not really at all. It's like there's a death in the family, or, I mean, yeah, mostly if there's a death in the family. You've preserved the power of the words in a way. I mean, to me, it's just like,

Starting point is 00:29:48 I might as well just be saying, okay, f*** off. I'll be back later. I love you. There was a moment when Chanel almost said it. She was going through a hard time, and her mom had come to stay with her in Brooklyn. Chanel wanted to say, I love you, just as her mom was about to leave. I've been dropping her off at Penn Station.

Starting point is 00:30:09 You know, we sat there until she had to go. And she starts walking away, and this is weird. I, like, started crying, like, bawling in the middle of Penn Station. You know, nobody cares because there's, like, a thousand people in Penn Station. I'm right near, like, the switchboard where it tells you the times. So people are just like staring at that. And she turns around and she gets this weird look on her face and she turns back around. She has to keep going. She's in line.

Starting point is 00:30:33 And the whole time I was like, oh my gosh, I wish I had like told her how much she means to me in that moment and like how she came at the perfect time and did all these things for me. And I'm like, why can't I say I love you to her? So when was the last time that you told your mother that you loved her? I don't remember. That's a long time.

Starting point is 00:31:00 And this is why I've invited Chanel here today, to help create a safe place for her heart to speak its truth and to not allow her or her heart to leave that safe place until it happens. Do you think there's a way to say it, where it was sort of like you were clearing away the space? Yeah, I think I would have to follow up with like a, I really mean it. I love you, Mom, and I really mean it. I love you, mom.

Starting point is 00:31:31 And I really mean it. I'm not trying to joke with you. I think because I'm uncomfortable, I'm like, it's going to show. And then maybe not everything's supposed to be comfortable. That's true. But I have to, I have to like have a reason to call her, right? I can't just be like, hey, mom, I love you, okay, bye. You know, there's this song that comes to mind, an obscure little ditty by a performer named Stevie Wonder. I don't know if you're familiar with him. No, I don't, yes.

Starting point is 00:31:55 The song is I Just Call to Say I Love You. How does the song go? I just call to say I love you. Yeah. And I mean it from the bottom of my heart. What about a sign off? Like, okay, love you. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:32:07 You want to get the pronoun in there. You want to get the I in there. You want me to say it for you? She'll be like, what? Like it's a hostage situation. She'll be like, who is that? What are you doing? I'm going to send Chanel's pinky toe just to let you know that she's fine.

Starting point is 00:32:22 She's fine. I mean, she's not already afraid enough that I live in a city alone. Oh, I don't know. I wanted to say it, and I'm saying it now. Yeah. No? Yeah. She's at work, but she always calls me when I'm at work, so it's probably fine.

Starting point is 00:32:41 Does she pick up and say, she'll probably say, Simon, Richter, and Taft, if it's a law firm. She'll be like, what do you want, missy? Okay, should I do it? Am I doing it now? Okay, here we go.

Starting point is 00:32:54 Okay. Answer the phone. Okay, yeah? Hi, Mom. What do you want? What's up? I, okay, you remember that time when you came to visit me? Yeah. Yeah. And then you were at the train station and I started crying?

Starting point is 00:33:25 Yeah. Yeah. And then you were at the train station and I started crying. Yeah. Well, in that moment, I really wanted to tell you how much you meant to me and that you helped a lot that week because I was, like, emotionally distraught. And you cooked me all those meals and you were there and you watched Transparent Season 2 with me, and it was great. And I just want to tell you that I love you a lot. What was you distraught about? Does it matter what I was distraught about?

Starting point is 00:33:58 No. Why are you laughing? No, it's okay. It doesn't matter. What matters is I love you. I know that. Uh-oh. Okay, wait a minute.

Starting point is 00:34:11 Is something wrong? No. Nothing's wrong. Are you sure? Yeah. Okay, that was really sweet of you, Chanel. Wow. Wow, Mom.

Starting point is 00:34:24 This is so sentimental. Well, don't be crying. Don't get me teary-eyed. I'm still at work walking the hallways trying to get my steps on release. But, you know, me and Mom love you, too. Your mom love you, too. Really? Mm-hmm.

Starting point is 00:34:42 Okay? Okay. All right. I'll talk to you. All right. Okay, bye. Bye. Bye. I'd like to ask Chanel and her mom, Marilyn, to stand up.

Starting point is 00:35:05 I think you guys are supposed to be here, yeah. All right, yeah. And with that, I think we draw our show to a close. On a positive note, I would like to introduce to the stage Matt Boll, who's going to play us out. And Devin Gwynn is going to be accompanying him with some human beatboxing. Now that the furniture's returning to its goodwill The dishes in last week's papers Rumors and elections across where they're running They're black in our fingers

Starting point is 00:36:25 Smear their prints on every door pusher Now that the last month's rent Is scheming with the damaged deposit Take this moment to decide Son, in an empty room If we meant it, if we tried Son, in an empty room Felt around for far Heavyweight is hosted and produced by me, Jonathan Goldstein, along with Stevie Lane, Peter Bresnan, and Kalila Holt. Editing by Jorge Just.

Starting point is 00:37:14 Special thanks to Zoe Chase. And PJ Vogt. and Jackie Cohen. Animation by Arthur Jones with music by Christine Fellows and Blue Dot Sessions. Audio mixing by Emma Munger. Our theme song is by The Weaker Thans courtesy of Epitaph Records

Starting point is 00:37:39 and was performed by Matthew Boll. With beatboxing by Devin Gwynn. Thank you, live studio audience, for coming out tonight. Give yourselves a big heavyweight round of applause. Good night. Good night. Sun in the moon too 90 million on the map Sun in the moon too Watch the shadows cross the globe Sun in the moon too

Starting point is 00:38:10 What we're here for Sun in the moon too Sun in the moon too Sun in the mountains Thanks, Jonathan. Great show. Before we go, we also want to thank Julian Kwasniewski and Bay Area Sound for mixing this episode. Special thanks also to Joshua Carpatti, Chris Neary, and Victoria Barner. If you want to hear the Little Mermaid story that Jonathan produced at This American Life, you can find it at thisamericanlife.org.

Starting point is 00:39:00 And if you want to see the animated video that we made to accompany Chanel's story, you can find it on our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash gimletmedia. Again, that's youtube.com slash gimletmedia. We'll be back with a brand new episode of Heavyweight next week.

Heavyweight - Zoe, PJ, and Chanel

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