My Favorite Murder is a gruesome podcast that women can’t get enough of
Amid the glut of true crime podcasts out there, what makes My Favorite Murder special is not just that it’s hilarious, but also that it’s feminist. California-based comedians Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff host new episodes every week (available at feralaudio.com/show/my-favorite-murder/), recounting the details of grisly crimes to one another while delving into self-aware discussions that cover topics like the fact that “true crime” reporting is almost always about white women; that rape still isn’t taken seriously (check out their takedown of Brock Turner in episode 20); that sex workers are treated like garbage; and that women think they have to be polite, no matter what, even if it means they might get murdered.
Clearly, their irreverent tone, lurid subject matter, and honesty struck a chord. In the year since they launched in early 2016, their fan base has grown to a whopping 450,000 listeners per episode. And as they get more comfortable with their format, Kilgariff and Hardstark speak more about their lives, talking openly about their experiences with addiction and mental illness, and laying bare their own reasons for spending late nights reading up on the worst things one can imagine. Kilgariff has been obsessed with stories of the ghastly and deranged since she was a pre-teen. “The best thing about this podcast is seeing how many people were also told they were wrong for liking true crime,” she says, “and how happy it makes them to know that’s bullshit.”
For Hardstark, immersing herself in the totally terrible has helped her cope with anxiety. “Once Karen and I started the podcast, and reading about gruesome stuff became my job, my anxiety subsided greatly,” she says. “Maybe it’s just that we laugh at ourselves and our fears, but it’s also made me realize how many people out there feel the same.” —Chanel Dubofsky
This piece originally appeared in the April/May 2017 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
Top Image: Georgia Hardstark (left) and Karen Kilgariff (right); Photo by Mandee Johnson Photography
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