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 to attend a fundraiser that felt like witnessing her own memorial, a transformative experience that now fuels her work helping others tell their stories.

Together, Victor and Annamieka discuss the art of truly seeing and remembering people—whether through painting, archiving, or supporting families—and how embracing our mortality can deepen creativity and connection.

The episode weaves in listener questions and reflections on legacy, demonstrating that both death and portraiture are about making meaning and sharing our essence with those we leave behind.

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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 his own fear of mortality led him to write about death, and the two delve into how different cultures and time periods approach mourning and honoring the deceased. The conversation is filled with personal anecdotes—ranging from traditions of grave goods to the emotional weight of digging graves—and considers how storytelling not only helps families process loss but also keeps the memory of loved ones alive.

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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 consciousness and the idea of "dying before you die" to fully live, while Victor offers insights from his daily work with loss and how people often misunderstand or fear death.

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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 with guests to dismantle taboos, address morbid questions and share real-life stories that find death lurking in everything from stand-up comedy to your morning cup of coffee.

If you’ve got a taste for the morbid, a love of laughter in unexpected places, and a craving for honest, unfiltered stories straight from the mortuary, Victor Sweeney is the guide you never knew you needed… and DEATH AND with Victor M. Sweeney is the show you’ve been dying to discover.

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