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Stevie Lane
Stevie Lane.
Yasser
Hello.
Stevie Lane
So now you have a story I do. To tell, to share with the nation?
Yasser
Yes.
Stevie Lane
Does your grandmother. What's your grandmother's name again? Phyllis.
Yasser
Ruth. Ruth. Close.
Stevie Lane
Has she listened to your stories in the past?
Yasser
She has.
Stevie Lane
Has she listened to my stories? No, not as much.
Yasser
Not at all.
Stevie Lane
Should we call her up on the telephone and tell her that you have a story?
Grandma Ruth
Who's this?
Yasser
Hi, Grandma, it's Stevie.
Grandma Ruth
Oh. Oh, it just said New York. I almost wasn't gonna take it. Okay, fine. Honey, how you doing?
Yasser
I was just calling because I wanted to tell you that I'm hosting today's episode of Heavyweight.
Grandma Ruth
Oh, and of course, you know what? I'll hear you better. Cause I just came back from the audiologist. She fixed my hearing aids so I can hear a little better. And now everybody who listens to you knows that I wear hearing aids.
Yasser
Oh, Grandma, I think that most 95 year olds have hearing aids.
Grandma Ruth
And right now. You told everyone how old I am? I was gonna say I'm only 89, but. Okay, I've gotta say 95.
Yasser
I'm sorry.
Grandma Ruth
No, I was only teasing you. And I don't care. They don't know me, so. But they don't know I don't look my age. You'd have to tell them that.
Yasser
Oh, yeah. So for everyone listening, she does not look her age.
Grandma Ruth
Good.
Yasser
I'm Stevie Lane and this is Heavyweight. Today's Heavyweight short, Yassir.
Grandma Ruth
I'm ready to hear it now.
Yasser
You mean right after the break?
Stevie Lane
You're listening to an iHeart podcast. ChatGPT is free for college students now through May. That means you have no limits on how many ways you can prompt ChatGPT. To help you through the worst part of the school year, I spoke with producer and college graduate Khalilah Holt.
Howard
Yeah.
Stevie Lane
You can create any image you can think of in any style. Quick, give me an image.
Yasser
Sylvia Plath James, stand up. Comedy ding.
Stevie Lane
Sylvia Plath happy at last. Thanks to ChatGPT. ChatGPT plus free for college students through May. Restrictions apply.
Otto Wadgass
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Jonathan Goldstein
Hello.
Yasser
Hi, Is this Yasser?
Jonathan Goldstein
Yes, this is he.
Yasser
Yasser is 28. He lives in Saudi Arabia and he's a dentist. I love going to the dentist, actually.
Jonathan Goldstein
Oh, nice. And do you floss?
Yasser
Every day. And I have a water floss.
Jonathan Goldstein
Wow, a student.
Yasser
I could talk about my oral hygiene all day. Cavities, zero. Gum recession. If anything, my gums are advancing. But we're not here to talk about my superior dental health. We're here to talk about Yassir and a cartoon he first encountered when he was a kid. Yassir hasn't seen it in 20 years because it's completely vanished. Yassir grew up in a small Saudi town. He loved cartoons. This was back before streaming. So his mom would go to the video store to buy VHS tapes for him. And one day, when yasser was about 8 years old, she came home with a cartoon that changed his life.
Jonathan Goldstein
The show is called Little Elephanto. It's about a family of elephants living in suburbia.
Yasser
The elephant family was called the Bumills.
Jonathan Goldstein
The father works in a company and he's always worried about his bonus. Oh, when is my boss gonna give me my bonus?
Yasser
The show was dubbed in Arabic. Yasser always assumed it was originally American.
Jonathan Goldstein
You know, the fact that they're living in suburbia, that's very American. The father's financial woes, also American Brown nosing with the boss and trying to make him like him. That seems to me very American as well.
Yasser
I take offense at Yasser's assumption that all Americans are career obsessed sycophants, but I just laugh politely. After all, I have an interview to finish and I want to make my talented and intelligent boss, Jonathan Stewart Goldstein, proud. Maybe this year I'll finally get that bonus. The show quickly became a classic in Yasser's home. He and his brother would watch it every morning before school with a breakfast sandwich and a big cup of Nescafe. The star of the show was the baby elephant, Philo, who's very young and.
Jonathan Goldstein
Still in diapers and has a teddy bear named Hong.
Yasser
Filo and Hong would go on imaginary adventures together.
Jonathan Goldstein
Philo was so magical to me. Whenever we would go on camping trips or desert outings, Every time we'd go, I would try to discover something. A secret door, a treasure. Like Philo.
Yasser
Yasser loved the show because, like Filo, he was a kid with a big imagination. The kind of kid who would pretend that inanimate objects were alive. He tells me about one time when he was driving down a bumpy road with a friend.
Jonathan Goldstein
I was kind of imagining the car kind of going, ugh, what are you doing to me?
Yasser
Ugh.
Mona
Calm down.
Yasser
Slow. But in Yasser's small town, he didn't feel like there was a lot of support for kids like him, kids who loved drawing and making up stories.
Jonathan Goldstein
And I longed for a place to bring my creativity to light.
Yasser
Pursuing a creative field didn't feel like an option for Yasser. And when he got older, he chose a career that was practical and prestigious. Dentistry. Now, a decade later, Yasser admits that he doesn't love it. He's always been this really imaginative person, but in his daily routine, he's not that excited by what he does. He spends his days looking at rows of teeth and checking gums. There's no sense of wonder like there was when he was a kid living in his imaginary world. He's nostalgic for that feeling and sees the cartoon as a sort of portal. He knows that watching Philo would bring him right back to his childhood. The only problem is Philo is gone.
Jonathan Goldstein
I tried to find it everywhere. No one ever recognizes it. No one knows this show aside from our family. It's so insane, it almost feels like a dream we had as a family.
Yasser
It's as though little Filo has been wiped from existence. Yasser has pored over media archives, has tried googling elephant cartoon in every language he can think of. Once he even heard an actor's voice on TV and recognized him as one of the characters from the show.
Jonathan Goldstein
So I looked up the guy on Facebook and then I find him. I tell him about this show. He does not recognize it.
Yasser
In a last ditch effort, Yasser made a drawing of the characters from memory. The dad in his bow tie and vest, the mom in her green ruffled house dress. He bought ad space on Instagram and posted the drawing to see if anyone could identify it. Nothing.
Jonathan Goldstein
I keep thinking there must be like some, like, cartoon lunatic guy living in a basement that would, like, instantly pick it up. But I just don't know any lunatic basement cartoon guys.
Stevie Lane
So you want to break it down with the maestro? Is that what this is about?
Yasser
From Gimlet Media, he's Jonathan Goldstein, host of most heavyweight episodes. I Tell him about my conversation with Yasser and his beloved TV show about a family of elephants.
Stevie Lane
Can I stop you and ask a question, please? This. This family of elephants, is one of them wearing a crown?
Yasser
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking Babar.
Stevie Lane
I'm thinking Babar.
Yasser
I think it's Babar.
Stevie Lane
What's. Who's Babar?
Yasser
Babar is the elephant with a crown. Bayasir sent me the drawing he made, and it looks nothing like Babar or Babar.
Stevie Lane
Oh, now you're calling him Babar, huh?
Yasser
I'm just trying to be.
Stevie Lane
I won you over.
Yasser
I'm just trying to be agreeable, you know?
Stevie Lane
Can you hear this? You ready, Babar? Uh. Oh, I think you're right.
Yasser
I mean, you were right. I knew I was right. I just didn't know.
Stevie Lane
Let's see, one more, one more. Hang on, here it comes. Babbar. Oh, did you hear that?
Yasser
Okay, so you're gonna take what sounds like a barely literate child and use that.
Stevie Lane
Who would know better? Who would know better than a child? Babbar. Okay, so let's just say we're both right.
Yasser
While Jonathan says he isn't the basement dweller I seek, he does know just the guy.
Stevie Lane
He has a very quick mind, very quick on his toes, fleet of foot and fleet of mouth. It's like everything that he says sounds like it could be scored to fly to the bumblebee. Does that make sense?
Yasser
Not really.
Stevie Lane
Not really. You'll see what I'm talking about.
Howard
Hi, Stevie, how are you?
Yasser
This is Howard. And Jonathan was right. Talking to Howard feels like clinging to an electric fence. Like, here's what he says when I send him Yasser's drawing.
Howard
They actually look like elephant seals. Holy shit. No, no, if they're elephant seals, they would have flippers. They're definitely the most evil animals on the. I think male elephant seals. They smother their babies to death.
Yasser
What?
Howard
And dolphins are also not the nicest. I love dolphins so much, but they're really mean. They're mean to sharks.
Yasser
Howard is a cartoonist himself and has an extensive knowledge of all things animation. I tell him all about the Bumill family and some of the other characters, like the janitor elephant with a cigarette butt hanging out of her mouth.
Howard
That changes a lot. Then it's most likely not an American or Canadian kids series, because they would never put a cigarette in the mouth, especially if it was, like, late 90s, early 2000s.
Yasser
Oh, that's a good point.
Howard
I'm gonna find this Filo Elefanto little elephant. I'm obsessed with this now.
Yasser
I expect to hang up and get a call from Howard in a few days with the answer. Instead, he launches into his investigation. Right then and there, with a dizzying speed, he turns to Wikipedia.
Howard
Elephant Filo Camp Lazio, Chico, Bonbon. Edward and Friends. Llfin Edward and Friends. Let's see what that claymation. No see. Jungle cubs Kiri and Lou. No, I know it's not curious. Jungle Junction. Let's go to the Lulu's Islands. While I'm searching, we can have all kinds of discussions about other things. Spaghetti here. Filu, are you taking a Tarzan? You're not talking about Tar? No, no, sorry. Yonakima who? Tantor. Tantor's elephant in the Tarzan's Animated Adventures. Remember that? Tantor Elephant Magic adventures of Mumphy. None of these sound right. My big. My big, big friend. Nelly the elephant. Augie and the Cockroaches, meet Pocoyo. What's this? Poko Yo. Yeah, one's called Nelfie. Nelly. No, sorry, Nelly. The. Where'd I say Mumphy? Did I say Mumphy?
Yasser
Oh, oh, oh. I found it. I found it.
Howard
What?
Yasser
Are you serious?
Howard
Hold on one sec. He's holding a teddy bear. This has got to be him. It's all in Arabic. It's a little baby elephant, and he's holding a teddy bear.
Yasser
A teddy bear. My heart soars, and the teddy bear's like a panda and sinks in Yasser's drawing. The teddy bear is not a panda. It turns out all Howard has found is a book called the Elephant Learns to Share about an angry elephant who keeps everything for himself. It was never adapted into a TV show, which is probably why the elephant is so angry. After Howard's failure, I lose faith in guys in basements everywhere. I need a professional, one who dwells above ground. So I call Ramin Zahid, editor in chief of Animation magazine, and send him Yasser's drawing. He'll post it to the magazine's Facebook page, which has hundreds of thousands of followers. A few days later, I get an email. Stevie, we found it. At the bottom of the email, there's a YouTube link to an animated show about a family of elephants. Many of the details match up with what Yasser had told me about Philo, right down to the little kid elephant with a teddy bear. And it's in Arabic. I don't speak Arabic, but I feel like I can hear them saying Filo. Surely this must be it. I am, like, 90% sure this is not it. This naysayer is my producer, Mona. She speaks Arabic, so I ask her to take a look at the clip, and she says there are a number of differences between this show and what Yasser described. For one, the baby elephant isn't named Philo. That's just a way of saying elephant in Arabic. And like, this show is extremely boring. I would say that's like my strongest reason. And I don't think this is it. Yasser described a magical show where Filo went on fantastical adventures. The episode of this show that Mona watched was about watering a neighbor's plants. Hat in hand, I return to the maestro to see if he has any ideas.
Stevie Lane
Is it not possible or even likely that he and his family have conflated a couple different cartoons into one?
Yasser
Is it? I look at Yassir's drawing again, and this time I notice that the elephants don't even really look like elephants. Their trunks are scrunched and wrinkled, much more like snouts. They look a bit like Elf drawn in the style of Maurice Sendak. And over the next few months, my luck in finding Philo doesn't improve. I reach out to the Museum of the Moving Image, the UCLA Film Archive, the Paley Media Center. I speak to a professor of animation at a Saudi Arabian university. I do a reverse image search on Yasser's drawing. I even wait on hold for three hours on a live call in radio show whose prompt that week, as luck would have it, is for movies and TV shows that people can't quite remember the names of, but everyone just says the same thing.
Grandma Ruth
The only elephant family I can think.
Jonathan Goldstein
Of is Babar the elephant.
Howard
You know, Babar.
Yasser
Babar was very famous. Maybe I'm just confusing it with Babar.
Stevie Lane
People are saying Babar Bam Il Babar. It's pretty close.
Howard
Somebody said Babar.
Yasser
There was something with elephant. Are you thinking of Babar? Yes, yes, yes, I'm thinking of Babar. Okay, it's not Babar. And I gotta tell you, like, yeah, sir, at this point, I'm, like, starting to doubt your memory a little bit.
Jonathan Goldstein
I'm starting to doubt my own memory.
Yasser
Are you?
Jonathan Goldstein
Sometimes, yeah. I'm like, did I actually imagine this show, or is it a real thing that existed at one point?
Yasser
An answer to that question after the break.
Mona
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Yasser
Hi Yasser.
Howard
Hello.
Yasser
Can. Can I play you something?
Stevie Lane
Okay.
Yasser
Okay. Haha. Oh my God.
Jonathan Goldstein
No way. That's the intro.
Yasser
You recognize it? Oh yeah, that's it.
Jonathan Goldstein
You found it.
Yasser
We found it. And here's how we found it. As a last resort, I posted Yassir's drawing from the heavyweight Twitter account and asked for help. A man named Simon in Germany responded. I found your show, he said. I wasn't hopeful. How many times had I already heard those very same words? From Howard, from Amin, from anyone and everyone who's ever seen Babar. But Simon sent a YouTube link to a German cartoon called Otto's Auti Fanten, and the characters looked exactly like the ones in Yasser's drawing. And as it turns out, Simon didn't even have to be one of those lunatic basement cartoon guys, because in Germany, the otifants are famous. They're on lunchboxes and in video games. There's a whole museum dedicated to them. Simon told me anyone on the street would have recognized Jasser's drawing. Then, in my own Wikipedia frenzy, I learned that the characters were created by a famous German comedian named Otto Wadgass. He's sort of like a German Robin Williams if you ever move to watch the movie Ice Age. In Germany, he's the voice of Sid the Sloth.
Simon
Hello, this is Otto.
Yasser
So I called Otto at his home in Fort Lauderdale to find out more about the Odiphance. And it was easy to imagine how he made a famous cartoon character, because he's basically a cartoon character himself.
Simon
I have a studio up in the first floor here with a little diving board. From there I can jump in my pool.
Jonathan Goldstein
No.
Yasser
Are you serious?
Simon
Yes. I love it.
Yasser
If talking to Howard was like clinging to an electric fence, talking to Otto was like trying to catch a super bouncy ball in a room full of trampolines. Like when I tried to ask him about Yasser's favorite episode.
Simon
That's my favorite.
Yasser
And then, without warning, he suddenly became.
Simon
The Grinch I'm gonna steal Christmas before.
Yasser
Whipping out a guitar Blackbird singing the.
Simon
Dead of night I wonder like born under a. Shut up.
Yasser
I wonder if you. You know, it's funny like when you said that.
Simon
When you said that only you. Only you. Shut up.
Yasser
Shut. When I finally was able to squeeze in a question about the otifants, Otto told me he's been drawing them ever since he was a child. It all started one day in school when Otto was doodling at his desk. He tried to draw a self portrait.
Simon
It was a total failure. So I changed the eyes a little bit, extended the nose a little bit and the legs and made it a little elephant and called it Otifant.
Yasser
Otifant, a mashup word of Otto and elephant. Otto based the Bumo family on his own. The character Filo, who in Germany is named Baby Bruno, was meant to be Otto himself.
Simon
I had my little teddy bear, you know this. I called him Hong because it was made in Hong Kong. That's why I call him Hong.
Yasser
Growing up in post war Germany, Otto's family didn't have a lot of money for paint and paper. So he'd make drawings on the backs of wallpaper scraps. I showed Otto the drawing Yasser made of his odifance and Otto was delighted. He asked me to record a message.
Simon
Yasser, when you here in America, in Fort Lauderdale, you got to visit me. I have a div about Baby Bruno and we can draw. And I saw your drawing and they're really excellent. I'm looking forward to meeting you. Hola. I can yodel, I can bark, I do anything for you. Okay.
Jonathan Goldstein
Oh my God.
Stevie Lane
Wow.
Yasser
Back on the phone with Yasser, we debrief about the creator of his favorite TV show. He and Otto were similar kids, always drawing, always imagining. They both identified with Philo. And yet Otto's life went one way towards a career in the arts, while Yassir's one another. That's the thing. Yassir is particularly fixated on how Otto stayed true to his childhood passion, followed his dream of being an artist.
Jonathan Goldstein
It's awe inspiring. I wonder when he made that decision and how did it affect his life? Like did he have to break up with someone? Did he have like trouble in his household? Was it a good decision or did he regret?
Yasser
Feels like these are questions Yasser is asking himself rather than Otto. Maybe questions he's been asking himself for a long time, questions he's still asking.
Jonathan Goldstein
I think that no matter how older you get, no matter what position in life you're in there's always the question of who am I and what purpose do I fulfill? I just always kind of like never really feel sure of what I'm doing. And in my work, sometimes I'm like, what do I want out of this? What purpose? I think that we're always in search of our truest self.
Yasser
And it turns out there's a reason Yasser is reflecting so much on his life. Because Yasser tells me he and his wife just found out that they're having a baby. Oh, Yasser, I'm so happy for you.
Jonathan Goldstein
Thank you.
Yasser
Yasser might still have questions about his truest self, but when it comes to his future child, there's one thing he knows for sure. Yassir wants something different for his kid than what he had. He says that if his kid enjoys making art as much as he did, he's going to encourage that in any way he can.
Jonathan Goldstein
Or even if they're not artistic and just kind of are crazy about math and robotics or whatever, I'll try my best to support that.
Yasser
A few weeks after we talk, Yassir receives a package from Germany. It's full of adipent and swag sent by Otto to his number one fan in Saudi Arabia. There's a hat, a T shirt, a tote bag and a little stuffed animal Otifant Yassir says he's going to give it to his baby, his own little filo. This Heavyweight short was produced by Mohini Madgaon and me, Stevie Lane, along with Phoebe Flanagan. Our executive producer is Jonathan Goldstein. Our senior producer is Khalilah Holt. Special thanks to Dr. Mohammed Ghazala, PIA Gadkari, Bobby Lord and Tom Sharpling over at the Best Show. Editorial guidance from Emily Condon. Bobby Lourd makes the episode with original music by Christine Fellowes, John K. Sampson, Blue Dot Sessions and Bobby Lourd. Additional music credits can be found on our website gimletmedia.com heavyweight our theme song is by the Weaker Thans courtesy of Epitaph Records. Heavyweight is a Spotify original podcast. Follow us on Twitter heavyweight, Instagram heavyweightpodcast, or email us@highweightimletmedia.com you can also follow our show on Spotify and tap the bell to receive notifications when new episodes drop. And speaking of new episodes, we'll be back with a brand new one next week.
Stevie Lane
ChatGPT plus is free for college students now through May. That means you have no limits on how many ways you can prompt ChatGPT to help you through the worst part of the school year. I spoke with producer and college graduate Khalilah Holt. Yeah, you can create any image you can think of in any style. Quick, give me an image.
Yasser
Sylvia Plath Jinx Stand Up Comedy Ding.
Stevie Lane
Sylvia Plath Happy at last. Thanks to ChatGPT ChatGPT free for college students through May restrictions apply.
Otto Wadgass
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Stevie Lane
You're listening to an iHeart podcast.
Host: Jonathan Goldstein
Guest: Yasser, a 28-year-old dentist from Saudi Arabia
Release Date: December 7, 2023
The episode begins with Yasser reaching out to his grandmother, Ruth, to share a meaningful story from his past. Their warm and humorous interaction sets the stage for Yasser's quest to uncover a cherished yet forgotten piece of his childhood—an animated cartoon that left a lasting impression on him.
Yasser (00:03): "Yasser is 28. He lives in Saudi Arabia and he's a dentist. I love going to the dentist, actually."
Yasser reminisces about "Little Elephanto," a cartoon he watched as a child. This show, centered around the Bumill family of elephants, held a special place in his heart. The young Yasser, along with his brother, would watch it every morning, igniting his imagination and love for storytelling.
Yasser (03:52): "Filo and Hong would go on imaginary adventures together."
The show was dubbed in Arabic, leading Yasser to believe it was originally an American production. However, despite his deep connection to it, "Little Elephanto" seems to have vanished from existence, leaving Yasser desperate to rediscover it.
Driven by nostalgia and a yearning to reconnect with his childhood, Yasser embarks on an extensive search for the elusive cartoon. He scours media archives, conducts exhaustive online searches, and even engages with voice actors he suspects might be linked to the show—all to no avail.
Yasser (07:15): "It's as though little Filo has been wiped from existence."
Yasser seeks the expertise of Howard, a seasoned cartoonist with extensive knowledge of animation. Together, they dissect Yasser's memories and drawings in an attempt to identify the missing cartoon. Despite Howard's enthusiasm, their efforts initially fail to yield results.
Howard (11:03): "They actually look like elephant seals. Holy shit."
Despite setbacks, the collaboration ignites hope, pushing Yasser to seek more professional avenues.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Yasser contacts Ramin Zahid, editor-in-chief of Animation Magazine, who introduces him to Otto Wadgass—a renowned German comedian and cartoonist. Otto, living in Fort Lauderdale, becomes the key to unlocking the mystery.
Yasser (19:23): "So I called Otto at his home in Fort Lauderdale to find out more about the Odiphants."
Their interaction is lively and unconventional, reflecting Otto's vibrant personality. Through persistent dialogue, Otto recognizes Yasser's drawing as "Otto's Auti Fanten," confirming that "Little Elephanto" was indeed a real show, albeit with some forgotten details.
Simon/Otto (20:05): "I can yodel, I can bark, I do anything for you."
Otto shares the origin of the Otifants, explaining how his childhood doodles evolved into the beloved characters Yasser remembers. This revelation not only brings closure to Yasser's search but also bridges a cultural and generational gap.
Simon/Otto (20:56): "Otto based the Bumo family on his own. The character Filo, who in Germany is named Baby Bruno, was meant to be Otto himself."
The reunion with Otto prompts deep reflections on Yasser's own life choices. While Otto pursued a career aligned with his artistic passions, Yasser opted for the practicality of dentistry. This contrast leads Yasser to contemplate his own aspirations and the importance of nurturing creativity.
Jonathan Goldstein (23:03): "We're always in search of our truest self."
Yasser shares the joyous news of expecting a child, expressing his desire to support his future child’s interests wholeheartedly, contrasting his own path with that of Otto’s.
Yasser (23:50): "If his kid enjoys making art as much as he did, he's going to encourage that in any way he can."
The episode concludes with Yasser receiving a package from Otto filled with Otifant merchandise, symbolizing a tangible connection to his childhood and the fulfilled quest. This gesture not only signifies the success of Yasser's journey but also underscores the enduring impact of cherished memories and the importance of following one's passions.
Yasser (24:09): "There's a hat, a T-shirt, a tote bag, and a little stuffed animal Otifant. I'm going to give it to my baby, my own little Filo."
Nostalgia and Identity: Yasser's journey highlights how childhood experiences shape our identities and the lengths we go to preserve those memories.
The Search for Meaning: The episode delves into the universal quest for purpose and the pursuit of passions that resonate with our true selves.
Cultural Connections: The discovery that "Little Elephanto" was a German creation emphasizes the global nature of storytelling and its ability to transcend cultural boundaries.
Support and Legacy: Yasser's commitment to supporting his future child’s interests reflects the desire to foster a sense of self and creativity in the next generation.
"Heavyweight Short: Yasser" is a poignant exploration of memory, identity, and the enduring power of childhood connections. Through Yasser's heartfelt quest to rediscover a lost piece of his past, the episode underscores the significance of embracing one's true passions and the profound impact they have on our lives and those of future generations.
Produced by:
Mohini Madgaon, Stevie Lane, Phoebe Flanagan
Executive Producer: Jonathan Goldstein
Senior Producer: Khalilah Holt
Special Thanks: Dr. Mohammed Ghazala, PIA Gadkari, Bobby Lord, Tom Sharpling
Music:
Christine Fellowes, John K. Sampson, Blue Dot Sessions, Bobby Lourd
Theme Song: The Weaker Thans (“Courtesy of Epitaph Records”)
Follow Heavyweight:
This summary captures the essence of the "Heavyweight Short: Yasser" episode, highlighting the emotional and investigative journey Yasser undertakes to reconnect with a beloved childhood cartoon, ultimately finding closure and inspiration for his future.