As someone who easily gets scared by any horror film, and most “thriller” movies which might as well be labeled as a horror too, the last podcast I ever thought I would be listening to is one with “murder” in the title.
I stumbled upon the podcast My Favorite Murder after the alleged Golden State killer was caught back in April. I then listened to the episode with comedian Patton Oswalt who discussed finishing his late wife, and true crime writer, Michelle McNamara’s book on the Golden State killer. I learned through these two episodes that it was not the dark and disturbing podcast I had expected but that the two hosts, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, brought a balance of terrible stories told with humor that encapsulates the craziness of everyday life. Basically, the show is like the news but with sarcasm and jokes that bring some levity.
As I have found with most podcasts I enjoy, it is not necessarily about the actual topics but more about the hosts that makes listening so enjoyable. Listening to Karen and Georgia discuss true crime feels like I am sitting around a friend’s dining room table talking about a crazy news story I heard the other day. Plus, the podcast highlights how crazy our criminal justice system is set up and serves as a great reminder that you can never be too careful.
*Image from Durham Performing Arts Center Website