MFM Minisode 497

Summary

My Favorite Murder Minisode 497 — July 20, 2026
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark

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Episode Overview

In Minisode 497 of My Favorite Murder, Karen and Georgia dive into another batch of listener-submitted hometowns and personal stories, each laced with equal parts humor, empathy, and true crime fascination. This week features tales spanning haunted history in New Orleans, daring underage escapes, a suspicious but oddly wholesome Italian car ride, childhood Chuck E. Cheese claustrophobia, hearing loss discoveries, and illicit kid-run businesses. True to form, the hosts riff, react, and reflect with their trademark warmth and wit, all while celebrating the resilience, mischief, and quirks of the Murderino community.

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Key Discussion Points & Listener Stories

1. The Pool of Souls: New Orleans Cemetery Lore

[02:33–05:18]

• Story by Ariadne: A New Orleans ghost tour guide recounts how the site of the city’s original St. Peter Cemetery—paved over in the 1700s—surfaced again in 2011 when 15 bodies were unearthed during swimming pool construction.
  • The remains belonged to African American and Indigenous individuals, likely neglected in the original relocation because of systemic inequities.
  • DNA teams helped, followed by a public reburial and a traditional second line parade to honor these souls.
  • Local lore now calls the spot the “Pool of Souls”—and yes, Ariadne has swum there with no hauntings to report.
• Memorable Moment:
  • “Have I swum in that pool? Abso-fucking-lutely many times. Everyone calls it the Pool of Souls.” — Ariadne, [04:34]
  • Karen and Georgia express admiration for New Orleans’ reverence for the dead and its unique cultural practices.

2. Parkouring Out of Trouble: Underage Escape

[05:35–08:31]

• Story by Erica: Erica describes a high school party gone awry—after police show up, she and two friends make a daring escape by hiding atop an RV and leaping over fences, enduring injuries but managing a successful getaway.
• Highlights:
  • “The perfect amount of ass kissing, the perfect amount of action rates.” — Karen [08:23]
  • A celebration of enduring female friendship: “Female friendships truly are a magical gift in this fucked up world.” — Erica, [08:17]
  • Karen and Georgia revel in the listener's storytelling skill and bravery.

3. A Ride In the Dick Car: Italian Stranger Danger

[11:02–15:36]

• Story by Kimberly: Stranded in Italy during Easter, three friends reluctantly accept a ride over the mountains from a local shopkeeper who, it turns out, drives a car covered—inside and out—with phallic graffiti.
  • Despite the alarming decor and an ominous photo stop at a mountaintop, he kindly delivers them to their condo.
• Best Quotes:
  • “What a fucking dick car.” — Georgia, [13:35]
  • “...always put the most badass friend in the front seat” — Kimberly, [15:23]
  • The hosts riff on possible explanations for the car and the perils of trusting weird, but ultimately harmless, strangers.

4. Trapped in the Chuck E. Cheese Cheese Factory

[16:01–19:34]

• Story by Kate: A vivid childhood memory from Milwaukee in the 1980s, where Kate and her sister repeatedly got stuck in the pitch-dark, shrinking tunnels of Chuck E. Cheese’s “cheese factory” maze—requiring rescue every time.
• Hosts’ Reaction:
  • “I’m getting claustrophobic just sweating.” — Georgia, [17:46]
  • “They were making it sound like as they were trying to go through other kids.” — Karen, [19:19]
  • Both hosts share their own anxieties about enclosed spaces and childhood mishaps.

5. Karen’s Voice is (Literally) Healing

[22:11–26:16]

• Story by K.: A longtime listener with tinnitus and partial deafness explains how Karen’s voice helps her fall asleep and soothe the ringing in her ears. K. details a lifelong struggle with undiagnosed hearing loss, only identified at age 31 after a severe infection.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “There’s something about Karen’s voice that hits the right note to drown out the nighttime ringing and lulls me right to sleep.” — K., [25:21]
  • Karen feels embarrassed but honored; the hosts discuss the stigma around hearing aids and invisible disabilities.
  • “Hearing aids are just glasses for your ears. No one should be ashamed…” — K., [25:37]

6. Inappropriate—and Probably Illegal—Kid Jobs

[27:35–32:04]

• Story by PCP: A Gen X listener shares two entrepreneurial exploits from childhood: running a tiered Frederick’s of Hollywood lingerie catalog viewing scheme for neighborhood boys, and a lucrative schoolyard candy cartel.
• Highlights:
  • “I was basically the Pablo Escobar of cavities.” — PCP, [30:31]
  • “The tiered part is brilliant.” — Georgia, [31:55]
  • The lingerie operation was busted due to suspicious queues of boys; the candy racket continued until sixth grade, funding a Casio keyboard.
  • PCP is now a happily self-employed business owner, testifying to the power of a youthful hustle.
  • “Tell us how you became the person you are today by doing fucked up things as a child.” — Georgia, [32:04]

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Notable Quotes

• On New Orleans cemetery lore:
  • “We try to do right by our dead in this city.” — Ariadne, [04:34]
• On friendship:
  • “Female friendships truly are a magical gift in this fucked up world.” — Erica, [08:17]
• On weird cars and weirder rides:
  • “All sizes, shapes, and angles. What a fucking dick car.” — Georgia, [13:35]
• On kid businesses:
  • “I was basically the Pablo Escobar of cavities.” — PCP, [30:31]
• On invisible disabilities:
  • “Hearing aids are just glasses for your ears. No one should be ashamed…” — K., [25:37]

---

Karen & Georgia’s Banter and Reflections

• The hosts consistently affirm the value of female friendship, resilience, and facing fears—whether in haunted pools, uncertain escapes, or strange vehicles.
• Lighthearted sidebars include Karen admitting to being influenced by Janine Garofalo’s deep stand-up voice, Georgia describing “the sexiest thing that ever happened” as a fishnet lacy bodysuit from childhood catalogs, and both recalling Chuck E. Cheese nightmares.
• Emphasis is placed on the importance of listeners sharing their “fucked up things as a child” stories and on the show as a safe, communal outlet.

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Key Timestamps

• [02:33] New Orleans Pool of Souls story
• [05:35] Parkour escape from cops
• [11:02] Italian car ride adventure
• [16:01] Chuck E. Cheese cheese factory trauma
• [22:11] Listener with tinnitus and Karen’s “healing” voice
• [27:35] Inappropriate kid jobs (lingerie subscription/candy cartel)

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“Stay sexy and don’t get murdered!” — Your Murderino hosts, as always, championing safety, respect, and the power of community storytelling.

Transcript

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is exactly right.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The Hulu Original Series Furious is coming to Hulu and Hulu on Disney on July 27.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Starring Emmy Rossum as Alice Black, Furious follows a rookie FBI agent on the hunt for Catherine, played by Lola Petticrew, a mysterious and calculating female serial killer.

[Georgia Hardstark]

While Alice upholds justice, Katherine kills for it, terrorizing the rich and powerful men of New York in her pursuit of vengeance.

[Karen Kilgariff]

With secrets that change everything, Alice discovers there's a thin line between hunter and prey.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Watch the Hulu Original series Furious on

[Karen Kilgariff]

July 27, streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. Goodbye Calling all amateur detectives and podcast obsessives.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Virgin Voyages second true crime voyage sets sail March 20, 2027 for a five night escape to Grand Turk and the Beach Club at Bimini as part of

[Karen Kilgariff]

the On Air at Sea collection. This immersive sailing brings together fan favorite podcast including Disgraceland, Buried Bones and Wisecrack for live recordings, behind the scenes access, exclusive meet and greets and crime themed programming that you won't find anywhere else.

[Georgia Hardstark]

All aboard are award winning kid free ships.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Head over to virginvoyages.com truecrime to secure your spot.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

There's always a point in the day when your feet decide they've had enough.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Luckily, there's Reef.

[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Lightweight, breathable and easy to wear. The Neptune is the everyday shoe your feet have been waiting for.

[Georgia Hardstark]

The Neptune makes me so freaking happy because my whole life I've been yelled at for crushing the heel of my foot because I want every shoe to be a slide. Every shoe and they actually make them that way and it makes me so happy. Plus they're super comfortable, they're light and they're really cute.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So check out the Neptune on reef.com and redeem 15% off your first purchase.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye,

[Karen Kilgariff]

My favorite murder. Hello and welcome to My Favorite Murder, the Minisode. We read you your stories and you will go first.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay? Mm. I'm not gonna give this one away.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, let's see.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Love from New Orleans 1700s cemetery pool lore please. Hey Karen and Georgia, hello from New Orleans, Louisiana. I work as a ghost tour guide in the French Quarter. Yes, it's as dream joby as it sounds and in 2024 minisode. Someone wrote in about swimming in the pool where Herb Baumeister strangled his victims. And that's episode 67. This reminded me of a creepy piece of pool. Related historical lore Here. Here in New Orleans. New Orleans. New Orleans. New Orleans. Yeah. In the late 1700s, New Orleans closed its first cemetery, St. Peter Cemetery. Where the dead were actually buried underground as opposed to in the above ground tombs we tend to use today. Some of the bodies from that old cemetery were moved by their families to tombs in the new St. Louis cemetery number one. But many bodies were forgotten or abandoned. The just paved over and left there.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Ooh.

[Georgia Hardstark]

In 2011, a guy who owned a condo in the French Quarter decided to dig an in ground swimming pool in his courtyard. Oh man. His condo happened to be on one of the blocks where St. Peter Cemetery had been. And you guessed it, the crew started hitting bodies as they dug. 15 bodies in fact, within a 20 square foot area.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Fucking.

[Georgia Hardstark]

A forensic team from LSU studied the unearthed remains and concluded that all of these people were either African American or indigenous. Which may explain why they weren't moved to the new cemetery. Their families probably didn't have the connections or the money. And that's when a really cool thing happened. The head archaeologist on the project decided to arrange a public reburial event for these people who were left behind.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Wow.

[Georgia Hardstark]

There was a ceremony to honor the mixed heritage of black and native people in New Orleans. And afterwards There was a second line parade to St. Louis Cemetery number one. Where the remains were reinterred on sanctified ground. Wow. The pool was eventually completed. And I happen to know the current owners of the condo. Have I swum in that pool Abso fucking lutely many times. Everyone calls it the Pool of Souls. Anyway, I don't know of any poltergeist style hauntings at the Pool of Souls. And I'd like to think that's because all of those people have been so kindly laid to rest on sacred ground. We try to do right by our dead in this city. P.S. karen, I have got to tell you. The sinkhole related pun my boyfriend recently made. Uh.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We were driving through our beautiful dysfunctional city with its potholes the size of meteorite craters. And we noticed a new place where the street had caved in. My boyfriend goes, oh shit. A new sinkhole just dropped. Get it?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Just dropped. I died. Stay sexy and love New Orleans like the goddamn magical gem it is. Ariadne. She her. Wow. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I love New Orleans.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I know.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And those stories. And when you said that they gave those, like, the unnamed dead a sec. It's called a Second line Parade. Yeah. So that's the band walking and, like, the whole, like, it's the celebration of life type of vibe.

[Georgia Hardstark]

So cool.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's amazing. The subject line of this email is parkouring out of getting arrested for underage drinking. Dear Karen, in Georgia, you recently asked for stories about parkouring out of trouble.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What? Who are we?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I really love when I really. I purposely ignore stuff so that it's just as fresh to me as it is to you. And I did not read past. Read past the.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What the fuck? Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's so funny. Funny for us. It says note in reference to the roofman story in episode 536. Smart and tricky.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It all makes sense.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We asked for that, especially ones that involve high school parties. And I immediately knew I had a story to write. Couldn't have been more specific with these people. And they're like, yep, we got it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I got that. Finally.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It says, I'm in my 30s now, still close friends with the three girls I went to the party with. And we still tell the story with pride. To set the scene, I was 16. Me and my three best friends went to a party at a friend's house whose parents were out of town. There was beer pong and lots of underage drinking. One of my friends decided, with the poor judgment of a teenager to walk to a gas station with a group of people. And on the way there, they got stopped by cops because a neighbor had called in a complaint about the party. While the cop worked on some paperwork in his car, my girl somehow had the wherewithal to call me and say, dude, get out of the house. The cops are on their way there.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Nice.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Me and my two friends were hanging out in the basement, and I said something to the effect of, get the fuck up. We gotta go right now. We all ran up the stairs, and just as someone was answering the front door and cops were coming into the house, we opened the sliding glass door to the backyard and bolted out into the night. We were in a neighborhood with a series of fenced yards and houses, and we realized that if we tried to climb the fence at that moment, we were going to get caught. So instead, the three of us climbed up on the top of an RV at the back of the yard. The railings along the roof of the RV blocked the view of our flat bodies as cops swarmed the backyard, shining their flashlights around looking for drugs. Drunk teenagers.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Nice.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They're all, like, sitting there. Once the coast was finally clear, we leaped from the top of the RV over the back fence into someone's bushes. One of my friends caught her thigh on a piece of the metal fence on the way down and ended up with an 8 inch gouge. Scratched up. Bruised and bleeding but giddy about our narrow escape, we made our way through backyards and called my friend's older sister to come pick us up. I seriously don't know how I got so lucky to grow up with these three amazing, badass women who always have each other's backs through all sorts of mischief and heartache, but their friendship means the world to me. Female friendships truly are a magical gift in this fucked up world. Thank you for sharing yours with all of us. Much love Erica Wow Erica.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Beautiful.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The perfect amount of ass kissing, the perfect amount of action rates.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, exactly a wound all the things and we asked for it and you get you delivered.

[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]

So I just went to Italy and you bet I brought my 100% European linen scoop neck midi dress along with me in the color of floral waterfall and I wore that thing all over Italy. It was like the perfect day to night. It just looks so pretty and I felt like I looked sophisticated while still being comfortable.

[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]

I know I've mentioned already how much I love my entryway table, but I swear to God, because the path that it's on, I pass it four times a day and I love it more every time.

[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

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[Georgia Hardstark]

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[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I'm not gonna give this one away.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, let's see.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey, Murder fam. All right, ladies, let's cut the small right into it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Stop being so bossy.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I wanted to share a story about how I didn't get murdered, but definitely tempted fate. When I was in my late twenties studying abroad in Italy. Stranded on Easter weekend.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Weren't you? Just in Italy?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Just in Italy.

[Karen Kilgariff]

What's the. What's your Rotten Tomatoes rating on Italy?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God. Five out of five. Is that how Rotten Tomatoes work?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I think they do percentages.

[Georgia Hardstark]

100%.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Really?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, it was great.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Love, love, love, love it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Stranded on Easter weekend.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, it's my thing, not yours.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Stranded on Easter weekend in Italy. My friends and I were desperate for a ride to our condo. And what luck. Someone offered us one. And then there's a catch. I'm not gonna read it to you. Cause I don't wanna give it away. Okay. Everything shut down in Italy for Easter. So we had to leave our villa and entertain ourselves for the week. Little known fact about Italy, non family members are basically kicked out to fend for themselves during the sacred holiday. My two friends and I decided to head to Capri. So we rented a tiny condo, train to Sento to explore.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I would love to confirm that with other Italians. It's like, is that happen to everybody or is it just you guys?

[Georgia Hardstark]

They just didn't. They were like, let's get things.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hey, this is real sacred. How about you leave town.

[Georgia Hardstark]

While waiting for the bus that would take us over the mountain to our place, we decided to do a little shopping. As we shopped, we chatted with a shopkeeper and mentioned our plans to head to Capri. He casually dropped the bombshell that no buses were running all weekend because of Easter. We fact checked this, and it was true. We quickly realized we were stranded. Then the shopkeeper generously offered to drive us over the mountain once he got off work. My friends and I looked at each other and asked for some time to think about this offer. We were well aware that this is how a tragic study abroad murder started. Well, I mean, an older man was offering a ride to three young women out of the kindness of his heart. Who does that? And I'm sure our parents would have been very upset to know we were considering getting into a car with a stranger in a foreign country. But there were no buses for three days, so how. How else were we going to get to our place? So, reluctantly, we agreed. We met him outside the shop, and that's when we saw it. His blue sedan was covered in phallic etchings. Not one or two either. But the entire car looked like it had been the victim of a very determined but not so talented artist. Maybe one really pissed off X. They weren't just drawn in the dust either. They were scratched right into the paint. And we're talking everywhere. All sizes, shapes, and angles. What a fucking dick car.

[Karen Kilgariff]

A dick car. A big dick car.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My friends and I exchanged questioning glances. But instead of backing out and embarrassing him, we climbed right in. And. What's that thing you two say? Fuck politeness. Well, not that day, ladies. I ended up in the front seat because it had been decided that I was the most badass of the group and would be expected to protect everyone if necessary.

[Karen Kilgariff]

No pressure.

[Georgia Hardstark]

As I buckled my seatbelt. And then it says, safety first. I glanced up and saw even more questionable carvings, this time carved right into his leather dashboard. It had to be like an angry ex who just carved.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I mean, but it's just. You're carving dirty pictures. What were the dashboard carvings?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Dicks. It was all dicks.

[Karen Kilgariff]

More dicks.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This is called. Are those wieners etched on his car? Mm. We all made small talk while I silently calculated just how many phallic impressions it would take for this situation to become a red flag. I didn't dare ask about them, because what if it set him off? But also, why wasn't he saying anything about them? They were not subtle. We got to the top of the mountain. He pulled over to show us a, quote, gorgeous photo op overlooking the Sorrento Valley. At that point, I was convinced this was it. This was where we were going to get thrown off a cliff and our parents were going to be so disappointed in us. But no, he simply snapped our picture and we got back in the car. We made it to our condo without incident. He even helped us get checked in, unloaded our bags and drove off. What a relief. Later, I told my uncle this story, and he explained that sometimes people are just nice and that you must trust them. We murderinos know that's not true. Always true. But it was true this time. Stay sexy. And when in Italy, always put the most badass friend in the front seat. Kimberly. P.S. we never asked about the questionable carvings and he never mentioned them. An hour and a half of driving with curious doodles everywhere and not a single word about them. That's the weirdest fucking part, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well. Cause clearly if, like, if it was an ex or some revenge thing, that's one thing. But there's a chance he could have just wanted to do it and did it himself. Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My husband hates this part of the story. Quote. Why didn't you ask? Smiley face.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You know, there's. I remember going to a little town, a little mountain town, and there was a bar that was famous for being a. It was like a phallic bar and there was all kinds of that everywhere. And that's the reason you went and had a drink? Cause it was like the Dick bar or whatever.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What's the choice?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, I mean, who knows?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay, well, the subject line of this email is trapped in a Chuck E. Cheese machine. Why, yes, I was.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, no. Okay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Similar. Not the same. In your most recent episode, there's no beginning. It just. We go right into talking about why somebody would be writing this in. You specifically asked for stories about being trapped in a machine at Chuck E. Cheese.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Sure, that makes sense.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And I just happen to have a story for that weirdly specific ask. I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 80s, and Chuck E. Cheese was where you went for birthday parties, play dates, and just general merriment. This specific Chuck E. Cheese was pretty elaborate. I remember a really big ball pit next to a big bouncy area completely surrounded by an overhanging series of fort like structures. Of course, they all had the usual games that would spit out tickets that you could then use for prizes as well. I am still, to this day, pretty darn good at skeeball.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Same.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I love it when I Read that line. I was just like, george is gonna have something to say about this.

[Georgia Hardstark]

My.

[Karen Kilgariff]

But the real. Have you ever seen that viral video of the little boy that just literally nails that top, top, high number every time?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So crazy. But the real treasure was the, quote, cheese factory. This was a glassed in separate area that was sort of like a maze. Do you remember this?

[Georgia Hardstark]

It sounds familiar.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You started out just walking through, but it got progressively smaller, narrower, and darker as you went to the point that it was just a small, narrow, square tunnel wrapped in what I can only assume was the most disgusting carpet in the world. You could only continue through by crawling on your hands and knees. And we were small children, so it had to be a very small tunnel. My sister and I never once got to the end of wherever that tunnel went because it just got so dark and so small that you could barely move. We tried so many times.

[Georgia Hardstark]

No, I'm getting, like. I'm getting claustrophobic, just sweating.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is a nightmare I have where I'm, like, walking down a hall, but suddenly the hall's small around me.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You know when you see those, like those drawings of people who go into caves and can't come out again? I just can't. I can't, I can't.

[Karen Kilgariff]

They're sending children in.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, now they're. Now they're sending children in.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And now this is what they're doing.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Okay. So we never ended up where we started, and we never once were successively able to get out of the cheese factory. The exit was a slide that would take you back outside the glassed in enclosure. We could always see that slide, but we could never figure out how to get there. We always ended up banging on the glass, sobbing. And our parents had to find someone to rescue. I've done that. Rescue us. And then it says, every period, single period time, I want to go up there.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You cry every time. I'm not coming to get you. Time.

[Karen Kilgariff]

That last tunnel, Fritz. Now we know how to. We're doing it together. Why they continued to let us go back in or why we wanted to is beyond me. We weren't necessarily trapped in a machine at Chuck E. Cheese, per se, but we sure spent a lot of time trapped in the cheese factory there. And it haunts me to this day. I wish I knew what it was at the end of that gross carpeted tunnel and how to really get out.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Kate, do we have a photo or anything?

[Karen Kilgariff]

No, we got nothing. We got the photos in our mind of that creepy little dark carpeted tunnel.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, the carpet I can like it's like the industrial carpet probably, right?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes. It's dark maroon, maybe black a little bit and then bright red or bright orange.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Like a combination where you're like why

[Georgia Hardstark]

these colors like covers all the stain wet stains.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And they were making it sound like as they were trying to go through other kids.

[Georgia Hardstark]

That's kind of the thing too is like, like it's a crush situation. Yes, there are some questions humanity may never be able to answer, like what's the meaning of life?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Or even worse, what do I make for dinner?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Luckily, Hungryroot has one of those covered

[Karen Kilgariff]

Hungryroot is like having your own personal shopper and nutritionist all wrapped in one. They'll take care of the weekly grocery shopping and recommend groceries and meals tailored to you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Imagine a world where shopping, planning and cooking food is simple and stress free. That's a reality with Hungryroot.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Once you tell them about your goals and preferences, they fill your cart with personalized recommendations. And those recommendations get smarter as Hungryroot learns more about what you did or didn't like.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Most of Hungryroot's recipes can be made in just 15 minutes or less.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I complain about dinner and cooking and that kind of stuff constantly. And Hungryroot provides exactly the thing I'm complaining about's solution. Like they make a zesty chicken, avocado, sweet potato bowl that is exactly what I want at the end of the day but would never ever take the time to make. And with Hungry Root, it's just right there. It's waiting for you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

For a limited time, get 40% off your first order plus get a free item in every box for life.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Go to hungryroot.com mfm and use code

[Georgia Hardstark]

mfm that's hungryroot.com mfm code mfm to get 40% off your first box and a free item of your choice for life.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Goodbye. Capture your favorite summer feeling with Pandora

[Georgia Hardstark]

Jewelry Discover a collection inspired by the sunshine, freedom and unforgettable moments that make the season so special.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Whether you're planning a weekend getaway, gathering with friends, or simply soaking up every every sunny day, Pandora Jewelry offers meaningful pieces designed to celebrate your unique story.

[Georgia Hardstark]

From sunkissed metals that catch the light beautifully to personalized pieces ready to be engraved with your summer mantra, every detail is crafted to help you express yourself with confidence and style.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Explore charms, bracelets, rings, necklaces, and more, thoughtfully designed to complement every adventure and occasion.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Each design moves with you from beach days and road trips to rooftop dinners, golden nights, and every memory in between,

[Karen Kilgariff]

layer your favorite looks, mark life's meaningful moments, and create lasting reminders of a season you'll never want to forget.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Find the pieces that reflect who you are and where this summer takes you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Shop Pandora Jewelry's new summer collection in store or [e-mail] and let your summer unfold.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye. Well, here's a nice one. My last one. Karen's voice. This is literally healing. What? Oh, no. And then it just goes, karen, et al. Hurtful.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And you're trying to cause problems when

[Georgia Hardstark]

you started reading that way. But I'm reading it. Yeah. Longtime listener. Anyway, I must inform you that you have quite a grip on this tinnitus. Suffering, hard of hearing listener. Here's the deal. For as long as I can remember, I slept with a TV on and would tell my boomer parents that the quiet is too loud. So she had to have her TV on. Yeah, I haven't used my fucking. I keep meaning to use these. That means I don't need them, right? If I haven't used them.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Well, maybe. Did Italy heal your eyeballs?

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Is my voice right now healing your vision?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I hear everything now. Ba, ba, ba, ba ba. Too loud?

[Karen Kilgariff]

They don't work.

[Georgia Hardstark]

They just made me real stupid. Too loud when they complained about the TV being up. You know that authority figure who speaks sternly and quietly when he's mad? That's my dad. And when I responded with huh. More than my low speaking father appreciated, I would get in some major trouble for, quote, not paying attention. Growing up, I was always quote, too loud and would get in trouble for, quote, not listening. But I didn't know how to change it and was always super embarrassed. Teachers absolutely hated it. But did my parents ever think any of these complaints were cause enough to take me to get a hearing test?

[Karen Kilgariff]

For fuck's sake.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Of course not.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Mm.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Mm. They're boomers. And I quote, just wasn't paying attention and needed to be quieter. Yeah, man, I hear you.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Which is the thing children cannot do, right? Cannot do.

[Georgia Hardstark]

It's not part of their. The thing they come, you know. At the age of 31, I suffered an extreme double ear infection that resulted in multiple CT scans to watch out for meningitis. The infection was very intense and even resulted in short term memory loss.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, shit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, that's fucked up.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, that's.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I thankfully walked away with a physically trauma free brain. But the ringing. Oh my God, the ringing was so loud. Do you have tonight?

[Karen Kilgariff]

I don't.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Vince has it. It sounds terrible. I sincerely thought I was going to go crazy. No sound was present enough to drown it out. I visited an ent and he suggested that, I, quote, learn coping mechanisms to alleviate the condition, then took only a quick peek in my ears. I said, fuck these local doctors, and delegated this job to someone outside my small corner of southwest Michigan. And then it says, go Lions. This new doctor did a thorough exam and a hearing test in all caps. It turns out I was born a little bit deaf and can't register low tones. 31 is when she found out.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Damn it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You bet. The first thing I did on the drive home was call my dad and demand an apology for all those years of hounding. Did I receive one? He only giggled. The doctor referred me to get hearing aids that amplify lower tones and provide a constant little sound in the background, which completely dissolves the ringing. Thank God the aids also connect to my phone, and I can listen to my favorite podcast without anyone knowing. Wink. You're just in a meeting and you're.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You're just like, yeah, doing a lot of nodding at the wrong time.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I cannot sleep without the hearing aids. And this is where Ms. Kilgariff comes into play. Do youo Need a Ride? And MFM have been my, quote, Falling Asleep podcast for years before my ENT appointments and have continued to be in the years after. There's something about Karen's voice that hits the right note to drown out the nighttime ringing and lulls me right to sleep.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I don't think that's true.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Then you said that don't worry about my mental health. I stack my cue with podcasts like Sleepy History and Lights Out Library.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I listen to Lights Out Library.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You do?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes, I do. Holy shit.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Holy words.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It fucking works.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I would never listen. I need it for when I'm asleep. I'll be totally fine. All this to say, hearing aids are just glasses for your ears. No one should be ashamed to get them because, quote, they're too. I've heard so much of this since getting them. Insurance did not take Promo code murder to help cover the cost of the hearing aids. And the third one is Karen's voice is literally healing. Stay sec. You look so mad about this. It's sweet.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's embarrassing.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Sorry. Stay sexy and pay attention.

[Karen Kilgariff]

K she her K. I'm honored. And goddamn, I'm sorry that you like tinnitus and that ringing and that idea that you just had to deal with

[Georgia Hardstark]

that at 30 and they're like, well, get used to it.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Just as someone who, like, has seizures when you have a thing that's wrong with just inside your head. And it's not like someone can be like, you're poor. Broken arm. Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We took a blood test and yeah, yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It's just. That's so frustrating. And so like. And it's also funny because I wonder if having a dad who is technically also kind of deaf or at least very hard of hearing. Because you did. Yeah.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, right. Because of the fucking firehouse.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The firehouse and the alarms made all of those guys, that generation of firemen, completely deaf.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Right. The alarms on the. Yep.

[Karen Kilgariff]

In the. When they'd all go off, when they'd be asleep. Yeah, that was like beyond not good for your ears. So, yeah, so we have to modulate our voice where we're yelling at my dad, but in the lowest register possible.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Jesus.

[Karen Kilgariff]

So I think I've always had a. I've always. And also the first time I saw Janine Garofalo do stand up comedy, I was like, I wanna do have a deep voice when I do stand up comedy. Cause I kind of was like, up here like this and I. I was like, now I'm gonna talk as low as I can.

[Georgia Hardstark]

And now people fall asleep to that. Thanks to Jeanine Groffel.

[Karen Kilgariff]

The dulcet tones. Thanks to my deaf father and Jeanine Garofalo. This is the product you get.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Love it. Do you have one more?

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yes.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Okay, good.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh yeah, this is great. The subject line of this email. Thank you. What's her name again?

[Georgia Hardstark]

K. Just Kay.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, what if I wrote it about myself?

[Georgia Hardstark]

You listen to your voice.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You know whose voice I like best?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I listen to do youo Need a Ride in My Van? And that's all I listen to.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And lights out, library. Okay, the subject line of this email is inappropriate and probably illegal. Kid jobs.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Great.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Ahoy. Ahoy. Here is my story of inappropriate kid jobs I gave myself. I also, for the record, babysat five children under the age of eight, including an infant when I was 10. Dude, Gen X was no joke. In third grade, I was living with my great grandparents, largely unsupervised, completely undiagnosed adhd, fiercely overachieving, and just a deeply weird kid.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Aw.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And then in parentheses, still weird. No regrets. That's right.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hell yeah. That's.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Please be. Either I was going to end up in federal prison or running my own company.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Uh oh, same. Hi.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Oh, my friend.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Literally same.

[Karen Kilgariff]

We're all looking in the mirror at each other. We're all Spider man pointing at each other. But luckily, because I am introverted and like my space, I Chose the last. My entrepreneurial journey began at a friend's house. When I hit the jackpot, I found the dirtiest, most scandalous publication my young eyes had ever beheld. A Fredericks of Hollywood catalog.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I was obsessed with that as a kid.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It was the dirtiest thing.

[Georgia Hardstark]

You know what I wanted the full body, like, fishnet lace suit. Like, it went to your ankles and to your. What are these wrists and up to here? But it was like see through and lace. And I was like, that's. When I'm an adult. That's gonna be the sexiest thing that ever happened to me.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I feel like in that catalog, they were drawings, right? Wasn't it, like, really cool? Cartoon women?

[Georgia Hardstark]

I don't remember that at all. Maybe like in. When I. I was like, probably in the 90s when I was looking at it. Early 90s. Oh.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I was looking at it in the 1800s. Okay, okay. It says, naturally, they saw this Fredericks of Hollywood catalog at their friend's house. And so they say, naturally, I took it with zero remorse. I saw an underserved demographic of neighborhood boys, and I instantly launched a tiered subscription service.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh, my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

This is fucking genius. So the first tier of the subscription service is Bare essentials, and it's 25 cents. And it's a standard glance at bras and underwear. Then the second tier is cheeky business, which is 50 cents.

[Georgia Hardstark]

What are you, the most brilliant kid in the world? Is happening.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And cheeky business is high cleavage or a thong.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Now, looking back, did I lead some young boys astray? Maybe. But like any good CEO, I didn't care. And more importantly, I knew I couldn't rely on a single revenue stream. I channeled my illicit money into a second venture, establishing a schoolyard candy cartel. This is fucking major.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

I'd buy a pack of now and Laters for a quarter and flip the individual squares for 25 cents each. I mean, come on. I was basically the Pablo Escobar of cavities. The lingerie division was eventually shut down when a teacher. So good, so smart. The lingerie division was eventually shut down when a teacher noticed a suspicious queue of boys forming around me. My poor father had to sit in the principal's office. Not the first or last time, by the way, and listen to a tale of his wayward daughter's adult undergarment subscription ring.

[Georgia Hardstark]

I mean, he had to be a little proud.

[Karen Kilgariff]

It had to be. Yeah, I got grounded, obviously. They took away my Intellivision. Do you remember Intellivision?

[Georgia Hardstark]

No. Yeah. What is that?

[Karen Kilgariff]

It was kind of like early Atari.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Oh my God.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Which I found deeply unfair. It's not my fault. I knew my audience. However, the Candy operation completely survived the crackdown. I ran that operation straight through sixth grade until I was finally busted. But I had bought an amazing Casio keyboard.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Wow.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Totally worth it. Unsurprisingly, I've now been a legitimate, successful and happily self employed business owner for 22 years. The hustle started early and I can't recommend it enough. Stay sexy and be your own boss. And it's just the initials PCP that

[Georgia Hardstark]

is so smart because it's the tiered part that makes me go, that's a smart. I would never think of that. Yep, the tiered part is brilliant.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yeah, you could have this.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Yeah, sure. Yeah. Yeah.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Find it. Steal another quarter out of your dad's bowl on his dresser and you can see some cheeks.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Amazing. Tell us how you started. You became the person you are today by doing fucked up things as a child.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Yep.

[Georgia Hardstark]

At my favorite murdermail.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Get it off your chest on this podcast. We love it.

[Georgia Hardstark]

This is the place to tell everyone

[Karen Kilgariff]

we're all with you.

[Georgia Hardstark]

We are. And we love you and we appreciate you and thank you for listening and 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 producer is Molly Smith and our associate producer is Tessa Hughes.

[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]

follow the show on Instagram at My

[Karen Kilgariff]

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

[Georgia Hardstark]

And now you can watch My favorite Murder on Netflix.

[Karen Kilgariff]

And when you're there, hit the double thumbs up and the remind me buttons. That's the best way you can support our our show. Goodbye. Calling all amateur detectives and podcast obsessives.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Virgin Voyages second true crime voyage sets sail March 20, 2027 for a five night escape to Grand Turk and the Beach Club at Bimini as part of

[Karen Kilgariff]

the On Air at Sea collection. This immersive sailing brings together fan favorite podcast including Disgraceland, Buried Bones and Wisecrack for live recordings, behind the scenes access, exclusive meet and greets and crime themed programming that you won't find anywhere else.

[Georgia Hardstark]

All aboard our award winning kid free ships.

[Karen Kilgariff]

Head over to virginvoyages.com true crime to secure your spot.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Goodbye.

[Karen Kilgariff]

You know what quality feels like? You can see it in the way a fabric moves. Recognize it in a flawless fit and appreciate it in the details that make our styles unique. That kind of quality doesn't happen by accident. It happens with imagination, creativity, and intention. At Coldwater Creek, it's the design standard we've honored for over 40 years. Our rich mountain heritage has shaped how we think about clothing from the very beginning, with a commitment to quality that never quits exceptional fabrics considered design silhouettes, we've made our own the signature touches that set each piece apart and styles that are distinctively Coldwater Creek. For a wardrobe you can count on season after season, visit coldwatercreek.com shop new arrivals and save 15% on purchases. $75 or more with code iHeart.

[Georgia Hardstark]

Hey everyone, it's Kel Penn. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, HearSay, the Aud, Audible, and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Hearsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.