Recently, true crime has been having a bit of a comeback moment. From TV shows to Netflix documentaries to Hollywood Biopics, there’s no shortage of true crime content to binge. Riding the wave of this trend is the true crime comedy podcast, My Favorite Murder. If you’re not listening already, you should be. This is a true crime comedy podcast list you just have to try.
Hosted by TV food personality Georgia Hardstark and writer/comedian Karen Kilgariff, My Favorite Murder walks the delicate line between comedy and murder. That’s a hard combo to nail. But judging by their consistently high rankings on the iTunes Podcast top charts, they’re doing it rather well. Karen and Georgia’s easy back and forth comedy has earned them a huge audience. Well, actually, it’s more of a cult-like following. Catch phrases from the show like “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered,” and “fuck politeness” have become mantras of empowerment for the thousands tuning in.
The format is simple: Karen and Georgia regale each other with a true crime story once a week, making each episode a double feature of mayhem and hilarity. While the murder details can get grisly and the subject matter is inherently heavy, there’s humor sprinkled throughout. Whether it’s speculating about how bad Richard Ramirez’s breath must have been or riffing on Typhoid Mary’s refusal to just wash her hands, the comedic chemistry of the pair is undeniable.
That’s not to say that murder is ever made light of, though. To the contrary, Karen and Georgia are unfailingly respectful of victims and tell their stories with compassion and sympathy. They also don’t shy away from sticky topics like racism, sexism, and how those things affect our justice system. It’s that element of humanity that makes MFM special. And it’s not all about murder. Karen and Georgia get personal on the show, opening up about their experiences with substance abuse, alcoholism, and mental health. In a recent episode, they comedians joked about how they’re just two friends having a private conversation with thousands of people listening in. That describes MFM perfectly.
Whatever the secret ingredient is for the perfect true crime comedy podcast, MFM has it. It’s what rocketed Karen and Georgia to the top of the Comedy trending page in Apple Podcasts. It’s what draws listeners back, week after week. And it’s the glue in the community of devoted fans who call themselves “murderinos.” This is a true crime comedy podcast you just have to try.
Since the show first aired in January of 2016, My Favorite Murder has grown exponentially. A few months into the show, Karen and Georgia asked listeners to send in their hometown murders. The resulting flood of emails sparked the creation of the MFM Minisodes. In the Minisodes, the gals read back some of the funniest, spookiest, or just plain craziest hometowns that they receive. They’ve recently opened the Minisodes up from just hometown murder stories to anything from ghost stories to things you found in your wall stories to weird family history stories.
Karen and Georgia also began touring and doing live recordings of the show in January of 2017. To date, they’ve performed live together at over 70 venues around the world, including the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, Albert Hall in Manchester, England, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The two comedians have stayed humble in the wake of their global success and always turn the spotlight back on the murderino community.
And it’s true. The murderino community is simply incredible. The main Facebook group, My Favorite Murder Podcast, has spawned literally thousands of spinoff, niche group pages. Like Meowderinos – a group for murderinos who also love cats. Or Couch Surferinos, which is exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of murderinos looking to couch surf with like-minded true crime lovers. Who hopefully won’t murder them. This is a true crime comedy podcast you just have to try.
It’s about more than just Facebook groups, though. Being a murderino means that you are not alone. You’re not alone in your true crime fascination or your anxiety. You’re not alone in your mental health crisis or your abusive environment. You are not alone because there is a community of weird, spooky, funny, kind, brave, amazing murderinos who’ve got your back.
So. If you’ve always been the weirdo who prefers Forensic Files to The Bachelorette or if your go-to party story is about how your mom was almost picked up by Ted Bundy or if you have to check your door three times before going to sleep because what if you didn’t lock it… Well, then. Sounds like you’re a murderino. Welcome to the club. Or should I say cult?
You can listen to My Favorite Murder on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere that you listen to podcasts.
And remember: Stay sexy and don’t get murdered! This is a true crime comedy podcast you just have to try.
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