Funeral Director Watches Michael Jackson Movie, Concludes Tribute Videos Have Been “Lacking Choreography”

Howdy y’all! I watched the movie “Michael” this week, and I’ve been jamming to “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” on a constant repeat. It’s a jam. I might try to moonwalk later today. I also might try to adopt a Chimpanzee- my fellow house members might not be stoked on that one- but they’ll get used to it.

Enough of that monkey business. We’re about to get WRAPing. FRIDAY FUNERAL FAST style.

sha’mon.

Tip #6 — Design for Gratitude

You don’t always hear the impact of your work.
But sometimes, you do in a thoughtful note.

Gratitude is often expressed quietly.
Sometimes days later.
Sometimes from people you’ve never met.

Like this heartfelt message from a guest:

“Thank you very much.
Through your service, I felt as if I was there together with my family at that time.”

Elżbieta wasn’t in the room. She was in Poland.
But she still experienced that meaningful moment with family.
Their funeral director made it possible.

This is what modern, refined livestreaming creates.
Not just access—connection.

When you livestream, you quietly touch more people than you realize. Our experience tells us the average livestream reaches about 30 online guests, and roughly 9 of them live and work in communities you serve.

They notice how it feels.
They remember who made that difficult moment easier.
If you want more of that, design your online experiences with intention.

Make remote guests feel expected, not secondary.
Deliver an experience that feels thoughtful from beginning to end.
Create natural opportunities for them to engage.

That is what turns a sincere moment into a lasting impression.
And a viewer into an advocate for your business.

If you want more thank-you-note moments, elevate your experience and create something people feel grateful for.

→ See how refined experience design creates moments families will thank you for.

Springfield, Missouri — After watching the new Michael Jackson movie over the weekend, local funeral director Craig Benson returned to work Monday morning with what staff described as “a dangerous amount of inspiration.”

According to employees at Benson Family Funeral & Cremation, Craig walked into the morning meeting, set his coffee down, and announced that the funeral home’s tribute videos had been “emotionally meaningful, yes, but visually stagnant.”

“We’ve been showing photos in chronological order like it’s 2009,” Craig said, dimming the conference room lights for no reason. “Where’s the movement? Where’s the reveal? Where’s the moment where everyone in the chapel realizes this was not just a slideshow, this was a production?”

Staff initially assumed Craig was joking, right up until he asked if anyone knew “a respectful amount of fog machine.”

By lunch, Craig had renamed the tribute video station “Visual Legacy Performance Department” and placed a handwritten sign above the computer reading, “Every dissolve should have purpose.”

Receptionist Marla said the first warning sign came when Craig reviewed a 74-photo memorial video and paused on a picture from a 1993 fishing trip.

“He said, ‘This is where the bass boat needs to hit on the beat,’” Marla explained. “I told him the family just wanted something nice for visitation, and he said, ‘Nice is not a vision.’”

Craig also proposed adding choreography to staff movements during services, including synchronized program distribution, a coordinated flower stand reveal, and what he called “a slow lean of reverence” during the urn placement.

“Nobody is moonwalking near a casket,” said funeral assistant Dennis. “I want that written down somewhere.”

At press time, Craig had scheduled a mandatory training titled “From Slideshow to Showmanship,” though staff said they were hopeful the enthusiasm would fade by Thursday, as most of Craig’s ideas do once the printer jams.

ASK THE FUNERAL DUDE!

Hey Funeral Dude, how long can a staff fridge item remain unlabeled before it legally belongs to the funeral home? – Mr.It Looks So Good

Mr. It Looks So Good, this is a dangerous question because you’re not asking about lunch. You’re asking about character.

A staff fridge is not a refrigerator. It is a community trust exercise with condiments. And once you start deciding that an unlabeled sandwich has “entered the public domain,” you are on a slippery slope toward eating someone’s leftover barbecue and calling it operational efficiency.

Here’s the rule: if you didn’t bring it, don’t eat it.

Now, after three weeks? Different conversation. At that point, it’s no longer food. It’s a wellness concern. You may remove it with dignity, gloves, and a witness.

But until then, leave it alone. Label your own food. Respect the sacred boundaries of Tupperware. And remember: nothing ruins workplace unity faster than a funeral director whispering, “Was that my pasta?”