My Favorite Murder: Rewind with Karen & Georgia – Episode 86: Live at the Enmore Theatre (Sydney)

Podcast: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Date: March 4, 2026 (original episode: Sept 14, 2017)
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Theme: True crime, comedy, and the power of community — revisiting their legendary 2017 live show in Sydney, Australia, reflecting on resilience after a disruptive heckling event, the community’s powerful response, and two iconic Australian true crime stories.

Episode Overview

Karen and Georgia revisit their memorable 2017 live show at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre, which followed a previous night marred by a disruptive heckler. With emotional candor and trademark humor, they reflect on how the Murderino community in Australia—particularly in Melbourne—transformed a difficult experience into something good, raising $9,000 for women's organizations. They recap their stories from the episode: the saga of "Aunt Thallie," Australia’s most notorious family poisoner, the infamous "Shark Arm Murder," and a local hometown account of serial killer John Wayne Glover ("The Granny Killer").

Key Segments & Discussion Points

Reflecting on the Infamous Melbourne Heckling Incident

[02:27–14:02]

• The previous night was derailed by a male heckler, leading to misunderstandings about the show’s blend of true crime and comedy.
• Georgia clarifies rumors: “Now they’re saying I walked off stage. Hold on. What is happening? I didn’t. I wanted to. Never wanted to more in my life.” (04:52 – Georgia)
• Both reflect on how vulnerable live podcasting can be, and the emotional aftermath:
  “I did start crying. That part is true.” (07:54 – Georgia)
• Karen, using her stand-up skills, calmed the room:
  “As a person who’s done stand up comedy for 100 years, we just got heckled. I mean, that’s the long and the short of it.” (06:50 – Karen)
• The experience sparked warm support and solidarity from Murderinos and locals.
• Australian fans started a viral charity campaign, raising $9,000 for women's organizations as a gesture of support.

Notable Moments

• “They were like, please don’t tell Sydney about what happened” (10:28 – Georgia)
• “We’re honored to be even associated somewhat with that. This whole fucking thing is bigger than us.” (12:59 – Georgia)

The Joy (and Humiliation) of Touring in Australia

[14:14–21:41]

• Cultural differences: Tim Tams, lollies and chalkies, Aussie vernacular (“smackies” for heroin addicts).
• Karen’s chair-breaking backstage:
  “The room started to slant to the right, and I didn’t know why…The chair that I was sitting in just bent…like I was being eaten by a giant clam.” (18:03 – Karen)
• Discussion of snacks, gifts from fans, Aussie slang, and physical comedy mishaps.
• Reflections on stage anxiety post-heckling, vulnerability of internet and live exposure.

Story 1: Georgia Presents – Aunt Thallie (“Aunt Sally Caroline Grills”)

[24:02–44:15]

The Crime

• Caroline “Aunt Sally” Grills, born 1888, became infamous as Australia’s “Aunt Thallie” for poisoning relatives and acquaintances with thallium-laced cakes and tea in the 1940s and ‘50s.
• Victims displayed symptoms: hair loss, nerve issues, blindness, speech loss — many died.
• “Aunt Carrie” was trusted and beloved by her family, making her trail of poisonings all the more shocking.
• Her scheme unraveled when a suspicious relative swapped poisoned tea and took it to police, who found thallium traces.
• She was ultimately convicted of attempted murder (other murder charges were dropped for lack of evidence), sentenced to death (commuted to life), and died in prison.

Comic Tone & Notable Quotes

• “So she frequently visited her in-laws and friends, making tea cakes and biscuits for them. Uh oh, no, don’t say ah.” (30:04 – Georgia)
• Riffing on her name:
  “Her last name is Grylls. She’s got a great grill. Thank you.” (30:23 – Georgia)
• “Don’t ruin housedresses for us, please!” (37:04 – Georgia)

Big Takeaway

• Motivations never clearly established—possibly financial, possibly personal vengeance—making Aunt Thallie a grim enigma in Australian history.

Story 2: Karen Presents – The Shark Arm Murder

[44:49–76:45]

The Crime

• In 1935, a fisherman caught a small shark off Coogee Beach, which was immediately swallowed by a larger shark. The bigger shark was brought to the Coochie Aquarium, where, days later—and in front of an audience—it vomited up a human arm, with a distinctive boxing tattoo.
• Forensics identified the arm as belonging to Jim Smith, a small-time criminal and police informant.
• Investigation led to a criminal ring: Smith, fraudster Patrick Brady, and boat-builder/smuggler Reginald Holmes.
• Brady was suspected of murder after being seen leaving with an arm suspiciously in his pocket. Holmes (who survived a suicide attempt that left him with only a concussion) attempted to implicate Brady, but was murdered before the inquest (three bullet wounds to the chest).
• With only the arm as evidence, Patrick Brady was acquitted—“an arm does not constitute a body.” The case remains officially unsolved.

Comic Tone & Notable Quotes

• “It barfs up a human arm. So they call the police… and they notice that it is not the remnants of the shark having eaten a person, because the arm has been severed—not bitten.” (57:12 – Karen)
• “The bullet flattened against the bone in his forehead and so he was merely stunned. What?” (66:02 – Georgia)
• “He shoots himself in the head—stuns himself—falls in the water, revives, then just drives his boat around the harbor for four hours!” (66:23 – Karen)

Memorable Segment (Book Recommendation)

• “In 2020, a book called ‘Shark: A Shark, A Tattooed Arm and Two Unsolved Murders’ was published about this case.” (77:09 – Karen)

Hometown Story: John Wayne Glover (“The Granny Killer”) [with guest Jo]

[78:24–87:51]

• Audience member Jo, who boasts a moonwalk on Twitter, joins to tell the story of Australia’s notorious “Granny Killer.”
• John Wayne Glover killed at least six elderly women in Sydney’s north shore suburbs (late 1980s–1990), bludgeoning victims on their doorsteps or in nursing homes, often stealing only small cash amounts.
• Glover was ultimately apprehended after persistent but initially overlooked patterns; in jail, he was known for attention-seeking behavior and died by suicide in 2005.

Quotes

• On Glover's job:
  “He worked as a pie salesman… nursing home to nursing home… sometimes old ladies sell pies to their nursing homes.” (83:25 – Guest Jo)
• Jo, on attending local parties during the spree:
  “We weren’t allowed to go to the nearby one because someone [was] killing old ladies.” (85:35 – Guest Jo)

Community Spirit & Aftermath

• Karen and Georgia continuously highlight the warmth and resilience of the Australian Murderinos. The heckling trauma is transformed into solidarity:
  “This community has been doing stuff like that, like representing us this whole time. It wasn’t our idea… it’s like, do you think?” (23:02 – Karen)
• The show ends on an uplifting note of gratitude for their fans.
• Multiple jokes about Tim Tams, Aussie slang, and physical comedy keep the tone buoyant, even amid the darkness of the stories.

Closing Sentiments

• “The support of the people who listen to this podcast makes me feel so much joy. It makes us both in awe every fucking day… You guys just reset us. Thank you so much.” (90:59–91:29 – Karen & Georgia)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Have you ever had every single one of your triggers triggered at one time? ‘Cause I have.” (03:23 – Georgia)
• “We’re never gonna post that episode…” (09:40 – Georgia, on the heckled show)
• “At midnight, two Murderinos—Nadine and Danica, social workers in Brisbane—started basically a ‘Oh yeah?’ campaign… $9,000 raised for women’s organizations in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.” (12:18–12:59 – Karen & Georgia)
• “I love podcasts. This American Life… Let’s go to this one.” (04:14 – Georgia, riffing on newcomers confused at the live show)
• “That was just a magical select moment for us.” (10:03 – Karen)
• “Give it up for rats!” (33:33 – Karen, on the thallium rat poison context)
• “This is what the help looked like…” (19:21 – Karen, describing Georgia’s attempt to rescue her from a fallen chair)
• “He shoots himself in the head…stuns himself…falls in the water, revives, then just drives his boat around the harbor for four hours!” (66:23 – Karen)
• “She looks like she could be my mom’s mom, and my mom is older than her because, like, back then it was like, you’re done at like 50.” (29:38 – Georgia, on Aunt Thallie)
• “Let’s say goodbye from the stage in Sydney in 2017.” (89:58 – Georgia)

Additional Resources Referenced

• Books:

  • ‘Shark: A Shark, A Tattooed Arm and Two Unsolved Murders’ by Phillip Roop & Kevin Meager
  • ‘The Shark Arm Murders’ by Alex Castles

• Podcast Recommendation:

  • Zealot (audience member Jo’s cult podcast)

Episode Highlights

• Honest, vulnerable reflection on a traumatic fan experience, and the subsequent community-driven healing.
• Comedic chemistry and improvisation, especially around physical mishaps, Australian culture, and crowd engagement.
• Two classic Australian true crime stories revisited through the My Favorite Murder lens: wickedly funny, factually rich, and deeply humane.
• Evidence of the devoted Murderino community turning dark setbacks into positive change.
• The hometown segment with Jo, who delivered not only a chilling local murder case but also an in-person moonwalk, epitomizing the fun, participatory spirit of the show.

TL;DR Takeaways

• What started as a recap of a legendary live show became a meditation on vulnerability, community, and catharsis — with plenty of dark humor about Australia’s wildest crimes.
• Both main stories—Aunt Thallie and the Shark Arm Murder—stand out as uniquely Australian and uniquely “MFM”: fascinating, absurd, and deeply creepy.
• The episode is a love letter to Murderinos everywhere, a celebration of resilience and the healing force of true crime community.
• “Stay sexy. And don’t get murdered.”