Summary of Putting The Fun Back In Funeral with Special Guest Paul Scheer

Overview of Putting The Fun Back In Funeral (Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan)

This episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan features Conan and guest Paul Scheer talking with Josh, a funeral-industry entrepreneur who runs a direct-to-consumer casket and urn company. The conversation blends practical consumer advice about funerals (pricing, the “funeral rule,” shopping options) with humorous and humanizing takes on personalization, memorial customs, and how laughter fits into grief and legacy. The episode also touches on novelty coffins, Ghanaian custom casket traditions, and how the funeral industry tries to serve grieving families.

Key topics discussed

• The funeral business model and common overcharging:

  • Many families default to local funeral homes and don’t comparison-shop, which leads to high markups.
  • Josh’s company sells caskets and urns direct-to-consumer (site, Costco, Sam’s Club, Amazon) at roughly half the typical funeral-home price.

• The FTC “funeral rule”:

  • Federal law gives consumers the right to buy caskets, urns, and other funeral products outside the funeral home.

• Practical questions and logistics:

  • Standard vs. oversized caskets; most people fit standard sizes, but wider options exist.
  • Concerns about shipping time, fit, and delivery logistics when buying outside a funeral home.

• Personalization & cultural practices:

  • Custom coffins (e.g., Ghanaian fantasy coffins) and tableau-style wakes (displaying the deceased in staged scenes).
  • Urns: options depend on whether the family will keep, bury, scatter, or display them; technical necessity vs. aesthetic choice.

• Humor, legacy, and etiquette:

  • Use of mascots (Mort, a coffin plush) and marketing to make funeral planning approachable.
  • Conan and Paul riff on macabre ideas (being used as a prop for a crime show, “Weekend at Bernie’s”-style jokes), while acknowledging how humor can ease grief.
  • Conan’s anecdote about wanting a Ghanaian casket with a TV so he could “watch myself for all eternity.”

• Industry character and morale:

  • Funeral professionals tend to be empathetic and calm; the work is service-oriented rather than party-heavy.
  • Josh’s personal reflections on humor’s value across generations and how laughter connected him to his father.

Notable quotes and moments

• Josh: “There’s a federal law called the funeral rule. It gives you the right to buy your caskets, urns, other products outside the funeral home.”
• Conan (on caskets): “It’s a rectangle. They have the same functionality. You should not overspend on these products.”
• Conan (about his Ghana casket): “I want to be able to watch myself for all eternity… they built me a casket with a TV that faces in.”
• Josh to Conan: “No one’s made me laugh more in my life than you,” — a personal, heartfelt moment about intergenerational comedy.
• Comic beats: repeated comic ideas about tableau wakes, novelty coffins (KISS coffin), and the idea of a funeral-director-as-detective procedural.

Main takeaways

• Consumers have rights: You can legally purchase caskets and urns outside funeral homes — often at substantially lower prices.
• Function over flash: Most caskets are functionally similar; aesthetic upgrades are where markups happen.
• Plan and document preferences: Pre-planning and clear instructions to family can reduce stress, cost, and unwanted upsells.
• Personalization is common and varied: From Ghanaian custom coffins to staged tableaux, funerals can be deeply personalized if that’s what families want.
• Empathy in the industry: Funeral professionals often see their work as service and guidance during a difficult time, not just a transaction.
• Humor has a role in grief: The episode models how humor and personal stories can be a legitimate part of memorial culture.

Practical action items / recommendations

• Check the FTC Funeral Rule (search “FTC funeral rule”) to confirm your rights when arranging funerals.
• If you want to save money, compare prices for caskets and urns online (retailers include direct company sites, Amazon, warehouse retailers).
• Ask funeral homes about using an outside-purchased casket—state and federal rules typically require they accept externally purchased items.
• Measure and confirm sizing details if ordering a casket online; ask about expedited shipping options if timing is tight.
• Consider documenting your funeral/urn preferences in writing or as part of an advance directive to reduce family decisions later.
• If you want a highly personalized coffin (e.g., Ghanaian-style or themed casket), contact specialized makers early — custom work takes time.

Episode details / credits

• Podcast: Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan
• Episode title: Putting The Fun Back In Funeral (featuring Paul Scheer; guest Josh — funeral-industry entrepreneur)
• Hosts: Conan O’Brien, with Sonam Ovcesian and Matt Gourley (and guest Paul Scheer)
• Production notes credited in episode: Produced by Matt Gourley; executive producers Adam Sachs, Jeff Ross, Nick Leow; incidental music by Jimmy Vivino; engineering by Eduardo Perez.
• Where to subscribe: Available on standard podcast platforms (episode also references TeamCoco and sponsor messages).

If you want a short checklist of what to ask when comparing funeral providers or casket/urn purchases, I can add that as a one-page list.