MFM Minisode 427

Summary

Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder Minisode 427

Episode Details:

• Title: MFM Minisode 427
• Release Date: March 17, 2025
• Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
• Network: Exactly Right by iHeartPodcasts

Introduction: In this Minisode of My Favorite Murder, hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark delve into a series of poignant and unsettling true crime stories submitted by their listeners. The episode navigates through personal tragedies, chilling encounters with murderers, and darkly humorous tales, all while maintaining the show's signature blend of true crime and comedy.

---

1. Brown's Chicken Massacre and Personal Trauma

Story Highlight: Georgia Hardstark shares a deeply personal narrative titled "My Dad Ate Brown's Chicken in Palatine, Illinois, the night of January 8, 1993." This story revolves around the infamous Brown's Chicken Massacre, where seven individuals were brutally murdered.

Key Points:

• Connection to the Case: Georgia recounts how her father, an immigrant doctor, was a direct acquaintance of the victims, Richard and Lynn Elenfeld, the owners of Brown's Chicken.
• The Night of the Massacre: On the night of the massacre, Georgia's father chose to dine at Brown's Chicken despite intending to reduce his greasy food intake due to a New Year's resolution ("[03:00] Georgia Hardstark").
• Witnessing the Aftermath: He remained in his office until 10 PM, oblivious to the tragedy unfolding less than 250 feet away. The following morning, he discovered the gruesome scene and the loss of his friends.
• Long-term Impact: The incident left her father traumatized and led him to purchase his first gun, never feeling safe in his office again. Tragically, 25 years later, he became the victim of an attempted murder by a family member ("[04:37] Georgia Hardstark").

Notable Quote: Georgia reflects on her father's resilience, stating, "My dad survived by the skin of his teeth. And I'm so grateful he's still alive to recount this story and many others" ("[05:06] Georgia Hardstark").

Hosts' Reactions: Karen expresses profound empathy, saying, "What a story. And what a thing for your dad to go through that alone" ("[05:42] Karen Kilgariff"), highlighting the intersection of personal loss and community tragedy.

---

2. St. Patrick's Day Prank Gone Wrong

Story Highlight: Listener Paula shares an anecdote titled "St. Patrick's Day Prank Gone Wrong," detailing her experience with a well-intentioned but ultimately distressing prank on her children.

Key Points:

• The Prank Setup: Paula set her voicemail to sound like a leprechaun searching for his stolen gold, aiming to create a playful St. Patrick's Day experience for her kids ("[07:06] Georgia Hardstark").
• Escalation of Fear: Taking it a step further, she called her home phone in a leprechaun voice, leading her children to believe a real leprechaun was after them. The situation escalated when her daughter's friend became terrified, even calling home to leave early ("[07:58] Karen Kilgariff").
• Unintended Consequences: While Paula finds humor in the memory, her family did not share the sentiment, creating lasting memories of trauma for her children ("[09:08] Karen Kilgariff").

Notable Quote: Georgia humorously comments on the situation, "Like a new level of trauma" ("[09:37] Karen Kilgariff"), emphasizing the unintended negative impact of the prank.

Hosts' Reflections: Karen highlights the thin line between humor and harm, noting, "It's so traumatic, but I still find it hilarious" ("[09:28] Karen Kilgariff"), underscoring the complexities of parental pranks.

---

3. Witnessing a Murder Firsthand

Story Highlight: Listener Cam recounts the harrowing experience of his mother witnessing a murderer immediately after the crime, titled "Coming Too Close to a Murderer."

Key Points:

• The Incident: Cam's mother observed a man exiting a neighbor's house on the morning of his murder, creating a crucial eyewitness account that aided in his swift apprehension ("[14:42] Karen Kilgariff").
• Emotional Aftermath: The event left a lasting scar on his mother, who feared the man might return to eliminate her as a witness ("[16:16] Karen Kilgariff").
• Community Impact: Cam emphasizes the vulnerability of witnesses in violent crimes, particularly highlighting the compounded fear felt by women in such situations ("[16:55] Karen Kilgariff").

Notable Quote: Georgia articulates the gravity of the situation, saying, "She could have been the only witness to the fact that he was still there" ("[16:55] Karen Kilgariff"), emphasizing the precarious position of eyewitnesses.

Hosts' Insights: Karen and Georgia discuss the psychological toll on witnesses, with Karen noting, "It's sickening" ("[16:24] Georgia Hardstark"), reflecting on the persistent trauma such experiences can cause.

---

4. Dark Humor at Funerals

Story Highlight: Listener Megan shares a story titled "Laughing When You're Not Supposed To at a Funeral," detailing her family's unconventional approach to mourning by incorporating humor into the cremation process.

Key Points:

• Unconventional Music Choice: Megan's family chose "Mambo Number 5" by Lou Bega as the farewell song for her relative, intending to honor his lively spirit ("[21:12] Karen Kilgariff").
• Immediate Reaction: Megan initially laughed out of shock, expecting others to share in the humor, but was met with confused and alarmed reactions from attendees ("[22:39] Georgia Hardstark").
• Transforming Mourning: Despite the initial awkwardness, the choice of song sparked joyful reminiscences about the deceased, turning a somber event into a celebration of his life ("[23:07] Georgia Hardstark").

Notable Quote: Karen humorously advises, "Stay sexy and pick a funny song for your cremation" ("[23:38] Georgia Hardstark"), highlighting the value of humor in coping with loss.

Hosts' Reactions: Georgia and Karen find Megan's story both hilarious and heartwarming, appreciating the blend of respect and joy in honoring a loved one ("[23:38] Georgia Hardstark").

---

5. Hometown Festivals: Cone Parade and Savannah Slithering

Story Highlight: Georgia introduces unique hometown festivals in her stories "Dope Hometown Festivals," focusing on Richmond's Cone Parade and Savannah's Slithering event.

Key Points:

• Cone Parade in Richmond, Virginia: Celebrated every New Year's Day, participants don cone-shaped costumes ranging from creative interpretations like "UFOs abducting cows" to humorous portrayals like "a dog in a cone." The event features a live DJ and dance segments ("[18:33] Karen Kilgariff").
• Savannah Slithering: Coinciding with St. Patrick's Day, this parade involves participants dressing as snakes and carrying snake lanterns. The event fosters community spirit and showcases local creativity ("[20:24] Georgia Hardstark").

Notable Quote: Georgia shares her enthusiasm, "I have attended as both a spectator and a cone and had a blast either way" ("[19:19] Georgia Hardstark"), illustrating the fun and inclusivity of these festivals.

Hosts' Reflections: Karen likens these festivals to other adult gatherings like Santacon, emphasizing the importance of playful, communal events for adult happiness ("[21:00] Georgia Hardstark").

---

Conclusion: In Minisode 427, Karen and Georgia expertly navigate through a tapestry of true crime narratives intertwined with personal stories of trauma and resilience. From witnessing tragic massacres to navigating the complexities of humor in mourning, the episode underscores the multifaceted nature of human experiences with crime and loss. Their compassionate yet candid discussions provide a platform for listeners to reflect on their own encounters with violence and grief, all while maintaining the engaging and relatable tone that My Favorite Murder is renowned for.

Final Notes:

• Listener Engagement: Hosts encourage listeners to share their own hometown stories by emailing them to myfavoritemurdermail.com.
• Social Media: Follow My Favorite Murder on Instagram and Facebook for more updates and community interactions.

Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered!

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is exactly right. At the Hyundai Getaway sales event. Get deals so right it almost feels wrong.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Now's the best time to get that Hyundai car or SUV you've always wanted.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Plus, every new Hyundai comes with America's best warranty and three years or 36,000 miles of limited complimentary maintenance.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Don't think you can get away with all that? Think again. But don't wait.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The Hyundai getaway sales event is going on now, so visit your local Hyundai dealer today.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's a great day for a new Hyundai.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye, Georgia. You know I say this all the time. Sleep is the foundation for whole body health.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's true. Unfortunately, some of us have been structurally unsound for decades.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

I notoriously am a terrible sleeper. I have the hardest time falling asleep at night. It drives me crazy. So I'm always trying something before bed. And ever since I tried Beam Dream Powder, like I haven't switched to anything else. It works so, so well that don't take it away from your I'll cry.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You can count on Dream to help you wind down and wake up energized.

[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Olivia]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

My.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hello and welcome to my favorite murder.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The Minisode, where we read you your stories. Would you like to go first?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Sure. I got a fucking classic hometown here.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Amazing.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This one's called My Dad Ate Brown's Chicken in Palatine, Illinois, the night of January 8, 1993. He knew four of the victims.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And this is of course the Brown's Chicken Massacre case that I covered in episode 263, which is what I'm talking about, where seven people were murdered. Okay. Dear beloved MFM gang, for the many years I've listened to your show, I've pondered, what could I possibly share while overlooking my most obvious connection to a famous massacre? It dawned on me while visiting my hometown of Chicago last week and I passed a Brown's Chicken and Pasta. Here is my moment of glory. I'm proud to say that my dad is an immigrant and doctor who worked unbelievably hard to establish his own medical practice in the late 80s in the quiet northwest suburb of Palantine, Illinois. My dad's practice was located just behind a Browns Chicken. My dad didn't like the Browns Chicken because the building blocked the street view of his office. Typical mentality of my business savvy father, but he loved fatty, crispy chicken. In time he became friends with the owners, Richard and Lynn Elenfeld. My dad regularly ate at his friend's business and Friday, January 8, 1993 was no exception. My dad decided to stay late to catch up on work, but dinner presented a dilemma. His New Year's resolution was to cut back on greasy food after his business closed at 7pm and his staff left. My dad said fuck it and he walked over to Brown's Chicken across the parking lot to buy two pieces of classic leg and thigh with the quote extra greasy cornbread along with equally greasy mashed potatoes, as he puts it. Sounds amazing. He chatted with Richard for a bit before returning to his office with his fried chicken. That night he worked in his personal office located in the back of the unit. He ate his dinner, did his work until about 10pm and left from the rear door that opened into the alley behind the office, not knowing what was happening less than 250ft away from him. The next morning, he found his office surrounded by yellow tape, police and news station vans. To this day, my dad is still disturbed from the moment he learned that his friend and his wife, Richard and Lynn, were brutally murdered as he sat working in his office the night prior. My dad doesn't recall hearing anything that night. My dad also knew the two high school students who were killed, Michael C. Castro and Rico L. Solis, because he was their doctor and did their annual school physicals.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, it's heartbreaking, I know.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The following Monday, he went out and bought his first gun and never felt safe in that office again. In the months that followed, my dad saw his business plainly in the background of local and national news covering the story the Brown's Chicken that once blocked the view of my dad's office was the source of free advertising on a level that he did not want. Unfortunately, 25 years later, my dad was the victim of an attempted murder by a family member. Then it says, that's another longer story.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, yes, it is and you should write it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My dad survived by the skin of his Teeth. And I'm so grateful he's still alive to recount this story and many others. I often think about what my life could have been like if he didn't survive, and all the light, love, memories, and stories that would have vanished with him. I admire your work of bringing life back to the people we have wrongfully lost, because the families of the victims deserve it, and they deserve to know others stand with them in their loss. I'm grateful I'm not one of them, but my heart is with anyone affected by senseless acts of violence. Stay sexy and don't follow your New Year's resolutions if it means you get to see your friends less. Love, Olivia.

[Karen Kilgariff]

God, Olivia. Like, what a. What a story. And what a thing for your dad to go through that alone, separate from the other details, but just like an immigrant that comes to this country, becomes a doctor, builds a business, makes. Makes friends in his community, is part of the community, and then this happens to the community. Unbelievable. All right, well, this episode is airing on St. Patrick's Day, right? So here's a little left email, and this subject line of it is a St. Patrick's Day prank gone wrong. Now, I'm not sure who people are out there that are pranking people on St. Patrick's Day. The ones who cannot wait for April Fools or what?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Is that a thing?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I don't. Or is it just kind of friends being dicks to each other? Cause they can. But I don't know.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I guess I could see, like, a little leprechaun being a prankster. That makes sense.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, I think they're just greedy. I mean, I don't know why we're trying to fold in other. Okay, let me just read this email.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Top of the morning to you, lassies. I'm writing in as a day two listener. My friend Christina with a K heard you on day one and raved about you. Of course, I had to check out the podcast, and I've been a loyal listener ever since. Now, here's my story of questionable parenting. For years, I've had a tradition of setting my voicemail message as a leprechaun looking for his gold. I'm so sorry.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What? Wait, what for?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I forgot about this. And this used to be such a big part of everyone's life is what was your outgoing message gonna be? And. Right. And it was kind like what you were about, and you definitely wanted people to see you in a certain way.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So this person's saying, for years, I've had a tradition of setting my voicemail message. As a leprechaun looking for his gold on St. Patrick's Day, what a fun.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Way to be creative. I think mine is like the robot right now.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Is it?

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's so boring. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, I think it's. Cause the trend is out where it's like people don't. Don't really call each other as much anymore.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right, Right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Used to be a really big deal. Okay. One particular year, I decided to take it a step further and play a little prank on my kids, who were 6 and 8 at the time. I called my home phone and left a message in my best leprechaun voice. Oh, now I have to do leprechaun voice.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You have to do it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Tis known you have me gold, and I'll be sneaking in tonight to find your treasures you stole from me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow. Yes. I'm so glad they didn't give this to me. The powers that be did not pick this one and give it to me, because I would have ruined that. And that was perfect.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Thank you kindly. So they say. I thought it was hilarious. That evening during supper, I played the message for the kids. My daughter had a friend staying for a sleepover, and I really sold it. Acting surprised and saying, a leprechaun left us a message. He thinks we have his gold. To make it even more fun, I suggested we build a leprechaun trap after dinner using sticks and a cardboard box. At first, it all seemed fine. The kids went along with the idea. But then bedtime came. My daughter and her friend came into the living room crying. They were absolutely terrified that the leprechaun was coming for them. The friend was so scared that she called her mother and wanted to go home.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, it's so embarrassing. As a parent, when I got on.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The phone to explain, it was just a joke. Neither the mother nor my husband found it funny. She has not a friend in the room.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No divorce.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Except that little leprechaun. To this day, my daughter and son remind me of how I traumatized them, insisting it was not a cool thing to do. Of course, I still find it hilarious. And I continue to leave my annual leprechaun voicemail message every St. Patrick's Day. Wishing you all a happy and mischievous St. Patrick's Day. Paula.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Paula. Just the thought of, like, my mom, if she were a prankster, how bad that would suck. Yeah, you know, it's like a new level of trauma.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I feel like I had a cousin and he now does it to his daughters, which makes me laugh. But I know that I felt very differently when he was pranking, quote unquote, which is just outright abusing us during the 70s. But he still does stuff like he goes out if he's going out to the car to get something and then he knows his daughter is coming behind, he'll hide behind a bush and then just jump out at them. He does lots of that kind of stuff and I know it's cause he's like I want you to get ready.

[Georgia Hardstark]

For the world, right? Don't trust anyone, especially not your parents. Start at home not trusting anyone.

[Karen Kilgariff]

If you step out into a dark driveway in the middle of the country, you better start wondering who's who's hiding behind a bush.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's on you if you don't.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah at the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event get deals so right it almost feels wrong.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Now's the best time to get that Hyundai car or SUV you've always wanted.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Like the Tucson with next level tech and safety features, or the Palisade with.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Available third row heated seats.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Or the bold and super stylish Elantra.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Or go all electric with our breakthrough SUV, the Ioniq 5 Plus.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Every new Hyundai comes with America's best warranty and three years or 36,000 miles of limited complimentary maintenance.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Don't think you can get away with all that? Think again. But don't wait.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The Hyundai Getaway Sales event is going on now.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right now. Get 2.99 APR for 72 months on the Hyundai Santa Fe, Tucson or Elantra.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Visit your local Hyundai dealer today. It's a great day for a new Hyundai.

[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Go to squarespace.com murder for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use offer code murder to save 10 off your first purchase of a website or domain.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's squarespace.com murder code murder. Goodbye. This is called laughing when you're not supposed to at a funeral. Hey gals, just listen to the episode where you talk about laughing so hard when you aren't supposed to.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Our favorite.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I had to tell you the story. My sweet and perfect Mormon grandmother Joan died at the age of 93. A couple years ago her only living sibling Barbara died back in 2020. It was Covid time. So instead of burying her sister, we had her cremated with a plan to let her rest with my grandmother when the time came in talking with the funeral home when my grandmother died, we asked if we could just put my great aunt's cremains in with her sister. They were going to bury the grandma. The cremains hadn't been buried yet. They vehemently said no, not unless we pay the quote paperwork and fees to the tune of over 6k. And that says pretty sure in today's money that's got to be at least 9k. Inflation. Yeah, we declined just to put them together.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well but they're like basically like oh no, no. That's a whole separate bunch of charges that we are not collapsing into. One charge.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Well there's no two for one right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Here at a funeral.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The morning of my grandmother's burial, we all gathered plan was to walk across the cemetery together to her grave site behind the hearse we all had roses to place on her casket. My grandmother's favorite animal was birds of prey, like owls. So I gave an owl stuffy to my 6 year old niece to drop in her grave with her casket. She hugged it all the way to the grave and when it was time she dropped it on top of her casket. It made a loud thud. I was trying desperately not to laugh and refused to make eye contact with my aunt, sisters and mother because I knew we'd all die of laughter at this inappropriate time. This is because the night before I de stuffed the owl, took my great aunt Barbara's cremains and placed them into the stuffed owl and sewed it back up.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hell yes you did.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Cheers. Stay sexy and don't let the funeral homes charges keep you from letting your family rest together. And I should I say her name? I feel like I don't want to out her but oh well, Megan.

[Karen Kilgariff]

She her Megan. Megan signed her name. She's like you know what? Come for me, come for me. She's already down there and buried. Yeah. That's brilliant.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know. I love it. Breaking. Breaking rules that don't belong.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. The rules that are rules just so they can charge you fees and get a cut is like. Well, then you get. Now we're all. We all get to try to rip each other off, if that's what your standing rule is. I have rules, too.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. The rule is you're trying to get me. Like, get me. So then I'm gonna follow your rules and try to get you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, I'm gonna get you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Amen.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay. Uh, let's see. Oh, this is a classic hometown. And it says, coming too close to a murderer is the subject line.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hi, ladies. I've got a classic hometown for you. This story comes from my mom, who has told it over the years, and it gives me chills every single time. The first few years of my life, my family lived in a small town outside of Albany, New York. Early one morning, my dad left for work and my mom decided to take her cup of coffee and her youngest, cute little baby, me, out onto the front porch. My older brother and sister were sleeping inside. As she sat roughly and enjoying the quiet morning, something caught her attention. She watched as a man she didn't recognize emerged from the house across the street and walk up the driveway. As he reached the sidewalk, he stopped and noticed that she was watching and the two made eye contact. My mom got instant bad vibes. He just stood for another moment as my mom busied herself with adjusting me in her lap and generally avoiding looking in his direction. He finally moved down the road. What my mom didn't realize at the time is that she had just witnessed this man leaving the scene after brutally murdering our neighbor.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Holy fuck.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. Here's what happened. The previous evening, a young woman who lived across the street had a small party at her home. About an hour after all her guests had left. One man returned to rape and kill her. After assaulting her, he dragged her to the cellar where he used a wooden footstool to bludgeon her and. And slit her throat.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Thankfully, the man was arrested pretty quickly after her body was discovered. My mom helped identify him, but has said the whole situation was incredibly scary and traumatic. Of course.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

After being seen, he could have very easily decided to walk across the street to get rid of the witness. That's something my mom has thought about many times.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Definitely.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. So there's my hometown story. Honestly, just another in a long list about men who so easily perpetuate brutality against women. It's sickening. So remember, stay sexy and drink your coffee inside. Love ya, Cam.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That is chilling. Yeah, that is. Like she could have been the only witness to the fact that he was still there. Like his alibi is out because of her. And yeah, he didn't do anything. Fucking thank God. That's wild.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Also, it's just that the exponential vulnerability of a mother and her brand new.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Baby early in the morning. Oh, my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And the poor wild at the Hyundai Getaway sales event. Get deals so right it almost feels wrong.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Now's the best time to get that Hyundai car or SUV you've always wanted.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Like the Tucson with next level tech and safety features.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Or the Palisade with available third row heated seats.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Or the bold and super stylish Elantra.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Or go all electric with our breakthrough SUV, the Ioniq 5 Plus.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Every new Hyundai comes with America's best warranty and 3 years or 36, 000 miles of limited complimentary maintenance.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Don't think you can get away with all that. Think again. But don't wait.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The Hyundai getaway sales event is going on now.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right now. Get 2.99 APR for 72 months on the Hyundai Santa Fe, Tucson or Elantra.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Visit your local Hyundai dealer today. It's a great day for a new Hyundai.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Offer ends March 31. Call 562-314-4603. Goodbye.

[Laura]

PayPal lets you pay all your pals like your graduation gifters.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Who's paying for the mattress topper? You mean the beanbag chair? Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PayPal? It lets us collect the money before we buy. Ooh, yes, that's smart.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Glad we can agree on something easily.

[Laura]

Pool split and Send Money with PayPal. Get started in the PayPal app. A PayPal account is required to send and receive money. A balance account is required to to create a pool.

[Georgia Hardstark]

All right, well, my last one is just completely not like that at all.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's called Dope Hometown festivals. So here we go.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Great.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, y'all. In minisode 417. Oh, and there's actually a St. Patrick's Day shout out in this one too. In minisode 417, after talking about one town's hot dog day, you requested more weird hometown festivals. I have two good ones. This one's weird. I'm from Richmond, Virginia, where every New Year's Day we host the Cone Parade. Dozens of hungover people meet and parade through part of the city in full body cone costumes that range from rolled up poster board with names of metal bands written on them to full coney works of art and wordplay. And Alejandra. Does this mean like a traffic cone or are we talking about like an animal cone that you put on an animal when they get surgery? Can you look it up?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I guess. Traffic cone. My money's on a traffic cone.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's what I thought too, but let's go. I've attended as both a spectator and a cone and had a blast either way. There's a live dj, so there are a few stops for the cones to dance, AKA awkwardly bob up and down. A couple notable cones this year were a few chapel rowan cones, UFOs abducting cows with the cone as a tractor beam, a group of colored pencils, and a dog in a cone. And a dog in a cone. I love my weird city, Georgia.

[Laura]

It's literally like, cone shape.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Like, it's not a traffic cone, just.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The shape of a cone.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It could be anything, and it's just cone shape. Okay, that's easy.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That works.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I now live in Savannah, Georgia. St. Patrick's Day is the biggest event in Savannah every year, which I didn't know that St. Patrick is celebrated for driving the snakes out of Ireland. So, of course, a few days before the big event, a local group hosts the Savannah Slithering, where people parade through the city dressed as snakes and carrying snake lanterns.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What?

[Georgia Hardstark]

My Vince's worst nightmare. My husband and I have already started our costumes for this year's Slithering. How do you end an email? I have no clue. Ssdgm. And thank you for all you do. Laura. She. They.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Laura, you killed that ending. Incredible job. Yeah, the Slithering is hilarious. Like, it's just. It's like such the game of telephone, of time, where clearly, when that first started, it made perfect sense. Was like the lanterns were, you know, whatever. I'm making up something from the 30s. This is how everybody lit things, and now it just is like, snakes with lanterns. Makes no sense.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I do love these, like, adult gatherings like this, the Santacon. Every year they have that, like, ride to work in your underwear day in New York. Like, I just love those little things where you can be a goofy adult, you know?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes. I think people need it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. Make me happy.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, here's my last one. Okay. The title. Says the title and then a dash. Don't read this title out. Oh, no, I'm sorry. It says, don't read title if read out. Got it, Got it. And we get right into it. Hi, pals. Longtime listener, first time Emailer. You asked for inappropriate laughter stories at a funeral, so here you go. Oh, yes, my favorite. I hail from the Emerald Isle, Dublin, Ireland. The Emerald Isle would just be Ireland, but it's like, I hail from the Emerald Isle, Dublin, Ireland. Funerals here are long events of silent, awkward gatherings where no one really knows how to act or what to say to each other. And then I would add editorial note in parentheses until they all get drunk, right?

[Georgia Hardstark]

And I was like, where's the alcohol, though?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, it's like, that's the first 15 minutes, but now talk about when everyone gets three beers aboard. Anyway, a family member of mine sadly passed away. It was my first time attending a cremation. If you've never experienced one, let me explain. It's basically the burial part, but at the end a curtain appears and slowly covers the coffin and music plays. It's very symbolic, beautiful and sad. Well, it usually is, I'm sure. Except for my family member's cremation. He chose the classic oh no. Mambo Number 5 by Lou Bega to play him out of this world. Oh, my God, I can't sing it. We can't sing it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

But no, but I love him so.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What a hero.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hero.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, you read that correctly. The song about wanting a little bit of Monica reached Sandra and Tina suddenly started to blast out of the old speakers. Imagine the worst sound quality. Speakers banging out that intro bass.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, brilliant. Brilliant.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I didn't know the family member too well, so I burst out laughing immediately, expecting everyone to be in on this joke.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then in all caps, it says, nope, it was a smiley face. As I turned around, I caught shocked and alarmed expressions. It seem no one expected this song and it was brilliant. What started as an extremely sad moment turned into a joyful one. And afterwards, stories were exchanged about how funny he was and how he would have loved it. The moral of the story is stay sexy and pick a funny song for your cremation. Lots of love. Yawn. She her.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh my God. Like, I love. I love this person. That's so fucking hilarious and amazing.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's so good to be like, okay, yeah, I'm gonna die. Because it makes me feel like they maybe were slightly on the younger side to know that song and then to know how funny it would be. Right.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Did you see recently the thing going around that was like a grandma died and she had these cards made up to pass out at her funeral that had Ouija boards on it and said, keep in touch. Yes, brilliant.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So good.

[Georgia Hardstark]

If you know your funeral's coming do something funny at it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, pay it forward. You're not gonna be here anymore. Think of others for once and then.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Have them write in their story. To my favorite murder.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Please. All right. Well, is hey, happy St. Patrick's Day. Please. Safe and sane this St. Patrick's Day. We don't want to see you drink nine beers like you did last year. Come on.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No green barf this year, please.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Come on.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Come on. Stay sexy and don't get murdered. Occupy Elvis. Do you want a cookie?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This has been an exactly right production.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Our senior producer is Alejandra Keck.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This episode was mixed by Liana Squalacci.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Email your hometowns to my favorite murdermail.com.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And follow the show on Instagram and Facebook at my favorite murder. Goodbye.

[Laura]

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[Olivia]

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[Laura]

You pay all your pals like your graduation gifters.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Who's paying for the mattress topper? You mean the bean bag chair? Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we PayPal? It lets us collect the money before we buy. Ooh, yes, that's smart.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Glad we can agree on something easily.

[Laura]

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