My Favorite Murder – Episode 525: “Snap It Out”
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Date: March 26, 2026
Podcast Network: Exactly Right & iHeartPodcasts
Episode Overview
In this rich, heartfelt, and darkly humorous episode, Karen and Georgia connect recent events, listener experiences, and history through two main stories. First, Karen dives deep into the 1942 mass poisoning at the Oregon State Hospital, uncovering a little-known tragedy and exploring its resonance with current mental health care debates. Georgia then honors Women’s History Month by sharing the inspirational story of Marion Pritchard, a Dutch resistance hero who saved 150 Jewish children during the Holocaust. The conversations weave personal anecdotes, comedy, historical context, and impassioned commentary on systemic neglect and everyday heroism.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Catching Up: Awards Shows, Travel, and the Airplane Snot Incident
[03:40 – 10:22]
- Karen and Georgia recount their recent trip to Austin for SXSW and the iHeart Podcast Awards.
- Memorable riff about a man with a huge green handkerchief “snapping out” his snot repeatedly on a crowded flight, leading to growing horror and bonding with seat companions.
- “He blows his nose in it and then snaps it out like three times every sixty seconds.” — Karen [05:23]
- “It started weird... By the fifteenth time, I was literally screaming and putting my sweater over my mouth every time he did it.” — Karen [05:34]
- Lighthearted banter about fashion mishaps, vintage shopping, and the existential threat posed by their growing tote bag collections.
2. Podcast Network & Community Updates
[10:22 – 12:25]
- Highlights from the Exactly Right Media network, including praise for new series, guest interviews (Bradley Whitford on That’s Messed Up), and a roundup of recent true crime cases featured on various shows.
- Announcement: Spring cleaning merch sale with promo code ERMSPRING26.
Main Story 1: The 1942 Oregon State Hospital Mass Poisoning
Presented by Karen Kilgariff
[17:01 – 41:39]
Context & Setup
- Inspired by Karen’s friend Zach Galifianakis’s new gardening show, Karen introduces the larger context of wartime America.
- The Oregon State Hospital in Salem faced overcrowding, understaffing, and chronic underfunding during WWII, similar to many mental health facilities nationwide.
The Tragedy Unfolds
- On November 18, 1942, dinner (scrambled eggs) is served to over 3,000 patients and staff. Within minutes, hundreds fall violently ill; dozens die rapidly.
- Early reports describe the eggs as “salty” or “soapy.” Nurses, like Ali Wassell, notice the taste and try to intervene.
- “A nurse named Ali Wassell is so uneasy about the taste, she orders all of her patients to stop eating these eggs.” — Karen [25:54]
Investigation, Paranoia, and the Source
- Mass panic follows—fears of enemy sabotage and poisoned government rations run rampant.
- An investigation reveals the scrambled eggs were laced with sodium fluoride (rat poison), accidentally mixed in instead of powdered milk due to poor storage and lack of labeling.
- A trusted patient (“trustee”) was sent for powdered milk, but unlocked storage rooms and unlabeled containers led to the accidental mixing of toxic cockroach poison into the meal.
Systemic Failures and Aftermath
- No criminal charges are filed, but a grand jury lays blame on institutional neglect, lack of trained staff, and inadequate funding.
- Immediate reforms include national laws for clear poison labeling and increases in hospital funding—but the pattern of neglect continues for decades.
- Karen draws direct lines from this past to ongoing mental health crises and political funding cuts, making the story chillingly relevant.
- “We are not in a particularly progressive era when it comes to this issue, particularly at the federal level.” — Karen [39:28]
- “This is a reminder of the stakes of indifference and neglect when it comes to our national health care.” — Karen [40:58]
- Finishes with a resonant quote from JFK:
“We must promote to the best of our ability... the mental and physical health of all our citizens.” — JFK (as quoted by Karen) [41:15]
Memorable Moments/Quotes
- “It should say fucking poison.” — Georgia [32:45]
- “Because of these staffing issues, it’s impossible for Abraham and his colleagues to do their jobs without relying on patient trustees, who are not trained as actual staff.” — Karen [35:47]
Main Story 2: Marion Pritchard – Dutch Resistance Hero
Presented by Georgia Hardstark
[47:07 – 70:43]
The World War II Backdrop
- For Women’s History Month, Georgia profiles Marion Pritchard, a young Dutch social worker who saved more than 150 Jewish children amid Nazi occupation.
Early Life & Motivation
- Marion, raised by progressive parents in Amsterdam, decides to study social work rather than medicine to avoid swearing a Nazi loyalty oath.
- Witnesses horrific deportations and anti-Semitic violence, leading her to dedicate herself to the Dutch resistance.
- “There’s two women coming from the other direction and they tried to stop the Nazis and they picked the women up and threw them on top of the kids and drove off. And that was when I fully consciously decided that this was it.” — Marion (quoted by Georgia) [57:28]
Acts of Courage
- Shelters a Jewish toddler at personal and family risk.
- Works with resistance networks to hide and transport Jewish children, at times posing as an unwed mother to get false papers for the kids.
- “For months, this is how Marion helps—shuttling children back and forth to families that can house them.” — Georgia [59:30]
- Moves in with the Pollack family (father and three young children) to hide them in a rural house; practices rapid escape into a hidden crawlspace.
Ultimate Test: Life or Death
- When a Dutch Nazi collaborator discovers the hiding place, Marion shoots and kills him to protect the family.
- “I couldn’t think of anything to do but shoot him.” — Marion (quoted by Georgia) [62:04]
- With help from local resistance (a gay ballet dancer, a baker, and an undertaker), they secretly dispose of the body and avoid detection.
Impact, Aftermath, and Reflection
- Marion continues resistance work, highlighting both the extraordinary risks and the collective responsibility of ordinary people.
- After the war, she helps run displaced persons camps and later becomes a psychoanalyst and teacher in the U.S.
- “Not only did she save lives during the 1940s, but she continues to save lives today through her influence.” — Colleague (quoted by Georgia) [69:01]
- Her lasting message: the real rescuers were the parents who gave up their children to be hidden, not knowing if it was the right choice.
Notable Quotes
- “[The world] did not neatly divide up into perpetrators, victims, bystanders and rescuers. The delivery man wasn’t actively involved in the resistance... and yet when asked, they cooperated.” — Marion (quoted by Georgia) [64:29]
- “Life is children.” — Marion (quoted by her family) [69:39]
Core Takeaways and Resonance
- Systemic Neglect Still Kills: Both main stories underline the deadly consequences of institutional neglect—whether through bureaucratic accidents or political indifference.
- Everyday Acts of Courage Matter: Marion Pritchard’s story amplifies the power of personal resistance, and how small acts, performed at great personal risk, can save lives and shape history.
- Historical Relevance: The struggles of past generations with rationing, scarcity, and government failure echo strongly in today’s context—from mental health funding to the current state of social services.
- “We need to feed ourselves. We need to feed our communities. Need to take care of each other.” — Karen [42:26]
- Comedy and Compassion: True to the show’s DNA, heavy material is tempered with warmth, self-deprecation, and a steady appeal to the better angels of human nature.
- “Be a decent human being is all we’re asking. Just save some children. Focus on children. For once in your life.” — Georgia and Karen (paraphrased, [70:17])
Timestamps of Important Segments
- [03:40] – Opening conversation, handkerchief man on the airplane
- [10:22] – Podcast network and merch updates
- [17:01] – Beginning of Karen’s Oregon State Hospital story
- [25:54] – The poisoning event unfolds in real-time at the hospital
- [32:45] – Discovery of the labeling/storage protocol failure
- [39:28] – Modern echoes: continued failures in mental health funding/policy
- [41:39] – Transition to Georgia’s story
- [47:07] – Georgia begins the story of Marion Pritchard
- [57:28] – Pritchard’s pivotal moment of decision
- [62:04] – The confrontation and shooting of the Nazi collaborator
- [69:01] – The legacy of Marion Pritchard as educator and inspiration
- [70:17] – Summing up: lessons, courage, decency
Notable Quotes
“It should say fucking poison. Yes, you’re exactly right. And keep that—bookmark that idea for later.”
— Karen [32:45]
“The greatest rescuers of children were the parents who gave them up.”
— Marion Pritchard (quoted by Georgia) [66:22]
“We must promote to the best of our ability... the mental and physical health of all our citizens.”
— JFK (quoted by Karen) [41:15]
Tone and Style
Karen and Georgia maintain their trademark balance of irreverence, empathy, and incisive social commentary. The banter is lively and candid, punctuating dark historical detail with modern analogies and comic asides, making the stories both approachable and deeply affecting.
Conclusion
This episode is a testament to how storytelling—rooted in history, but animated by humor, friendship, and moral clarity—can both entertain and illuminate. The stories encourage listeners to remember the costs of bureaucratic indifference and the transformative potential of everyday courage, especially in times of crisis.
Stay Sexy, and Don’t Get Murdered!