Mortality Movies can help us when we ask: Why is it so difficult to talk about death?

Everyone knows it will happen eventually, yet many people avoid discussing it altogether. Conversations about mortality, funeral plans, grief, and end-of-life wishes are often postponed until a crisis forces the issue. Unfortunately, by then, families may be left guessing about what their loved ones wanted.

Episode Three of Mortality Movies tackles this challenge head-on. Host Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death®, joins death doula Danielle Slupesky and death educator Jane Westbrook to explore film and television clips that demonstrate an important truth: discussing death won’t kill you.

In fact, talking about death can help people live with greater clarity, reduce anxiety, and prepare loved ones for the future.

The clips featured in this episode use humor, compassion, and storytelling to make conversations about mortality less intimidating and more accessible.

Humor as a Bridge to Difficult Conversations

One of the most powerful examples comes from the 1998 film Patch Adams, based on the life of the real physician Patch Adams. He believes in the power of humor as a way to help patients in healing and accepting mortality.

In the featured scene, Robin Williams, portraying Patch, dresses as the Angel of Death while visiting a man with cancer. Rather than avoiding the subject of his illness, he approaches it with humor and honesty. His playful interaction creates space for the patient to acknowledge his mortality without fear or despair.

The scene illustrates a lesson many hospice workers, death doulas, and grief professionals understand well: humor can be healing.

Humor does not erase pain or loss. Instead, it can help people approach difficult truths in a way that feels manageable. A smile, a joke, or a moment of laughter can open doors that fear and avoidance keep firmly closed.

Why We Laugh at Death

One of television’s most celebrated episodes about mortality aired in 1975 on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

In “Chuckles Bites the Dust,” the beloved clown Chuckles the Clown dies after being trampled by an elephant while dressed as one of his characters, Peter Peanut. The absurd circumstances surrounding his death lead to discussions among coworkers about why people laugh at tragedy and why death makes us uncomfortable.

In one memorable scene, Lou Grant explains that humor often serves as a way for people to cope with fears they cannot control. The episode remains a masterclass in balancing comedy with genuine grief.

Mary Richards initially treats Chuckles’ death and funeral with great seriousness, frustrated by the jokes and laughter surrounding the situation. Yet at the funeral, she unexpectedly loses her composure and begins laughing herself.

The episode resonates because it captures a universal human response. Grief is not always solemn. Sometimes sadness and laughter exist side by side.

For families facing loss, understanding this reality can be reassuring. There is no single “correct” way to grieve.

And the best part is the last scene. The news gang goes back to Mary’s apartment for coffee after the funeral. They talk about what they might want for their funerals. Lou Grant just wants to be stood outside with the garbage with his hat on. Sue Ann Nivens wants to be cremated and have her ashes scattered on Robert Redford. And Ted Baxter doesn’t plan to go. He wants to be frozen and resurrected later.

Their conversations open the door for you and your loved ones to immediately transition to a conversation about your own funeral plans.

Keeping Memories Alive

The Disney-Pixar film Coco takes a different approach to mortality.

Inspired by Mexico’s Día de los Muertos traditions, the film emphasizes the importance of remembering those who have died. The featured clip highlights a central message of the movie: our loved ones continue to have meaning and influence as long as they remain part of our stories and memories.

Many cultures maintain strong traditions of honoring ancestors, visiting graves, sharing stories, and displaying photographs. These rituals provide comfort while reinforcing connections across generations.

For death educators, Coco offers an excellent example of how discussing death does not have to be frightening. Instead, it can become an opportunity to celebrate family history, preserve memories, and strengthen relationships.

The film has introduced millions of children and adults to conversations about death in a way that is warm, colorful, and hopeful.

Planning Ahead With a Smile

The final featured clip comes from an advertising campaign created by The Mount Pleasant Group funeral organization in Toronto.

The fictional product, called the Quit-Bit, humorously claims to predict the exact date of a person’s death. Armed with that knowledge, consumers could supposedly know precisely when to begin planning their funeral.

The joke works because everyone understands the impossible premise. No one knows exactly when they will die.

Yet beneath the humor lies a serious message: waiting until the last minute to discuss funeral plans is rarely a good strategy.

Advance planning allows individuals to communicate their wishes, reduce stress on family members, and make informed decisions before emotions and urgency take over.

The ad cleverly reminds viewers that while we cannot predict death, we can prepare for it.

Starting the Conversation

The films and television programs featured in this episode demonstrate that conversations about death do not have to be depressing. They can be funny, thoughtful, emotional, and even inspiring.

Whether it is Patch Adams using humor to help a patient face mortality, Mary Richards learning that grief and laughter can coexist, the family-centered remembrance celebrated in Coco, or a tongue-in-cheek funeral planning advertisement, each example encourages people to do something many find difficult: start talking.

Death is a universal experience. The more openly we discuss it, the better prepared we are to make decisions, support loved ones, and live with intention.

As Mortality Movies continues, one message becomes increasingly clear: avoiding conversations about death doesn’t make it disappear. Talking about it, however, can make life richer and relationships stronger.

What movie, television episode, or personal experience helped you become more comfortable talking about death? Share your thoughts in the comments and help continue the conversation.

Want to Watch Mortality Movies Without Jumping Between Screens?

Become a paid subscriber to Mortality Movies with The Doyenne of Death® on Substack and get access to the complete 30-minute episodes with the film clips included.

Instead of pausing the show to view the clips on YouTube, paid subscribers can watch each episode seamlessly from start to finish. No searching. No switching tabs. No interruptions.

Just sit back, enjoy the movies, and discover what they can teach us about death, dying, grief, and living life fully.

Subscribe to Gail Rubin’s Substack here.

You can also discover a treasure trove of conversation-starting films and TV shows in 98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die.

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