Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder Ep. 519 – “Giants of Any Kind”
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Date: February 12, 2026
Network: Exactly Right / iHeartPodcasts
Overview
In this episode, Karen and Georgia return with their signature true crime-comedy blend, covering two stories:
- The extraordinary childhood courage of Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans—a story honoring Black History Month.
- The jaw-dropping saga of George Remus, “The King of Bootleggers,” who built a Prohibition-era whiskey empire before descending into murder and wild courtroom drama.
Their conversation spans personal quirks, cultural recommendations, insights about race and history, and the absurd opulence and violence of 1920s organized crime.
Table of Contents
- Opening Banter: Cats, Rotting, and Popcorn (02:23–09:42)
- Exactly Right Podcast Network Updates (09:44–12:31)
- Karen’s Story: Ruby Bridges Integrates New Orleans Schools (14:34–43:36)
- Georgia’s Story: George Remus – The King of Bootleggers (47:00–70:52)
- Memorable Quotes & Moments
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Opening Banter: Cats, Rotting, and Popcorn
(02:23–09:42)
- Karen and Georgia joke about feeling “fresh and new” despite being long-time podcasters.
- They riff on gleeking (spit-shooting), whistling, and Karen’s OnlyFans “talents” (“I can whistle and be negative”—Karen, 03:42).
- Discussion of comfort hobbies: “rotting” with cats, reading (Georgia recommends The Husbands—a sci-fi about infinite husbands), and watching TV or movies.
- Karen laments the underwhelming Game of Thrones prequel but praises her abiding fascination with “giants of any kind”—“A big man is... I’m always piqued.” (06:01)
- Movie talk: Georgia presses Karen to watch “Begonia” and “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You.” Karen admits to being “popcorn-oriented” rather than movie-oriented: “Please be honest about how you're using the movie theater for popcorn only.” (09:16)
- Casual, comedic setup transitions into the show’s main stories.
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Exactly Right Podcast Network Updates
(09:44–12:31)
- Announcement of “Two Faced: John of God”—a limited series about a Brazilian spiritual healer available in English and Spanish (“Dos Caras: Juan de Dios”).
- My Favorite Murder and Buried Bones are available weekly on Netflix: “Your old comfort listen is now your new comfort watch.” (10:34)
- Fan Cult members get access to episodes worldwide, ad-free audio/video, and exclusive merch.
- Shout-outs to the Exactly Right store for last-chance merch.
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Karen’s Story: Ruby Bridges – Integration and Courage
(14:34–43:36)
Segment Breakdown:
Intro & Context (14:36)
- Karen selects Ruby Bridges’ story for Black History Month, emphasizing the incredible burden placed on a six-year-old.
- Quote: “This child was a baby when she had to do this.” (16:10)
Ruby’s Early Life and the Dawn of Integration (16:54–19:24)
- Ruby Bridges, born in 1954 in Mississippi. Parents, Lucille and Abon, move to New Orleans for a better life and education.
- Brown v. Board of Education had just ruled segregation unconstitutional, but schools remained separate.
The New Orleans Integration Struggle (19:24–22:26)
- 1960: Federal judge Skelly Wright orders New Orleans schools to integrate or shut down.
- Out of 150 Black children who take an unfair entrance exam designed to keep them out, only six pass; Ruby is one.
Ruby’s First Day: November 14, 1960 (22:26–28:33)
- Ruby is escorted by federal marshals, unknowing of the mob outside. She thinks it might be Mardi Gras.
- Only four Black girls integrate two schools; Ruby attends William Frantz Elementary alone.
- Heart-wrenching: “Did I feel special? Yes, I did feel very special. As a matter of fact... I really thought I was going straight to college.” (24:19)
The Harrowing Days That Follow (28:33–33:33)
- All teachers (except one, Barbara Henry) and almost all parents remove their children; Ruby’s mom stays by her side; federal marshals guard them.
- Mob violence: “...they're throwing tomatoes and eggs at Ruby, Lucille, and the marshals.” (29:29)
- Her teacher, Barbara Henry, becomes a lifelong friend, creating a safe haven inside the classroom: “She made me feel safe. She made school fun for me.” (32:05)
- The cruelty outside: “She does remember seeing people carrying a child’s coffin with a black doll inside...” (33:26)
Isolation, Fallout, and the Ripples of History (33:33–43:36)
- Mrs. Henry is the only teacher to teach Ruby; Ruby’s parents lose their jobs, grandparents are evicted.
- Ruby’s second grade is harsher—her teacher, a year prior protestor, mocks her, and Dr. Robert Coles (Harvard psychologist) offers counseling.
- Recognition delayed: Only as a teen does Ruby realize her national significance, after Norman Rockwell’s The Problem We All Live With is published. (39:52)
- Ruby grows up, meets President Obama, receives the Presidential Citizens Medal, and starts the Ruby Bridges Foundation.
- Tribute to her mother Lucille on her passing in 2020.
Memorable Quote:
“Up until that moment, I didn’t think anyone remembered or cared or that it even mattered... I did not realize that my walk, my story, was a part of the civil rights movement.”
— Ruby Bridges (39:52)
Emotional Reflection
Karen and Georgia repeatedly emphasize the emotional resonance and historical proximity:
- “Ruby Bridges is still alive... This is not the distant past...” (35:51)
- “That woman is so brave. She knew the threats, and you know Ruby didn’t, but she and her husband did. And they said we’re still moving forward.” (30:30)
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Georgia’s Story: George Remus – The King of Bootleggers
(47:00–70:52)
Segment Breakdown:
Introduction and Pop Culture Reference (47:00–49:40)
- Georgia introduces George Remus, "The King of Bootleggers," noting his role in the second season of Boardwalk Empire (portrayed by Glenn Fleschler).
Remus’s Legal Hustle and Family Life (51:17–56:15)
- German-born Remus immigrates to Chicago, becomes a pharmacist, then a defense lawyer.
- Famous for inventing the “temporary insanity” legal defense.
- Known for courtroom theatrics, earning the nickname “Crying Remus.”
Affairs, Scandals, and the Dawn of Prohibition (54:28–56:45)
- Affair with Imogene Holmes exposed in newspapers, divorce from first wife Lillian (“I told her I didn’t want him. You may keep the rubbish.” — Lillian, 56:15).
- Marries Imogene; starts bootlegging as Prohibition takes effect.
Bootlegging Empire: Wealth and Wild Parties (56:45–64:24)
- Moves to Cincinnati for proximity to US whiskey supplies.
- Exploits legal loopholes allowing whiskey for “medicinal use.”
- Controls 1/7th of Prohibition-era whiskey market, amasses (in today’s money) over $600 million.
- Throws Gatsby-esque parties: “Each woman leaves with a pair of diamond earrings and every man leaves with a diamond pin...some rumors say each party guest left with a car.” (63:07)
Downfall: Betrayal, Murder, and Infamy (64:27–70:52)
- Remus is imprisoned for Volstead Act violations. An undercover agent, Franklin Dodge, befriends him, seduces Imogene, and together they liquidate Remus’s empire.
- Imogene tries to have Remus killed, but the hitman reveals the plan.
- When Imogene files for divorce, Remus confronts and kills her in public: “With onlookers watching in shock, George shoots Imogene in the stomach, and she dies at the hospital.” (68:09)
- At trial, Remus self-defends, claims temporary insanity, and is acquitted after the jury deliberates only 19 minutes.
- Lives a quiet post-murder life as a “contractor” in Kentucky until his death.
Notable Banter:
- Karen jokes: “He had like six different jobs and ends as a contractor. I think he’s just good at bossing people around!” (71:09)
- On courtroom strategy: “He delivers his own defense with his trademark histrionics. Men are so emotional, you know what I mean?” (68:52)
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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Context | |-----------|-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 06:00 | Karen | “Because, you know, I'm a fan of giants of any kind, really. A big man is... I'm always piqued.” | | 24:19 | Ruby (via Karen) | “Did I feel special? Yes, I did feel very special. As a matter of fact...I really thought I was going straight to college.” | | 29:29 | Karen | “They're throwing tomatoes and eggs at Ruby, Lucille, and the marshals, but mostly at a little tiny girl...” | | 32:05 | Ruby (via Karen) | “She made me feel safe. She made school fun for me. I knew once I passed the crowd and got inside the building, I was gonna have a great day because of her.” | | 39:52 | Ruby Bridges | “Up until that moment, I didn’t think anyone remembered or cared or that it even mattered. I did not realize that my walk, my story, was a part of the civil rights movement.” | | 56:15 | Lillian Clough | “I told her I didn’t want him. You mean they keep the rubbish?” | | 63:07 | Georgia | “Each woman leaves with a pair of diamond earrings and every man leaves with a diamond pin. There are rumors…each party guest leaves with a car.” | | 68:09 | Georgia | “With onlookers watching in shock, George shoots Imogene in the stomach, and she dies at the hospital.” | | 68:52 | Georgia | “He delivers his own defense with his trademark histrionics. Men are so emotional, you know what I mean?” |
Tone & Style
The episode embodies MFM’s signature mix of empathy, wit, and irreverence:
- Deep emotional resonance during Karen’s story of Ruby Bridges, marked by outrage and awe at the courage of a child facing racist mobs.
- Playful, sarcastic commentary on the egos and crimes of Prohibition-era men in Georgia’s segment.
- Frequent comedic asides, relatable pop culture references, and spontaneous banter reflecting the duo's chemistry and the podcast’s accessible style.
Final Thoughts
Karen and Georgia continue to excel at blending history, true crime, and comedy—bringing perspective to civil rights and social injustice in Ruby Bridges’ story, and exploring the outlandish excess and violence of the bootlegging era with George Remus. The episode is a testament to both the endurance of the human spirit and the absurdity (and horror) of crime throughout American history.