Murderinos...this is not a drill! THEY'VE WRITTEN A BOOK!!!!
About a year ago I became best friends with two women I've never met via their living room and my headphones, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Since becoming a "Murderino" I've found a group of people that have made me laugh, cry, and feel like less of a weirdo for having wanted to grow up to be Clarice Starling from "The Silence of the Lambs" until...well, I still kind of want to be Clarice. This blessing one year ago came in the form of a weekly comedy murder show. You heard me..comedy murder. Ladies and Gentlemen: My Favorite Murder.
The show, (don't worry...if you're unfamiliar I'm about to give you WAY too much fun backstory and info on why I love it, hang tight) which is now HUGE and has evolved into a LIVE touring show with SOLD OUT LOCATIONS all over the world, made a major announcement and I'M HERE FOR IT, HONEY!!
Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered, co-written by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, will be released May 28, 2019!!!
According to a press release from publisher Forge Books, "Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders, and addiction, Karen and Georgia irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation."
“Working on this book has allowed us to dig deeper into some of the stories we have only hinted at or haven’t told before at all,” Kilgariff and Hardstark told BuzzFeed Books. “We can’t wait to share the results with our listeners.”
While the title makes some wonder, “who would have a ‘favorite murder’", with one listen any true crime lover can't help but fall in. Deep. I LOVE any true crime/ "I escaped"/ conspiracy type story. I've always had an obsession with not how bad things happened, but why the bad people did what they did. The psychological angle. Each week the ladies each tell a story (their favorite murder) and analyze along the way while giving their own takes on how crazy it is which I laugh REALLY hard along with them. On the very first episode the ladies dive in head first with Jon Benet. It was then I knew I'd just made two new friends.
These women are not just funny, but they're really smart. Not like "I know more than you and listening to this will make you feel dumb" smart, but more so "I've done my research and I'm well read, so let's tell this wacky story and then with all the facts dive into why in the world this would happen" smart.
Karen Kilgariff is a stand up comic and is best known for her work on Mr. Show and Ellen. She has THE most quick and biting wit. I wish I were half as clever as Karen. Georgia Hardstark co-hosts the shows Drinks With Alie and Georgia and Slumber Party with Alie and Georgia on the Cooking Channel. She holds nothing back. We are very close to the same age, which I know from her music references and talk of wearing crop tops and JNCOs. Georgia is RAW and REAL and talks about her struggles with addiction, rehab stints and much more, but never takes you down the paths of her own dark past. Why? Honey..honeys...we have murder to talk about!
SO. How do two female comics from Cali end up doing a weekly show from an apartment about true crime? Some people love romance stories, Sleepless in Seattle type stuff. BLEH. Me? How about two soul sisters meeting because one brought up something awkward at a party and when everyone got wigged out, another came running over for more info! According to their HILARIOUS retelling of it in their very first episode, Karen and Georgia met at a Halloween party in 2014 where Karen was describing a brutal accident she had witnessed: a drunk driver plowing into a crowd of people at SXSW. Georgia ran over to Karen with interest and the two talked all night about various murders throughout history.
MURDER?? YOU RANG?!
Since launching MFM in Georgia's house its has grown to be one of the largest, if not THE most popular show out there. It was recently announced that they have confirmed listeners/followers on every continent, which explains why they just wrapped the overseas leg of their INTERNATIONAL tour..?! OK. YES. You read that. International Tour. They travel from city to city and literally just sit onstage and tell the stories of true crimes that happened in that city. Really. That's it. That and laughter from the first moment they start speaking until the second they leave stage. 10/10 recommend going to see their show and for sure taking me with you.
(Pic below was from the New Orleans show last year)
I wrote all of this basically to say something that I didn't really even know I was going to say until I'd typed out all of this. Also, I know none of you are still reading this. Here come ol flat top he come moving up slowly. Just waking you back up with some Beatles. You good? Ok. Congrats, you get the meat of the story now for hanging on so long...the reason I will forever champion these women.
They did it. They found something they love. Found a way to share that love. Made a living off of it. BOOM. That's what dreams are made of.
Georgia and Karen really are just two chill ladies. They do have potty mouths (you should be aware of that from the beginning. This isn't a show for the kiddos and I don't want you chasing me down angry because now little Sally is using colorful words because Mommy or Daddy trusted Ms. Johnna's recommendation) but they aren't trying to give you advice on life besides the common sense like "Get a job. Buy Your own sh*t. Stay out of the forest." or "you're in a cult. Call your dad". I've both watched and listened to so many true crime series. There's nothing that makes you more inhuman that pretending you have all of the answers and very few flaws. K&G approach each story without judgement of the people involved and with empathy toward the situations. They really are so kind. Nothing about MFM is anything but honest. The stories really happened. The hosts are really intrigued. But most importantly, you can relate to it.
I just keep typing, I know. His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There's vomit on is sweater already, mom's spaghetti. Eminem break! You good now? Ok cool. Back to why I am a better person because of MFM.
Each time I listen, I feel like I'm not the weird girl anymore. I'm not the girl who is "a little off" because I'd rather watch a documentary about Jonestown than The Bachelor. Give me a "Snapped" marathon over Kardashians ANY DAY. I'm not "morbid". I'm not "odd" or "quirky" or "different" in any derogatory manner but instead, in a way that makes me a member of a tribe. I found out that there are a lot of us out there. We are Murderinos. I fit in here. It's taken me 33 years to embrace the person I am, and although I'm not sure we ever fully accept all of the things about ourselves that society deems "different", I'm at least learning that I like that part of myself and I'm not alone.
So, to Georgia and Karen, my two best girlfriends I've never met but hope to meet, thank you. Thank you for following a crazy idea to just sit crooked and talk straight to each other about murder and life while Elvis (Georgia's cat) runs around wanting cookies. That was a leap. I'm a fan of the dreamchasers and the leaptakers. Especially the ones who aren't scared to be themselves in the process of the risk. You've helped me through some dark times by giving me something to focus on and friends to laugh with. Thank you for bringing people from all over the world together to smile and laugh and get weird in a safe space. Thank you for being big sisters, story tellers and friends to millions of strangers who you brought together as one. And remember...
STAY SEXY. DON'T GET MURDERED.
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You can become a Murderino or just find out more, maybe even buy one of these rad MFM advice catch-phrase tees all right here! Fun fact: Many of the show's profits from donations or direct sale of goods are donated to local police departments to fund examination of the backlog of untested rape kits.
Elvis, want a cookie?