Entertainment

New podcast 'Finding Raffi' premieres on Jan. 18.
Troubadour Record / Raffi

If You Sing “Baby Beluga” With Your Kids, Add This New Podcast To Your List

In Finding Raffi, a new podcast from Fatherly and iHeartRadio premiering Jan. 18, comedian and new dad Chris Garcia will explore the life and lasting impact of legendary children’s entertainer, Raffi Cavoukian.

If you were a child any time between 1975 and the early ‘00s, chances are you know who Raffi is. The beloved children’s entertainer is famous for kids’ hits like “Baby Beluga” and “Down by the Bay,” but there’s more to these sweet, silly songs — and the man that wrote them — than meets the eye. In Finding Raffi, a new podcast from Fatherly and iHeartRadio premiering Jan. 18, comedian and new dad Chris Garcia will explore the life and lasting impact of Raffi Cavoukian, as well as the radical philosophy that underscores his work, musical, and otherwise.

The 10-part series is Fatherly's follow-up to the Peabody-nominated Finding Fred podcast (about Fred “Mr.” Rodgers) that traces Raffi’s life from aspiring folk singer to international superstar (for the grade-school set, anyway), to outspoken activist for climate action and children. It will also look at the ethos behind Raffi’s work — his dedication to honoring children (whom Cavoukian referred to as “the most reasonable people I know”), their intelligence, and their capacity to understand the big issues. Indeed, his body of work touches on important issues — environmentalism, social justice, inequity — issues that, outside of the context of children’s entertainment, could be deemed divisive or even subversive.

Troubadour Record / Raffi

Celebrity guests such as Philippe Cousteau, Chris Hayes, Meena Harris, and, yes, Cavoukian himself, will speak to the performer’s impact on the world beyond his charming, memorable songs. The series aims to get to the heart of what drives the greatest children's entertainers and shed light on just how they shape the hearts and minds of generations of kids.

“Every human being wants to feel respected without exception,” Cavoukian states in the Finding Raffi trailer, which dropped on Jan. 11. “And when we start with young children, all good things can grow from there.”

The first two episodes of Finding Raffi – “The More We Get Together” and “Impressions of Armenia” – can be found on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts, with new episodes released Tuesdays and Thursdays.