Episode 70: 🎪 Viral Dances,Maura Murray True Crime Update, Nicole Brown Simpson’s Handy Man was a what?!, Disney’s Legal Loophole, Book Review: If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay 🎙️

🗓️ Release Date: [3/20/25]

🎧 Episode Summary:

Stefanie and Meredith are back with another chaotic, hilarious, and jaw-dropping episode of This Is My Circus! This week, they cover everything from viral TikTok dance lessons to true crime bombshells—plus a Disney lawsuit shocker that will make you rethink clicking “I agree” on Terms & Conditions! 🤯

🌟 What’s Inside This Episode?

🕺 Viral Dance Coach Taking Over TikTok – Have you seen Ace Green? The internet is obsessed with his virtual dance classes, especially his hilarious sessions with a group of guys in Pakistan. 🏆💃

🚨 True Crime Updates: New Suspect in the Maura Murray Case? – Fingerprints found in her car match a convicted dog-killing con artist with a suspicious past. Could this be the break investigators have been waiting for? 👀🕵️

🤯 OJ Simpson Case Twist? – Nicole Brown Simpson’s handyman was… a SERIAL KILLER?! How did this detail fly under the radar for years? 🩸

🏰 Disney’s Shady Legal Loophole – A doctor dies from an allergy at a Disney restaurant, but thanks to a Disney+ free trial agreement, his family couldn’t sue?! 🤯 Find out how Terms & Conditions almost changed everything.

🎢 Universal’s EPIC New Theme Park – Dragons flying overhead? Fire-breathing rides? A Harry Potter Ministry of Magic expansion?! We break down the Epic Universe coming in 2025! 🔥🐉

💰 Am I The A-Hole? Inheritance Wars Get Even Pettier! – Jerry is BACK, and he just sent a $26K invoice to his best friend’s sister after she tried to steal the family inheritance. The petty levels are chef’s kiss! 👏😂

📚 Book Club: If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay – Witness protection, mob money, and a twisted mystery that left us guessing until the end. But did it live up to the hype? 📖🔍

📢 Connect With Us!

📸 Instagram: [@thisismycircuspodcast]
🎶 TikTok: [@thisismycircuspodcast]
📩 Email: [thisismycircuspodcast@gmail.com]
⭐ Rate & Review: If you love the chaos, drop a review! It helps us reach more circus-loving listeners.

👀 COMING SOON!!! VIP Access: Get the full video version + bonus content by joining our exclusive Circus Crew. 🎪✨

Until next time… Keep the drinks strong, the kids only mildly feral, and never trust anyone who eats the last of your ice cream. 🍨💀 #ThisIsMyCircus

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/2012/11/20/documentary-inmate-may-be-involved-in-oj-simpson-murder-case/30602921007/

https://nypost.com/2024/08/20/us-news/disney-backtracks-on-tossing-wrongful-death-lawsuit-by-nyu-doctors-widower-because-of-disney-subscription/

https://mauramurraymystery.com/fingerprints-found-in-maura-murrays-car-match-troubled-west-point-cadet/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJGjnFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUQxHzBmrbwKw7FM8lNIZVdaihBf2DwjD1TW8xSl9QDvjwfR8xrZPfuECA_aem_9svs7f2itDLjT2uhd_3P1A

https://youtu.be/NfZQedxlIOc?si=BCjI6mEYEwaT02Mm

Transcript

0:00

Welcome to, this is my circus, the podcast where we embrace the chaos and keep it real about parenting, pop culture, true crime, and the books we can't put down because let's be honest, life is one big circus and we're just trying to survive with caffeine, sarcasm, and a little true crime obsession. So if you love unfiltered conversation, questionable parenting hacks, and deep dives into the things that keep us up at night, you're in the right place. Buckle up, grab your popcorn, and let's get into the chaos. I'm Stephanie. I'm Meredith. And welcome to you. This is my circus. Hi. Hi. I keep looking at this mic'cause I feel we usually have it higher, don't we? We do. I like it like this though,'cause I feel like I can make eye contact. Gaze into my eyes. Gaze into your eyes. How you been? I've been okay. It is so absolutely gorgeous outside. I know. I could just roll around in the yard. Yes. Well, Dylan is not feeling well. Oh, allergy crappy. No, he's said last night, his stomach, he goes like, really, really bad. And then he, went into work for 40 minutes. Mm-hmm. And like in that 40 minutes I had dropped him off. Stomach stuff? Yeah. And a ginger ale and the Gatorade. Mm-hmm. And he had, I texted him like, do you need anything from Food Lion? Do you want me to pick you up anything? Right. He's like, no, I'm leaving here in a few minutes. So he had left, he's been upstairs in bed since. Aww. That's tough. That's, I hate that. So I'm like, just text me if you need something. Right, right. Just let me know. Let me know. Ring the little bell. Mm-hmm. Or text. I know everybody's allergies are acting out too. Is that time of year. And I love being outside right now, but mm-hmm. Well, at least everything isn't covered in yellow yet. I know. I'm sure that's coming. It is. I'm sure that's coming. Mm-hmm. Um, we've had our windows open some at home and it feels so good, but I'm like, shut'em up. It's bedtime. Shut'em up. I know we're all probably all gonna be stuffy and stuff, but Well, it was like 34 this morning when I got Yes. So yes. I know. I heard that he cut on it. I was like, what happened? Yeah. And tomorrow I think it's supposed to be like 75. Mm-hmm. So, you know, whatever. well I do sleep at the window cracked because the bedroom, it's so hot. Yeah. so, and he then is I. Moving around all night long. Mm-hmm. If he's hot. So I keep the window, he probably produces a lot of heat too. This big furry guy. Yeah. Well we took a nap together yesterday and wait till I said you weren't a nap or, I had, I think it's the allergies. Yeah. but I did lay down on the floor with him and I had my pillow he leaned off of his bed uhhuh and put his head on the pillow over next to my head. Oh my God. He is just the sweetest dog. And we laid there for probably like an hour. Bless that puppy. Yes. So he's my good boy. Yeah. He's the goodest boy. do you always sleep with your window? Correct. So last night, did you mm-hmm. Being 35, unless I know, like the night before they was supposed to storm. Yeah. I did not. Yeah. But when it's not gonna storm, I normally do have a little bit of air flow. Yeah. And I have a fan on. Yeah. I don't blame you. We have two fans in our bedroom. Mm-hmm. So we have our ceiling fan. Then I have one on my side of the bed that if a hot flash kicks in, I just reach over and click it. So yeah, I get it. I'm apparently, we've talked about this, I'm a high maintenance sleeper. Yeah. Well, I know that happens. I'm not upset about it. Mm-hmm. Not worried about it. It was good to see you at the St. Patrick's Day thingy. Yeah. I, I wish we could have hung out. I just had, you know, you see so many people, so, did y'all have fun? Yeah. I mean, it was, I mean, I know it's so different Yes. Going as an adult without kids. Yes. And I, it was way more fun with the kids, even though in that moment I was like, ah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It went from wanting to ride all the rides, to play all the games, to walk around by themselves to all the money, to buy all the food, and now nothing. Mm-hmm. And it's, yeah, it's just another stage. I told Brian, I said, I mean, I like going and walking around, but it's just a totally different perspective. I. Um mm-hmm. When there's no littles to beat on the lookout for, and Yeah. I, yeah. Oh, it's kinda sad. Yeah. I, yeah. Yeah. It was something to do and it was a pretty day Yeah. For us. So that's why Yeah. We got out. Yeah. We, we got out, we went. It was good to see your mom. Yeah. Yo mom, El Madre. She's so cute. Yeah. Yeah. anything else exciting going on? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. No, I know you've been working hard on our website. I have. I appreciate all of that. And you guys will too. Yeah. We have one more connection to do, for the connecting the audio stuff, and I think we'll be ready. Nice. So that's coming very, very, very, very soon. As soon as we we're waiting for feedback from the company on that, right? Mm-hmm. How to link all that up. Yeah. Cool, cool, cool. I've gone through, they added like a new option, but that option still didn't work for what we needed, and so they're trying to find a workaround. Okay. You are just, you are the president, you are the secretary, you are the, I don't know, you're everything other than I feel like the court jester here. I come juggling things. I feel like they're both a little clowny. Yes, yes. But you, you honestly do more of the, other work. I told you today, I was gonna be a better person to help with stuff, so it's all good. Okay. so have you seen on the TikTok, this dude named Ace that teaches people to dance? Mm, maybe. I don't know. So a lot of dancer people, oh my gosh. He cracks me up. So his TikTok name is Real Ace Green, and what he does is he teaches people how to do specific dances to songs over Zoom. Okay. Oh. Yeah. So, oh God, what has made him the most popular is he has this group of dudes in Pakistan that he's teaching like the Kendrick Lamar dances and stuff. It is hilarious. Speaking of dances. Yeah. Do you remember like two weeks ago I sent you the chicken banana? Yeah. And I said we should do it. And you were like, and now it's all over. Poor coal on my side. Chicken. Oh no. It was the other way. Yeah. Chicken banana. Um. But yeah, so he, it's, so his videos are him and then five other dudes like in their little blocks on the, on the TikTok thing, and he's telling them what to do. And, you know, there's a, a little bit of a language barrier there. Everybody speaks English, but it's kind of iffy. And then there's the delay. And um, like the other day I was watching one and there was a chicken that started to crawling. He was like, whose chicken is that? Like, it is so funny. It is so funny to watch. And then he'll have other groups of people, um. Another day was like Grand Asian grandmothers or something. Like, it's hilarious. And they're just in there vibing and having a good time. So he's the real ace Green. If you wanna check out somebody funny, why not? Right. I could use a lot of lightheartedness. Me too. There's too much crap in the world. Yes, yes. Yes. did you see, the updates on Gypsy Rose? No, I haven't. we haven't talked about her in a long time. No. But she has had her baby, obviously. Okay. but she does not have custody of her child. What? Yes, she does not have custody. Ken has custody. And this is all alleged, do not sue us. Um, but she, but if you're listening Gypsy Rose and you'd like to be on, let us know. Mm-hmm. You don't even wanna like, no, I don't like her. No, I don't like her either, but I would tell her what a horrible human Well, that's fine, but we could get her on, I tell her. But listen, karma is getting her, hold on one second. Okay. Sorry. Let me calm down. Gypsy Rose is not have custody of her baby. Ken has custody. Um, gyp, gypsy gets two visitations a week for two hours each time. and that corresponds with her parole. Okay. The baby supposedly looks just like her mama. Bless Karma. Yeah, she's gotta look at that baby. Yes. And see her mama. Oh, not her mama as in Gypsy, but her grandma. Okay, I got you. Yeah. She looks Deedee just like Deedee. Ha ha. after a week, in the hospital after she had the baby, the parole had called CPS and got CPS involved because they did not feel she was safe. Yes. Cause of the crime she committed and obviously the baby, safety was a concern. I guess, randomly she lives, I believe with her dad and stepmom. Mm-hmm and so, when they did a search of the house randomly, I guess they found a box of wine and a bottle of prescription pills hidden in a closet. But they don't necessarily think it's gypsies. They think it might be the stepmom. Christie, what? Yeah. And then it was reported. It's just messy. I know it's reported that Gypsy is mad at the baby because the baby took Ken away from her, like grow up. Oh my gosh. I can't stand her. Me either. I don't want her on the show. Ken can come on the show'cause he'll have all the real tea. Yeah, you're right. You're right. You're right. Right, right. But no gypsy can go. Crawl under a rock. Sounds like she might be heading that way. Did you see the updates? I think you tagged me in it on Mara Murray. Mm-hmm. And the, the, the dude, I forget what was his name. Yeah. I got, the summary. You got the summary up? Mm-hmm. Okay. This was crazy. So Ma Murray is one of those, I think, didn't we just do the hot takeover? We, we wasn't Yeah, it was the, the rapid fire. Rapid fire thing. Yeah. Ma Marie Case fascinates me with everything, with her taking the money out, buying so much alcohol, no footprints, all the things. Yeah. So there was a some new findings and it was just weird timing. Yes.'cause we had just posted that rapid fire, true crime Yes. of her case. And I was scrolling on Facebook and saw that article mm-hmm. That I put into our group. but it says here that a source close to the investigation revealed that fingerprints from Maura Murray's car have been matched to a former West Point cadet, Stephan Baldwin, who confirmed the match. Here's what we know, background. And he did change his name after she went. Mm-hmm. She disappeared. Mm-hmm. Like, mm-hmm. Creepy. Right. So background and connection. Stephan Baldwin. Born Stephan Finkelstein, Einhorn and Finkelstein. Wait, is that in, is that double do dle. Duffels, yeah. Ventura. The platypus, isn't it? Oh, I don't know. I was thinking, oh, I'm thinking Einhorn and Finkle of Ace Ventura. Wow. I was thinking of the cartoon on Disney Channel. Both of us squirrels all over the place. Okay. Change his name. Yes, he changed his name. he attended West Point alongside Mara Murray. He claims they were in a relationship and that he even represented her before the judicial review board. He left the academy shortly after Maura withdrew from school and changed his name after her 2004 disappearance. Criminal history Baldwin is known in the dog rescue community, but later became infamous for killing at least 18 dogs. Oh, and up to a hundred cats in Ohio. He was accused of need needlessly, euthanizing animals to free up space for more rescues and funneling nonprofit funds for personal use. After fleeing to California where he allegedly killed more dogs, he was arrested in August, 2020 and charged with 42 felonies. Ohio Police submitted his fingerprints to the national database and a match was found on evidence, A CD or CD case from Morris's Carr, a New Hampshire Detective even labeled him his number one suspect before leaving the unit. Amid controversy the FBI questioned Baldwin in Spring 2024. He denied any involvement and mentioned suspicions of another cadet stalking Maura, but that just sounds like he's just trying to slide the guilt. Mm-hmm. Last Thursday, Baldwin was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his crimes in Ohio. Meanwhile, his abusive behavior has been highlighted by former girlfriends, two of whom tragically died, adding more mystery. Baldwin's estranged Mother, Barbara Baldwin is currently missing and may have changed her name. Baldwin now claims he has never been to UMass or New Hampshire. Raising more questions. If you have any information linking him to those areas, please reach out to. Somebody more important than us. Yes. The authorities. Yes. Is that not insane? Bananas and like, ew, Uhhuh, he hurts animals. Right? Red flags all over the place for that. Red flags. He hurts animals, he funnels the money. Like he would tell people that they would, he would hold their animal for a thousand dollars or whatever, and then still euthanize the animal and pocket the money and tell them they lost the animal and stuff. Like, just, just a shady, shady jerk hole. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So there's too many missing people. Too many mm-hmm. Things that around him that just. It's not good. Right. But at least he's gonna be in jail. Mm-hmm while they figure this out. Yeah. And try to connect more dots with him. Mm-hmm. So the only place I remember them saying that there were the fingerprints was the cd mm-hmm. Or the CD case. Mm-hmm. That's the only place they said. Right. Okay. Yeah. I mean,'cause I understand trading CDs back in the day. Yeah. You know, fingerprints on things, but Oh God. Could you imagine? Oh no, there's, let's not even go down that path. And I think, like my hair, I got shed talk. Yes. I'm like, what if like, my hair is left somewhere? Yes. I think that too. So, okay, hear me out. You're sitting at a stoplight and you got your hair in a ponytail, whatever, and you go like this. Mm-hmm. And like just now I got one hair, I throw it out the window and I'm always thinking, what if somebody comes and picks that up and plants it out of crime? And I get framed. How about like, and I think we might have touched on this briefly once, but wigs, I don't know. I don't know how that works either. Or does it have to have like the root with it? Oh, probably the root. Can they get your DNA from hair, like the end of your hair? No, I, they can get drug stuff, but, but I don't think they can get DNA. I think the DNA has to be the root. Okay. I think drug stuff can be okay because like, I mean, you're, you're cutting your hair for the, the wig so that then necessarily Yeah. It's not either scalping you, hopefully not, hopefully not. I don't think it works that way. but yeah, all the, the things with DNAI used to think about that when people would like throw a cigarette out. That's got your DNA on it. That's, you should protect that sir. And ma'am, you shouldn't literally Well, and you shouldn't smoke anyway. Yeah. But, all of things, all of those, just everything related to that is bad. was it the book? No. I don't know. Maybe it was a book I just read, or I don't know, somewhere. But the cops followed the person around all day trying to get DNA, mm-hmm. From whatever. and finally the guy went to lunch and he waited till the guy left the table, hadn't been cleared yet, and he went in and asked the restaurant for the cup and bagged his DNA that way. And I'm like, Ooh, yeah, I wouldn't want that job. I mean, I don't want to be in a crime that they need my DNA. No, I don't. Sure. But I mean, like, should you clear the table yourself? Like wipe everything down before you can I have, disposable everything? Yeah. Just take it with me. Right. Disposable everything. I get it. I wonder if the restaurant could have said no. I don't know. I don't know how that works either. Lawyers chime in. Tracy. That's, yeah. That's crazy. Uh, speaking of DNA, I never knew this and I just saw a clip of it somewhere, and I'm not sure which platform it was, but, OJ Simpson's case. Mm-hmm. Like Nicole Brown. Mm-hmm. Simpson Case. Did you know that her handyman was a serial killer? No, I didn't either. I'm like, how did I not know this? But I was like, really young when this all occurred, so I wasn't young, but I, I followed and things were way different back then You got what the news said. Right. You didn't have any other sources to research. but no, I mean, the most I really remember are the cases, like the glove. If the glove don't foot, you must have quit. Yeah. Whatever. Yeah. I'm not too, too familiar. I never like deep dope into it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, but I didn't know this either, and so as I was scrolling, I was like, no way. So the Handyman's name was Glen Edward Rogers, and he was the cross country killer, or also known as a Casanova killer. Oh my gosh. And he unalived 70 people. There's a couple of different, I guess, theories is that either he helped oj mm-hmm. With this, or OJ found out that he was a serial killer and just assumed that it would get pinned on him. Right. I don't remember them mentioning that in the trial or any of the documentaries or podcasts or anything I've listened to. Mm-hmm. Isn't that bananas? Yeah. Like, ew. Very, that's so creepy. Do you think you've met somebody who's a killer? Well, they say, you will pass a serial killer like six times in your life. And you don't hear about serial killers like they, you did like back in like the seventies or whatever. It's probably so that it doesn't create hysteria or people's just shooting. Mm-hmm. But there's supposed to be a ton of active serial killers mm-hmm. At all times. And we just don't know about it. Yeah. And there's something was just said a week ago or so, they thought there was an active serial killer in Florida. In Florida, yeah. going up 95. Yeah. I can't, the last ones I remember hearing about are the ones who were, snipers. Mm-hmm. The DC mm-hmm. And then there was another one recently too. But as far as just like the Ted Bundys or the Green River killers or, mm-hmm. Yeah. You just don't, or are we just that numb to it? I mean, I don't hear nothing on Yeah. The news or it's not, you know, not that I watch the news. No. Maybe that's why we don't hear anything. That's crazy. That's creepy. Can you, I wonder which six people have passed? Three. It's, I still got three. I got a long life left to live. I, I don't know, mm-hmm. I know. Mm-hmm. Well, not even just serial killers, but just like killers. Nevermind. Take all this out. Um, I don't wanna be, become a target for anything. Yeah, me too. Anyway, moving on. We really need to start looking at terms and services of things that we sign up for. Yeah. So a doctor died at Disney World or Disneyland, whichever Disney place. Mm-hmm. Um, at a restaurant because of a severe allergy. And they had discussed with the waiters multiple times mm-hmm. Before they ordered. Mm-hmm. We, to assure them it was allergy free. Mm-hmm. It was not. And the doctor died. So the husband wanted to sue Disney mm-hmm. For 50,000, which I thought was really low. Mm-hmm. And Disney said, no, you're not allowed to sue. Because the one month free trial of Disney Plus in 2019, when you signed up for that, stated that any disputes go to Arbitrary. Arbitrary Sure. And that you can't bring it to court. So why a, TV streaming free subscription. It's all, all Disney covered. So wherever it was publicly mm-hmm. Put out, there was a bunch of outrage and people were like, protesting Disney and they dropped that where they can now go to court for this proceeding. But it's only, I don't wanna say only 50,000, but it's only 50,000. I how Brian would sue for millions of something. Same. I mean, that, that was my, like, I was like, only 50,000. Like that's really low. Yeah. Yeah. that's a lot of pressure on the waiter or the server though. Like, do you wanna be responsible for that? And they preserved the food. Oh, maybe it was fine and it got switcheroo by somebody, I don't know, but why not just pay the 50,000 and make it go away? Mm-hmm. Like the amount of money that Disney makes every year. Yeah. 50,000 is like five sense to us. Yeah. Like just pay it and go. Right. Why would you make, mm. They're proving a point, I guess not sure what point that is, but we all need to look at what we're signing up. Yes. I mean, you're right, you're signing up to watch it to stream on tv. Who would've thought that, that would never write terms and services of anything? Nothing. Anything ever. Only when I write the documents for work, and that's just like speed reading. I've never ever read terms and services. I, oh my gosh, that is crazy that that's looped in. But I guess it's all covered by Disney. I know. It just blows my mind. A streaming service, Uhhuh can cover your trip to mm-hmm. to the park. And I would assume that when you buy tickets, there's probably something Oh yeah. That's what I thought it was gonna go to. Right, right, right. Was that you bought with Jacob that one little checkbox that you do agree and continue. Mm-hmm. Yeah. But, but I know that is crazy. and then I think, like remember when Carwin, the rollercoaster was broken? Oh yeah. Like what is the Carins terms and services saying you might need to really look into that. I haven't been to Carins in years. It's been a, well about two or three years since I went, because they started that rule, you know? And so I had to go with Jay a couple times. Well, they are putting in a, an adult only swimming pool with a swim up bar. Tell me that's not the worst decision that they've ever made to have. That's a terrible decision. Yeah. In a redneck place anyway, to have that. No, boy, no. Mm-hmm. You've got the city mm-hmm. Mentality. And then you got the redneck mm-hmm. Country mentality all in one place. A swim up bar. Mm-hmm. Not, not a good mix. Mm-hmm. Not a good mix at all. Not what I would suggest to, no. Brian and I have always both loved roller coasters and rides. Mm-hmm. And, universal has this whole new thing opening up the dragons. Yes. I am fascinated. Oh my God. They fly over. I know. I am all about it. And they breathe fire. Yes. I'm, I know. So it's, what's it called? Universal Epic Universe, maybe? I don't know, something like that. But it's got five different areas that are called portals. Mm-hmm. One of'em is a Harry Potter one. What? I know. It's the magic of ministry. Ministry of magic, whatever. Y'all know what I'm talking about. And, then there's one that's the How to Train Your Dragon. And there's real life sized, or I'm like, I'm all about it. That was one of Dylan's like mm-hmm. Favorite movies at one point. Mm-hmm. And we watched it. I don't know. Many times. Right. But, um,'cause Toothless is black and like just qc. Yes. So Dylan wanted to call Mo Toothless Toothless for like a month. And like obviously Mo was not listening to him. No he was not. Because I'm like, buddy, that's when he had his missing front tooth. Yeah. And I'm like, look in the mirror, hun. Yeah, you're toothless. You are toothless. Um, it looks like an amazing though. It so it opens in May. Mm-hmm. Till Brian, I said next year we've gotta go. Yeah. I would love to see it. I wonder what's like best the slowest week. We gotta look that up. Best, best week to go. Yeah, let's do it. Let's do it. It looks like fun though. My sister turns, 50 this year and I had told her a long time ago when she turned 50 we'd go on a trip. Well, here we are. And so we're trying to figure out what we're gonna do. Fun. I know. I can't wait. She come with, is it gonna be like an international trip or is it gonna be like a Florida trip or what are we talking? So we. Going back. I think Vegas I think we have landed on,'cause she's never been out of the country. Okay. she's never been on a cruise. The farthest south she's been is Florida. So I said, you know what the most bang for your buck is gonna be if we do a cruise. Mm-hmm. You can go to different ports and see different things. Um, so we found one that goes to Mexico and The Bahamas. So it'd be a little bit of taste of both. Mm-hmm. Um, so I think that's what we're gonna do. Fun. We're still trying to narrow it down, but Yeah. Yeah. I'm excited. When, when, when is it? September. That's awesome. But that's also hurricane. It is, it is. But you know, I like to live on the edge. My mom's going on to cruising too. And I was like, Ooh. Yeah. Yeah. Brian and I got married in October and went on a cruise right after and yeah. Hurricane season. Yeah. We, got married in September. Mm-hmm. But we didn't cruise. We went to Aruba. Yeah. And we just had, was it fine? It was amazing. Yeah. I'm just gonna wing it like I do everything else pretty much. you don't gamble, right? No. No. Like if somebody gave me a hundred dollars and said, this is only to gamble, I'd be like, okay. And I'd do that, but like to take my money and into it. Yeah. I just don't like that. Mm-hmm. How about you? I'm not a gambler. Yeah. No. On our honeymoon. Brandon used to be. And so he went to the casino. I went to take a nap, I think. Mm-hmm. Sounds so long. Brand. I went to go lay down. Yeah. Before we went. Got ready for dinner. Yeah. And so he went to the casino and I walked in and he always said like, I was bad luck in the casino. Mm-hmm. I am just not the gambler. And Yeah. Just bored. Um, and he was like, go, he was, he was up a lot. Yeah. And he was like, go, go get here. Go. That's funny. Um, but he won like our entire trip back cover board on, on my first day. I know several people that do. And like when you sign up and you spend money in there, you spend a certain amount, they start giving you. Free cruises to come back where you pay like the taxes or the fees or whatever. So you get another cruise for 300 bucks. Mm-hmm. For two people. So, I mean, or you know, gift cards or whatever. So, I mean, there's a plus side to it. I just, yeah, but I mean, you're really paying for it.'cause what? Yeah. Well, you're more than likely to lose. Yes. And so I just like my money. I do too. Have you seen Vegas vacation with, Chevy Chase? It's an old movie. Well, so, you know, they, they go to Vegas and they have all the fancy, the bright lights or whatever where they're like, this is too rich for my blood. Let's go. And they find like a redneck one where they're like, playing Go Fish and stuff like that. That's up my alley, like the Golden Horseshoe. Pretty much. Pretty much. And pretty much, um. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not a gambler. I'm not either, but, I just, I don't feel, I don't think rush, I don't like, I don't either. I hate anxiety. Yeah. Like, you know what machine I do like though. Mm. And I know this more from like arcades where you put the quarter in and it like, pushes it out a little bit at like, I could sit there for hours and do that. Yeah. I like playing that like at. Like Chuck E Cheese, Chuck e Cheese, or, um, Dave and Busters. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that always sucks me in., it's real money I couldn't do, or if there's something with skill needed, like if there's logic, like I don't wanna do that. I just wanna put it in and see what falls. I at Arcade love ski ball. Oh yeah. Great at it. But, but you love it. Yeah. Okay. I get it. I get it. Yeah. And then there's a dinosaur game, but like, you like. Pull the little thing in. The ball goes up. Mm-hmm. And there's all dinosaurs that it can go through. Oh yeah. I always get so many tickets on that one. That's the one, that's it. Mm. That's a good one. Have to make a trip. Go Dave and Busters. Yeah. And get us some Sweet Tarts or Tootsie Rolls, whatever they have at the ticket counter. Dylan's got a ton of tickets on a card or? Yes. They don't see tickets anymore. It's all on. Oh, I know. It kind of ruin some of the fun, doesn't it? Because you don't see like the big long, I know. Yeah. Yeah. When the machine would break and it would just keep giving you tickets and you just kept winding them up. We, oh, there was a place in Charlotte, I don't even know if it's still open, but it was an arcade and it had go-karts and stuff. Uhhuh, celebration Station? Mm-hmm. Okay. I don't know. I'll shut up. It's over in Pineville somewhere. Yeah. Okay. Maybe that is it. Yeah. I don't know. Dylan, was little, like four maybe. And, um, his cousins had come down to visit. Mm-hmm. So we went there and none of the machines were locked. Oh. Just take this whole roll, please. It wasn't even like, it was just like getting the tokens. Oh God. Like you keep playing. I didn't even care about the tickets. It was just the tokens. Yeah. Some of them are so expensive. Yes. Have you gone to the I think they've just, they, there's one open now in Rock Hill, but the one that we went to was on the way back from Morrisville.'cause we were coming back from a lacrosse game and Parker, one of Dylan's friends had a birthday party there as well. But it's called a, a Bari Uhuh. Um, but it is full of. Old school, video games really connect all 25 cents to play. Oh. Like you don't get tickets or anything? It's just like fun. Yeah. It's just a fun thing. Oh no, but that sounds like a great time. So, if you're under 21, you can go in before like five o'clock. Okay. Um, they don't serve food or anything, it's just drinks, sodas. Mm-hmm. Water or alcohol. Mm-hmm. Um, after five it's adults only. Okay. But I feel like they're, they put one in Rock Hill maybe. That sounds like a lot of fun though. Yeah. 25 cents. like a game. I like it. Mm-hmm. And then they also had an area that you could just play old school video games. Like the OG Nintendo. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Oh man, that sounds like a Brian would love that. Mm-hmm. We're gonna have to check that out. Yeah. So that sounds like fun. That sounds like a lot of fun. yeah. Cool. do you want to continue? Am I the A-hole? Yes. I'm dying for some updates on this. Okay. Do we wanna do a little recap? We should. Okay, go ahead. So I totally forgot what it was about. It was a gay guy and his best friend and the gay guy had a Chinese gay partner. Yes. And the sister was trying racist and a homophobe and trying to steal the money because she has kids and Yes, the gay couple does not have guilt. Yes. And it was their parent. Both parents died and it was their inheritance. But she said it was hers because she had kids basically. Right. And the friend who made the am I the A-hole post wants to publicly out her for what? She, because she's a hippie. Mm-hmm. Well, she's like a on, she's a tree hugger. She's big in the community. Yeah. She's a tree hugger. She is, yeah. An awful person. And one of the sisters flip sides. So she's on his side now. Right. She initially wanted the kids to have the money, but now, but now once the lawyer got involved, she flipped. Yes. Okay. update three, I think actions, consequences might finally be hitting home. She replied to my message with what a terrible thing to do to me on election day. Wait, that's the worst part of all this. I understand you care about Harry. Nice. But what you said is inappropriate and untrue. Don't ever send me a message like this again. Side note, she shared that message with other people. Yeah. And it didn't hit the way she thought it was gonna hit. Yep. So now she's salty about it. Yeah. So, let's see. Rachel, this is family money. You don't have family, so it should come to me. That's so terrible. Mm-hmm. So Harry says, I do have family. His name is Nathan, and we've been together for 20 years. Rachel. Yeah, but when you die, he'll go back to Asia and spend the money on his Asian family. So it should come to me and my family. Instead, entitlement check, homophobia check, racism check. I've known her for 40 years and I've never heard her say anything remotely like this before. And yes, she truly is a peace loving tree hugging hippie. That doesn't change the fact that I've also known her to always feel entitled. Perhaps she just doesn't realize it because she usually gets what she wants and people are often happy to give it because she generally is a lovely person. But when this amount of money is at stake and she's told no, I guess she just went into the death spiral. Now she thinks she'll be punishing me by forwarding the message to Harry so that he'll realize what a nasty person his best friend is. I can just imagine the smile on his face when he reads it and his response coming to me is, Ooh, you are awful. And that's what I love about you. A I didn't respond to her and don't intend to. She knows where she stands with me now, and I have no interest in dealing with her again. Should she go down that road again though? As the saying goes, I'll see you in court. Hmm. Update four. This is the final update I feel like. So that whole section is, you know, in, the groups, like the comment section isn't going how you Yes, it would. Yes. So they delete. Yes. Rachel has crashed and burned update four. Oh, November 9th, sorry. Yep. And the other one was November 7th, so this is just two days later. Mm-hmm. Um, Rachel has crashed and burned as I suspected from the start of the one thing she values more than money is her reputation. After forwarding my personal email to a few mutual acquaintances to show them how nasty I am, of course then it's spread like wildfire. Her children immediately messaged Terry and said they were horrified by her actions and the fact that she said she was doing it for the family, they had no foreknowledge of this and assured him they wouldn't let it happen. They also know how entitled their mother can be. And so they knew I would never make those accusations if it wasn't true. The one I'm closest to phoned me up to keep me up to date with the fallout when questioned by dozens of people, if she really was going to try to steal her brother's money. Rachel's prepared response was, no. We had an agreement that if I looked after our parents, he would leave me his inheritance. He reneged on that agreement. But Leave her the inheritance. But why wouldn't he be able to spend his inheritance while he's alive? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's not like he's not, he's not gone anywhere. He's still around, so why wouldn't he be able to spend his inheritance because she's a baby B. I understand that, but, but yeah. But her logic, no. Yeah. There was a follow up question, but if he really is disabled and about to become homeless, then why wouldn't you just let him have it anyway? Realizing she was backed into our corner. There was only one way out. Of course, I'm gonna give it to him. It was all just a misunderstanding. And finally, who is this Jerry, and why is he accusing you of being racist and homophobic? She replied, yes, he's a friend of Harry's, but he's nasty and mentally unstable. He just concocted all of this as a part of his vendetta against me. So all done. She publicly renounced her claim to Harry's money, and although she's refuted the accusations of being racist and homophobic, I have no doubt they're gonna haunt her to the grave. And if a random bunch of people I'll never meet, and I believe that some random guy on Facebook is nasty and mentally unstable, then so be it. I'll wear it with pride. You should sue her for defamation. That's true. Okay. What are we on number five? Yep. Okay. So two months have passed. Yep. My last post two months ago said final update. I thought the whole shit storm was over. I thought I had crushed Rachel and her entitlement and that Harry was free to live his life in peace. But apparently her entitlement is as. Of such epic proportion, she's gone in for another round. It turns out that the B troll from H has been laying low while she went to a financial advisor and has had a lawyer send Harry a detailed account for the money he owes her with a threat to sue. If he doesn't, again, she doesn't have a legal leg to stand on. You can't claim retrospectively that a person made a verbal financial contract with you. So it's not that I'm afraid for Harry financially, it's just that I cannot comprehend this. She audacity of it. And I've never thought of this before because I've never considered anything that I did was a burden in any way to me. But this whole incident that we've gone through is a trigger and it's a repressed grudge. I've held against her for over 30 years. Okay, so now we got some backstory. Mm. Give us a teeth. Harry and I were roommates back in the nineties. One day she turned up at that door with her oldest child, male, 16. She had great news. She, or more probably Mary, secured him a scholarship in a private school that specialized in computer science. Fantastic. And how fortunate that it was the school that just happened to be in the same city that Harry and I lived in and how that as gay men, we now would get to experience the great joy of raising a child. And then she swanned off on her merry way with her younger children to travel the country and world. I was only 24 years old working night shift as a nurse and now caring for a teenager during his two senior years of high school as well. Can they, send her an invoice for back child support? Right. But I loved it. He was an amazing teen. I've been using that word since I watched Agatha. He was very grown up for his age, very responsible, low maintenance, just like having a new younger roommate except I was paying the bills. Well, sharing half with Harry. That's bull crap. Okay, lemme stop. Not my kid, not my nephew, but the son of my best friend's sister. But I did it without a thought. And even Loki knew I was doing him a favor by giving him a better chance of the future. His mother could have. At 18, he moved out with some friends and I was so proud. His school grades were so great. He got a scholarship to a college where he could further his computer science career. Okay. The year after Teen graduated, Rachel turns up again with the next oldest child, female. 16. Great news. She got a scholarship to an arts college for her two senior years. So it was really just a carry on as usual. Great time with Teen two me, never considering for a moment. It was also a great expense. She did really well at high school, got into her dream gap year working in Paris and Berlin. Mm-hmm. Now I've been triggered. Rachel has gone to a lawyer and put this respective financial claim for caring for a family member against her brother. It was her brother and I who looked after her two children for two years working our butts off to cover rent bills, food and school expenses while she was living off the social security single mother benefit and their father's child support. I've looked up several government websites last weekend and used the figures to create an Excel spreadsheet. This is what you're saying? Mm-hmm. It costs$13,000 a year to raise a teenager. I paid half, so that's$6,500. I did that for four years, so that's$26,000. So as my update, I got a copy of the letter Rachel's lawyer sent to Harry. I then went to a lawyer myself today and got him to write a letter using literally the exact same words as she did to claim$26,000 with a threat to sue. Let me clap for him. Mm-hmm. If she doesn't pay, the lawyer was absolutely stunned and said something to the effect of, you know, this is the most ridiculous letter I've written in my entire career, and then I'm going to have to charge you a thousand dollars for it. Right. I told'em it wasn't about the money. It was worth every cent for the satisfaction of imagining the look on her effing face when she opened it. I haven't told the children and never will, as I would never want them to think they were a burden on me in any way. However, I'm sure now as adults in their forties, they'd be absolutely horrified to know that their mother was using their child support money to travel the world while I raised them just as horrified as they were when they heard she was bullying Harry for his money. I do hope Rachel takes this as the implied threat to go public justice as I did last time, though. Oh my God. But you know what? He needs to be one of our besties.'cause like, I think so. The buddy like the media. Oh, I think so. I think we would have a great time. I do too. Can you come on the pod, Mr. Guy? Mm-hmm. Jerry. Jerry. Mm-hmm. We, we got Please, please come on the pod. We got a seat. Just that's for you buddy. Mm-hmm. And I think I would triple love him because the petty. Mm-hmm. I feel like they're British because the way he spells things like realized is spelled different. Don't have the z. It has s Is that how they spell it there? Mm-hmm. Oh, I didn't know that. So. Or European. Okay. So you know he is got an accent of some sort. And number three, gay dudes are so fun. Oh my gosh. I know. Um, okay. Crazy pants. That's a lot. Mm-hmm. To unpack Yeah. That, to just drop that off without any support or conversation or the audacity, Jerry, keep going with everything you're doing. Mm-hmm. And multiply at times a thousand. Yeah. I, I love the energy. Yeah. Yes. I cannot wait for more. Yes. so we'll finish this, round next week. Yeah. with the last few, I think there might have been a, a bonus one that just came in. Okay. when I went to go pull these for today. Okay. it said bonus content. Yeah. So we have two, maybe three Yes. For next week that we'll, that we'll have for next week. Yeah. Okay. So Jerry, we love you. Love you Jerry. so if you are not a book reader Yep. This is your time to exit, please come back next week so that we can finish up the am I the A-hole with Jerry and, please, like, subscribe, tell your friends to listen. We love you. We love you. Bye. All right. Now bookies, we actually switch up. as I put in the podcast last week, we had initially. We're meant to read one book and it was not great because life is too short for bad books. We switch. Yes. so I had texted Meredith. Yep. And I was like, I can't do this. I don't know if my book likings have changed. Mm-hmm. Or if it was listening to the book. It was just horrible to hear. Yeah, I agree. I, I started it and I was the same. So I was happy to jump ship with that line. Awesome. So, but we did do, if something happens to me Yes. That Alex Finley and we have read Alex Finley before. Mm-hmm. actually just a couple weeks ago. Yep. It was one of our books. And I do really like this author, so Yeah. Same. Let me get to my blurb all right, if something happens to me by Alex Finley, Ryan Richardson has spent five years haunted by the night his girlfriend Ally was taken, leaving him under suspicion despite no charges. Now, as a law student in Italy, his past resurfaces when Ally's car is found submerged in his hometown with two dead men. In a cryptic note in her handwriting, when Ryan spots the man who has tormented his dreams, he embarks on a dangerous search for the truth across Europe, unaware that a young Kansas deputy and a Philadelphia mob may hold the key to unraveling the mystery in this twist filled thriller by Alex Finley. So when we were messaging the other day trying to coordinate, our recording this week, I was like, I can't wait to talk to you about this book because the premise of this book was so exciting and parts of this book I was so into, but then I would just totally zone out. Okay. And some of it I think, Some of the storyline was so slow. Mm-hmm. and kept getting into the book and then like I Yeah. Pulled back. Yeah. So I agree 100% and I don't know if it was, I, I wonder if we would've read it, if it would've had a different, I think if it would entice you in a different way. So you have to pay attention when you're physically reading. Right. Can't just zone multitask and Yeah. Yeah. Do whatever. so probably, yeah. but it's not your typical, I feel Alex Finley. I. Speed. Yeah. Yeah. Of a book, upholding your attention and, and keeping you mm-hmm. Enticing, engaged. Mm-hmm. So, I agree with you a hundred percent. Yeah. Okay. I actually read it twice. Okay. Because I got lost, there was a lot of name changes because of the identity changes, for different reasons. I think another problem was there's too many characters Yeah. To keep track of. Yes, yes. There was a lot. and there wasn't really much of a distinction between them. I mean, yeah. So after I figured out the ending and kind of what happened, I went back and, and read it again. And it made more sense the second time. And I did it super fast. Yeah. But just to try to be like, oh, that's what that meant, you know, kind of thing. Mm-hmm. No, I'm with you. I, yeah. Was the same way. Okay. Obviously spoiler just do spoilers every week. So hopefully you read the book. If you're not gonna read it again, you can leave. Why are you here? I'm just kidding. But, I don't want to spoil it. Mm-hmm. If anybody hasn't. but here's the spoilers. As soon as they revealed that Anthony, which was the mobster son, was bullied and it was videotaped, I knew that she was either in witness protection, like, okay. It immediately clicked to me that that was the daughter of the accountant. Okay. because he said that she was seen in the, mirror. Yeah. So I knew, but I didn't think that they were trying to kill her because the. Accountant helped cover it up. Right. I thought that they were going after her, and then I was like, well, maybe I misheard it. Yeah. So I kind of misheard it, and that was her friend that was in the room laughing. But, so the first time I listened to it, I didn't get any of the pieces that all the people were dying. I did not all, all the kids. Mm-hmm. I did not get the why. I was like, what? What's the connection? Like, is this just like filler? Is this even important to know? and again, maybe half listening, I don't know. But, but yeah, I was thrown for a loop with that, and I didn't put it together though, so. Okay. Proud of you for that. Yeah. So I mean, immediately I'm like, okay, well this has to be like a big piece of the puzzle. Yeah. And the accountant was like super, like sketched out having to work for this guy because the wife's debt to him and whatever. So it all came together for me there. Yeah. Okay. I thought it was very. Well thought of the accountant to steal all the money. I know, I know. But I guess it's an accountant, right? Like Right. And that's, I guess, too, when you're dealing with that kind of people you Yeah. Know to protect yourself, they're, they're not gonna the cops. Yeah. Yeah. And how about for him to have doubled the money? Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And the brother, how about the brother? Like, so the gangster's brother. The gangster's brother was like, how much money do you have left, I guess, thinking he would have nothing left less. Right. And he's basically said he doubled what he had and he said, wow, okay, well send 15 Right. To my brother, send 5 million Great to me. Yeah. Or I said a thousand. Yeah. Numbers are tough, but yeah, so he was trying to skim off the top of his brother. Mm-hmm. But yeah, I mean, that's the lifestyle, right? Then the accountant. Having been in the military was not like your geeky accountant. Right. And I'm like trying to picture this as a movie. Right. And I don't know if like you do this, when I'm listening to a book is I see it in my head too as a movie. Right. Yeah. And then like, I'm like casting people as roles, but even when I read mm-hmm. And I saw this, I don't know if it was on, um, Facebook or TikTok, that some people like don't hear it when they're reading. Like when I read something, like I hear it, I do too, because I mispronounce words and I just go with it. But like, some people don't. And I was like, that's interesting. Yeah. And then I'm like, well, is that part of the a DD like, or the, you know what I mean? Like Yeah. Where you have to like, fill everything, all the, all the senses need to be mm-hmm. Engaged. Maybe. Isn't that weird? Mm-hmm. I thought that was so strange. I couldn't imagine just reading it and not hearing anything. What's going on in your head then? Oh my God. See? Right. See, if I wasn't. Seeing that and hearing it, I would have other things going on that weren't related to the book, then I wouldn't pay attention at all. So I'm like reading book. Right. Uhhuh, I'm hearing it in my head. Mm-hmm. And then I'm picturing uhhuh my things. Yeah. And, and I'm like, do people have such a quiet brain? Mm-hmm. But they don't do that. Right. Y'all, if you, if you do that, if you don't have everything going on right. When you're reading, please let us know. I'm so fascinated. I am too. I wanna know, is your mind just dark and quiet at that time? Do do you have any moments of dark and quiet? I can't imagine because I don't, never, never. I I'm never constantly like mm-hmm. All over the place. Oh yeah. All over the place. So let us know. Let us know. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. That's crazy. I was so bummed at the end of the book, um, Chaz. Yeah. Who was like one of the henchmen. Yep. And he, he was such a softie. Yeah. And then he got mur whacked. Yeah. Yeah. Like that. I was like, Aw. I know. He was just like such a great grandfather. Mm-hmm. Yep. Showing up at the, the play, the play for the grandson. Yeah. I know. And I was like, Aw. That was sad. It was sad How did you feel though about, Allison slash whatever her names were? Let me rephrase. Mm-hmm. I liked that the author didn't put her back together with, our dude. Yeah. I mean, so many times it's like. They try to force stuff like that. Mm-hmm. And I'm glad that she was like, you've already found somebody. Yeah. Kinda. But I was bumed for him because that was such a huge piece of his life and I believe that he still wanted her, but I, I agree. But I think if he would've had her, it wouldn't have been like it was, I, I a hundred percent percent agree, but it just kind of like mm-hmm. She didn't even give him a chance. So I was like, he just did all of this to find you and Yeah. And how did the letter stay in one piece? I don't know.'cause it was in the water. Yeah. So that didn't make any sense to me. Zero sense. We just got lucky. Yeah. Make zero sense FBI agent that like double crossed. Oh yeah. I was so happy when Poppy punched her in the face. I know. I was like, you go girl. I thought that was the cutest name too. I love that name. I love it. I love it. I love that name. That's what Jackson calls my sister Bobby. Yeah. did you like the book? I, I did. Again, it, it was slow at some points. Yeah. But I loved the premise of it. Yeah. I thought it was a cool, it would make a cool movie. Yeah. because again, I saw the movie in my head. You saw it in your head, but, yeah. I mean, I liked it. Yeah. Well enough. I, I just, it could have moved a little faster. Yeah. and there was too many people for me to keep track of listening to it. Yeah. Yeah. I a hundred percent agree. So I would give it like a seven. Same. Yeah. Yeah. It's very, very cool. I'm fascinated with witness protection stuff, but it just, some parts of it just didn't click for me. Mm-hmm. It was hard for me to stay engaged. Yeah. And oh, just, I know Ally, um, kicking the two boys butts that were bullying. Oh yeah. That was great. Oh, you go ally. I know, I know. That was great. That was great. all right, so, our next book that we're gonna be reading is just another Missing Person by Jillian McAllister. And we have read her books as well. Yes. And we like her. Yes. A lot. So I'm excited for this book. Don't disappoint me, Jillian. Ooh. All right. So I'm gonna read the. Blurb for this one. Okay. 22-year-old Olivia has been missing for one day and counting. She was last seen on CCTV entering a dead end alley and not coming back out again. Julia, the detective heading up the search for Olivia thinks she knows what to expect, a desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter, but she has no idea just how close to home this case is going to get because the criminal at the heart of the disappearance has something she never expected. His weapon isn't a gun or a knife. It's a secret. Her worst one and her family's safety depends on one thing. Julia must not find out what happened to Olivia and must frame someone else for her murder. If you find her, you'll lose everything. What would you do? This clever and endlessly surprising thriller is laced with a smart look at family and motherhood and cements Jillian McAllister as a major talent in the world of suspense and master creating ethical dilemmas that show just how murky the distinction between right and wrong can be. It sounds good. It does. It sounds like a cool movie. That, just kidding. I was gonna say plot. Yeah, it does. It really does. But yes, a movie too. Yeah., I'm excited for that one'cause we, we've had luck with her, so hopefully this one will be a good one too. Yeah. So already downloaded it. Whoop, whoop, whoop. Alright, well I think that wraps it up for today. It does. Thank you all. Thank you. We love you. We love you. Bye. Bye. that wraps up another episode of, this is My Circus. If you survive this episode and somehow still like us, make sure to subscribe, leave a review, share it with your friends, or just send us caffeine. And don't forget, you can join our VIP circus crew for the full video version of each episode. Also exclusive bonus content, access to merch, and so much more Until next time, keep the drink strong. The book's coming, and the kids only mildly Ferrell because this is our circus and these are our monkeys. Love ya.