Funerals Should Not Be This Much Fun

The late, great, Yogi Berra once said: “Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.”  And like all great Yogisms, it contains some kernels of wisdom.

First, it suggests you should honor the dead and show respect at their funerals. I’m all about respecting the dead, as long as they deserve it. What I mean, is that I don’t show people any additional respect just because they are dead.  In my book, if you were a bastard while alive, now you are a just a dead bastard. The fact that you are a bastard hasn’t really changed, and I’m not going to your funeral.  I don’t believe you are required to attend the funerals of bastards.

This rule doesn’t apply to family members.  You still are required to attend their funerals, because they unfortunately are “your bastards” and you have to suffer the consequences.  More importantly, they may also be dead, rich, bastards, and you would hate to be excluded from the will by your blatant act of disrespect (so please show some extra respect and wear a tie, just in case).

But the Yogism also implies that people are concerned about how many people attend their own funeral.  I have to admit I pondered this a few years ago and it motivated me to create a new philosophy on life: “Live your life in such a way that people cry at your funeral”.  While this has actually helped me to treat people better, I do admit I sometimes fail to live up to this.  Of course now when I fizz somebody off I think, “There’s another empty chair at the chapel” and they naturally think, “That bastard!”  However, for people to cry at your funeral, they have to be at your funeral, so Yogi and I share a common philosophy.

This desire for having superb funeral attendance actually is cross cultural, because I saw a news story on the custom of having strippers perform at funerals in some rural provinces in China.  I assure you this is true. Do you really think that I am so warped and depraved that I would actually make something like this up? Wait, don’t answer that! (See link at the end of the post to confirm story)

The purpose of the strippers is to boost attendance and “liven up” these events.  And it is successful because men line up at the door hours before the ceremony to get the good seats.   I’m guessing they believe if the ‘‘grand spirit” passes over and sees a huge crowd gathered at your funeral, it can earn you some eternal brownie points.  The spirit saying: “Wow, I thought Genghis was a bastard, but look at that crowd! Maybe I should not turn him into a dung beetle in his next life after all.”

But I just can’t imagine any religion, anywhere, in any way, condoning having strippers at your funeral.  The report claims this is done as a “show of respect” but come on, the girls are going to show more, much more, than just respect! And apparently they show a lot, because there is actually a video posted of one these performances, which I had to watch several times, very closely, as part of doing my extensive research for this post.

And I don’t blame the ladies. To quote the popular commercial: “When you’re a stripper, you take off your clothes, – it’s what you do.”  The strippers are well paid and are highly motivated to do a good job. It can generate lots of repeat business.  Think about it, they are gyrating naked in front of old guys who are near death themselves.  Tuesday’s funeral can lead to Friday’s booking, which creates Monday’s gig and so on and so on …….  And in a very bizarre way, they are performing a useful function.  They are cheering up people who are grieving the loss of their friends. They are turning mourners into moaners.

This interesting, yet disturbing, practice is very effective in greatly increasing funeral attendance. I’m sure the guys in that region scan the obituaries for funerals that might have strippers. “Look, Chen’s cousin died. Suddenly I feel so sad. I must go mourn. I need some small bills.”  I would love to see a You Tube video of old Chinese guys fighting each other for front row funeral seats.  And these large crowds gather despite the fact these are in fact Chinese strippers, who lack uh, who have very small, ah, -- let’s just say these are skinny women.

I see really no practical benefit of having strippers at the funeral unless you are supremely optimistic and want to take one last shot at raising the dead.  If you are lacking a huge, nuclear-powered, defibrillator, then I guess a group of hot strippers is your next best option here.

I do not think having strippers at American funerals would go over very well.  I can’t see a minister saying “Naked you come into this world and naked you will depart. And soon, naked women will honor you with their nakedness”.  Also “Now let us solemnly pray for the dearly departed, before these young, beautiful, women depart of their clothes.”  And imagine the frustration generated by long-winded preachers, delivering rambling eulogies, if they were delaying the appearance of the strippers. Guys would be thinking, “Shut your pie-hole and get to good stuff!”

I guess I could consider having strippers at my funeral to boost attendance.  It could generate a crowd and impress people, but with my luck, I could see the following happening at those pearly gates:

St. Peter:  Don, you lived a good life my son and it says here that I was let you in, scot-free, no questions asked.  However, now, I do have to ask you one very important question.

Me: What is that Pete?

St. Peter: Why is there a G-string draped over your bald head?

I think I will just keep trying to be nicer to people …….

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Link about Chinese Funeral Strippers