The StickyBeak

What happens after we die? In this episode of The StickyBeak, we explore unconventional approaches to death, legacy, and memorials — beyond the traditional coffin or cremation.

I speak with pioneers who are reimagining the end of life in ways that are surprising, thought-provoking, and sometimes beautiful:

The People’s Pyramid – a long-term art project and collective memorial founded by The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (The KLF), turning death into living art.
Return Home – a Washington-based funeral home offering natural organic reduction, also known as human composting, a sustainable alternative to cremation.
Southern Cryonics – Australia’s first and only cryonics facility, preserving bodies in Holbrook, NSW for future revival.

From human composting to cryonics to collective art memorials, this episode is a curious, reflective, and sometimes surprising look at how humans are redefining death, remembrance, and legacy.

If you’ve ever wondered about alternative funerals, futuristic memorials, or the ethics of preserving life beyond death, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration that will challenge the way you think about the end of life.

A HUGE thank you to these legends for getting involved...

Ru Callender
Founder of Green Funeral Company,
One of the two official undertakers for The Pyramid People's Pyramid.
WEBSITE: https://www.thepeoplespyramid.org

Brienna Smith
Funeral Director at Return Home
INSTAGRAM: @returnhomenor
WEBSITE: https://returnhome.com/

Peter Tsolakides
Founder of Southern Cryonics
WEBSITE: https://www.sandbox.southerncryonics.com/

🎉 Big news! The StickyBeak will be returning to two episodes a week!
Wednesdays: Your regular deep dive into the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully strange stories from around the world.
Mondays: A brand-new episode all about YOUR stories — the wild, funny, and outrageous confessions you send in.
Got a story to share? Be a StickyBeak and submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK_D0b6Cp7WAKDq4thfd4EZNrXJPba1C2r9VZkxptxbYmJtA/viewform! 🦜

Got an Idea for the Podcast?
I’d love to hear from you! If there’s a topic you’d like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.

EMAIL: [email protected]
INSTAGRAM: @thestickybeakpodcast
TIKTOK: @thestickybeakpodcast
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.mon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is a furry — really?
In this episode of The StickyBeak, we dive inside the furry fandom, one of the internet’s most misunderstood subcultures.
Originally recorded for my Living with Mon series on alternative lifestyles, this conversation features Haruka (Haru), a member of the furry community who shares what being a furry actually means — beyond the stereotypes. We talk about identity, creativity, community, and why so many assumptions about furries simply aren’t true.

Because there’s a lot to unpack, I also recorded a second interview (linked in the show notes) with Rune, a self-described “Scalie” — a member of the furry fandom whose character is reptilian. In that conversation, we explore the more adult side of the community and how it differs from mainstream furry culture.

If you’ve ever Googled “what is a furry?” or wondered what really happens inside the furry community, this episode offers a thoughtful and open-minded look at a world that’s often judged before it’s understood.
As always, go in curious.

🎉 Big news! The StickyBeak will be returning to two episodes a week!
Wednesdays: Your regular deep dive into the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully strange stories from around the world.
Mondays: A brand-new episode all about YOUR stories — the wild, funny, and outrageous confessions you send in.
Got a story to share? Be a StickyBeak and submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK_D0b6Cp7WAKDq4thfd4EZNrXJPba1C2r9VZkxptxbYmJtA/viewform! 🦜

Got an Idea for the Podcast?
I’d love to hear from you! If there’s a topic you’d like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.

EMAIL: [email protected]
INSTAGRAM: @thestickybeakpodcast
TIKTOK: @thestickybeakpodcast
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.mon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By listener request, we’re diving into the mysterious world of the occult — and uncovering what that word actually means.

In this episode of The StickyBeak, we explore Asetianism, a secretive spiritual path rooted in ancient Egyptian mysticism and devotion to the goddess Aset (Isis). Often misunderstood and confused with vampire roleplay or gothic subculture, Asetianism is a disciplined esoteric tradition focused on sacred knowledge, spiritual lineage, divine feminine energy, and personal transformation.

I speak with Sarah, a dedicated Asetian practitioner, about what it truly means to walk this path. We unpack the real meaning of the occult, the difference between modern vampire culture and Asetian spirituality, and why secrecy plays such a central role in esoteric traditions.

If you’ve ever searched for the meaning of the occult, wondered whether modern vampires are real, or been curious about hidden spiritual traditions rooted in ancient Egypt, this episode offers a rare and thoughtful insight into a path few people truly understand.
And if you’re still intrigued by the vampire subculture, you can also listen to my previous conversation with Madame X (Episode 41).

🎉 Big news! The StickyBeak will be returning to two episodes a week!
Wednesdays: Your regular deep dive into the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully strange stories from around the world.
Mondays: A brand-new episode all about YOUR stories — the wild, funny, and outrageous confessions you send in.
Got a story to share? Be a StickyBeak and submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK_D0b6Cp7WAKDq4thfd4EZNrXJPba1C2r9VZkxptxbYmJtA/viewform! 🦜

Got an Idea for the Podcast?
I’d love to hear from you! If there’s a topic you’d like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.

EMAIL: [email protected]
INSTAGRAM: @thestickybeakpodcast
TIKTOK: @thestickybeakpodcast
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.mon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Virtual reality isn’t just for gaming anymore—it’s transforming the way we live, connect, and even love. In this episode of The StickyBeak, I explore how VR is blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds in ways we never imagined.

Virtual reality isn’t just for gaming anymore. It’s changing how we socialise, form relationships, experience intimacy — and even how some people live their entire lives.
In this episode of The StickyBeak, we explore what happens when the lines between the physical world and the digital world start to blur.
First, I speak with Starh, a virtual reality enthusiast who has spent more than 30,000 hours inside VR over the past seven years. He doesn’t just game in VR — he socialises, builds relationships, and even sleeps there. For him, virtual reality isn’t an escape from real life — it is real life. We talk about VRChat, digital identity, online relationships, and what happens when your primary community exists in a headset.

Then, I sit down with Philipp Fussenegger, founder of Cybrothel — the world’s first AI brothel. We discuss how virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and immersive technology are reshaping the sex industry, redefining companionship, and challenging our ideas about intimacy and connection in a digital age.
Is virtual reality enhancing human connection — or replacing it?
Are VR relationships real relationships?
And what does the future of love and sex look like in the metaverse?
This episode dives deep into virtual reality relationships, digital intimacy, AI companionship, and the future of human connection.

Thank you so much to Starh and Philipp for sharing their experiences.

You can follow Philipp on Instagram @philipp_fussenegger

Check out Cybrothel on Instagram @cybrothel

🎉 Big news! The StickyBeak will be returning to two episodes a week!
Wednesdays: Your regular deep dive into the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully strange stories from around the world.
Mondays: A brand-new episode all about YOUR stories — the wild, funny, and outrageous confessions you send in.
Got a story to share? Be a StickyBeak and submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK_D0b6Cp7WAKDq4thfd4EZNrXJPba1C2r9VZkxptxbYmJtA/viewform! 🦜

Got an Idea for the Podcast?
I’d love to hear from you! If there’s a topic you’d like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.

EMAIL: [email protected]
INSTAGRAM: @thestickybeakpodcast
TIKTOK: @thestickybeakpodcast
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.mon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For centuries, Europe’s most celebrated opera singers had voices that sounded almost supernatural — powerful, soaring, and unlike anything audiences had ever heard before.
They were known as the castrati.

From the sacred choirs of the Vatican to the grand opera houses of Europe, these singers became some of the biggest celebrities of the 17th and 18th centuries. Kings invited them to royal courts. Fans travelled across countries just to hear them perform. Some became astonishingly wealthy and famous.

But behind those extraordinary voices was a secret far darker than most audiences realised.

In this episode of The StickyBeak, Monika O’Hanlon explores the strange and unsettling history of the castrati — how the practice began in Renaissance Italy, why thousands of boys were drawn into the system, and how a handful rose to become global superstars like Farinelli.

You’ll also hear about the last surviving castrato, Alessandro Moreschi, whose early 1900s recordings remain the only surviving example of what these voices actually sounded like.
It’s a story about music, fame, ambition… and the uncomfortable lengths societies will sometimes go to in pursuit of beauty.

This episode was brought to you by Tüt, toilet lid stickers to zhuzh up your toot. Because every throne needs a crown.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/tutdeco/

🎉 Big news! The StickyBeak will be returning to two episodes a week!
Wednesdays: Your regular deep dive into the weird, wonderful, and wonderfully strange stories from around the world.
Mondays: A brand-new episode all about YOUR stories — the wild, funny, and outrageous confessions you send in.
Got a story to share? Be a StickyBeak and submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK_D0b6Cp7WAKDq4thfd4EZNrXJPba1C2r9VZkxptxbYmJtA/viewform! 🦜

Got an Idea for the Podcast?
I’d love to hear from you! If there’s a topic you’d like me to explore or someone you think would make a great guest, flick me a message.

EMAIL: [email protected]
INSTAGRAM: @thestickybeakpodcast
TIKTOK: @thestickybeakpodcast
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.mon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.