554 - Inflaishment

On today’s episode, Karen covers the Marcos regime and the Manila Film Center disaster. For our sources, please visit https://www.myfavoritemurder.com/episodes. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3UFCn1g. Head to social media to share your favorite moments from this episode. Instagram: instagram.com/myfavoritemurder http://instagram.com/myfavoritemurder Facebook: facebook.com/myfavoritemurder http://facebook.com/myfavoritemurder TikTok: tiktok.com/@my_favorite_murder http://tiktok.com/@my_favorite_murder Send your hometown stories to [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. Join the Fan Cult to access ad-free episodes of My Favorite Murder. Members also receive merch store discounts, exclusive audio and video content and more! Visit www.fancult.supercast.com http://www.fancult.supercast.com/ to join. Shop for My Favorite Murder and other Exactly Right merchandise here: www.exactlyrightstore.com https://www.exactlyrightstore.com. Rate, review and follow My Favorite Murder on the iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you like to listen. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Karen Kilgariff?

  This is Exactly Right.

• 0:07Karen Kilgariff?

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• 0:37Karen Kilgariff?

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• 1:46Karen Kilgariff?

  Hello and welcome.

• 1:47Georgia Hardstark?

  It's my favorite murder.

• 1:49Karen Kilgariff?

  That's Georgia Hardstark.

• 1:50Georgia Hardstark?

  That's Karen Kilgariff.

• 1:51Karen Kilgariff?

  And this is a video podcast.

• 1:54Georgia Hardstark?

  That's right. You know where I watched this video? I just remembered this.

• 1:57Karen Kilgariff?

  Where?

• 1:58Georgia Hardstark?

  I was in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

• 2:00Karen Kilgariff?

  Boo.

• 2:02Georgia Hardstark?

  And they had Netflix so you could watch TV, you know? Boo, we hate Hollywood.

• 2:09Georgia Hardstark?

  But I was just like, I just put it on just to see what happened.

• 2:12Karen Kilgariff?

  And then it turned into...

• 2:14Georgia Hardstark?

  That I floated away.

• 2:15Karen Kilgariff?

  Into yourself.

• 2:16Georgia Hardstark?

  Pink cloud.

• 2:18Karen Kilgariff?

  That's crazy. Was it a shock to your system?

• 2:20Georgia Hardstark?

  It was where your ears pop and like, you just feel like you're in a little like, you know, airplane pod.

• 2:28Karen Kilgariff?

  Oh, I meant seeing us.

• 2:29Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, no.

• 2:32Georgia Hardstark?

  No, I'm used to that. I watch every episode. No, honestly, I just wanted to get it on their list. So whoever goes in next will see it. I just always, you always...

• 2:40Karen Kilgariff?

  Georgia, she's boots on the ground.

• 2:42Georgia Hardstark?

  Marketing.

• 2:42Karen Kilgariff?

  She is absolutely grassroots. She's gonna do it. It's like how Lady Gaga did it with Joanne. Georgia's out there spray painting the sidewalk on our behalf. And always has.

• 2:52Georgia Hardstark?

  That's right. And I don't understand the Lady Gaga reference, but I love it anyway.

• 2:56Karen Kilgariff?

  Some do, and they'll be on our side.

• 2:58Georgia Hardstark?

  That's right. Those Gen somethingers.

• 3:01Karen Kilgariff?

  Monsters?

• 3:02Georgia Hardstark?

  Gen monsters. Oh, I like that.

• 3:03Karen Kilgariff?

  I think they call themselves little monsters.

• 3:05Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, that's cute. Well, it is almost Halloween, so...

• 3:09Karen Kilgariff?

  So you have a nice bat shirt on?

• 3:10Georgia Hardstark?

  That's cute. It's just completely covered by this mic.

• 3:15Karen Kilgariff?

  I'm also the night sky, so I'm with you.

• 3:18Georgia Hardstark?

  You're matching blue eyes. Love it.

• 3:21Karen Kilgariff?

  We're just so ready for spooky season over here.

• 3:23Georgia Hardstark?

  Always.

• 3:24Karen Kilgariff?

  We are ready. Well, it's a solo episode. Should we just get into it?

• 3:27Georgia Hardstark?

  Let's do it. Yeah, I did my hyperbaric story.

• 3:29Karen Kilgariff?

  Wait, is there any benefit from that?

• 3:31Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, yeah. And I'm just doing it for the fuck of it.

• 3:34Karen Kilgariff?

  Well, like, is it soothing? Is it like physically?

• 3:37Georgia Hardstark?

  It's physically really good for you. I will not pretend like I know what it is right now, but it's just like the healing, you know, getting off alcohol and trying to like heal my body and shit like that. All that crap.

• 3:49Karen Kilgariff?

  Like get into this box.

• 3:50Georgia Hardstark?

  Try it. So I'm like, I'll try it.

• 3:51Karen Kilgariff?

  We'll lock you down for an hour.

• 3:53Georgia Hardstark?

  You know, I love that shit, like red light therapy. I love the IV.

• 3:57Karen Kilgariff?

  Try it all.

• 3:58Georgia Hardstark?

  Fancy LA stuff.

• 3:59Karen Kilgariff?

  How about, have you ever done saunas?

• 4:01Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, I love saunas.

• 4:03Karen Kilgariff?

  Love a sauna. I love a dry sauna.

• 4:06Georgia Hardstark?

  Dry, wet, I'll take it all.

• 4:08Karen Kilgariff?

  You don't give a shit.

• 4:09Georgia Hardstark?

  I don't give a shit. Baths, you know, I take baths like four times a week or so.

• 4:13Karen Kilgariff?

  I do know that about you. That's when I first learned that about you, I was like, is she a mermaid? And then, over the years, I was like, there was something I remember happening probably seven years ago that was so stressful that I was at my house like I didn't know what to do. And I'm like, oh, I'm gonna go take a bath. I'm gonna tap into that resource she uses.

• 4:32Georgia Hardstark?

  Self-care, baby.

• 4:33Karen Kilgariff?

  It works.

• 4:34Georgia Hardstark?

  Speaking of self-care, we have a podcast network. It's called Exactly Right Media. Here are some things you can listen to in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or in the bathtub, or in the sauna.

• 4:45Karen Kilgariff?

  We provide so many options for you.

• 4:47Georgia Hardstark?

  Truly.

• 4:48Karen Kilgariff?

  For example, we've got big news right now from our very own Kate Winkler-Dawson. She is the narrator of her new audiobook, Blood on the Page. It comes out October 20th, just in time for spooky season. It tells the story of the infamous Ratcliffe Highway murders. This case has left a lasting mark on law enforcement history and, interestingly enough, literature.

• 5:10Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, I am so in.

• 5:12Karen Kilgariff?

  Can't wait. And also, Kate, talk about soothing.

• 5:14Georgia Hardstark?

  Yes.

• 5:14Karen Kilgariff?

  That's a voice you want in your ear.

• 5:16Georgia Hardstark?

  Absolutely. That's everyone's Thanksgiving weekend. I can't be near my family. Listen.

• 5:20Karen Kilgariff?

  Go take a long walk.

• 5:22Georgia Hardstark?

  Yes.

• 5:22Karen Kilgariff?

  Pretend you have to get ice.

• 5:23Georgia Hardstark?

  Long bath. Put the ice in the bath. And if you've ever wanted to solve a murder on the high seas, Buried Bones and Disgrace Land are both joining Virgin Voyages True Crime Voyage this March. It's gonna be incredible.

• 5:36Karen Kilgariff?

  Yeah.

• 5:36Georgia Hardstark?

  I definitely have FOMO.

• 5:38Karen Kilgariff?

  Yes.

• 5:38Georgia Hardstark?

  If they ask us again, I might have to do it. Booking is open now at virginvoyages.com.

• 5:43Karen Kilgariff?

  You just made about 19 people go, go do it.

• 5:47Georgia Hardstark?

  19, that's it.

• 5:48Karen Kilgariff?

  Yeah. Oh, also, today is your last chance to vote in the Signal Awards. Our podcasts that are nominated are Two-Face, John of God from Adonde Media, I Said No Gifts, Disgrace Land, Brief Recession, and The Knife. They're nominated across seven categories. But these are listeners' choice awards, so go to signalaward.com and please catch your votes. Let's get these amazing DIY podcasters who work their asses off a little something special.

• 6:17Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, it's good luck. I heard it's good luck to vote for Exactly Right Media podcasts in the Signal Awards.

• 6:22Karen Kilgariff?

  That's right. That's right.

• 6:23Georgia Hardstark?

  Right? And then over in the merch corner, we have a new Call Your Dad design.

• 6:28Karen Kilgariff?

  Boop, boop.

• 6:29Georgia Hardstark?

  Okay, yeah, you guys remember this one. It's available as a t-shirt, tote, pop socket, and sticker. So go get yours now at exactlyrightstore.com. They're good luck. Everything's just good luck.

• 6:39Karen Kilgariff?

  Everything's good luck. Also, just a quick word to Gen Y, Z, and Alpha.

• 6:45Georgia Hardstark?

  And those monsters.

• 6:46Karen Kilgariff?

  And those little monsters. This is what phones used to look like. That's a phone. That's why that's designed like that. We love a nice 60s style. Georgia and I are very mid-century influenced.

• 6:58Georgia Hardstark?

  That's how old we are.

• 6:59Karen Kilgariff?

  And Vanessa Lilak, who's our graphic designer, made this design especially for us.

• 7:04Georgia Hardstark?

  So cute. I love it.

• 7:05Karen Kilgariff?

  Only after we released it did we all go, no one knows what old phones look like, do they? Do they?

• 7:11Georgia Hardstark?

  Of course they do.

• 7:12Karen Kilgariff?

  If you support old phones, get yourself a Call Your Dad t-shirt.

• 7:17Georgia Hardstark?

  All right, well, this is your solo ep, so tell me a motherfucking story.

• 7:21Karen Kilgariff?

  Lean back.

• 7:22Georgia Hardstark?

  Lean back.

• 7:22Karen Kilgariff?

  Lean back. Your favorite song, Lean Back.

• 7:28Karen Kilgariff?

  Okay, so I found this story listening to one of my all-time favorite podcasts, Unexplained, hosted by Richard McLean Smith. He talks like this. And it's kind of anthology. He just presents like incredible, amazing, weird, unexplained stories.

• 7:45Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, so good.

• 7:46Karen Kilgariff?

  And so this story was on the episode entitled The Weight of Empty Space. I think I listened to it during the tour.

• 7:54Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 7:55Karen Kilgariff?

  It is my airplane travel podcast.

• 7:58Georgia Hardstark?

  So good.

• 7:59Karen Kilgariff?

  I just go somewhere else.

• 8:00Georgia Hardstark?

  So soothing.

• 8:01Karen Kilgariff?

  Yep. Hi, Richard. We love you. So this story begins in the early morning hours of November 17th, 1981, in the Philippine capital city of Manila. Thousands of construction workers are racing to finish a massive new building, the Manila Film Center. The project has a hard deadline. They're already behind schedule, despite 4,000 laborers working in three shifts, rotating out every eight hours so that construction continues 24 hours a day, nonstop. Damn. At 3:00 AM on November 17th, the scaffolding holding up the building's in-progress upper floors gives way.

• 8:43Karen Kilgariff?

  And wet cement begins to rain down like a deadly waterfall, burying everything and everyone underneath it.

• 8:53Karen Kilgariff?

  We know the person responsible for this disaster, the person who made the demand, who set the timeline that was so insane, and who later became the butt of many jokes across American late night television in the 80s and 90s. First Lady Imelda Marcos and her 3,000 pairs of shoes were a late night punchline, all when I was growing up.

• 9:15Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, I remember that.

• 9:16Karen Kilgariff?

  But her and her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, shared an obsession with power, with access, with material things that was almost cartoonish. That is, until you learn about the human toll, the torture, the kleptocracy that threatened to end a nation. So as we approach the 2026 midterm elections here in America, I'm going to tell you a story of how democracy can be dismantled in plain sight and how normal citizens pay the price with their lives. This is a story of the Marcos regime's Manila Film Center disaster.

• 9:52Georgia Hardstark?

  This is so good and timely. I love this. Like, this isn't pie in the sky, we're scared. This shit happens.

• 9:59Karen Kilgariff?

  This is really happening. It's been happening. We've all talked about it. No one has experience with it, except for the people that live in this country because it happened in their country and they had to come here. Some call them immigrants. Some call them refugees. Many call them the people that saved this country.

• 10:17Georgia Hardstark?

  Many call them Americans.

• 10:19Karen Kilgariff?

  They're all Americans and they're the ones who go, "It's real. It's happening in front of you. Stop laughing about it." Okay, anyway. The main source of this story today is Lauren Greenfield's 2019 documentary, "The Kingmaker," and the rest of the other sources are in our show notes. So let's start in 1954. That's when Imelda is 24 years old. She's fairly new to the city of Manila, but she has a well-known last name because of her prominent political family. And that last name, although I'm positive this is not going to come out correctly, is Ramualdez.

• 10:57Georgia Hardstark?

  That sounds great.

• 10:58Karen Kilgariff?

  And now I'll try her full name, which is Imelda Remedios Visitation Trinidad Ramualdez.

• 11:07Georgia Hardstark?

  Beautiful.

• 11:07Karen Kilgariff?

  It's her whole name. And she's actually made even more of that name by becoming a beauty pageant queen in the past couple of years. Isn't that on? Beauty pageants are a part of this story. So anyway, Imelda's creating a buzz with her arrival in the capital city. What people might not know about her is that her father lost much of the wealth that everyone knew he had years before, so she actually grew up poor. Meanwhile, in that same city, 36-year-old Ferdinand Marcos is also from a political family, and he is a rising star in national politics. And that is kind of an amazing fact, considering that when he was an 18-year-old law student,

• 11:49Karen Kilgariff?

  he was convicted of assassinating his congressman father's political rival.

• 11:53Georgia Hardstark?

  What?

• 11:54Karen Kilgariff?

  Then a few years after that, he takes the bar exam from prison and passes with one of the highest scores in the country. So then he is allowed to act as his own attorney to present his appeal before the Supreme Court. And even though he's only in his early 20s at this point, so he goes to jail when he's 18. Now, he's in his early 20s. He's gotten his law degree, passed with flying colors. With very little practical legal practice, he appears in front of the Supreme Court and absolutely crushes it. The Boston Globe reports, quote, "The Supreme Court overturned his murder conviction after one of the justices, in a personal appeal to his colleagues, said the country desperately needed young people

• 12:38Karen Kilgariff?

  with the leadership potential and intellect Mr. Marcos had just displayed."

• 12:43Georgia Hardstark?

  Okay.

• 12:45Karen Kilgariff?

  End quote. Yep, there's no one else.

• 12:48Georgia Hardstark?

  No.

• 12:48Karen Kilgariff?

  There's no one else.

• 12:49Georgia Hardstark?

  But let's not feed children before they go to school.

• 12:53Karen Kilgariff?

  Let's save that money.

• 12:54Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, let's not get, let's not feed children at school.

• 12:56Karen Kilgariff?

  Let's strip every educational budget there is so that teachers have to either bring their own crayons or have none.

• 13:05Georgia Hardstark?

  The killer is the only answer.

• 13:06Karen Kilgariff?

  We've got to hire that killer. Timely in many ways. So for what it's worth, by all accounts, seems like he did do the crime. But his brilliance during the appeal was so evident and so persuasive that it becomes an important part of the lore of Ferdinand Marcos. So about two decades later, he has become a member of the House of Representatives in Manila. And one afternoon, he sees the beautiful young Imelda in the State House. She's there visiting her congressman cousin. And Ferdinand's already seen her pageant photos in the paper. She's kind of well-known. So he approaches her. Imelda will later say, quote, "In the first 20 minutes, he proposed marriage."

• 13:46Georgia Hardstark?

  A red flag.

• 13:47Karen Kilgariff?

  8,000 red flags. They get married 11 days later.

• 13:53Georgia Hardstark?

  Ouch.

• 13:54Karen Kilgariff?

  Who's love bombing who? We'll never know. Ferdinand is exceedingly ambitious and he wants to become president, while Imelda is right out of central casting for the role of a politician's wife. She's classy, charismatic, she's beautiful, and like her husband, she has the same hunger for more, more, more.

• 14:12Georgia Hardstark?

  Do you have a picture of them?

• 14:13Karen Kilgariff?

  Oh, first, we have Imelda Marcos as a beauty queen.

• 14:15Georgia Hardstark?

  Let's see her young. Oh, gorgeous. Ridiculously gorgeous.

• 14:19Karen Kilgariff?

  Truly amazing. Here's a solo shot of Ferdinand.

• 14:22Georgia Hardstark?

  Okay, good-looking guy.

• 14:24Karen Kilgariff?

  This is the elite, you know, the people who are making it happen in Manila. And then they get together and they're a power couple.

• 14:32Georgia Hardstark?

  What year is this again? 80?

• 14:33Karen Kilgariff?

  Hold on, let me just read this next line. Together, they become a national power couple. And in 1965, it's always on the page. We just refer back to the page. In 1965, a decade into their marriage, Ferdinand Marcos becomes the 10th president of the Philippines. And Imelda is anointed first lady. At this time, he is 48 years old and she is 36. And they have three kids. Their first son, Ferdinand Jr., who's nicknamed Bong Bong. And then they have two daughters, Imelda Jr., who they call Imi and Irene. So Ferdinand Marcos wins running on the slogan, quote, "Our nation can be great again," end quote.

• 15:18Georgia Hardstark?

  Really?

• 15:19Karen Kilgariff?

  Yep. And people hear that and go, "Wow, that's true. We used to be..." That's true. Let's get back.

• 15:25Georgia Hardstark?

  Just because he said that, I bet he's the one to do that. Let's not check any resumes or...

• 15:31Karen Kilgariff?

  Yeah. Let's not wonder if this is a manipulation of some kind where we're turned against each other, so we're disempowered. Anyway, the Marcos era officially begins. There's optimism both within and outside the country. The Marcoses are described as Asia's answer to the Kennedy's Camelot. And that tracks because the election is won basically in the midst of the Cold War era. The US is very happy that Marcos won since he's a diehard anti-communist and he's a pro-Western ally. So once her husband takes office, Imelda Marcos's role quickly grows beyond the usual duties of a ceremonial first lady. She becomes one of the most powerful people in the Marcos administration, eventually taking on formal positions within the government

• 16:15Karen Kilgariff?

  and meeting with world leaders abroad on behalf of her husband. And the reason she's able to do that is because underneath all of the usual politics, a major kleptocracy is falling into place. The Marcoses and their inner circle are enriching themselves through complicated schemes that are confusing by design, like kickbacks, shell companies, siphoning public funds, fake business deals. These days, we call it crypto. Over time, they'll siphon billions of dollars from the people and spend it like there's no tomorrow, especially Imelda. She has a particular obsession with incredibly expensive building projects and acquisitions.

• 16:59Georgia Hardstark?

  Sounds like a house of cards, the TV show House of Cards. Just like, this world will never understand.

• 17:05Karen Kilgariff?

  Yes, and it's, I don't think there's any, it's not a coincidence that they're both from political families. They've grown up in this culture of this is how I scratch my back.

• 17:17Georgia Hardstark?

  You scratch my back too. We all scratch my back.

• 17:19Karen Kilgariff?

  Let's all scratch my back.

• 17:20Georgia Hardstark?

  Let's scratch my back.

• 17:21Karen Kilgariff?

  That's how fascism works. No, they're in this world, they know the language, they know how it works. So she was never going to really be just a first lady. And in the documentary, "The Kingmaker," an acquaintance calls it "the first lady's edifice complex," saying, quote, "Imelda loved buildings. She called me one day when she was staying at the Waldorf in New York and said, 'What do you think of the Crown Building on 57th and 5th? I'm going to buy it.'" Then she bought four more buildings. She was a spontaneous person for acquisitions. If she saw something she liked, she'd take it, like buying out a jewelry store in Paris or shipping out animals from Africa.

• 18:02Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 18:02Karen Kilgariff?

  End quote. And those are, that's real. Those are all things she did.

• 18:06Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, my God.

• 18:07Karen Kilgariff?

  So they're just basically fleecing taxpayers, taking all that money that's supposed to be for the country and doing all of that. And for the animals in Africa, she actually went on a Kenyan safari. And she was so dazzled by...

• 18:20Georgia Hardstark?

  She thought it was like a shopping spree.

• 18:23Karen Kilgariff?

  Zebra, giraffe, for real.

• 18:26Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, my God.

• 18:26Karen Kilgariff?

  They imported dozens of wild zebras, giraffes, antelopes back to the Philippines under the guise of wildlife conservation. But to house them all, the Marcos regime has to build a national wildlife sanctuary on the Philippines' Kalawit Island, which were the ancestral lands of the indigenous Tong Banwa people. So they displace hundreds of native people to a former leper colony that's off the island. And those who resist are threatened by the military. So to this day, Kalawit Island is still a wildlife refuge and tourist destination. But the animals have been there for so long and they're so inbred that they usually die prematurely from health issues.

• 19:11Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 19:12Karen Kilgariff?

  So it's very sad and dark.

• 19:13Georgia Hardstark?

  That is like telling and dark.

• 19:16Karen Kilgariff?

  So thanks in part to the strength of the economy in the 60s, Marcos maintains a decent approval rating for years. But in the 70s, when economic issues come up all around the world, like inflation, inflation. Inflation.

• 19:32Georgia Hardstark?

  Regonomics.

• 19:32Karen Kilgariff?

  It's just, can I just read it? Regonomics or classic inflation.

• 19:41Karen Kilgariff?

  So issues like inflation and unemployment start creeping up and so do the public's political frustrations. In 1972, Marcos's party is trounced in the midterm elections. And not long after, citing threats from communist insurgent groups in the country, Ferdinand Marcos declares martial law. While there are definitely self-professed communist and anti Marcos groups operating at the time, and the political situation, of course, is becoming increasingly tense because there's so much unemployment, all the issues. Historians characterize the Marcoses messaging here as fear mongering and exaggerated to justify.

• 20:21Georgia Hardstark?

  This is exactly what's gonna happen.

• 20:23Karen Kilgariff?

  Well, but he tried to do it already.

• 20:25Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 20:25Karen Kilgariff?

  He tried to do it. It didn't work.

• 20:27Georgia Hardstark?

  Okay.

• 20:27Karen Kilgariff?

  Minnesota, Minnesota, Minnesota.

• 20:29Georgia Hardstark?

  Okay.

• 20:30Karen Kilgariff?

  The CIA has described these anti Marcos groups as, quote, "too small and vulnerable," end quote, "to be a real threat."

• 20:38Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 20:39Karen Kilgariff?

  So it's all just an excuse.

• 20:40Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 20:41Karen Kilgariff?

  But it works. And martial law allows Marcos, who's nearing the constitutional limits of his presidency, to stay in office as the political winds shift in the Philippines.

• 20:52Georgia Hardstark?

  This is so fucked up. I, okay.

• 20:54Karen Kilgariff?

  Yeah. Many other constitutional protections and checks and balances are also suspended, meaning now Ferdinand Marcos, with Imelda right beside him, rules with absolute power. And this kicks off a dark new chapter for the people of the Philippines. Dissent and opposition of any kind are not tolerated. Things like picketing, striking, and even large meetings of people are outlawed. Critics of the Marcoses are arrested and detained without trials. Political prisoners are tortured and killed, while independent newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations are shut down.

• 21:29Georgia Hardstark?

  Say that again.

• 21:30Karen Kilgariff?

  Okay. That's so Oprah of you. Say that again. Critics of the Marcoses are arrested and detained without trials.

• 21:37Georgia Hardstark?

  Critics, not, it's not lawbreakers. It's critics.

• 21:43Karen Kilgariff?

  And oftentimes, critics are actually just people stating facts

• 21:46Georgia Hardstark?

  Totally.

• 21:47Karen Kilgariff?

  about what these people are doing.

• 21:48Georgia Hardstark?

  Critics meaning questioning what the fuck is happening. Okay, sorry, go on.

• 21:53Karen Kilgariff?

  The job of journalists

• 21:54Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 21:54Karen Kilgariff?

  to say, hey, is that right?

• 21:56Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 21:57Karen Kilgariff?

  Because I actually am way smarter than you.

• 21:59Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 21:59Karen Kilgariff?

  And I know the answer already.

• 22:00Georgia Hardstark?

  Totally.

• 22:01Karen Kilgariff?

  Not me. That wasn't a direct quote.

• 22:02Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, no, no, no.

• 22:03Karen Kilgariff?

  But I was pointing, and I do apologize for that. I was trying to play a part.

• 22:08Georgia Hardstark?

  It's okay. Not taking anything personally.

• 22:11Karen Kilgariff?

  It's okay. I'm reading it again. Critics of the Marcoses are arrested and detained without trials. Political prisoners are tortured and killed, while independent newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations are shut down, giving total control of the press to the Marcos regime.

• 22:30Speaker 06

  911, what's your emergency?

• 22:33Speaker 06

  Please help us. They're everywhere. We think they're murder hornets.

• 22:37Speaker 01

  911 Nashville returns.

• 22:40Speaker 02

  It's a homicide detective down here.

• 22:42Speaker 03

  Three bodies on the ground.

• 22:43Speaker 01

  With emergencies of biblical proportions.

• 22:46Speaker 03

  Alson swarms upon you and upon your people.

• 22:48Speaker 02

  That's one of the plagues for Bible.

• 22:50Speaker 03

  And somebody's unleashing them on Nashville.

• 22:53Speaker 01

  Brian Phillippe joins 911 Nashville. All new Thursdays on ABC, next day on Hulu.

• 23:00Speaker 04

  Whether you're buying, renting, or selling, Zillow can help make your someday today to help find a home that fits where you are in life or that apartment that's a little closer to where you want to be. Zillow has the right information, tools, and support to help turn your future home into a reality. Because someday starts today. Visit zillow.com/today to get started. Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds, up to $200,000, right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently.

• 23:44Speaker 04

  Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 23:56Karen Kilgariff?

  All the while, Ferdinand, Imelda, and their cronies continue to treat public dollars as their personal slush fund, sinking the nation into debt. But because they've shut down and silenced dissenters and the free press, the Marcoses are able to present to their public as strong and stable. And for their image outside of the Philippines, they hire an American PR firm and enlist influential allies, like conservative academics, to talk up the regime and justify their imposing of martial law.

• 24:28Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 24:28Karen Kilgariff?

  So now it's 1981. Ferdinand Marcos is 63 years old. He's been head of state for 15 years. Imelda is 51. She has held multiple offices. So that's how she does it. It's just like, fine, I'm the governor.

• 24:41Georgia Hardstark?

  Totally.

• 24:42Karen Kilgariff?

  Including serving in the national legislature and as the governor of Metro Manila.

• 24:46Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 24:47Karen Kilgariff?

  This is when Imelda becomes inspired by the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival in France. She envisioned something like that for Manila. Something grandiose and singular. A sparkly film center with all of the technological bells and whistles, but also one that's modeled on the Parthenon. So make all of my weird dreams come true.

• 25:11Georgia Hardstark?

  You just can't buy class is the problem. Ask me. I fucking tried.

• 25:17Karen Kilgariff?

  Hey, listen, we're great examples. This shirt is from The Gap. And always will be.

• 25:23Georgia Hardstark?

  I don't have my shoes tied and on all the way.

• 25:26Karen Kilgariff?

  Georgia is wearing, I just heard a noise in the driveway shoes. But look.

• 25:31Georgia Hardstark?

  I think I heard something in the driveway. Sorry, okay.

• 25:34Karen Kilgariff?

  So in late 1981, the Marcoses announce that the inaugural Manila International Film Festival will take place in January of 1982. So it's just a couple of months away.

• 25:46Georgia Hardstark?

  Hey.

• 25:47Karen Kilgariff?

  They announce this before ground has even been broken on the project. Normal construction project like this would need many months, if not several years, to properly construct.

• 25:58Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 25:59Karen Kilgariff?

  The Marcos regime hires 4,000 laborers and gives them the impossible deadline of four to five months.

• 26:05Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, but you don't have to worry about labor laws. It's fucking quick.

• 26:08Karen Kilgariff?

  It's do it. So to give you a sense of how fast they were working, writer Nikke de Guzman, in an article for Esquire, states that "the venue's lobby alone should have taken more than a month to build." It's finished in just 72 hours.

• 26:22Georgia Hardstark?

  Phew.

• 26:23Karen Kilgariff?

  That's not how you get the quality craftsmanship and solid.

• 26:27Georgia Hardstark?

  And like earthquake proof.

• 26:29Karen Kilgariff?

  I mean.

• 26:29Georgia Hardstark?

  Do they have earthquakes?

• 26:30Karen Kilgariff?

  Okay, so now we're back to how I started this. The early hours of November 17, 1981. So when the scaffolding fails, as they're pouring cement within the building and the scaffolding fails, some workers are killed instantly. But what's worse is survivors have to fight through rubble and quick drying cement to free themselves and their coworkers.

• 26:56Georgia Hardstark?

  Jesus.

• 26:57Karen Kilgariff?

  One witness describes a group, this is very disturbing. One witness describes a group tending to a stuck colleague who is, quote, "alive but half-buried" in cement, saying, quote, "to keep him awake, alert, and not to go into coma or shock." They kept him singing Christmas songs, end quote. So these are all people also, they have no experience in something absolutely nightmarish like this. They don't know what to do. And what's even more horrifying is that the government imposes a media blackout that lasts for 15 hours about this, which is widely characterized as being done to give the regime an opportunity to do damage control and avoid a scandal.

• 27:39Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 27:39Karen Kilgariff?

  Witnesses say that rescue efforts seem deliberately delayed because of this, ostensibly to keep a lid on the disaster by preventing anyone on the outside, even first responders from coming in and seeing what happened.

• 27:54Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 27:55Karen Kilgariff?

  Nine hours later, nine hours after the cement falls and people are stuck in it, medics and ambulances are allowed on site.

• 28:03Georgia Hardstark?

  Nine hours.

• 28:04Karen Kilgariff?

  Nine hours.

• 28:05Georgia Hardstark?

  Do you have any photos of the building?

• 28:06Karen Kilgariff?

  We have a photo of the building. It's what it looks like now. I believe.

• 28:11Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, it's the Parthenon.

• 28:13Karen Kilgariff?

  Right?

• 28:13Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah. I mean, it's not the Parthenon. It's clearly the fucking, like, Eastern Bloc

• 28:18Karen Kilgariff?

  Right.

• 28:19Georgia Hardstark?

  architecture.

• 28:19Karen Kilgariff?

  It's what you get when you rush the Parthenon.

• 28:21Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 28:22Karen Kilgariff?

  So nine hours later is when the regime releases a statement putting the death toll at three people.

• 28:31Karen Kilgariff?

  Again, reporting from outside the regime puts the death toll at at least 169 workers.

• 28:36Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 28:37Karen Kilgariff?

  Jackhammers are brought in next to break up the cement and remove the bodies. Which they could have been brought in to maybe hopefully save some people, but they didn't. As Guzman reports for Esquire, "Some remains are quote tapered off and built over."

• 28:55Georgia Hardstark?

  What?

• 28:55Karen Kilgariff?

  The rule was that they had to meet the deadline, no matter what happened. End quote. So, the horrifying reality of this building is that there are bodies in inside this building of the workers.

• 29:11Georgia Hardstark?

  Encased in the cement that they refused to...

• 29:15Karen Kilgariff?

  When I heard our friend Richard talking about this on his show, I was like, "This can't be real. It can't be real." And then I sent the episode to Maren and I was like, "Is there a way we could tell the story?" And she's just like, "Of course, because there was no journalism allowed, the details are all, it's unverifiable, except for eyewitnesses that like, you know, they they assure people, it's like, this is what I saw, no one doubts them." But the building is still standing. So, in January of 1982, the newly completed building hosts the Manila Film Festival as promised. Presumably unaware of the disaster, I mean, probably, the New York Times describes

• 29:58Karen Kilgariff?

  an event held there as quote "an all-out spectacle with a guest list that includes Jeremy Irons, Brooke Shields, and Priscilla Presley, among the many." De Guzman continues, quote, "Unbeknownst to the visitors, the wet cement was staining the hems of their clothes and the bottoms of their shoes. They were also stepping on the remains of hundreds of Filipino workers who were entombed in a cursed building."

• 30:27Georgia Hardstark?

  There were hundreds that were entombed?

• 30:29Karen Kilgariff?

  Hundreds. But they, no one knows the real numbers because...

• 30:33Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh my god.

• 30:35Karen Kilgariff?

  The workers who survived and witnessed unthinkable horrors were forced to continue working that night. And every single day until that building was finished, the construction never stopped. When it's done, Emelda Marcos immediately hosts an extravagant party. She arrives dripping in diamonds and showers her ritzy guests with charms, smiles, and expensive champagne. So, running concurrently with all of this is growing political frustration and disillusionment within the Philippines. By this point in the 80s, the economic issues from the 70s have snowballed into a full-on crisis. Unemployment is much higher, of course. Inflation is making the price of basic items skyrocket.

• 31:22Karen Kilgariff?

  Many Filipinos now believe that a small group of political elites are hoarding the country's wealth. On top of that, the violent crackdown on dissent is becoming impossible to sweep under the rug. According to Amnesty International, between 1972 and 1981, quote, "Some 70,000 people were imprisoned and 34,000 were tortured."

• 31:44Georgia Hardstark?

  My god.

• 31:44Karen Kilgariff?

  "Over 3,200 people were killed," end quote. That statistic ends in 1981 because that's when Ferdinand Marcos officially lifts martial law after 10 years, nearly 10 years, though this is a mostly cosmetic move to boost his image abroad, which is souring. But the repressive system that's still in place and the human rights abuses continue anyway. Meanwhile, a charismatic former senator named Benigno Aquino Jr., who's known as "Ninoi," taps into people's anger and emerges as the Marcoses' greatest rival. He's been a thorn in their side for years, dedicating himself to restoring true democracy to the

• 32:25Karen Kilgariff?

  nation, and for that, the regime imprisons him for many years. While in prison, Aquino develops heart problems. The Marcoses know that they're under increasing international scrutiny and they can't be seen as allowing the country's major opposition figure to die behind bars, so they begrudgingly let him travel to the United States for treatment, with the understanding that he will return to the prison once he's better.

• 32:48Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, guys, I'll be right back.

• 32:49Karen Kilgariff?

  I'll be, I'm just gonna get this surgery and I'm...

• 32:51Georgia Hardstark?

  Real quick.

• 32:52Karen Kilgariff?

  Chain, clang, clang, I'll go right back in. When Ninoi recovers, instead of going right back to the Philippines, he and his family live in exile in the US for the next three years. And he's politically active the entire time. Then on August 21st, 1983, when he's 50 years old, Ninoi returns home to continue the fight in the Philippines. Moments after he steps onto the tarmac at the Manila Airport, Benigno Aquino Jr. is assassinated by a gunman.

• 33:21Georgia Hardstark?

  Holy shit.

• 33:23Karen Kilgariff?

  Many people, including the Aquino family, suspect the Marcoses and the Marcos regime are behind this assassination. Aquino's death adds fire to the growing people-led opposition movement, which in 1986 successfully brings down the Marcos regime and elects Aquino's widow, Cori Aquino, as president.

• 33:43Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh my god.

• 33:44Karen Kilgariff?

  I just got chills and I knew I was reading it.

• 33:47Georgia Hardstark?

  So dramatic.

• 33:48Karen Kilgariff?

  It's, and it's her. It's the anti-Emelda Marcos. She's like, "That's right. None of us first wives are actually ceremonial." "We all fucking know what's going on. We help make these decisions." Here we go. So, she becomes president. This is despite evidence that the Marcos regime had done things like vote buying and intimidating voters to try to ensure their win. It didn't work.

• 34:13Georgia Hardstark?

  Okay, that's nice.

• 34:15Karen Kilgariff?

  At first, the Marcos regime refuses to cede power, so Filipinos take to the streets in massive numbers. And that's when the Marcoses realize they have finally lost control. They flee to Hawaii as demonstrators storm the presidential palace, destroying chandeliers, portraits, furniture, and famously raiding Emelda's massive closet, resulting in that ad nauseam coverage of her 3,000 pairs of shoes. That's, that's her later on, because her shoes got put into a museum.

• 34:49Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh my god.

• 34:50Karen Kilgariff?

  And she went and visited them.

• 34:52Georgia Hardstark?

  To visit your shoes. Wow.

• 34:54Karen Kilgariff?

  To visit your shoes. Other items of note that were found are a bulletproof bra and evening gowns, said to be worth, at the time, $80,000, which in today's money might be...

• 35:08Georgia Hardstark?

  270.

• 35:10Karen Kilgariff?

  243. So close. Really nice. Investigators do eventually identify a slew of places that the Marcoses are hiding their wealth: shell companies, Swiss bank accounts, in art that they've bought, or jewel investments, and in expensive international properties. Interestingly, one of these buildings is 40 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. It will later be sold to Donald Trump and rebranded as Trump Building.

• 35:37Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, it writes itself.

• 35:40Karen Kilgariff?

  It writes itself in a way where I'm like, "This program needs to be overwritten, overhauled."

• 35:45Georgia Hardstark?

  It's like a Shakespeare comedy.

• 35:47Karen Kilgariff?

  Yeah. That's not funny at all.

• 35:49Georgia Hardstark?

  Fucking, it's like Shakespeare comedy. Just kidding. Fucking, don't write, don't write in.

• 35:56Karen Kilgariff?

  Oh my god, Shakespeare wrote in and he's so pissed. He's so pissed.

• 35:59Georgia Hardstark?

  He's like, "I would never invent a fucking villain like Donald Trump. How dare you."

• 36:05Karen Kilgariff?

  Okay, so proving all this theft in court is of course very difficult, and many cases against the Marcoses end in acquittals, dismissals, they get gummed up in the appeals process, they languish. Again, let's remind everybody, these are lawyers, these are government, political officials, these are all people with power. They party with judges. They party with high-powered attorneys. That's, that's the business. So, nothing really comes of it. In 1989, 72-year-old Ferdinand Marcos dies.

• 36:39Karen Kilgariff?

  911, what's your emergency?

• 36:42Speaker 01

  Please help us. They're everywhere. We think they're murder hornets. 911 Nashville returns.

• 36:49Speaker 02

  What's a homicide detective doing here?

• 36:51Speaker 03

  Three bodies on the ground.

• 36:52Speaker 01

  With emergencies of biblical proportions.

• 36:55Speaker 03

  Hell, since swarms upon you and upon your people.

• 36:57Speaker 02

  That's one of the plagues of the Bible.

• 36:59Speaker 03

  And somebody's unleashing them on Nashville.

• 37:02Speaker 01

  Brian Phillippe, 2911 Nashville. All new Thursdays on ABC, next day on Hulu.

• 37:09Speaker 01

  Whether you're buying, renting, or selling, Zillow can help make your someday today to help find a home that fits where you are in life.

• 37:17Karen Kilgariff?

  Or that apartment that's a little closer to where you want to be. Zillow has the right information, tools and support to help turn your future home into a reality. Because someday starts today. Visit zillow.com/today to get started.

• 37:34Speaker 06

  OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 help make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 38:04Karen Kilgariff?

  In 1991, 62-year-old Emelda Marcos returns to the Philippines. So they'd been, she'd been in exile that whole time. She goes back to the Philippines and she gets to work rebuilding the Marcos brand, sanitizing their legacy and presenting it as a sort of golden age of economic strength. She's as charming and glamorous as ever, and she's smart enough to capitalize on the public's genuine frustrations with her husband's successors.

• 38:31Georgia Hardstark?

  Oh, dear.

• 38:32Karen Kilgariff?

  Right? So she, a little time goes by and then she comes back and she's like,

• 38:35Georgia Hardstark?

  Remember?

• 38:36Karen Kilgariff?

  So much better when we were here.

• 38:37Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 38:38Karen Kilgariff?

  This enables her to build out a new base of supporters. Lauren Greenfield, the documentarian behind The Kingmaker, has spent a lot of time with Emelda Marcos. And she has said, quote, "She's a narcissist."

• 38:52Georgia Hardstark?

  Love it.

• 38:54Karen Kilgariff?

  But narcissists are powerful.

• 38:56Georgia Hardstark?

  Totally.

• 38:57Karen Kilgariff?

  And influential.

• 38:58Georgia Hardstark?

  When you don't care about people and their fucking actions and reactions, you can get anything done.

• 39:03Karen Kilgariff?

  You can do everything.

• 39:04Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 39:05Karen Kilgariff?

  And when you're a person that's interacting with a person who you can tell they don't care about you, instinctually, 80% of us are like, but I need you to care about me. Even though you're like, I don't like this person, whatever. But you're like, wait, what?

• 39:17Georgia Hardstark?

  Socialization, it's just natural.

• 39:19Karen Kilgariff?

  We can't be left out.

• 39:21Georgia Hardstark?

  No.

• 39:22Karen Kilgariff?

  Even from Emelda Marcos.

• 39:24Georgia Hardstark?

  Which is why we are buying 20,000 pairs of shoes.

• 39:28Karen Kilgariff?

  Okay, so the base that she's building grows and grows, and by the mid-'90s, she's back in Congress. And from here, the Marcoses steadily make their way back into mainstream politics, more recently with the help of aggressive social media campaigning than The Washington Post has characterized as, quote, "revisionist" and, quote, "whitewashing" the nation's history.

• 39:49Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow.

• 39:50Karen Kilgariff?

  It all comes full circle in 2022, when Ferdinand Marcos Jr., aka Bong Bong, is elected president with 59% of the vote.

• 39:59Georgia Hardstark?

  How did I not know? I mean, I know how I didn't know that, but wow.

• 40:03Karen Kilgariff?

  Yep, that's why we're talking about it now.

• 40:05Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 40:06Karen Kilgariff?

  Emelda, who is now 97 years old, is still alive. In the Philippines, she's divisive, even among those who support her son. Of course, here in America, she's just a joke associated with a ton of shoes and like political excess. But we can't forget, and never should, that the Marcoses' stolen wealth is estimated to be between $10 billion and $30 billion.

• 40:30Georgia Hardstark?

  Holy shit.

• 40:31Karen Kilgariff?

  And only $3.6 billion of it has been recovered. And most importantly, that money was taken from the victims of the regime's violence, oppression and greed.

• 40:41Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 40:42Karen Kilgariff?

  It's their tax dollars.

• 40:43Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 40:44Karen Kilgariff?

  The Manila Film Festival carried on in subsequent years after the disaster that, of course, no one knew about. But the Film Center building was abandoned following an earthquake in 1990.

• 40:56Georgia Hardstark?

  I was right about the earthquake.

• 40:57Karen Kilgariff?

  Right? Billions of pesos have been sunk into rehabbing this building since then, but it does not get much use. It's said to be heavily guarded, and it is said to be haunted, of course.

• 41:10Georgia Hardstark?

  Good.

• 41:11Karen Kilgariff?

  Given America's own slide into authoritarianism with its clownish, materialistic and building obsessed leader, this has reportedly inspired many people who are either Filipino descent or originally from the Philippines to take action in protesting here in the US. One of those activists is a woman named Mirla Baldonado. In the '80s, she was kidnapped by the state police, tortured and jailed for two years under the Marcos dictatorship. Today, she stresses the importance of fighting for democracy. She told reporters, quote, "The lesson is that dictators fall. I mean, since time immemorial, you all fall down. It's only a matter of time that they do." End quote.

• 41:56Karen Kilgariff?

  And that's the story of the Marcos regime and the Manila Film Center disaster.

• 42:01Georgia Hardstark?

  Wow. I'm so glad you told me that story. Like, I'm so glad I know that. I feel so much smarter and hopeless.

• 42:08Karen Kilgariff?

  Right? I mean, when you were saying that thing about like, we don't know, or like, why we don't know.

• 42:14Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 42:15Karen Kilgariff?

  This idea, like, the reason that they started defunding education in America the way they did in the '70s and '80s is so we don't know anything.

• 42:23Georgia Hardstark?

  Totally.

• 42:24Karen Kilgariff?

  So there are people who had rich parents, who had education-centric parents, who made sure that happened. But if you were just the average kid that went to public school.

• 42:34Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 42:35Karen Kilgariff?

  Or, you know what I mean, went through life and you weren't necessarily politically curious, this is the kind of stuff that just, you get it presented to you.

• 42:44Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 42:45Karen Kilgariff?

  On Jay Leno making jokes about shoes, and that's all you know.

• 42:47Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 42:48Karen Kilgariff?

  And that's fine, but here we are. So might as well start talking. Like, the shame of that for me.

• 42:53Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 42:54Karen Kilgariff?

  I'm over that shame, because like, sorry, I can't do anything about the fact that nobody was political when I was in my 20s.

• 43:01Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 43:02Karen Kilgariff?

  Nobody was political when I was in my 20s.

• 43:03Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 43:04Karen Kilgariff?

  And now that is, thank God, the way young people are living. They are being loud and out there, and they're putting their bodies on the line for it. And like, thank God they are.

• 43:17Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah, and they're voting.

• 43:18Karen Kilgariff?

  And they're voting.

• 43:19Georgia Hardstark?

  That's the most important thing, guys. I mean.

• 43:22Karen Kilgariff?

  Yeah. And but also that they're just paying attention, they care. When they threaten to shut down a social media platform, they immediately figure out where they're going.

• 43:30Georgia Hardstark?

  Right.

• 43:31Karen Kilgariff?

  Like, they can't keep people from being connected and talking to each other.

• 43:34Georgia Hardstark?

  Yeah.

• 43:35Karen Kilgariff?

  The lights go out and the mic dies.

• 43:37Georgia Hardstark?

  Um, well, amazing job. Thank you for telling us that story.

• 43:40Karen Kilgariff?

  Thank you.

• 43:41Georgia Hardstark?

  And educating us and, yeah, wow.

• 43:43Karen Kilgariff?

  Stay sexy.

• 43:44Georgia Hardstark?

  And don't get murdered. Goodbye. Elvis, do you want a cookie?

• 43:56Karen Kilgariff?

  This has been an Exactly Right Production.

• 43:58Georgia Hardstark?

  Our managing producer is Molly Smith.

• 44:00Karen Kilgariff?

  Our consulting producer is Kate Schellbach.

• 44:02Georgia Hardstark?

  Our creative lead is Allison Agosti.

• 44:04Karen Kilgariff?

  Our associate producer is Tessa Hughes and our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

• 44:08Georgia Hardstark?

  This episode was mixed by Leona Scolacci.

• 44:10Karen Kilgariff?

  Our researchers are Maren McLaughlin and Ally Elkin.

• 44:13Georgia Hardstark?

  Email your hometowns to [email protected] and follow the show on Instagram at MyFavoriteMurder.

• 44:19Karen Kilgariff?

  Listen to My Favorite Murder on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 44:24Georgia Hardstark?

  Or watch new episodes every week on Netflix. Search for My Favorite Murder, add us to your list, and hit the double thumbs up button.

• 44:33Georgia Hardstark?

  Goodbye.

• 44:41Karen Kilgariff?

  Calling all amateur detectives and podcast obsessives.

• 44:44Georgia Hardstark?

  Virgin Voyages' second True Crime Voyage sets sail March 20th, 2027, for a five-night escape to Grand Turk and the Beach Club at Bimini.

• 44:53Karen Kilgariff?

  As part of the On Air at Sea collection, this immersive sailing brings together fan favorite podcasts, including Disgrace Land, Buried Bones and Wisecrack, for live recordings, behind-the-scenes access, exclusive meet and greets, and crime-themed programming that you won't find anywhere else.

• 45:09Georgia Hardstark?

  All aboard our award-winning, kid-free ships.

• 45:12Karen Kilgariff?

  Head over to virginvoyages.com/truecrime to secure your spot.

• 45:16Georgia Hardstark?

  Goodbye.

• 45:18Speaker 07

  Okay, laundry stinks, literally. I mean, you could just keep buying new underwear, not that I've ever done that. Or maybe sort your clothes into piles based on how re-wearable or filthy they are. Or just use Arm & Hammer Deep Clean. It's made for real-life stinks and stains. So even if you don't do laundry the, quote, "right way," Deep Clean will knock it out. I mean, it is from the number one liquid detergent brand that tackles more loads than any other. Come clean with Arm & Hammer Deep Clean. Number one claim based on total wash loads sold.

• 45:53Speaker 06

  This episode sponsored by Eureka Ergonomic. Why should your standing desk make your home feel like a fluorescent-lit cubicle? You've worked hard to make your space feel warm, clean and intentional, so your desk should fit right in. That's why Eureka Ergonomic stands out. Eureka Ergonomic creates standing desks, ergonomic chairs, and workspace furniture that look beautiful in your home and feel great to use every day. Choose from designs that blend into your home while giving you the height adjustability and support you need every day. With Eureka Ergonomic, you're not choosing between style and comfort, you get both. Visit Eureka Ergonomic at eurekaergonomic.com.

• 46:32Speaker 06

  That's E-U-R-E-K-A-ergonomic, E-R-G-O-N-O-M-I-C dot com. And find a standing desk that works hard without making your home feel like a cubicle.