Obsessed With Death

In this episode of Obsessed with Death, Rob sits down with artist Shampoooty, known for creating nostalgic, adult-themed toys that explore death, addiction, and the messiness of adulthood through humor and physical art. They discuss how a childhood panic about death evolved into a creative mission to spark conversations about mortality using playful objects like toy hearses and funeral sets, even catching the attention of grief therapists looking for tools to help kids process loss.

We’re revisiting a powerful conversation as part of our Archive Spotlight, where we highlight meaningful conversations from the past. In this episode of Obsessed with Death, we talk with Joshua, who used AI to create a chatbot modeled after his late fiancée, Jessica—a striking and deeply personal attempt to process long-buried grief. Originally published July 29, 2021

In this episode of Obsessed with Death, Rob is joined by writer and artist Z.G. Burnett, who unexpectedly won a colonial-era gravestone at an auction and is now on a mission to uncover its origins and return it to its rightful resting place. Together, they explore the ethics of buying and selling grave markers, the cultural disconnect from death in America, and the deep and sometimes unconventional ways we try to leave a legacy.

Comedian Anthony DeVito joins Rob and Greg for a hilarious and deeply personal conversation about mortality, family secrets, and their lifelong flirtation with hypochondria. Anthony opens up about learning in adulthood that his father was killed in a mob-related murder, and how a childhood filled with loss shaped his outlook on life and death. They also spiral into absurd territory, debating ethical cloning, and cannibalism, making this episode absolutely unhinged, and weirdly inspiring.

Diagnosed with end-stage heart failure, Sofia walks us through the mysterious early symptoms, her emergency hospitalization, and the rapid decision to receive an LVAD that now keeps her alive.  You can follow Sofia on TikTok here [https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithsofiasheart?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc].