My Favorite Murder Minisode 457 – Episode Summary

Podcast: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Episode: Minisode 457
Date: October 13, 2025
Duration (main content): ~00:02:00 – 00:30:12
Theme: Listener hometown stories featuring near-kidnappings, sibling chaos, workplace mishaps, small-town serendipity, and reminders of human kindness

Episode Overview

In Minisode 457, Karen and Georgia welcome a new batch of listener-submitted "hometown" stories, celebrating the hilarious, chaotic, and often heartwarming tales from fans. This minisode continues the long-loved tradition of sharing the wild and memorable incidents that have shaped their audience's lives, with particular attention to stories of sibling rivalry, mistaken identities, embarrassing work moments, small-town quirks, and gentle reminders that the world still has plenty of good people.

Key Discussion Points & Listener Stories

1. The Accidental Kidnapper

[02:21] – [07:06]

• Summary: Listener Cassie shares a story from the "banging on pots and pans" stage of COVID. After taking her dog for a walk to avoid the plumber, Cassie returns home to find a little blonde girl playing with the dog. Mistakenly thinking she belongs to either the plumber or her own family, Cassie looks after the child for hours before discovering, to her horror, that the plumber has no idea who the girl is. A frantic 911 call follows, along with a dramatic police response, before young Jane is reunited with her family.
• Notable Moments:
  • The chaos and anxiety of realizing the kid is a complete stranger.
  • Memorable quote (Cassie via Georgia):
    "So who is she?"
    "I don't know. I assumed she was your niece."
    – [04:13-04:29]
  • Cassie’s remorse melts into relief as Jane simply wants to go back and play with the dog at the end.
• Host Thoughts:
  "You are truly just the consummate host for people old and young. ... You kind of gave her a nice little day and got her delivered back."
  – Karen, [06:40]

2. Small Town Mayor and the BB in the Tongue

[07:39] – [11:10]

• Summary:
  Rebecca, the mayor of a small Idaho town, shares a classic wild-west sibling story: her dad stuck his tongue out at his brother, who promptly shot him in the tongue with a BB gun. The BB was never removed and remains lodged in his tongue to this day.
• Notable Moments:
  • A female mayor writing in gets excited responses from Karen and Georgia.
  • The secrecy around the BB incident is both horrifying and hilarious.
  • Quote (Rebecca):
    “It’s still in his tongue to this day. … He has no problem getting through airport security, but it does really hurt when he accidentally bites down on it.”
    – [09:38, 09:48]
• Host Observations:
  "That was great. ... We just got an email from the mayor of a small town in Idaho, a woman. ... That’s the way to affect change. So thank you, Rebecca, because you’re doing it."
  – Karen, [11:10-11:31]

3. Sibling Ferret Trap

[14:07] – [16:13]

• Summary:
  Youngest sister Kira recounts the time her older sisters set a trap using a hidden floor vent covered with clothes, into which she falls when sneaking in to see a forbidden ferret. Thankfully, she lands unharmed, but her pride is bruised, and her sisters are gleeful over their successful prank.
• Notable Moments:
  • The ingenuity and danger of using a floor vent as a sibling trap.
  • Quote (Kira):
    "When I stepped in front of the cage, I fell through the hole and plummeted all the way down to the BASEMENT."
    – [15:20]
  • Karen and Georgia side with Kira on the real crime: “How about don’t be so goddamn greedy with your ferret!”
• Hosts Reflections:
  "How about there’s plenty to go around with that ferret."
  – Karen, [16:57]
  "Good job. And you know what, Jamie? Good job for you too."
  – Georgia, [17:11]

4. School Librarian’s Drop-Off Line Fail

[17:13] – [21:09]

• Summary:
  New school librarian Kay finds herself accidentally caught in the student drop-off line on the first day, greeting her new coworkers from behind the wheel and arriving very late. Despite a series of embarrassing blunders, Kay bonds with students—especially when one excitedly shares, “Guess what? My grandpa got sick and ... he died. Guess what?”
• Notable Moments:
  • Strong empathy from the hosts for school staff dealing with logistics and embarrassing first days.
  • Quote (Kay):
    “Here I am, more than 20 minutes late ... and stuck in this long ass line. ... The principal and assistant principal are doubled over in laughter.”
    – [18:32, 20:07]
• Hosts' Takeaway:
  "That’s a good teacher. Because that’s a person who understands you are going to make mistakes and you are going to do better the next day.”
  – Karen, [20:59-21:09]

5. Flamingo Ghost: A Meant-To-Be Love Story

[23:32] – [27:21]

• Summary:
  Angelica from Rhode Island shares a "meant-to-be" story: after a breakup, she meets James, who turns out to be closely connected to her family. Unbeknownst to James, a flamingo figurine Angelica’s mother owns once belonged to his late mother—and was actually bought for her by James himself. This serendipitous link leads to love, engagement, and family lore.
• Notable Moments:
  • The "ghostly" return of the flamingo, which James recognizes at Angelica’s mother’s house.
  • Quote (James):
    "I bought my mom a flamingo that looks just like that one."
    – [26:46]
• Host Response:
  "Everything means something. ... Or nothing means anything."
  – Georgia, [27:50-27:52]

6. A Cowboy, a Boy Scout, and a Priest Walk Into a Gas Station

[27:51] – [30:12]

• Summary:
  Megan recounts a tire blowout outside a small town reunion. Despite her big city independence, three would-be rescuers—a cowboy, a boy scout, and a priest—offer help in sequence, making her realize there’s still a lot of good in the world.
• Notable Moments:
  • The “walking into a bar” style setup comes to life at the gas station.
  • Quote (Megan):
    “At this point, I’m just laughing because this feels like I’m in the middle of a joke where a cowboy, a boy scout, and a priest walk into a gas station and try to help this stupid stubborn woman.”
    – [29:19]
• Host Response:
  “I would have let the cowboy help me immediately.”
  – Georgia, [29:55]
  “Let us know if you’ve made out with a cowboy.”
  – Karen, [30:18]

Memorable Quotes & Segment Timestamps

• [04:13] "So who is she?" – Cassie to John
• [06:40] “You are truly just the consummate host for people old and young.” – Karen
• [09:48] “It’s still in his tongue to this day.” – Rebecca (via Karen/Georgia)
• [15:20] “When I stepped in front of the cage, I fell through the hole and plummeted all the way down to the basement.” – Kira
• [20:07] “The principal and assistant principal are doubled over in laughter.” – Kay
• [26:46] “I bought my mom a flamingo that looks just like that one.” – James (per Angelica)
• [29:19] “It feels like I’m in the middle of a joke where a cowboy, a boy scout, and a priest walk into a gas station and try to help…” – Megan

Episode Tone & Signature Moments

• The episode is full of the classic MFM balance—witty, empathetic, and sometimes irreverently humorous.
• Both hosts frequently affirm, comfort, and gently roast their story-tellers while mining the emotional “realness” behind each email.
• Lots of laughter and occasional personal asides from Karen and Georgia about their own family chaos and school stories.
• The closing callout: “Have you made out with a cowboy? Let us know,” inviting even more listener storytelling.

Final Takeaways

• Listeners' tales span fear, folly, and joy—reiterating the themes of community and connection that MFM thrives on.
• Both the hosts and their murderino fanbase continue to prove that the best stories are personal, real, and sometimes just a little bit wild.
• Under all the laughs is a persistent message: stay safe, look out for each other, and find humor in the chaos.

Stay sexy, and don’t get murdered!