The Musers The Podcast: "Cheating Death" – Episode 16

Release Date: October 8, 2025
Hosts: George Dunham, Craig “Junior” Miller, Gordon Keith
Podcast: The Musers The Podcast (Cumulus Podcast Network)

Overview

In Episode 16, "Cheating Death," the Musers share personal stories and reflections about their closest brushes with death. The trio—George, Craig ("Junior"), and Gordo—use their trademark wit, banter, and a dose of earnestness to discuss bike accidents, plane emergencies, near-misses in traffic, choking mishaps, and more. The conversation moves from comic to contemplative and back again as they muse over fate, luck, and the ways people survive mortal danger—sometimes knowingly, often obliviously.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Podcast Sweet 16 & Listener Letter of the Week

Timestamps: 01:06–06:31

• The Musers celebrate their 16th episode.
• Listener Mark, a retired Minuteman III ICBM launch officer, shares insights from his job—including the infamous “turn the key” launch process and the dark humor among missile crews.
  • Quote: “We had T-shirts made that said, ‘You can run, you’ll just die tired.’” – Mark, via Junior (03:00)
• The trio reflect on the moral burden of such work, referencing the “War Games” movie and Harry Truman's supposed lack of remorse after ordering the atomic bombings.

2. Brushing with Death: Fate, Luck, or Plan?

Timestamps: 06:31–09:18

• Junior introduces the topic: “cheating death.”
• The trio discuss the notion that people sometimes dodge death without ever knowing it.
  • Quote: “That time you went back to get your wallet or something and left two minutes later… did that save you?” – George (07:34)
• They delve into fate vs. randomness, questioning whether there’s a grand plan or just chaos.
  • Gordo muses: “Is this man’s greatest superpower? Imposing meaning and order on sort of orderless things—the chaos of the universe?” (08:51)

3. Childhood Near-Death Experiences

Timestamps: 09:32–13:01

• George recounts being hit by a motorcycle at age 13 while riding his bike but walking away with scrapes, highlighting kids’ resilience.
  • Quote: “Man, that is a sweet pool. He’s got nice bikinis wearing too.” – Gordo, riffing on the listener’s pool photo (02:24)
  • “I just went back to my bike and I picked it up and said, I’m sorry, I’m sorry I cut in front of you… like it was my fault. I guess it was.” – George (11:00)
• The guys marvel at how children rebound from accidents that would hospitalize adults.

4. Junior's Collection of Life-Threatening Bike Stories

Timestamps: 12:15–25:36, 36:36–48:09

- Luxembourg, 2001: Nearly Hit by a Car Going 120 MPH

• Junior recalls a car getting airborne on a rural road in Luxembourg; he and his friend are missed by inches.
  • Quote: “He missed Dave by three inches… And if he had drifted a little further, he takes both of us out.” – Junior (14:43)

- Colorado, 2015: Brakes Fail in a Downpour

• Junior’s wet rim brakes barely save him from careening into a turning car at speed; only the driver’s last-minute sighting averts disaster: “I miss her front bumper by a foot.” (41:23)

- Race Across America, 2017: Truck and Gravel

• At 25 MPH, Junior’s bike nearly tosses him into traffic when the shoulder disappears into gravel; an 18-wheeler passes just feet away (44:44).

- Seagoville, Texas, 2018: The Game Changer

• A jacked-up truck squeezes between him and a passing car at 70 MPH, missing him by two inches. After this, Junior rethinks solo rides and starts sticking to bike paths and safer routes. “That incident changed the way I plan my rides.” (48:09)

5. Brushes with Death in the Air

Timestamps: 16:21–28:35

• Junior relives a harrowing private plane descent in 1999, just months after golfer Payne Stewart’s fatal crash.

  • The cabin loses pressure; oxygen masks deploy (placebo, according to FAA!), and the plane nose-dives from 25,000 to 10,000 feet. Junior experiences a preternatural calm.
  • Quote: “All I could think of was, wow, all these years I’ve watched news stories about plane crashes… I can’t believe I’m going to die in a plane crash. This is really crazy.” – Junior (20:43)
  • FAA interviews reveal that masks would not have been enough if descent hadn’t already started: “If you had not already been starting your descent, you all would have been dead just like Payne Stewart.” (23:52)

• Gordo recalls stunt and small plane turbulence making him so sick he “wished one of those stalls had taken me.” (29:29)

6. Silly but Deadly: Food and Childhood Antics

Timestamps: 30:59–39:34

• George nearly chokes on a hot dog at age ten while ice skating, self-administers a rudimentary Heimlich with no help from adults or child bystanders.

  • Quote: “Why do we make them in kid throat plugging shape, right? We need triangular hot dogs. Build them like a Toblerone.” – Gordo (33:36)

• Gordo shares a classic “kids are idiots” moment: Getting dragged behind his mom’s car at 30 MPH on roller skates, letting go just before she exits the neighborhood, and surviving with nothing but gnarly road rash.

• Gordo also describes crashing into a parked car face-first while riding his bike, again emerging with only bruises and a battered ego.

7. Traffic, Motorcycles, and Adult Close Calls

Timestamps: 49:58–57:36

• Gordo dodges disaster when a car re-joins the highway directly in front of him at 90 MPH, forcing him onto the shoulder (51:15).
• Two terrifying motorcycle moments: once wiping out on wet leaves after a car pulled in front of him, and once using a parking garage ramp to avoid a left-turning car (53:50).
  • Gordo: “Had to do some NASCAR driving. And this was right before that right shoulder disappeared…” (51:52)
• Gordo’s scooter accident on Dallas trolley tracks leads to a head-bashing fall; only his helmet (cracked!) saves him from the delivery truck behind. (54:23)
  • Quote: “I guess I have cheated death more than I think.” – Gordo (56:29)

8. George’s Traffic Near-Misses

Timestamps: 57:36–61:36

• George narrowly avoids a police chase U-Haul truck that flies over a Dallas median—just five seconds’ difference would have changed everything.
  • Quote: “If we had left five seconds earlier, that U-Haul would have hit us head on.” (59:35)
• Recalls a childhood story: When his sister had to ditch a car at 70 MPH to avoid a head-on with a tractor and car he was standing (!) in the back seat.

Notable Quotes

• On fate and randomness:
  “Or could this just be man's greatest superpower, which is imposing meaning and order on sort of orderless things?” – Gordo (08:51)

• On surreal calm in the face of death:
  “I just had this odd sense of calm, because I had time to process that where the close calls on my bike, I haven't. But this was… It was almost like I was being told you're going to die in four minutes.” – Junior (25:18)

• On childhood invincibility:
  “Isn't it amazing all these falls you can take as a kid? As an adult, you'd have all these broken bones. But kids are so malleable and flexible.” – Junior (39:14)

• On motorcycle safety:
  “This is the one that sold me on helmets… when I used to ride that scooter, I would say half the time I'd wear helmets… my head hit the pavement so hard… (the helmet) was all scuffed up and was cracked in the back.” – Gordo (54:28, 56:32)

• On Dallas highways:
  “We have to lead the nation in car accidents, don't we?” – Junior (61:36)

Memorable Moments & Humor

• Banter about the “documentary” War Games, Harry Truman, and existential fate.
• Gordo’s deadpan: “Could you be a missile launch guy?” / “No, I couldn’t do anything really important. Made for radio and podcasting.” (06:22)
• Junior’s friend’s post-near-accident wish for the reckless driver: “If that had rolled that car and burst into flames, I would have been so happy.” (15:10)
• Gordo’s crusade for Toblerone-shaped hot dogs.
• The guys’ realization of how many people—especially kids—escape serious injury through luck or sheer flexibility.

Reflection: Why This Topic Resonates

“Cheating death”—whether through quick-thinking, resilience, or dumb luck—sparks anxious laughter, self-examination, and appreciation for the randomness of survival. The episode closes with the Musers acknowledging their good fortune in living to tell the tale—each story a blend of incredulity, humor, and “what if?”

Key Segment Timestamps

• Letter of the Week (ICBM Launch Officer): 02:24–06:31
• Musings on fate, luck, and divine plans: 07:05–09:18
• George’s childhood motorcycle accident: 09:32–13:01
• Junior’s near-death bike experience in Europe: 12:15–15:40
• Junior’s plane emergency: 16:21–25:36
• Biking close calls – Colorado & Texas: 36:36–48:09
• Motorcycle/scooter wipes outs: 49:58–57:36
• Traffic near-misses – U-Haul police chase: 57:36–61:36

Conclusion

Episode 16 is a masterclass in blending dark comedy, nostalgia, and insight. The Musers prove, once again, that the mundane and the mortal can both be material for unforgettable radio.

For more Musers:
New episodes drop every Wednesday. Listener stories (Letter of the Week) can be sent to themuserspod@gmail.com or via their social channels.