Five years ago, we discussed the bizarre wake in Puerto Rico where the deceased was propped up and shown ready to party. Now it appears that the trend is catching on other states. In Louisiana, Louis Charbonnet can arrange the deceased to be shown sitting at tables or driving an ambulance to fully creep out every grieving relative and friend.
As the pictures with the article below illustrate, this rather unnerving new technique produces a type of Madam Tussaud feel to funerals. Puerto Rico passed a law in 2012 legalizing wakes with posed cadavers as long as the position is not immoral. Other states are following suit. In Mechanicsburg, Ohio, a deceased biker was towed to a cemetery in a homemade plexiglass coffin astride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He was buried in that position with his Harley.
Life just gets weirder and weirder.
Source: NY Times
Would attorneys have to be partially screwed in the ground, to make it realistic?
Nick;
You don’t even have to go that far.
What if they were just both propped up – kissing each other.
Would the G-dfather have rights to sue (“death kiss violations”).
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I like 99guspuppet’s idea (and would bring along my, raisans, butter and milk – cause I can’t have oatmeal with just brown sugar).
It is immoral to have a funeral ….. so why not let it all hang out ? Why should the government interfere ? ( answer: because they can ) I always wanted my coffin to be filled with warm oatmeal and brown sugar…. guests could scoop some in a bowl if the wished. The music “Burning Down the House ” would be playing.
Karen, You’re just showing white privilege, cultural insensitivity and judgmental behavior. Plus, the dudes hat is on crooked. Wait, that was me being culturally insensitive. I HATE when baseball players have their hat askew to try and be gang bangers.
But I have to admit that Darren is right, and it should be up to the discretion of the customers without the government getting involved.
Still gross and creepy.
Eeeeeeeeew.
Sounds creepy and sometimes disrespectful or cavalier.
I would NOT go to one of those funerals.
Paul, Great trivia. Open caskets are the norm in the area I grew up[Ct.]. My kids, raised in the Midwest, had a real problem w/ that when they went back to Ct. to bury their grandparents. My wives family in Wi. and MN. cremate. I think it’s better for many reasons but, to each their own. My plans are set. Cremate me and spread the ashes in our vegetable garden. No service. Just a reception w/ GREAT FOOD, free drinks, and music. We tend to only get together for weddings and funerals. Mine will be wedding like.
Yep, weird for sure.
We have sanitized death over the years. Few of us have seen a dead person until we get much older and then the person we see is much older than us. The idea of the funeral parlor is relatively new in our history and took business from the parlor that was in every home. When business went to the funeral parlors instead of the family parlor, for the lying in or wake, the parlor needed a new name. A Chicago paper decided to name it the ‘living room.’
The government needs to heavily tax funerals. Everyone pays!! Do you know that DC just passed a tax on yoga classes! Taxing people to get fit. Could it be more counterproductive than this?
It is rather bizarre, yet I would prefer the government stay out of the funeral arrangement business.
Too many politicians and bureaucrats cannot resist the urge to regulate individuals into compliance and passivity. People are capable of deciding these matters themselves. We don’t need state approved and required funeral customs.
I would like to be buried in a large casket with me seated on a bicylcle built for two. Me on the front and my human Pal on the rear seat. So, when my human goes, I want to go too.
And, creepy as hell!!
Laser, Interesting question. What if a husband and wife die @ the same time. A missionary pose would be moral.
the state “allows” private business to follow the wishes of the customer and have the corpse sitting up or otherwise posed instead of lying in a casket. Well isn’t that nice of them. Doesn’t seem the government should have anything to do with this.
On the other hand; is the restricted to “proper” pose – restriction of free speech?
Now I can finally write out a will, to give Romney a chill (out).
If I die, let them turn me around, poised bending down;
so that my bums can tell RMoney’s world to kiss my bums goodbye!