Dispatches from the Great Grawdoo

Randall Jacobs. Photo by Scott Hile.

In May of last year, the artist Chris Santa Maria's Uncle Bunky finally lay down for what he referred to as the "dirt nap".

The obit Chris wrote about his colorful uncle unexpectedly went viral, spreading through Reddit, Twitter, and onto morning news shows. It seemed everyone had, or wanted, an Uncle Bunky. 

"A SoCal hobo," loyal to his beloved cat, Kitters, Bunky was the kind of guy that spoke "in a gravelly patois of wisecracks," and inspired Chris to end the obit with, "In lieu of flowers, please pay someone's open bar tab, smoke a bowl, and fearlessly carve out some fresh lines through the trees on the gnarliest side of the mountain."

On this episode, Chris opens up to Erin and Elizabeth about Bunky's enduring legacy, substance abuse that runs in the family, and our cultural tendency to celebrate the qualities of a person that ultimately led to their premature death. 

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.