Pre-Dead Boys

Max and Dorian come clambering back from break to discuss CREMATION, the act of burning dead bodies! Cremation has essentially become end-of-life option number 2 in America today, but the practice has deep and worldwide historical roots. Learn about the roughly 40,000-year-old remains of the earliest known cremation, how open-air funeral pyres are used around the world today, the environmental impact of different cremation techniques, and the communities fighting for global awareness that there is more than one option for your funeral. By contrast, listen as Max oppresses Dorian by limiting his options. Very rude! Check out the show notes on our Patreon, and consider supporting us for extra rewards! (https://www.patreon.com/predeadboys)

We've got an EXTRA SPECIAL episode for ya - an interview with Human Remains Detection Dog trainer & handler Kyla Rice, and her German Shepherd Emrick! Kyla gives us the lowdown on why she got into this field, how to train and maintain a working dog, and how HRD dogs (a.k.a. cadaver dogs) can help criminal investigations.

Whether or not there's life beyond our planet, there's plenty of death! Max and Dorian discuss these accounts, as well as what happens to bodies in vaccuum, the long list of animals sent into space, and a new method for burying bodies on Mars.

In Spooky Seasons past, the boys have taken on vampires, zombies, and frankensteins. This year, their crosshairs are set on the scammy world of spirits! Retrace the history of ghosts from religious concepts to physical beings, explore the origins of the first-ever haunted house, and expose the misdeeds of the scumbag who tried to weigh the human soul. Is it scary? Nah. Is it SEXY? Oh baby, just wait til our last story.

HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON! Here’s an UNLOCKED BONUS EPISODE. To get access to MORE bonus episodes like this and lotsa extra goodies, support us on Patreon! Patreon.com/PreDeadBoys (https://www.patreon.com/predeadboys) -- Before there was a cabin-in-the-woods movie trope, an inventive young filmmaker and his friends made their first feature-length movie on a shoestring budget. The result remains one of the most influential and enduring horror films of all time. In this episode, Max and Dorian crack open the book on:  - the history and making of Evil Dead  - how Evil Dead is, in some ways, the most accurate depiction of Lovecraftian horror on film  - the tension between violence and comedy in entertainment  - a brief breakdown of the other movies, shows, and games in the franchise Content warning: we briefly discuss (but not in detail) and critique a sexual assault scene in the film.

Oh, you think the current leaders of the world are old and decrepit? YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET. In this episode, Max and Dorian plunge into the wacky world of countries ruled by dead people! But first, the boys discuss the history of city coroners... including the most scandalous ad campaign in coroner history.

Too many bones? Not enough graves? Time for some interior design! Join Max and Dorian as they examine several grim, yet beautiful locations decorated floor-to-ceiling with bones - as well as the reasoning for this surprisingly practical and poignant creative solution. 

The most fascinating organ in the body is still the one we know the least about... But that won't stop Max and Dorian from illuminating what we DO know. Learn more about the exact point when a brain dies, some shockingly well-preserved ancient brains, and celebrity brain theft. We also cover some doofuses that accidentally liquified their own brains. Yum!

The funeral industry faces many challenges. But the segment of it that serves, and is comprised of, Black Americans faces its own unique struggles. Join Max and Dorian as they explore homegoing celebrations, the use of coffins in the Underground Railroad, the distinct issues befalling Black-owned funeral homes, and the open-casket funeral of Emmett Till. Needless to say, this episode gets pretty heavy. But we also talk about a baseball player turned happy funeral director to lighted things up - so give it a listen and tell us what you think!

This week, Max and Dorian look at more animal stories! It’s a little bit of a bummer at first as they examine how animals grieve, but they end on an uplifting note by honoring some HEROIC DOGS. For more animal stories, go back and listen to episode 22. (https://audioboom.com/posts/7128246-animals) Need a mask? Check out LunarPoison’s shop! (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LunarPoison)

Mere minutes before Dorian sets out on a death-defying stunt, Max teaches him about the religious act of honoring a dead person through relics! Although most of their discussion revolves around the (often dubious) personal items and remains of the Catholic saints, a dramatic Buddhist self-mummification tradition bears mentioning as well. And oh boy, do we have some disturbing news about the planets and a certain famous baby.

In an extremely online world, no one truly disappears when they die. Join Max and Dorian as they explore death in the era of Web 2.0! It's a realm of digital remains, post-mortem social media profiles, public mourning of celebrities... and brands being very, very dumb. Click here to read Natalie Kane's transcribed talk on Death and the Internet. (https://hauntedmachines.com/A-SHORT-HISTORY-OF-DEATH-AND-THE-INTERNET-Transcript-of-a-talk-given) Click here to watch Mark Zuckerberg smoke these meats. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBxTEoseZak)

Love food? TOO BAD, according to several cultures! While some funeral celebrations have sweet confections and savory meals for the mourners to enjoy, others strictly prohibit the enjoyment of funeral food and keep things as bland as possible. Listen to this episode to learn all about these traditions, the system of sin-eating, and the worst food America has to offer. Click here to read Gastro Obscura's article on funerary comfort foods. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/funeral-foods-around-the-world)

Dorian found a dead squirrel. He wants its bones. Click here to read Jake's Bones. (http://www.jakes-bones.com/)

Cities of the dead (a.k.a. Necropolises) sound scary, but are actually pretty chill! This week, Max and Dorian learn about the Vatican, the Giza pyramids, and other large burial destinations around the world.  As time goes on, society will have more and more dead to bury. Will we build more of these massive cemeteries in the future? GLAD YOU ASKED... because there's one in progress that's shaping up to be pretty cool.

Whether by heroism, necessity, or both, the essential worker steps up when average people consider a job too lowly or risky. Enter the gravediggers! In this episode, Max and Dorian tell the stories of the faithful workers protecting Jewish bodies from desecration, the brave women who buried victims of disease when no one else would, and the pub that has served gravediggers nearly 200 years of post-burial pints. Finally, we cover some celebrity gravediggers. One of them sure does show up on this podcast a lot!

Are you anxious over the current global crisis? Max and Dorian have the remedy for your socially-distanced blues! For those not on forced quarantine, might we recommend a visit to your local cemetery? Believe it or not, these were originally constructed to be used for relaxation. After covering the history of leisurely cemetery strolls, the boys give you a couple weird death-related research rabbit trails for your personal enjoyment. Stay safe out there folks! -- Click here for a list of terms for dying. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_expressions_related_to_death) Click here to read Caitlin Doughty on serious discussions about death during this crisis. (http://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/talking-about-death-during-covid-19) Click here to read Cat Irving on misconceptions about formaldehyde. (https://surgeonshallmuseums.wordpress.com/2019/02/22/a-few-words-about-formaldehyde/)

Let's look at some BIGTIME mismanagement of dead bodies! Max and Dorian begin their exploration with a long-abandoned island of bummer buildings and overstuffed graves, then wrap up (heh) by uncovering (heh heh) one of the biggest screwups in the history of the death care industry (oops). Hope this episode finds you well - be safe and healthy out there, friends!

Murder! Human sacrifice! And... peat?! It may sound crazy, but that cruddy fossil fuel is key to understanding the incredible things that happen when a corpse is stuffed into a bog. Discover the miraculous ways bogs preserve ancient bodies (and luscious locks), and what forensic analysis of these bodies has taught us. Watch your nipples!

It's the TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the Pre-Dead Boys, and things get a little steamy! Specifically, dead bodies get steamy. And chilly. And eaten by squirrels. And run over by lawnmowers. It all happens at Anthropological Research Facilities, a.k.a. BODY FARMS, where forensic researchers experiment with cadavers to learn about how bodies decompose. Listen and learn all about how they started, why they're so helpful, and what the haters are saying! KISSES

Are you afraid you'll catch an illness? So is Max! His paranoia led to a frenzied deep-dive into the history of epidemics. Join him as he shares his newfound knowledge with Dorian, from the Black Death to today's Coronavirus scare. We also discuss those weird-looking plague doctors, and their modern-day replacements. It's pretty chill. Click here to see Old COSI. (http://oldcosi.com/timetunnel.htm)

WE'RE BACK BAY-BEE, with a hot (yet comprehensive) take on the cutting edge of coffin developments throughout history! Discover the measures taken to make coffins better for those buried alive, worse for those who steal corpses, and weirder for the rest of us. Yes we do talk about exploding bodies again. You know us so well! Click here to watch the trailer for Pa Joe & The Lion. (https://vimeo.com/37265317)

In the name of the Kallikantzaros, the Mari Lwyd, and the unholy Krampus: Max and Dorian wish you a merry new year, and gift you with an episode absolutely STUFFED with death-centric winter holiday traditions from around the world!  Don't let these Christmas-hating scrooges fool you - they wrap up with some truly heartwarming tales of holiday cheer. Granted, those tales may include just a bit of graveyard vandalism... but they're cheerful nonetheless. SEE YA IN 2020 YA FILTHY ANIMALS

Do you realize how much garbage we put into the earth when we perform traditional western burials? Before Dorian hops on his soapbox to rant about it, Max educates him (and you!) on the mechanics of composting a dead body, how it benefits the soil, and which teenage heartthrob opted for a similarly green burial - which, by the way, is currently experiencing some controversy! Uh oh, he’s getting on the soapbox again… Click here to learn more about Recompose. (https://www.recompose.life/) Click here to listen to The W Files interview The Modern Mortician about the Mushroom Burial Suit. (https://wfilespodcast.podbean.com/e/ep-46-whats-the-deal-with-the-mushroom-suit-interview-with-the-modern-mortician/)

Why dig up a stinky dead body? Well, there are good reasons to do that, like honoring lost war heroes and resolving legal disputes. There are also gross reasons that make you rethink things like eating cream cheese. Today, Max and Dorian cover both! They also answer the age-old question: what should I do if I find a corpse in my backyard? Click here to read the Beyond the Dash article on Famadihana. (https://beyondthedash.com/blog/cultural-spotlight/madagascan-funerary-tradition-of-famadihana/7362)

It's time to look death in the eye and say NOT TODAY! Learn about Evel Knievel, Buster Keaton, Alex Honnold, and other American legends who chucked their body into death-defying situations and lived to make money from it. Unfortunately, those paychecks are typically meager - so Max and Dorian also dive into their psychology and ask: What drives a person to do this? Click here for our episode on Terror Management Theory. (https://audioboom.com/posts/6691190-terror-management-theory) Click here to read Fran Hoepfner's essay on Free Solo, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, and men with death wishes. (https://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/2019/01/02/mission-impossible-fallout-free-solo/)

Frankenstein isn't the only person to attempt to raise the dead! Join Max and Dorian on their crash-course through necromancin' in ancient Greek literature, the Hebrew Bible, and HP Lovecraft*. Pour yourself some goat's blood cocktails and pull up a chair, because for our final October episode, we're getting extra spoOoOokyyy * that dude SUCKED Click here to watch Joel Embiid die, then come back to life. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-Bl-DkP8z8)

We launched a Patreon! Here's a mini-episode explaining what it is and how it works. Help us keep this podcast running, and get bonus rewards! Check out patreon.com/predeadboys (http://patreon.com/predeadboys)

In 1974, America was beginning to see the uncomfortable truth beneath things like war, politics, and the oil & meat industries. That same year, a little indie film reflected those deceptions in its harrowing account of murder and cannibalism. Join Dorian and Max as they unpack these themes, detail the strenuous shooting conditions, and offer their perspectives on Tobe Hooper's oft-misunderstood horror masterpiece! If you liked this bonus episode, SUPPORT US ON PATREON! (https://www.patreon.com/predeadboys) Once we reach $100 per month, we'll release episodes like this every month, exclusively to our patrons. Click here for more info, or go to patreon.com/predeadboys (https://www.patreon.com/predeadboys)

Two centuries ago, on vacation in Geneva, a young novelist with a lifelong morbid curiosity conceived one of the most enduring and fascinating stories of all time. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is known for being the first science fiction novel and an early achievement in horror, but it is also a critique of the terrifying scientific exploits of its time - and, perhaps, some of ours today. ALSO: Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a big announcement about the podcast! HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON EVERYONE

Though the histories and cultures of indigenous people are often lost, the evidence they've left behind might be closer than you expect. In this episode, the boys share information on Native American mounds - some of which are practically in their backyard. And what would our show be without making fun of how stupid old-timey people were? No, really... In the case of this week's European Americans (including one well-known national hero), they were VERY stupid. Click here to learn more about Serpent Mound. (https://www.ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/serpent-mound)

Ever look into your hometown's local history? Max and Dorian can't help but be proud of their beautiful city, warts and all. So imagine their excitement at discovering that one of their favorite local landmarks is built on top of countless human bones! Using the Buckeye State as a springboard, the boys explore other instances of frequently trampled dead bodies - including an English king of ill repute, and a mysterious lake inexplicably filled with strangely wounded skeletons. Join us as we dig up these lost histories! Click here to read more about Roopkund Lake. (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/08/roopkund-skeleton-lake/596416/)

It’s no secret that Max and Dorian are firmly in the #YoureGonnaRot camp, and they’re not exactly fans of pumping chemicals into dead bodies to preserve them. But it’s time to open our minds! In this episode they retrace the history of embalming and discover a mysterious perfect fluid, some hilariously mangled old corpses, and at least one case where embalming was an important step toward legal justice. Speaking of open minds, click here for the story of King Charles XII of Sweden. (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-blazing-career-and-mysterious-death-of-the-swedish-meteor-39695356/) Es kam einer gekrochen!

Travel the world in 60 minutes as Max and Dorian scour the earth for the strangest final resting places in existence! Learn about the graves inside airports, restaurants, and parking lots; the disgraced soldiers hidden away in unmarked French graves; the most densely populated cemeteries we’ve seen yet; and a place so haunted, the Pope (allegedly) reroutes his plane to avoid it. Come meet us at the Columbus Podcast Awards on August 25th! (https://www.columbuspodcastawards.com/)

After last episode’s depressing foray into war photography, the boys drop a KING-SIZED EPISODE exploring Harlem’s reverential and innovative funeral photos, the obituaries of a small town in Wisconsin, and the weird world of con artist spirit photographers! But first, Dorian shares the harrowing tale of how he got stranded in a river. Click here to read The Case for Spirit Photography by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. (https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/index.php?title=The_Case_for_Spirit_Photography)  So absurd.

When daguerreotype photography made its way to America, Mathew Brady capitalized on this burgeoning technology and changed the way the world understands violence. He was also kind of a dick with a knack for writing his name on things that weren't his! Join Max and Dorian as they explore the Civil War images that made Brady's career, as well as one of the most controversial war photos ever taken. -- Click here to read about Kenneth Jarecke's Desert Storm photography. (https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/the-war-photo-no-one-would-publish/375762/)

After popular demand, it’s finally time for the boys to cover the Shrunken Heads of the Shuar people! While many cultures practiced head hunting to intimidate their enemies, these ritualistically-preserved noggins were created for much more innocuous purposes. Listen to learn all about their history - as well as how to identify a fake.

Think Norse culture starts and ends with shooting flaming arrows at corpses on longboats? Surprises abound in this episode about Norse mythology (Odin, Loki, Thor, Ragnarok, et al), and how it affected daily Scandinavian life! The boys cover a nasty Viking killing ritual, an unconventional biological ship-building material, and perhaps the biggest plot twist of any Pre-Dead Boys episode thus far. -- It's the FINAL WEEK to vote for us in the Columbus Podcast Awards!! Voting closes May 31st Click here to cast your votes for "Best Entertainment Podcast". (https://www.poll-maker.com/Q303XP2) Click here to cast your votes for "Podcast of the Year". (https://www.poll-maker.com/Q73AIOY) -- Blood Eagle, Fólkvangr, and Gjallar by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

If you think modern sports are violent, buckle up! Throughout sports history, fun pastimes have often given way to religious sacrifice and total brutality. Join Max and Dorian as they cover Roman gladiatorial funeral practices, a Native American ball game that will ruin your hips, and the horrific final game of a baseball legend. Yes, Max talks about baseball. And Dorian talks about MMA. But it's on-topic, we promise! -- KEEP VOTING FOR US in the Columbus Podcast Awards! [Click here to cast your votes for "Best Entertainment Podcast".](https://www.poll-maker.com/Q303XP2) [Click here to cast your votes for "Podcast of the Year".](https://www.poll-maker.com/Q73AIOY)

HEY GUYS WELCOME TO MY VLOG!!!  Just kidding. Unlike other content-creators, your REAL favorite bros Max and Dorian are here to deliver an uncommonly respectful homage to the beautiful "Sea of Trees" at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan. The forest is unfortunately known most (especially in the West) for the rash of suicides that have occurred within its borders over the years. But how did that morbid history start? Is there a major American landmark with a similar history? And is there anything or anyone good at all that can come out of this tragic place? Listen and find out! AND DON'T FORGET TO LIKE COMMENT SUBSCRIBE [Click here to read more about the forest.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2011/06/26/general/inside-japans-suicide-forest) [Click here to explore the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's many resources.](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/)

Think plants are boring? THINK AGAIN! The Boys are back to dig up the dirt on interesting death-related stories about our floral and fungal friends.  There's dead bodies inside trees. There's plants growing inside dead bodies (and living ones, too!). And there's the seedlings and fungi that kill, including the documentary darling that inspired a hit video game series. [Click here for more info on Capsula Mundi's biodegradable burial projects.](https://www.capsulamundi.it/en/)

Pre-Dead Girl, you better WORK! This week, Max and Dorian discuss the weird practice of dressing a corpse - ranging from the baptism clothes of the early Christian church, to the stuffy suits we all know, to the more casual and innovative practices today. They also get outside of their comfort zone with topics like Marilyn Monroe's funeral dress… then get right back in it with how clothes affect decaying and bloating bodies. Gross! [Click here to read Reuters’ report on Japanese corpse-dressing contests.](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-funeral-competition/drop-dead-beautiful-japan-undertakers-tested-on-how-to-dress-a-corpse-idUSKCN1B41BG) [](http://www.piainterlandi.com/garments-for-the-grave/) [Click here to see Pia Interlandi’s Garments for the Grave.](http://www.piainterlandi.com/garments-for-the-grave/) [](http://www.piainterlandi.com/garments-for-the-grave/) [](http://www.piainterlandi.com/garments-for-the-grave/)

Ever wish you could just disappear? WHY, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO HIDE?? Whether you're trying to escape debt, leave a rocky marriage, or prank your friends, staging your own death might be right for you! It could also get you into some serious legal trouble. Join Max and Dorian as they cover several recent attempts at pseudocide, both successful and... not so successful. [Click here to watch 1 News Now's interview with Frank Ahearn.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICXbt6sMu6o)

Before cheering crowds gathered at Ted Bundy’s execution, capital punishment and torture had been popular public spectacle for centuries. Are humans just nasty freaks that love watching people die?  Topics covered: The five capital crimes, Shakespeare’s horrific references to the Tyburn Tree, the moralizing pageantry of early American hangings, and last meals! [Click here to watch Fox 13 News Tampa Bay’s 1989 report on Ted Bundy’s execution.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDSvFSu3Kdg)

It’s been one full year of Pre-Dead Boys, and have they got a TREAT for you! Listen to the history of humans eating humans - for survival, for ritual practice… and just because they were stupid.

Who wants to live forever? Transhumanists do! The boys research mind-uploading, cryonics (again), and the soul (whatever that is) - all in an effort to learn about the science-fiction-inspired movement to defeat death! WARNING: It is 100% fatal.

The boys RETURN with horror and hubris-filled accounts of people who tried to conquer the largest mountain in the world. BUT FIRST: the strangest, grossest, and funniest death-related news of 2018!

For the final show of 2018, Max shows Dorian a kitty drone, a gross mermaid, mummies buried with their pets… and the single most horrific and perverted thing he's ever seen. [Click here to watch the Orvillecopter in flight.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfM23iChzs) [](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfM23iChzs) [](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfM23iChzs)

FINALLY, after nearly a year of discussing death, Max and Dorian decide their funeral plans. Will it be as explosive as Hunter S. Thompson’s ceremony? A fake funeral like Chinese student Zeng Jia? Will it involve motorcycles, clowns, holograms, or spaceships? Listen and learn about it all! [Click here to watch WPEC’s segment on Funeral Holograms.](https://vimeo.com/129702772)

Good dogs, nasty vultures, Zoroastrianism, and the largest cemetery in the world! Join the boys as they explore the death culture and funeral rituals of Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the oft-misunderstood Middle East.

Max and Dorian are going off the rails! Learn about presidential funeral processions, the railway with the COOLEST name, and just how gross an overpopulated city gets when cholera breaks out. [Click here to see Paul Fusco's photography from Robert Kennedy's procession.](https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/06/rfks-funeral-train-in-photos/562238/) [](https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/06/rfks-funeral-train-in-photos/562238/) [](https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/06/rfks-funeral-train-in-photos/562238/)