Loose Units: The Podcast - podcast cover

Loose Units: The Podcast

Pillow Talk Productionslooseunitsthepodcast.libsyn.com
The true crime book Loose Units, out now through Penguin Publishing (and in bookstores everywhere), had one thing it couldn't do: it couldn't fit everything. So each week, Paul and John will sit down and delve into cases too surreal, brief or contentious to fit into the book.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

Loose Ends 29 - Snorting the Ashes

Is it safe to eat - or snort - the ashes of a cremated loved one? Are John's antiques stories as thrilling as he suspects? AND ARE THOSE SIRENS OUTSIDE? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 22, 202029 minSeason 5Ep. 2

Loose Units: ORIGINS

We're going right back to the eighties. In the book Loose Units, Paul told fanciful, fantastical versions of John's adventures as a cop in North Sydney in the early 1980s. Now, he and John go chapter-by-chapter and break down the stories behind the stories. This week, why did John actually join the police force? Why didn't his family want him to enrol? And how the hell did he pass the entrance exam anyway? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 19, 202044 minSeason 5Ep. 1

Loose Ends 28 - Our Most Traumatic and Incredible Listener Story

A listener sends in a truly incredible story which floors John and Paul. They also discuss whether creamtoriums have chimneys, if bodies get burnt with their clothes in, and what happens when you burn weed and are standing down-wind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 15, 202034 minSeason 4Ep. 32

This is The End

This is it. The end of Loose Units: Dead Serious. What pushed John to leave the funeral industry? What was the straw that finally broke the camel’s back? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 12, 202039 minSeason 4Ep. 31

Loose Ends 27 - American Murder: The Family Next Door

Paul and John take a look at the new Netflix true crime feature, American Murder: The Family Next Door . Warning: this episode contains SPOILERS. Also, it was recorded while Paul was moving house, so apologies for the audio quality! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 08, 202026 minSeason 4Ep. 30

Wrapped in Plastic

A body, wrapped in plastic. An unjust set of laws. And trapped in the middle, an ex-cop and ex-firefighter struggling with a terrible decision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 05, 202037 minSeason 4Ep. 29

Loose Ends 26 - Dad Forgot I Almost Drowned

John forgets that Paul almost drowned, the boys discover that Australian forensics experts are the reason the heist from National Treasure even exists, and a trapped demon escapes it's salty prison. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 01, 202028 minSeason 4Ep. 28

What's in the Box?

A mysterious box full of human remains. A grieving mother. A strange request... and a terrible moment for John, who realises he's going to have to do something truly questionable to salvage this situation. Find out the story behind one of the most tragic chapters from Electric Blue in this harrowing and honest episode of Loose Units. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 28, 202041 minSeason 4Ep. 27

Loose Ends 25 - Inuit Sh*t Knife

John attends a seance, a folk band gets waterlogged at a funeral, and Paul tells John all about the legendary Inuit Sh*t Knife. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 24, 202027 minSeason 4Ep. 26

UNDEAD SEX DUNGEON

John begins to work with an embalmer who performs emergency surgery on a corpse with one of John's most prized possessions. But what will said embalmer use to settle a debt? And what does UNDEAD SEX DUNGEON allude to? All will become clear on this truly twisted episode of Loose Units: Dead Serious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 21, 202031 minSeason 4Ep. 25

Loose Ends 24 - Weird Icelandic Zombie Rituals

Icelandic witches, weird zombie rituals, and pants made from dead people. It’s a super-grisly Icelandic folklore edition of Loose Ends! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 17, 202028 minSeason 4Ep. 24

Running out of Air

A cemetery the size of a suburb, a procession of a hundred cars following you, a dead body in the back, and wife of the departed running out of oxygen. What could possibly go wrong? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 14, 202039 minSeason 4Ep. 23

Loose Ends 23 - Smothered, or Drowned?

Can you smother a person to death, then get water into their lungs to make it look like a drowning? And why on Earth would you WANT to? It's time for a violent, speculative and hilarious episode of Loose Ends! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 10, 202027 minSeason 4Ep. 22

The Worst Possible Thing that Could Happen at a Funeral

A nervous, inept minister who has crossed paths with young John before nearly does something truly terrible. That’s right: the Anglican minster who flings holy water and rocks up at the Catholic masses to wreak havoc is back, and this time… there’s a body on the line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 07, 202031 minSeason 4Ep. 21

Loose Ends 22 - Garbage Bags Full of Body Parts

John tells Paul about how to sort through a garbage bag full of pulverized dead person to find something you can actually fingerprint. It's time for a bloody, soupy, and very loose Father's Day episode of Loose Ends! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 03, 202025 minSeason 4Ep. 20

My Worst Day as a Funeral Director

John walks Paul through his worst day as a funeral director. A dead child, a secret stash of holy water, and several staggering funeral mistakes add up to make this a truly unforgettable day for young John. TRIGGER WARNING: Deceased children, SIDS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 31, 202043 minSeason 4Ep. 19

Loose Ends 21 - Roger Rogerson

John and Paul revisit a tale involving Roger Rogerson, Sallie-Ann Huckstepp and penile rigor mortis. An accident on the Sydney Harbour Bridge leads to an unlikely meeting, and John's secret passion takes centre stage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 27, 202030 minSeason 4Ep. 18

The Dead Walk Again! Disturbing (and True) Ghost Stories from John’s Past

Finally, John goes supernatural. From a mysterious stranger who appears under the Verhoeven's house, to a dead person spontaneously sitting upright and making a horrifying sound, this is the first time Loose Units has gone paranormal. Its about to get seriously spooky, folks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 24, 202041 minSeason 4Ep. 17

Loose Ends 20 - Putting Makeup on Dead People

It's launch week for Electric Blue, so John and Paul discuss the release and the impending Zoom launch party! John talks the qualifications needed to join forensics, but he also tells Paul about what is involved putting make-up on dead people (and shaving them, too). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 20, 202027 minSeason 4Ep. 16

John Returns to Forensics for One Last Case

To celebrate today's release of Electric Blue, Paul's new book based on John's real cases, John revisits a case which didn't make it into the book. A body has been found under deeply suspicious and odd circumstances, and John is sent in to figure out what happened. Strange fluid on the ceiling, sex toys everywhere, and something that just doesn't add up. All the various outlets selling Electric Blue, in hard copy, ebook and audiobook, are right here: https://bit.ly/2Y913Tg Hosted on Acast. See a...

Aug 17, 202032 minSeason 4Ep. 15

Loose Ends 19 - Corpse Popcorn and Mafia Funerals

What happens when John's Dad helps him carry a coffin at a potential mafia funeral? Can you cook popcorn inside a body being cremated? And what is the single strangest story from John's childhood, one which will haunt Paul FOREVER? It's time for Loose Ends! Also, get ready for the Electric Blue online launch party, 22nd of August! Tickets go on sale next week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 13, 202029 minSeason 4Ep. 14

Thanks, EMBALMER.

What does embalming involve? Making the dead look alive, and keeping them preserved, seems like a subtle art. But as John learned one very odd day at the funeral home, it was a lot stranger, more complex and more visceral than he'd ever have suspected. It's time for an in-depth look at embalming, people. Strap in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 10, 202043 minSeason 4Ep. 13

Loose Ends 18 - Dad Goes to Court

This week on Loose Ends, John ends up in court embroiled in an art forgery case. No, seriously. He and Paul also discuss whether you'll be ending up with other people mixed in with your ashes after cremations, and there's some pretty odd talk about elves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 06, 202027 minSeason 4Ep. 12

How to F*ck up a Funeral

Sure, John is an emergency services jack-of-all-trades. But what happened the first time he was trusted to conduct a funeral? The wheels fell off, that's what. Paul pries from his Dad an embarrasing tale of funerary woe, and then he and John discuss National Missing Persons Week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 03, 202035 minSeason 4Ep. 11

Loose Ends 17 - My Dad's Ashes

What happens when you scatter the wrong ashes? Do teddy bears get cremated with their owners? And what's it like to carry your Dad's ashes around with you? It's time for another episode of Loose Ends! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 30, 202027 minSeason 4Ep. 9

When an Officer Dies

The death of a familiar character from Loose Units (the book) sees John fast-tracked from cleaning hearses to actively helping. But what was it like to be an ex-cop working at a cop's funeral? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 27, 202031 minSeason 4Ep. 8

Loose Ends 16 - Kick the Ashes

This week on Loose Ends, John and Paul discuss live-streaming funerals, how double plots work, and how sports fans might want their ashes used after they pass away. John also tells Paul what is apparently one of his finest jokes. Does it land? You be the judge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 23, 202030 minSeason 4Ep. 6

The Funeral

This week, John and Paul discuss the funeral of John's Dad, Henk Verhoeven. What is it actually like to deal with a death in the family when you're the one helping organise it? They also discuss how to talk (or not talk) to people who've just lost someone. You can pre-order Electric Blue, the sequel to Loose Units, right now at Booktopia: https://t.co/YygJeGMVWB?amp=1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 20, 202045 minSeason 4Ep. 5

Loose Ends 15 - Hilarious Stories about Death

On this week's Loose Ends, John and Paul discuss the passing of Henk, John's father. They then burrow into a treasure trove of brilliant and hilarious funeral stories from their wonderful listeners, before weighing up whether or not Costco coffins and caskets are a bargain or a bust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 16, 202029 minSeason 4Ep. 5

Close to Home

This week, there's an actual death in the family, which John and Paul discuss on the show. Then, John tells Paul about hearses, Paul makes some truly dumb jokes about his or hearse, and we begin our journey into John's time running a funeral home in the nineties. It's a fascinating, weird and heartbreaking episode of Loose Units: Dead Serious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 13, 202036 minSeason 4Ep. 3
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