Podcasts are a brilliant way to learn and laugh, whether you are in the car or on a run. One podcast gives a twist of humor and true crime. “Small Town Murder” is a combination of crime and comedy. A truly strange show, but one worth at least reading about.
Murder is not funny, and podcast hosts James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman make sure to emphasize that. They do not make fun of the victims, but instead make fun of the murderers and the ridiculous reasons they resorted to killing. The humor can be found every time a bumbling police force fails to arrest the killer right away, or in the communities that the crimes take place in.
The latest episode details the crazy murder of a millionaire in Dean, Texas. An abusive husband is poisoned, and the murderers get off with probation and time served. The hosts join along in jokes centering on small-town fairs and pageants. If you grew up in a small town, you can relate to this show as every little small-town annoyance is brought to light.
Comedy can take many forms, and James and Jimmie show us that sometimes the only way to get through a bleak situation is to find the humor. Especially after 2020, who does not need a good laugh? Solving a murder does not always go smoothly, and the motive is almost never good. James and Jimmie go on the record to say “who cares if you make fun of the murderer,” and the small-town shenanigans are relatable.
A warning is worth mentioning, however. If you do not think that murder and comedy belong together, then do not listen. Though the show is not disrespectful in any way, it can be misinterpreted by its title and intro. The show has been put in numerous top 25 true crime podcast lists. It is worth a listen to, to form an opinion for yourself.
The podcast can be found on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. They also do live shows and sell merchandise on their website. Just Google “Small Town Murder,” and the website pops up. They also have two other podcasts that are equally as funny. One is called “Crime in Sports,” which is about athletes who had everything in life but threw it all away. The last podcast is called “P.S. I Hate This Movie,” and it is about making fun of rom-coms. James and Jimmie ask that you listen to their show and give reviews on Apple Podcasts in order to fund their shows and continue the thorough research that goes into each one.
“Small Town Murder” is a fun way to learn about the justice system and learn more about the country we live in. With over 200 episodes and more still being made every Thursday, “Small Town Murder” is only getting bigger.