Dying Laughing with Jessimae
Welcome to Dying Laughing — the comedy podcast that explores grief in all its messy, magical, and mortifying glory.
Hosted by stand-up comedian, Netflix host, and professional grief reliever Jessimae Peluso aka your favorite “comedy death doula" and "griefluencer” , this show dares to laugh in the face of death, because if you’re not laughing, you’re crying in a Marshall’s fitting room while listening to Fleetwood Mac on repeat.
You’re going to lose a lot in this life: your loved ones, your job, your dog (way harder than your ex), your relationship, your mind, your appetite and yes, your favorite necklace that your dad gave you (which your toxic ex absolutely kept).
While all of that sounds brutal, it can also be beautiful. I call it brutiful.
Each week, I invite you into real, raw, and ridiculously funny conversations about how we survive loss, reclaim joy, and sometimes ugly-cry in public. Everything deserves a proper burial - even our dignity.
Welcome to Dying Laughing with Jessimae. 💀🖤
Editing by: Debbie Dellorso.🐿️
Podcast music: 🎵 "Consider Death" by Akira the Don
New show. New name. Same Jessimae. Follow @JessimaePeluso + subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts. 💀🎤
Join our Patreon fan club to get exclusive podcast videos and episodes: https://found.ee/JessimaePeluso-Patreon
Contact us:
Email: JessimaePelusoComedy@gmail.com
Text/Voicemail: 513-916-0930 (Call and leave us a VM to be played on the podcast.)
FOLLOW JESSIMAE FOR MORE FUN IN YOUR LIFE:
🎧SUBSCRIBE TO THE DYING LAUGHING POD: https://found.ee/DyingLaughing
💗SUPPORT THE FAN CLUB: https://found.ee/JessimaePeluso-Patreon
🎟️SEE JESSIMAE LIVE: https://found.ee/jessimaetour
⭐️CHECK OUT JESSIMAE’S WEBSITE: https://found.ee/Jessimae
📺FOLLOW JESSIMAE ON IG: https://found.ee/InstaJess
📹BOOK A CAMEO: https://found.ee/cameo-with-jessimae
Alzheimer's Disease resources:
Hilarity For Charity: https://wearehfc.org
Alzheimer's Association: https://www.alz.org/socal
1
Holy Shit! I'm Dying. Now What? | Author & Spea...
This week, Jessimae welcomes her longtime friend, former neighbor, author, life coach, and spiritual teacher Douglas Cartwright for one of the most honest conversations ever featured on Dying Laughing. Shortly after being diagnosed with terminal glioblastoma, Douglas shares how the news has transformed his relationship with identity, fear, faith, purpose, and what it truly means to be alive.
57 min
2
Roast In Peace: The Internet's Greatest Fails P...
The funeral disasters keep coming... In this second installment of The Internet's Funniest Funeral Fails, Jessimae shares hilarious listener submissions, unforgettable Reddit funeral fails, outrageous coffin reviews, and some of the funniest headstones ever carved into stone.
91 min
3
The Death of Who You Used to Be | Jessimae Peluso
Sometimes the most important funeral you'll ever attend is your own. In this honest, funny, and deeply personal solo episode, Jessimae explores the grief that comes with personal transformation. From saying goodbye to people-pleasing, perfectionism, over-apologizing, and the need for external validation, she reflects on the parts of herself that no longer serve her, and the unexpected joy of becoming someone new.
32 min
4
Roast In Peace: The Internet's Greatest Funeral...
They're all real funeral stories. In this lighter episode of Dying Laughing, Jessimae shares some of the internet's funniest funeral fails, reads hilarious headstones, reviews unforgettable coffin reviews, and reminds us that even in our darkest moments, life has a way of being wonderfully absurd.
31 min
5
A Masterclass in How to Die | Filmmaker Johno V...
This week on Dying Laughing, Jessimae sits down with filmmaker, BMX rider, and accidental internet philosopher Johno Verity. Known for his cinematic videos of riding through the quiet streets of London before the rest of the world wakes up, Johno has built a devoted following by reminding people of something simple: put down your phone and go live your life.
56 min
6
FATHER'S DAY SPECIAL: The Last Laugh: My Dad, U...
For anyone who has lost a parent, it's a reminder that grief doesn't just leave us with memories. Sometimes it leaves us with their voice. And sometimes, that's enough to make us laugh one more time.
51 min
7
10 Ways To Celebrate Your Dead Dad on Father's ...
In this special Father's Day episode, Jessimae shares stories about her father, the qualities she admired most, the habits that drove her crazy, and the unexpected ways grief keeps our loved ones alive through memory, humor, and everyday rituals.
31 min
8
5 Conversations To Have Before It's Too Late | ...
32 min
9
The Sound Of Grief | Guitar maker and Widower M...
Micah Teruya joins Dying Laughing to discuss losing his wife after her 7-year battle with A.L.L. leukemia, and the extraordinary way he honored her memory by building a guitar containing her ashes and wedding ring. Together, they explore grief, caregiving, creativity after loss, and how pain can transform both art and identity. A moving conversation about love, resilience, and the unexpected gifts grief can leave behind.
50 min
10
The Art Of Going Silent | Jessimae Peluso
Jessimae reflects on disappearing from the internet, the pressure of constant visibility, the strange state of the world while she was gone, and how some healing and transformation can only happen in private.
29 min
11
What Happens When We Die | Hospice Nurse Julie ...
Palliative care and hospice nurse Julie McFadden joins Dying Laughing to explain what dying really looks like, the difference between palliative care and hospice, and why a comfortable death is often tied to access and privilege. Jess and Julie discuss how families can help loved ones die more peacefully, common end-of-life misconceptions, and why death is often less scary than we imagine, including a thoughtful reflection on what may happen to us on a spiritual level when we die.
65 min
12
The Anger Stage Of Grief: Why Anger Isn't Rando...
Anger isn’t random, it’s information. This episode breaks down the anger stage of grief, why anger often comes from older wounds, how we bargain with the universe instead of feeling what’s underneath, and why angry pop culture characters feel so relatable. Plus, I read listener submissions about what makes them the most angry. Funny, honest, and a little confronting. 🎧 New episode out now.
52 min
13
Why We Can't Let Go of Reality | Jessimae Peluso
We’re terrible at endings. We don’t accept them, we negotiate with them. We upgrade them. We keep poking them like, “Are you sure sure?” This episode is about humans refusing finality and the wildly different ways that impulse shows up in real life.
33 min
14
20 Life Lessons From 2025 | Jessimae Peluso
EPISODE 25: 20 LIFE LESSONS FROM 2025: Wine, Dogs, And the State of Play. Dying Laughing with Jessimae In Episode 25 of Dying Laughing, Jessimae reflects on the lessons of 2025 through a mix of pop culture moments and personal growth. She touches on everything from Katy Perry going to outer space and the film Sinners dominating the box office to Erika Kirk’s weird "grief centered" world tour.
38 min
15
Holiday Survival Guide: Christmas Edition | Jes...
Jessimae tells you how to survive Christmas without stress, pressure, or perfection—by breaking the rules, lowering expectations, and making the holiday fun and weird instead.
33 min
16
The Grief Of Joy | Jessimae Peluso
This episode explores what happens when joy and grief collide. In a week marked by devastating headlines, including the mass shooting in Bondi, Jessimae found herself coming off one of the most joyful comedy weekends of her career, and sitting with an uncomfortable question: Am I allowed to feel good right now?
28 min
17
DYING LAUGHING'S HOLIDAY SURVIVAL: THANKSGIVING...
In this special Thanksgiving episode, Jessimae Peluso returns to her hometown of Syracuse, NY to share a comedic and heartfelt Holiday Survival Guide. From family dynamics and childhood nostalgia to managing grief during the holidays, this episode blends humor, honesty, and practical emotional tools.
29 min
18
Fear & Loafing — How Grief Consumes You | Dying...
EPISODE 21: FEAR & LOAFING — HOW GRIEF CONSUMES YOU Dying Laughing with Jessimae In this rereleased episode, (Part 6 of Grief Survival Guide miniseries) Fear & Loafing: How Grief Consumes You, Jessimae opens up about the ways she coped after losing both of her parents — from emotional eating and drinking to feeling unmotivated, inconsistent, and overwhelmed by fear. She explores how indulgence can become both a comfort and a cost during grief, and how loss can shift from agony into transformation through emotional excavation and self-awareness. If you've ever coped with grief through food, alcohol, avoidance, or anything in between, this honest and relatable episode will resonate deeply.
37 min
19
The Language Of Loss | Jessimae Peluso
30 min
20
The Stages Of Grief: Hunger & Jealousy (How Gri...
57 min
21
Life Lessons From My Pitbull | Jessimae Peluso
🐾 Life Lessons From My Dog: Saying Goodbye to Carlin This episode is a love letter to my dog, Carlin—the happiest pitbull on Earth and the longest relationship I’ve ever had. As I prepare to say goodbye, I share what it’s like to face loss before it happens, what pets teach us about love, and how to find laughter even in heartbreak. It’s funny, raw, and full of love—because that’s what he gave me every day. 💀 Hug your pup for Carlin. ❤️
47 min
22
Max Lugavere on Dementia, Brain Health & the Sc...
In this rereleased episode, Jessimae talks with author and brain health advocate Max Lugavere about his mother’s battle with Lewy Body Dementia, the emotional toll of caregiving, and how food, sleep, and science can help us heal. Together they explore grief, love, and the power of nutrition to protect the brain—and the heart. 💀 Subscribe and share with your griefiest friend.
66 min
23
Celebrating Your Dead Dad's Birthday | Jessimae...
Today would’ve been my dad’s birthday, and instead of ignoring the day—or crying into a store-bought cupcake—I decided to celebrate him the best way I know how: by telling stories, roasting his quirks, and making chicken riggies for my family. It's an Upstate thing! In this episode, I share memories of my dad and reflect on the weirdness of celebrating a birthday for someone who’s no longer here. We talk about the chaos of grief birthdays, why food is the ultimate love language in an Italian family, and the ways you can honor your own loved one on their special day—even after they’re gone. You’ll hear: – A “Roast in Peace” of my dad’s funniest quirks – Why grief birthdays are equal parts heartbreaking and healing – 6 ways to celebrate someone you’ve lost on their birthday – And why carbs, candles, and comedy are the only real grief plan you need So happy birthday, Dad. You’re still here every time we laugh, remember, and eat too much pasta.
29 min
24
The Stages Of Grief: Sadness and Shopping | Jes...
EPISODE 15: The Stages of Grief: Sadness & Shopping Dying Laughing with Jessimae (Rereleased episode from 2020) In this rereleased episode—recorded just weeks after my mom passed—I tried to make sense of the unthinkable by doing what any grieving comedian-slash-daughter might do: I put the fun in orphan. This is one of the first raw reflections I recorded post-loss, and it’s full of emotional spirals, weird shopping habits, and unexpected breakthroughs. I talk about the panic and disorientation that comes with becoming an adult orphan, the grief glow-up no one asks for, and how loss forces you to transform—whether you’re ready or not.
53 min
25
The Birthday Grief Guide | Jessimae Peluso
What happens when your birthday rolls around… and your parents aren’t here to call, guilt-trip, or send a check? In this episode, Jessimae offers a brutally honest and hilarious guide to aging while grieving. From the Ghosts of Birthdays Past (Chuck E. Cheese, roulette, and Champagne from Truffle Shuffle), to Aging While Orphaned (no backup, no birthday boxes, no one to lovingly tell you you look tired), this episode is for anyone who’s ever cried in the tub with candles and a cupcake. We also share a sarcastic wish list in Gifts I Wish I Got, and send some love to our beloved Grief Gang with a few heartfelt birthday wishes. It’s a little sad, a little silly, and full of the emotional chaos that comes with grieving another year older.
41 min