Face it, when things get desperate we all consider faking our death as an easy way out. But what they don’t tell you in school is that it’s much harder than it looks, it’s way less glamorous, and you have to pull it off perfectly to not get caught.
AI Summary
In this episode, Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating and surprisingly common world of pseudocide—the act of faking your own death. They explore why people attempt this risky disappearing act, from escaping crushing debt and insurance fraud to fleeing abusive situations, and examine the real methods and services available to pull it off, especially in places like the Philippines. The guys also break down how modern technology like DNA testing, facial recognition, and pet microchips have made it nearly impossible to get away with it, while sharing jaw-dropping real-life stories of people who tried and got caught, often in hilariously dumb ways.
Beverly Hills Cop
1984
1h 45m
★ 7.2
"Everyone who's ever seen a movie like Beverly Hills Cop or whatever knows that the captain is gonna be on that detective's butt. — Used as an example of how police departments handle cases and backlogs."
— Josh
Double Jeopardy
1999
R
1h 45m
★ 6.6
"Or you wanna frame your wife, like in the movie Double Jeopardy with Ashley Judd. — Referenced as an example of a motivation for faking one's death to frame a spouse."
— Chuck
"Since this is 2008, 2010, I got to give the obligatory shout out to Magnum PI. — Referenced as a callback to private investigators and as a contemporary cultural touchstone for the episode's timeframe."
— Josh
"Don Johnson from Miami Vice? Yeah, sure, let's just say that. — Mentioned as an example of stealing someone's identity, almost spoiling a reference before catching himself."
— Josh
The Day of the Jackal
1973
PG
2h 23m
★ 7.5
"The novel, I don't think the movie had come out yet, Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsythe had been published a few years before. — Referenced as the source material that John Stonehouse allegedly followed step-by-step to obtain a false identity."
— Josh
"Or let's go ahead and ruin the Simpsons. Principal Skinner did that, right? — Referenced the episode where Principal Seymour Skinner stole someone's identity named Armand Tanzarian."
— Chuck
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