My Favorite Murder Minisode 471: “Panic with Purpose”

Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Release Date: January 19, 2026
Theme: Community, survival, family, and the power of purposeful panic

Episode Overview

In this Minisode, Karen and Georgia read listener-submitted “hometown” stories that range from harrowing car crashes to Edgar Allan Poe lore, babysitting misadventures, and legendary grandma getaways. The duo’s signature blend of humor and empathy highlights the resourcefulness and kindness of everyday people, accented by the recurring theme: panic with purpose.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcome and Philosophical Banter (02:03–02:37)

• Karen and Georgia kick off the first minisode of 2026 with tongue-in-cheek humor about the new year and current world events.
• Georgia jokes:
  “It’s 2026. The world is ending. We can do whatever the fuck we want at this point.” (02:22)
• Mood: Lighthearted, self-aware, and ready to embrace chaos.

2. Hometown: New Orleans Car Crash (02:40–06:33)

• Listener recounts a traumatic car crash in New Orleans, hit by a drunk driver who flees the scene.
• Despite no police response, six strangers (including a nurse) come to her aid, offering medical help and emotional support.
• Community as a lifeline:
  “It goes to show that sometimes the support you need comes from unexpected places. And never underestimate how powerful community is.” (06:05)
• Notable Moment: The driver’s license plate ends up embedded in the listener’s car.
• Karen reflects:
  “Also, the odds that a nurse would be standing by totally is miraculous and wonderful.” (06:37)
• Theme: Kindness of strangers, resilience, and the miraculous timing of helpers.

3. The Night Stalker Panic: Panic with Purpose (07:12–09:53)

• Listener Danielle recounts growing up during the Night Stalker panic in 1985 and an unforgettable night when she and her cousins believed the serial killer was in their house.
• The girls arm themselves with a bat and cans of bug spray/hairspray, only to discover the culprit is a fallen kitchen light.
• Sparked running theme: Panic with purpose.
• Georgia is inspired:
  “I love panic with purpose. That’s the theme of this: panic with purpose!” (10:05)
• Karen connects it to her own anxiety-fueled accident response:
  “You can panic. Just panic with purpose.” (10:06)
• Mood: Nostalgic, humorous — recognizing childhood fears and creative self-defense.

4. Edgar Allan Poe & The Poe Toaster Mystery (13:13–17:18)

• A fitting listener story for Poe’s birthday: The annual appearance of the mysterious “Poe Toaster” in Baltimore.
• “The person would then stand at Poe’s grave, pour a glass of cognac, toast the grave and drink...three red roses were always left on the grave.” (13:30)
• Karen expresses awe:
  “Was it a raven?” (14:46, joking about Poe)
• The tradition inspired a civic celebration, with multiple “faux toasters” impersonating the ritual.
• Fun fact: Baltimore’s football team, the Ravens, are named after Poe’s poem.
• Georgia:
  “That’s amazing. And I think it’s cool how over the course of decades, what possibly started off as a personal tribute...turned into another mystery.” (16:53)

5. Babysitting Gone Wrong: The Dangers of Snooping (17:51–22:46)

• Listener Ingrid tells a hilarious horror story: While babysitting, she mistakenly uses a child’s dilating eye drops, resulting in two weeks of bizarrely dilated pupils.
• Details include her attempts to hide her huge pupils from the parents and the mortification of realizing her error late.
• Karen relays her own eye-dilation mishap:
  “My friend Jenny Gilleran was like...‘Are you on acid?’ Why are you on acid at school?” (21:47)
• Georgia’s reaction:
  “Holy shit. What happens when you put those in you?...Can you damage your eyes?” (22:46)
• Mood: Embarrassing but relatable adolescent mistake, humor in hindsight.

6. Lies Parents Tell: Cat Murder and the Bird Flu (26:19–30:25)

• Listener recounts a childhood filled with parental white lies: Her parents blamed her parakeets’ deaths on a fabricated “bird flu,” when in fact, their cat Angie caused the tragedy.
• Years later, she discovers the truth as a young adult, even referencing the fabricated flu in schoolwork.
• Karen and Georgia both relate:
  Karen: “They have no...like, can I bounce this off of you real quick? Like, my sibling thinks this is bananas too.” (29:26)
• Culminates in a hilarious family moment: Her little sister coldly delivers the news of Angie’s real death after years of being shielded from pet mortality.
• Themes: Family dynamics, protective lies, the unique education siblings provide.

7. Grandma Jessie the Getaway Driver (31:00–33:09)

• April shares a family legend: Her incredibly frugal Scottish grandma Jessie, faced with an unexpected auto repair bill, rammed her car through a locked gate and led the cops on a chase — all to get her grandkids to gymnastics on time.
• “Instead of paying the extra fees, my grandma got into the car and rammed it into the locked gates and took off.” (32:14)
• Georgia, delighted:
  “Grandma’s Legendary Grandma Story is always welcome on this show.” (33:11)
• Underlines the episode’s recurring motif: Resourcefulness and panic with purpose.

8. Panic with Purpose: Closing Thoughts (33:15–33:43)

• Karen and Georgia ask listeners for more “panic with purpose” stories, emphasizing how anxiety and fear, when harnessed, can be uniquely lifesaving or productive.
• Karen:
  “When I got caught in a wave in Hawaii...I was like, you can’t panic. Just hold your breath and hang out. Then I popped up.” (33:22)
• Georgia:
  “Fucking anxiety, man. It saved your life. It really does.” (33:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Karen (on community): “Also, the odds that a nurse would be standing by totally is miraculous and wonderful.” (06:37)
• Georgia (on panic): “Panic with purpose. The new fragrance by Georgia. It smells like fear.” (10:16)
• Listener (on helpers): “I know we’re supposed to look for the helpers, but this night, the helpers found me.” (06:05)
• Karen (laughter, on the Poe Toaster): “Was it a raven?” (14:46)
• Georgia (on family myth-busting): “That 12 year old was just sitting there waiting until the moment she could make that phone call. That’s so funny.” (31:00)
• April (about Grandma Jessie): “Stay sexy and get away with property damage.” (33:09)

Timestamps For Important Segments

• Intro and Banter: 02:03–02:37
• New Orleans Car Crash: 02:40–06:33
• Night Stalker Panic: 07:12–09:53
• Poe Toaster: 13:13–17:18
• Babysitting Eye Drop Mishap: 17:51–22:46
• Cat Murder/Bird Flu Lie: 26:19–30:25
• Grandma Getaway Driver: 31:00–33:09
• Panic with Purpose Wrap-up: 33:15–33:43

Final Thoughts

This Minisode is packed with warmth, humor, and the distinct “MFM” blend of empathy and irreverence. From survival stories to urban legends and accidental adventures, Karen and Georgia celebrate the everyday resilience of listeners and the enduring importance of community. Their rally cry this week: “Panic with purpose.”

Stay sexy and don’t get murdered.