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We talked about the Mica Miller case when it was unfolding in real time. Now Netflix has released Death of the Pastor’s Wife—and we're going back in.

This week we're covering Episode One, “A Note From Your Pastor,” and Stefanie has been WAITING for this one. 👀

The documentary takes us back to the beginning: Mica's deep connection to her faith, meeting Pastor John-Paul “JP” Miller when she was just 13, becoming increasingly involved in his church, and the relationship that would eventually change the course of her life.

From the outside, Mica and JP eventually appeared to be a powerful Christian couple leading a thriving Myrtle Beach church.

Behind closed doors? A very different story begins to emerge.

We're talking about the allegations surrounding their relationship, the enormous power imbalance, Mica's mental health treatment, the people around her who began noticing red flags, and the disturbing behavior described by her friends and family.

And because Stefanie grew up deeply involved in church herself, this documentary hits differently. We're also having a bigger conversation about religious authority, forgiveness, trust, and how easy it can be to explain away red flags when someone is viewed as a “man of God.”

Then Episode One ends with a text that takes things to an entirely different level:

“I'm on my way and I'm armed.”

And we're just getting started.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses suicide, coercive control, alleged domestic abuse, sexual coercion, mental health, religious trauma, stalking and harassment.

🎧 This is Part One of our Death of the Pastor’s Wife breakdown. We'll continue with Episode Two next week.

If you remember when we originally talked about the Mica Miller case, welcome back down the rabbit hole. If this is your first time hearing the story... buckle up. 🎪

⭐ Follow This Is My Circus and leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Seriously. We're still asking. 😂

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WE MADE IT TO 100 EPISODES. 🎉🎪

One hundred episodes of questionable book choices, weird internet stories, conspiracy theories, true crime rabbit holes, AITA debates, documentaries, oversharing our personal lives, and repeatedly asking, “Wait... is this actually real?”

And somehow, y'all kept listening. 😂

For Episode 100, we're doing something a little different and looking back at the evolution of This Is My Circus. From the early days when we were just two moms giggling our way through recording and thought we were starting a fun little podcast, to realizing we may have actually been documenting our slow descent into insanity.

We're answering rapid-fire questions, handing out our own podcast superlatives, revisiting the stories we STILL think about, debating our best and worst book choices, remembering our favorite rabbit holes, and discussing some of the moments that probably should've been edited out.

We also pulled the numbers, and this little circus has officially reached:

🎧 6,011 downloads
🌎 93 countries
📍 949 cities
🎪 100 episodes of absolute nonsense

We talk about how much the podcast has changed, how much we've changed, what this show has meant to both of us through some pretty major life changes, and where we think we'll be when Episode 200 rolls around.

Spoiler: Stefanie still thinks we're going to be famous. Meredith is slightly more grounded. 😂

And before we wrap up, we're giving you a sneak peek at next week's documentary episode. We're heading back to a case we covered while it was unfolding: the Mica Miller case, now the subject of Netflix's The Death of the Pastor's Wife. We're going back to what we knew then, what we know now, and what the documentary reveals.

To every single person who has listened, shared an episode, sent us a message, laughed with us, or stuck around through all 100 episodes: THANK YOU. Seriously. We love you guys.

Here's to the next 100. 🥂🎪

And because apparently asking 47 times during the episode wasn't enough...

⭐ LEAVE US A REVIEW. 😂

Welcome to This Is My Circus. Episode freaking 100. We did it.

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The murders were horrific. But actually proving Charles Manson was responsible? That was a whole different problem.

This week, we’re wrapping up Netflix’s Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes with Episode Three, and somehow the story gets even more bizarre once everybody ends up in a courtroom.

The Manson Family essentially starts unraveling itself, Susan Atkins can't keep her mouth shut, and investigators FINALLY connect the dots. Then begins what would become one of the most infamous murder trials in American history.

But there’s a catch: Manson didn't personally commit the murders.

So how do you convict a cult leader of murder when his followers actually did the killing?

We’re getting into the prosecution’s famous Helter Skelter theory, whether that was REALLY the motive behind the murders, the Family's absolutely bonkers behavior during the trial, women camping outside the courthouse in support of Manson, X’s carved into foreheads, shaved heads, courtroom threats, and Manson doing an excellent job of demonstrating his ability to control people while simultaneously arguing that he didn't control people.

Sir. 😂

And after three episodes, we have THOUGHTS about what actually motivated these murders, Manson's obsession with fame, his failed music career, and how much of the story most of us know today may have been shaped by the prosecution's version of events.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses murder, violence, abuse, sexual assault, cult manipulation, racism, and other disturbing subject matter.

🎧 This is the final part of our Charles Manson documentary deep dive. Next week, we're returning to our regularly scheduled circus. And after three straight episodes of Charles Manson, we are READY.

⭐ Follow This Is My Circus on Apple Podcasts and leave us a five-star review. It helps other people find our little corner of chaos. 🎪