DEATH AND with Victor M. Sweeney

In this episode of "Death And," funeral director Victor M. Sweeney sits down with guest James Marck, Director of Music at St. Francis de Sales Oratory, to explore the rich tradition of the New Orleans jazz funeral. The conversation covers how music at funerals has evolved—from somber Gregorian chant to the lively second line parades unique to New Orleans—and why singing and ceremony have been cent...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney sits down with Susan Barsky Reid, psychotherapist and the mother of Death Cafe founder Jon Underwood, to talk about the worldwide Death Cafe movement. The conversation centers on how gathering to openly discuss death—with no agenda, prompts, or products to sell—can be both healing and surprisingly joyful. Susan shares...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician Victor M. Sweeney sits down with online coach and podcaster Karl Schudt. The two delve into how death—as the ultimate inconvenient physical reality—forces us to confront both the tangible and intangible aspects of being human. Their wide-ranging discussion covers everything from the economic and moral implications of AI, the importance of voluntary hardshi...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney dives deep into what it means to pursue a career in deathcare. Responding to a wave of listener questions about entering the funeral industry, Victor shares his personal journey—from wrestling with his vocation as a young man, to his eye-opening first experiences at a funeral home. He explores the emotional realities...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney invites woodworker John Enger, to chat about the deep connections between death and woodworking. They explore how working with wood—living material that must die to become something new—mirrors the cycle of life and loss, especially in the creation of caskets and urns. John shares how the death of his father-in-law le...

In this episode of "Death And," Victor M. Sweeney is joined by philosophy professor Axel Seemann to explore the connection between death and loneliness. The pair dig into the different forms of loneliness, from the obvious ache left behind by losing loved ones to the deeper, existential kind that can linger even when surrounded by friends and acquaintances. Axel shares his personal experiences wit...

In this fourth episode of "Death And," Victor M. Sweeney welcomes guest Matt Loughlin, a stone carver from Somerset, England, to delve into the fascinating overlap between death and stone carving. The conversation touches on the history and symbolism of headstones, the meaning behind motifs and emblems, and the unique artistry involved in memorializing lives through stone. Matt shares his journey...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician Victor M. Sweeney sits down with artist Annamieka Hopps to unpack the theme of death and portraits. Their conversation explores how capturing someone’s likeness, whether through paint or by preparing bodies for funerals, is intimately tied to honoring legacy and mortality. Annamieka shares her own powerful story of facing cancer at 19 and what it was like...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician Victor M. Sweeney sits down with nonfiction writer Colin Dickey to explore the fascinating intersection of death and storytelling. Together, they discuss how storytelling shapes the way we remember and commemorate the dead, reflecting on everything from historical burial practices to the significance of ghost stories and family rituals. Colin shares how hi...

In this first episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney welcomes comedian Pete Holmes to dive into the intersection of death and stand-up comedy. The conversation explores how both death and comedy are surprisingly linked by truth, vulnerability, and the ability to process the hard parts of life. Pete shares his spiritual perspective on death, relating it to consciou...

A new weekly audio and video series hosted by Victor M. Sweeney. Equal parts heart, humor, and heaping portions of the unexpected, DEATH AND with Victor M. Sweeney explores how death colors the moments that make us human. Small-town mortician (and accidental Internet sensation), Victor M. Sweeney brings curiosity, wit, astonishing stories, and plenty of gallows humor to each episode, teaming up wi...