MFM Minisode 429

Summary

Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Episode: MFM Minisode 429
Release Date: March 31, 2025

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1. Introduction to Minisode 429

In this Minisode of My Favorite Murder (MFM), hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark delve into the theme of pranks, coinciding with the approach of April Fool's Day. They invite listeners to share their own prank stories, setting the stage for a collection of personal anecdotes and true crime intersections.

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2. Georgia’s Childhood Prank Story

Georgia kicks off the episode by recounting a memorable prank from her teenage years. At 15, she meticulously rearranged her father's orderly kitchen, switching the placement of plates, cookbooks, cups, and spices. Her aim was to disrupt the rigid system maintained by her father without waking him.

Notable Quote:

*Georgia Hardstark [03:09]: "At about 11pm on March 31 when I was 15, my parents were asleep. As I could hear them snoring, I go into the kitchen with a plan, wreak orderly havoc... It took me until nearly 4am. Can you imagine being 15?"

The prank was executed with such precision that, upon waking, her parents found the kitchen items reorganized yet orderly enough to dismiss it as nothing unusual. Georgia reflects on the boldness required to undertake such a mission and humorously notes the ongoing prank life with her partner.

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3. The “Fashioned Faux Pas” Bank Robber

Karen shares a harrowing true crime story about a man who robbed multiple banks disguised as Groucho Marx. The robber's use of a Groucho Marx mask (complete with glasses, a fake nose, and mustache) earned him the FBI nickname "Fashioned Faux Pas Bandit."

Notable Quote:

Karen Kilgariff [07:19]: "I vote the FBI is now in charge of naming things from now on. I disagree. Stay sexy and don't impersonate vaudevillian icons when committing felonies."

The robber's antics escalated when he attempted a second robbery, only to be thwarted by a vigilant Marine, leading to his death during a confrontation with the police. Karen emphasizes the absurdity and danger of his disguise choice, highlighting the blurry line between pranks and criminality.

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4. Embarrassing Email Typos

The conversation shifts to the theme of embarrassing mistakes, particularly in professional settings. Karen recounts two significant email typos from her time as a communications intern at FedEx during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Sending "Yes, Mama" instead of "Yes, ma'am" in an email to the CEO.
• Typing "Ho, Hoe, how are you?" instead of "Hello, how are you?" to the Senior VP of Sales.

Notable Quote:

Karen Kilgariff [15:51]: "Yes, Mama. Slay, slay, Mama."

Georgia relates by sharing similar experiences, emphasizing the importance of proofreading and the universal nature of making mistakes, regardless of one's experience level.

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5. Hero Pet Story: Philip the Cat

Georgia transitions to a heartwarming story showcasing the protective instincts of pets. She narrates an incident where her cat, Philip, defends the household against an intruder.

Notable Quote:

Georgia Hardstark [21:15]: "So no claws the second time."

While Georgia was asleep, her cousin Angie attempted to break into the locked front door. Despite the presence of two dogs, it was Philip who actively confronted the intruder by attacking her with his claws, ensuring the safety of the household.

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6. Emotional Prank: The Jaws Boat Ride

The episode culminates with a deeply personal and emotional story shared by Emily, a listener, about a traumatic prank orchestrated by her father during a family vacation.

Emily describes how her father took her on a boat ride at the Nickelodeon Hotel in Florida, only to transform it into a terrifying experience mimicking the "Jaws" scenario. The prank involved an animatronic shark, leading Emily to scream uncontrollably and feel betrayed by her father's deceptive act.

Notable Quotes:

Emily [22:37]: "The boat ride my dad so thoughtfully planned was in fact the Jaws ride."
Karen Kilgariff [25:27]: "Stay sexy and don't trust your dad."

The emotional fallout from the prank left a lasting impact on Emily, highlighting the fine line between humor and causing lasting trauma.

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7. Reflections and Lessons Learned

Throughout the episode, Karen and Georgia reflect on the nature of pranks, the importance of intent, and the consequences they can have on relationships and personal well-being. They emphasize the value of understanding boundaries and the profound effect that seemingly harmless jokes can have when they cross into the realm of real fear or emotional harm.

Notable Quote:

Georgia Hardstark [25:41]: "Parents don't prank your kid. But like, I'm not a parent so I don't know how fucking stressful kids are all the time."

The hosts conclude by encouraging listeners to share their own stories, reinforcing the community aspect of the podcast and its commitment to exploring the interplay between true crime and personal narratives.

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8. Closing Remarks

Karen and Georgia wrap up the Minisode by reiterating the invitation for listeners to contribute their own prank stories, particularly in light of the upcoming April Fool's Day. They sign off with their signature sign-off: "Stay sexy and don't get murdered," maintaining the show's blend of humor and dark storytelling.

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Conclusion

MFM Minisode 429 offers a blend of lighthearted prank stories and serious true crime narratives, encapsulating the essence of My Favorite Murder. Through personal anecdotes and gripping tales, Karen and Georgia engage listeners in a multifaceted exploration of pranks, mistakes, and unexpected heroism, all while maintaining the show's characteristic humor and empathy.

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is exactly right. Amazon Pharmacy presents painful thoughts. 20 more minutes to kill in the.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Pharmacy before my prescription is ready. Maybe I'll grab some deeply discounted out.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Of season Halloween candy. I never had a chocolate pumpkin with raisins before. Those were raisins, right? Next time use Amazon Pharmacy.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We deliver. And no, those were not raisins. Amazon Pharmacy Healthcare just got less painful.

[Paige Desorbo]

Hey, it's me, Paige Desorbo. And I'm so excited to share my new shoe collection at dsw filled with my favorite styles and trends for spring. Because if you know me, you know I'm kind of obsessed with shoes. And by kind of obsessed, I mean head over heels. You're going to love these shoes. So snag super cute styles like cute flats, fun heels and cool sneakers from the Paige to Sorbo collection right now at your DSW store or dsw.com georgia.

[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]

Go to shotbeam.com murder and use code murder for 40% off your first order.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye, my savior. Hello, and welcome to my favorite murder, the Minisode.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's mini.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We email.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Nope. We email.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You email.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You email.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We read email. We read them.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, and guess what? It's almost April Fool's Day.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. Do you have a prank story to kick us off with?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, I'll kick us off with a prank story. Okay, this is called Prank gone. Very, very right. Dear Karen, Georgia. Still Stephen, even though I know you aren't involved right now, and all the other fantastic folks involved in the show.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Still Steven.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Still Stephen.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's very sweet.

[Georgia Hardstark]

After all these years, you asked for stories about pranks and I immediately put down my quilting to type this up, as otherwise I would have forgot. Finally, I thought, it's my time to shine. April Fool's Day is one of my favorite holidays. It was the only day we were allowed to play practical jokes in my household. And this was a big deal. There were the classics. My mom taping the lid of the toilet down so my sleepy brother would slap himself trying to open it. My brother dyeing his water red so my mom would think he was drinking blood. It says not a great prank, but he was 5. And my dad waking my brother and I up for school, getting us all ready and to the bus stop, then informing us it was Saturday.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, ouch.

[Georgia Hardstark]

However, I want to tell you my best prank as I am quite proud and it required some careful planning. Firstly, you need to know that my dad is neat and orderly and did almost all of the cooking. I grew up with strict rules about how the dishwasher was loaded, that spices need to be placed with their labels facing out, and that every everything had a place which was never changed, including each item in the pantry based on how often it is used and who uses it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's intense.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. How's your anxiety doing?

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's pretty ratcheted up right now.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. This need for order is likely why there was a scheduled day for practical jokes. Dad.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Who is dad in the army?

[Georgia Hardstark]

So at about 11pm on March 31 when I was 15, my parents were asleep. As I could hear them snoring, I go into the kitchen with a plan, wreak orderly havoc. I switched all caps, everything. Now, I don't mean I put the plates where the cookbooks were and the cookbooks were the plates. That would be too easy to fix. I took out the plates and put the cookbooks there and then put the cups where the cookbooks were and the spices where the cups were and then the non perishables where the spices were, etc. Etc. In order to not wake my parents, I had to do this slowly, setting down towels and tiptoeing. It took me until nearly 4am can you imagine being 15?

[Karen Kilgariff]

15?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's dedication.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. Until my work was complete. Finally satisfied with a job well done, I went to bed. I awoke gleefully to an all caps. What the hell?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I don't know.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm doing home. Jim's impression.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's a dad sound. That's what dad sounds like.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Around 6:30am and remember falling back to sleep to my parents muttering about oh my God, it's all the drawers too. By the time I got up around 8:30, it was as if nothing had ever happened in the kitchen. And I got a gritted teeth smile about how this was a great joke, but next time tone it down a little. Had I done this to my dad's workshop outside, I would likely have been out of the will regardless of the rules. April Fool's is still an important day to me. And now my target is my partner who has had to eat cookies made with Skittles instead of M&M's and other little harmless pranks that somehow he still falls for without suspicion for the last nearly seven years.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They married the perfect person.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, it's sweet.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Dupe.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. Say sexy and prank those. You love Asia.

[Karen Kilgariff]

She her Asia. Those are good pranks.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I want to go back to the five year old's blood drinking plan.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You like that one?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, they're five. Yeah, that's really good. Just like Mom.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm drinking one.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay. The subject line of this email is Groucho Marx. Comedian, satirist, bank robber. Question mark, exclamation point. Hello, everyone from the Fuckword murder mystery show. Longtime listener, second time writer, hopefully first time on the pod. Did I make it? There is simply no way to know. In 2009, I was a supervisor at my local Safeway in my town. A lot of the stores had a branch of the local credit union built into the store. Makes sense. Need money for your eggs? There's a credit union for you in store. One afternoon in August, the manager of the credit union came running up to me and shouted, we were just robbed. Me being 20 years old and possibly stoned timidly, is everyone okay? She went on to tell me that everyone was fine, but that someone came to the teller desk wearing a Groucho Marx mask. Think the glasses, fake nose and mustache. He handed the teller notes telling her to hand him all the money in her till and that he was armed. Once he had the money, he took off running out the door. Money and mustache blowing in the summer wind. Surely this is the craziest it can be, right? Wrong. Three weeks later, the same man came back to the branch and robbed them again. Dude, same note, gun in pocket. And of course, the signature disguise. However, this time there was a United States Marine in line behind him who noticed something was up and interrupted him. Groucho took off running with the Marine in hot pursuit. On the phone with the police, Groucho was cornered by the police and probably the hero Marine in a casino parking lot where he drew his fake gun on police and was promptly shot and killed.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God. And I just want to say, a bank's money is not worth risking your life. A till's money till money is not worth running that person down. Innocent bystanders could have been hurt. Anything could have happened.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But that idea of why would you pull a fake gun? It's horrible. Okay, so imagine my continued surprise to learn that we were not the only place this guy had robbed in the recent months. Apparently the FBI was involved in this case and had dubbed the man the fashioned faux pas bandit due to its unusual form of disguise. Side note, I vote the FBI is now in charge of naming things from now on. I disagree. Stay sexy and don't impersonate vaudevillian icons when committing felonies. Braden he him.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Isn't that incredible?

[Georgia Hardstark]

What a prank. That was awful.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It was not a prank, but I'm really trying to support the true crime.

[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]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

That's squarespace.com murder code murder goodbye. Love is in the air this season.

[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]

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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]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye. Okay, my next one's called Catfishing Blackmail and Family Chicken Soup for the Murderino soul. Hello. In 2008, I worked with a recently widowed woman who was venturing into online dating for the first time. We'd often chat about her experiences during our breaks. One day, she excitedly told me about a new man named Quote Mike. He was showering her with flowers, fancy dinners, and personalized, rather suggestive poetry.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Gross.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know. Like, can you not.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No one wants regular poetry.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, right? No one wants to hear your poetry about, like, your underwear or whatever. He also claimed dirty poetry. Dirty poetry. Ew.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Get out of here.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What are you, a fucking skunk? A French skunk. Okay. He also claimed to be a wealthy inventor, having made his fortune from the zip tie.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, shit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We're already calling bullshit on this guy, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, that would be a great lie. I'm the heir to the zip tie fortune. It's me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, it's me. I was imagining immediately skeptical. Not only was he not listed as the zip tie inventor online, but there were other red flags. He claimed to be divorced, but still lived with his ex wife, whom he described as sometimes bedridden, sometimes mentally unwell. He was also secretive about his cell phone when they were together, always seeming to be on it, but never wanting her to see what he was doing. Despite my concerns, it's hard to dissuade someone in the throes of infatuation, so I simply urged her to be cautious. Like, she's recently widowed. She's trying dating again. Let's ASSUME it's been 20 years since she's dated. Like, that's just. You fall for some shit. I feel like you forget what dating.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Is like and you want to be kind of blind. You just want to assume the best. And a friend that says, don't do that. You will just walk away from totally. Like, you don't. It's too. That drug is so strong.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Around this time, my recently divorced aunt moved in with my parents to get back on her feet. While visiting, I learned she was out on a date with someone she just met. A man named Mike. He was sending her flowers, taking her to fancy dinners, and writing her steamy poems. It's his fucking M.O.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Mike'S a slut.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's fucking creepy. And of course, he claimed to be the zip tie inventor. The coincidence was too much. I immediately shared everything my co worker told me, including the unsettling details about Mike's living situation and questionable behavior. He was not only a two timer, but potentially a far more dangerous predator. Like, don't bring up zip ties immediately if you're gonna make something up. Zip ties are the creepiest thing you can make up.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's really just. You know what? I was thinking of a Ziploc bags.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So I was like, wow, that's kind of. That's a lot of money. But it's like, ooh, no zip ties. No. That's really disturbing.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It is. My parents, upon hearing this, told my aunt that Mike was not welcome around them or in their home. Cause the aunt lived with them. The next day, I received a call from my aunt. She demanded I retract everything I'd said about Mike or she'd reveal a secret of mine to my parents.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Jesus, Aunt Judy, take it easy. You don't know him that well.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's really weird, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

She's thrown over family. She's like, immediately, don't get between me and my man.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah. This secret wasn't something I was ashamed of, but it was a deeply personal choice I'd kept from them, knowing it could be particularly hurtful. I had never planned on them finding out, but I'd rather face their disappointment than allow a predator near my family. Like, what an awful position to put this person in.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So shitty.

[Georgia Hardstark]

So shitty. My aunt underestimated me. Instead of giving in, I called my parents and told them everything, including my aunt's blackmail attempt. They stood firmly by my side and asked my aunt to leave their home. I haven't spoken to her since. I also had to break the news to my co worker about Mike's double dealing. It was painful for her, but I believe it ultimately helped her become more discerning in her dating life. Looking back, the whole situation feels bizarre. I'm just glad to have been in a position to protect my family from a suspicious character. My parents unwavering support solidified our bond, and I'm grateful for them every day. Welp, this is where I leave you. Bye bye, Jesse.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow, that was fascinating.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know. Like, family dynamics are so fucked.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I just didn't expect an aunt story to be like. And then my aunt was like, fuck you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'll blackmail you with a secret you just told me. Because I'm your aunt that you trust and, like, you can tell anything to. But guess what? You can't.

[Karen Kilgariff]

She really broke an aunt bond right there. That's bullshit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

As aunts ourselves, that's. You just cross the line.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. George and I are both deeply, deeply offended. Okay, again, this is a variation on the theme, but I just thought it was really funny. It says email typos and other, uh, ohs. Karen and Georgia, I love you so much. That was all in caps. Now let's lock in. You were discussing embarrassing mistakes from childhood we grow up with and are known for basically forever as a repeat mom. I mean, insert elementary teacher's name here. Offender, a repeat.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, no. Call the teacher mom multiple times.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Multiple times.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Ah, God, you can't live that down.

[Karen Kilgariff]

More recent story of this for you During COVID while working from home, emails were everything. As an anxious but eager communications intern with FedEx at the time, I was regularly communicating with senior leadership as a ghost writer of sorts. On two. Yes, two occasions, my childhood mistakes got the best of me. Exhibit A. While responding to an email from the CEO of the company, I sent yes, Mama. Meaning to write, yes, ma'am.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yes, Mama.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, Mama. Slay, slay, Mama. Exhibit B. While responding to an email from the senior VP of sales, I sent ho, Hoe, how are you? Meaning to say, hello, how are you? Ho, how are you?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, how are you?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Having survived those emails and looking back on how far I've come as a communications professional, I'm thankful to know now that no matter how much experience you have, we are all still humans and make mistakes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Love that.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Every goddamn day since listening to one of your early episodes in my college podcasting class.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What? We could have gone to college after all.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I guess we did.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I guess so. We could.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They took us to college.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That is. That's crazy.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I. I apologize. I cannot express how thankful I am for you both. You've gotten me through many miles of half marathon training, multiple road trips, and filled my Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with much joy. Not to men, Karen. I was also in four each and still currently are as an advisor. And I love hearing you reflect on it. So stay sexy and proofread your emails. Kelsey K. Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It is nice to know, like a professional who actually does that for a living has up.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah. Ho, how are you?

[Georgia Hardstark]

How are you? There are a lot of things that Help you feel at peace. A cup of tea, a great playlist.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Roasting a troll on the Internet.

[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]

The cameras use advanced AI to distinguish between friendly faces like family and neighbors and potential threats, alerting agents to suspicious individuals before they get close to your home.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, now SimpliSafe is offering AI technology that can read faces. So your alarm isn't going to be going off because. Because you know a raccoon walked by and sat on your front porch for a little while.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, I turn mine on even when I go to walk. Cookie like mine is always on, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Will they know about your neighbor that you don't want to talk to though? I don't. I don't think that's something we can ask for. But in this day and age, that's the kind of technology that for a dollar a day you're getting a bargain.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Visit simplisafe.com fave to claim 50% off a new system with a professional monitoring plan and get your first month free. That's simplisafe.com fav. There's no safe like Simplisafe.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Georgia Hardstark]

There are probably a billion furniture options out there. We didn't count, but that number feels right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So how do you find the perfect piece?

[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]

Look at that near addresser on their website. Just go and take a look at that one piece and you will see what we are talking about. It is as mid century as you could get.

[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, this is my last one.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And actually this one is kind of like a precursor to next week's episode because next week is actually National Pet Day. So we're going to do pet stories.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hero pet stories.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hero pet stories. Okay. This is called her. Hello ladies, Pets researchers and the memory of Steven's mustache, Stephen got two call outs in this episode.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The people miss Steven.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know. I'm writing in about my own personal defender, my cat Philip. A little background. I live with my cousin Angie and four pets. Two dogs, Dewey and Chandler Bing and two cats, Philip and Princess. Late one night, probably after midnight, my cousin was coming home after going out. Oh yeah. I picked this one because it sounds like something my cat Mo would do. I was already in bed with the dogs. Being a smart murderino, I had locked up the house prior to going to sleep. Thinking my cousin had her key, I forgot she had broken it off in the lock earlier that week. So I slept in blissful ignorance while she fought with the door, called my phone, it was on do not disturb and finally resorted to seeing if she could break it. I want to remind you I have two dogs. Neither alerted me to her assaulting the back door. She gets our front porch rocker, hauls it to the side of the house and proceeds to climb into the window in our living room. As she's halfway through the dog, still unconcerned, my cat Philip decides to take matters into his own hands. She says out of nowhere, he flies straight at her face. Claws out. Good boy. He begins hitting her in the face as hard as his little toe beans could. Oh, Mo, we totally fucking do this.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, I could see that.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Even if he knew who it was, he might do it anyways. Till he hit a bitch. She grabbed him and told him to stop. He was undeterred. He continued to bat at her, this time with Claus in as we think he realized it was her and was now just pissed she was coming through the window. So no claws the second time.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, but now it's just a fun game.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Fuck you. Yeah. I still did not wake up. Nor did the dogs. Thank God it was only Angie and Philip was there to defend the house, stay sexy and maybe be a smarter Murderino. And lock the windows too. Cho she her.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That's a really good point. You lock yourself out of the front.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Door and it's that easy to break into it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Everything just go right in this door?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Smaller, harder to get into. Okay, here's my last one. The subject line is how my dad traumatized me with the jaws. Right at Universal Studios. Cause there's a fine line between pranking and lifelong trauma from a parent truly. Hi, hotties. Longtime listener, first time emailer, Love you. Blah, blah, blah. Let's get into it. I'm not sure if you specifically asked for childhood humiliation or parent prank stories, but here's mine. The year is 2006. I'm seven years old, on vacation in Florida with my dad, brother and stepmom. We're staying at the Nickelodeon hotel. And then in parentheses, it says, peak childhood luxury Richie Rich. I want to know details about the Nickelodeon hotel.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What is that?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I have no idea.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Little cars that you can drive around in the hallways.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That was fun.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Bowls of candy. And on this particular day, we're heading to Universal Studios. Life is good. That afternoon, my dad has planned a boat ride for us all. As an amateur marine biologist read, avid spongebob watcher and mermaid enthusiast, I am thrilled. Getting on the boat. My brother offers me the seat closest to the water. This should have been a red flag, as my brother was never this nice. But I took the seat without hesitation. The boat tour starts, taking us through a town I've never heard of. But I, being seven, am not really paying attention to what the guide is saying. I just remember thinking, wow, I love Florida. The wind in my hair, the sun on my face. A perfect moment. And then suddenly, the energy shifts. Our tour guide gets a radio call. Something about an accident with another boat. Up ahead, we see the wreckage. A boat capsized with a massive jagged bite taken out of it. The guide is panicking. My first grade brain is desperately trying to process what I'm seeing. Oh, my God. And then I see it. A shark fin. A massive shark fin slicing through the water toward us. Our boat speeds away. I grip my seat, my heart pounding as we narrowly escape taking shelter in a dark, flickering boathouse. And ch. Just when I think we might be safe. Bam. The shark lunges out of the water at the boat. And that's when I lose my mind. I start screaming. I mean, blood. Curdling, guttural. Survival mode. Screaming. The shark attacks again. This time coming right for me. This is it. I think we are all going to die. If you haven't figured it out by now. The boat ride my dad so thoughtfully planned was in fact the Jaws ride. I'd never seen Jaws yet. My father, my protector, my hero, thought it'd be hilarious to prank me with a life or death encounter with a giant animatronic shark. I don't remember. After that, I probably blacked out from sheer terror. At some point the shark died and we made it back to shore where I finally realized it had all been a setup. As an absolute daddy's girl. The betrayal cut deep. I refused to acknowledge my father for the rest of the day. A small price to pay in his eyes. In the years that followed, he never apologized for this manufactured trauma. His only regret, that he didn't bring a video camera to capture my screams, red face and now legendary forehead vein that made its first and most dramatic appearance that it just says, what an asshole.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I lost my dad, Bruce, in 2019 to brain cancer and my life has never been the same. He was my best friend and truly the best parent my brother and I could have asked for. Though this story does not paint him in the best light. And then it says lol. He didn't listen to mfn, but I know he would have loved it. He's definitely the reason I'm a murderino. Anyway, I'm not sure what the lesson here is. Stay sexy and don't trust your dad. Good enough. Love, Emily.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, Emily, that was sweet.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Isn't that so good? Yeah, I love that one.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's a good prank. And I want to be like, parents don't prank your kid. But like, I'm not a parent so I don't know how fucking stressful kids are all the time. And there's once in a while you just gotta fucking prank those little shits.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I think there's also the piece of it where it's like real life is really hard and you will get the shit surprised out of you at times. You won't be expecting it and don't never be.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Ready?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Is that it?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I don't know, but the forehead vein is hilarious.

[Karen Kilgariff]

A seven year old, blood curdling, guttural screaming.

[Georgia Hardstark]

So good.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow. Happy April Fool's Day.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Thanks guys for writing and write in anything you want. Do you have a prank story you just thought of now? You don't have to wait till next April Fool's Day. You can send it in now at my favorite murder at Gmail. Because we accept any story, we at.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This point want it all.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, stay sexy and don't get murdered. Goodbye Elvis. Do you want a cookie?

[Karen Kilgariff]

This has been an Exactly Right production.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Our senior producers are Alejandra Keck and Molly Smith.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This episode was mixed by Liana Squillacci.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Email your hometowns to my favorite murdermail.com.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And follow the show on Instagram at My Favorite Murder.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Listen to my favorite murder on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And now you can watch us on exactly right's YouTube page. And while you're there, please like and subscribe.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Discover is accepted at 99% of places.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Welcome to the now it pays to Discover.

[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

Features.