Underground Humor

During lunch yesterday, following some good advice from TJ, I started to search out other websites that might also have an interest in my Dead Advice project.

I began looking for blogs by funeral directors or morticians, and found a few people to email. Later last night, I then started researching various organizations like the National Funeral Directors Association, American Board of Funeral Service Education and Kates-Boylston Publications (who publishes Funeral Director magazine and American Cemetery magazine).

Though the Dead Advice site doesn’t deal directly with death, the audiences and members of some of these organizations seem appropriate. The project itself was inspired by Thomas Lynch, and it seems a natural fit to reach out to the funeral industry. I’ve gotten a few favorable responses so far.

In my searching, I happened across a site called Underground Humor. As you have probably guessed, it’s a kind of novelty shop for morticians. While the website design is a little dated, the random items available more than make up for it.

From “Got Formaldehyde?” and “All Men Are Cremated Equal” t-shirts, all the way to Dead Heat Hot Sauce… there’s a whole spectrum of tongue in cheek stuff here.

There’s also a 2010 Sexy Coffins Calendar available.

Stumbling across this site felt like peeking in to an off-limits room. It’s a side of the funeral industry I’ve never seen before, and the opposite of the solemn and stoic face I normally associate with funeral homes.

One thing I’ll mention: the various books and categories available are pretty fascinating. I’ve seen more than one title I wanted to buy.