Filmmaker and podcaster Alan Zweig has launched a new series called Tubby, which takes a frank and often humorous look at weight, insecurity and self-image.
Known for films such as Vinyl, When Jews Were Funny and Hurt, as well as The Worst Podcast, Zweig now turns his attention to a subject he says has defined his life but often remained unspoken.
The show combines Zweig’s own reflections with conversations featuring friends, special guests and occasional experts. At its heart, Tubby is about what it means to live in a body that feels too big or never good enough, and the emotional and social realities that come with that experience.
Zweig says the series will not offer easy solutions, but instead aims to be open, honest and relatable.
Season one features an eclectic mix of voices. Guests include Alex Goldman, host of Hyperfixed, Ronald Young Jr, host of Weight for It, author Kimberly Dark, who wrote Fat, Pretty and Soon to be Old, and Washington Post style writer Shane O’Neill.
Each guest brings their own perspective on culture, stigma, self-image and acceptance, helping to broaden the discussion while also sharing very personal insights.
Zweig is clear about why he created the podcast. “I wanted to talk about something that has always been there in my life but mostly unspoken,” he explains. “Tubby is a way to share that and invite others to share too.” He describes the series as sometimes sad, often funny, and always deeply human.
The first two episodes of Tubby are now available, with new episodes released every second Thursday.
