Close to Death

About Close to Death

Close to Death is a podcast that profiles people who spend every day working with the dead and dying. Sound depressing? It isn’t. Sound creepy? It can be! From death doulas to crime scene cleaners, obituary writers to taxidermists, human composting farms to witches who talk to the dead, these death experts have seen it all. In each episode, with the help of comedians and reporters, we’ll hear their stories and find out what they have learned about life by working with death. Hosted by Utkarsh Ambudkar. This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg.

Publisher

USG Audio

Category

comedy · society & culture · true crime

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

9 Oct 2021

Latest episode

15 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2025

   Introducing Mission K-Pop

   Introducing Mission K-Pop Caty Szeto is a woman with a dream: to become a K-Pop superstar. The 23-year-old Asian American is traveling from her home in LA to South Korea’s capital Seoul to attend a K-Pop academy. There she’ll do hardcore training in singing, dancing and styling. All this is to prepare for make-or-break auditions for K-Pop entertainment agencies. If she makes it, Caty could be like all those chart-topping idols who travel the world, perform to legions of fans and make millions. But this quest has its challenges. Caty finds out about ageism in the industry, where many new idols are in their teens. Then she comes face-to-face with incredibly specific K-beauty standards while navigating being a foreigner in K-Pop. Over just three months, our host journalist Haeryun Kang follows Caty to see if she can overcome these obstacles and reach K-Pop stardom. Listen to Mission K-Pop on all platforms or wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2. 

   15 Apr 2025

   Introducing...Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer - Episode 1

   A deadly bioterror attack shook the U.S. and triggered one of the FBI’s most complex investigations. Aftermath takes you inside the high-stakes hunt for the Anthrax killer and the investigative breakthrough that cracked the case. Episode 1: Isolated Incident - Right after 9/11, the FBI scrambles to stop a second-wave attack using a deadly toxin. When a Florida photo editor is poisoned by a rare bacteria, agents uncover a possible al-Qaeda plot to spread anthrax from the air. But are they already too late? From Wolf Entertainment, USG Audio and Dig Studios, in collaboration with CBC Podcasts. For more episodes of Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer, visit here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3. 

   18 Jun 2024

   You Might Also Like: The Confessions of Anthony Raimondi

   In 1978, Pope John Paul I was found dead in his bed just 33 days after he was elected. The official story is that he suffered a fatal heart attack. But in the years since his death, some have claimed he was murdered to cover up crimes in the Vatican. The question of the Pope’s death has never been definitively answered, but there is one man who claims to know the truth. A man from one of New York City’s crime families who has deep ties to the Italian mafia. He was there the day of the Pope’s death and witnessed his murder firsthand. Or, at least, that’s what he says. His name is Anthony Raimondi, and these are his confessions. From USG Audio and Truth Media in association with Clockwork Films. For more episodes of The Confessions of Anthony Raimondi, visit here (https://lnk.to/confessionsofanthonyraimondiFD!closetodeath). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

4. 

   6 Mar 2024

   Introducing - Homegrown: OKC

   Homegrown: OKC dives into a case of domestic terrorism from the past that’s really a warning about the future. Back in 1995, there was a disaster that should have prepared us for January 6th and the political violence that we’re seeing today: the Oklahoma City Bombing. Journalist Jeffrey Toobin reveals the story behind Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and right-wing extremism in America - how a decorated army veteran became consumed with rage, how he somehow went underground and built a bomb that damaged fifty blocks in a modern city, and how everything that led to the horror of April 19th, 1995 is still very present in America. Homegrown: OKC is a USG Audio podcast produced by Western Sound and Esmail Corp. Based on the book “Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Rightwing Extremism” by Jeffrey Toobin. For more episodes of Homegrown: OKC, please visit here (https://lnk.to/homegrownokcFD!closetodeath). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

5. 

   24 Nov 2021

   6: Home Funerals

   We've all been to a funeral where we've looked around and thought: "[The deceased] would have hated this." So what would it look like if we ditched the stuffy funeral homes, skipped the expensive caskets, and designed our funerals before we died? Death doula Jill Schock helps her clients have end of life celebrations that feel unique to the life they lived. In this episode, she guides writer and producer Greg Heller through a practice run of his own funeral. Credits: Josh Bloch- For USG Audio Jessica Grimshaw- For USG Audio Jennifer Sears- For USG Audio Tara Frelund- For USG Audio Utkarsh Ambudkar- Host Gretta Cohn - Executive Producer Kesila Childers - Executive Producer Greg Lubin - Executive Producer Jordan Bailey – Lead Producer Greg Heller - Producer Sara Nics - Executive Editor Jasmine Flott- Music Supervisor AJ Hanneld- Graphic Artist Nocturnal Sound - Mixing and Sound Design This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

6. 

   17 Nov 2021

   5: Crime Scene

   When someone dies, they always leave things behind, and their loved ones are left to clean up. But sometimes, cleaning up after death means cleaning up a literal biohazardous crime scene. Comedian Mary Beth Barone spends time with people who do that kind of extreme cleanup for a living: crime scene cleaners from Spaulding Decon. They share what they've learned from looking at the messiest parts of death head on. Credits: Josh Bloch- For USG Audio Jessica Grimshaw- For USG Audio Jennifer Sears- For USG Audio Tara Frelund- For USG Audio Utkarsh Ambudkar- Host Gretta Cohn - Executive Producer Kesila Childers - Executive Producer Greg Lubin - Executive Producer Jordan Bailey – Lead Producer Camille Peterson - Producer Mary Beth Barone - Producer Sara Nics - Executive Editor Jasmine Flott- Music Supervisor AJ Hanneld- Graphic Artist Nocturnal Sound - Mixing and Sound Design This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

7. 

   10 Nov 2021

   4: Earth & Stars

   For years, we’ve been sold on just two ways to deal with a dead body — you either get cremated or you’re caked in makeup and placed in a casket six feet under. But there’s gotta be more options, right? Uninspired with what's on offer, comedian and journalist Francesca Fiorentini went on a tour of how to dispose of a dead body to get some ideas of what she'll do with her eventual corpse. First, she visits Walt Patrick at Herland Forest, a green burial site in Washington that's composting human bodies. Then, she gets a peek into Celestis, the space burial company that'll shoot your remains into space. Credits: Josh Bloch- For USG Audio Jessica Grimshaw- For USG Audio Jennifer Sears- For USG Audio Tara Frelund- For USG Audio Utkarsh Ambudkar- Host Gretta Cohn - Executive Producer Kesila Childers - Executive Producer Greg Lubin - Executive Producer Jordan Bailey – Lead Producer Allie Graham - Producer Francesca Fiorentini - Producer Sara Nics - Executive Editor Jasmine Flott- Music Supervisor AJ Hanneld- Graphic Artist Nocturnal Sound - Mixing and Sound Design This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

8. 

   3 Nov 2021

   3: Taxidermy

   It feels normal to try to preserve someone we've lost. But what does that do for us — and our grief? Comedian Mary Beth Barone seeks the wisdom of someone who makes mementos out of the once living: a very chic, very glamorous taxidermist. For a lot of us, losing a pet is our first introduction to death, and taxidermist Divya Anantharaman helps clients process that grief by turning their well-loved pet into a beautiful and lovingly stuffed memento. Credits: Josh Bloch- For USG Audio Jessica Grimshaw- For USG Audio Jennifer Sears- For USG Audio Tara Frelund- For USG Audio Utkarsh Ambudkar- Host Gretta Cohn - Executive Producer Kesila Childers - Executive Producer Greg Lubin - Executive Producer Jordan Bailey – Lead Producer Camille Peterson - Producer Mary Beth Barone - Producer Sara Nics - Executive Editor Jasmine Flott- Music Supervisor AJ Hanneld- Graphic Artist Nocturnal Sound - Mixing and Sound Design This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

9. 

   27 Oct 2021

   2: Witch

   After someone we love dies, it’s hard to get them off our minds — especially if we didn’t get the chance to say everything we needed to. But for some people, the conversation doesn’t die when their loved one does. Comedian and TV writer Jourdain Fisher confronts his fear of witches and visits Lynn Swain of Magik Craft — a woman in his hometown who speaks to the dead… and owns a handful of cauldrons and wands, too. Credits: Josh Bloch- For USG Audio Jessica Grimshaw- For USG Audio Jennifer Sears- For USG Audio Tara Frelund- For USG Audio Utkarsh Ambudkar- Host Gretta Cohn - Executive Producer Kesila Childers - Executive Producer Greg Lubin - Executive Producer Jordan Bailey – Lead Producer Jourdain Fisher - Producer Allie Graham - Producer Sara Nics - Executive Editor Jasmine Flott- Music Supervisor AJ Hanneld- Graphic Artist Nocturnal Sound - Mixing and Sound Design This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

10. 

    27 Oct 2021

    1: Obits

    Greg Heller sets out to discover what actually makes an obit feel like a satisfying account of a person's life. With the guidance of professional obituary writer John Pope, Greg practices the craft by writing his own. Credits: Josh Bloch- For USG Audio Jessica Grimshaw- For USG Audio Jennifer Sears- For USG Audio Tara Frelund- For USG Audio Utkarsh Ambudkar- Host Gretta Cohn - Executive Producer Kesila Childers - Executive Producer Greg Lubin - Executive Producer Jordan Bailey – Lead Producer Greg Heller - Producer Sara Nics - Executive Editor Jasmine Flott- Music Supervisor AJ Hanneld- Graphic Artist Nocturnal Sound - Mixing and Sound Design This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

11. 

    9 Oct 2021

    Close to Death Trailer

    Close to Death is a podcast that profiles people who spend every day working with the dead and dying. Sound depressing? It isn’t. Sound creepy? It can be! From death doulas to crime scene cleaners, obituary writers to taxidermists, human composting farms to witches who talk to the dead, these death experts have seen it all. In each episode, with the help of comedians and reporters, we’ll hear their stories and find out what they have learned about life by working with death. Hosted by Utkarsh Ambudkar. This is a USG Audio podcast in collaboration with Transmitter Media and Powderkeg. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy (https://art19.com/privacy) and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info (https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info).

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

126 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

30 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

35

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

95

Contact Close to Death

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.