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Detox Retox with Tom Schwartz

Sip, Spill, Solve: with Madison McGhee

25 Feb 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is Kava and how does it work?

6.224 - 10.277 Unknown

It's now time for your weekly detox with Tom Schwartz.

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14.172 - 43.251 Tom Schwartz

Guys, what is up? Welcome to another episode. Detox Retox. We're keeping it together so we can fall apart. Responsibly. Mindfully. Not toxically. How are you guys? Today's episode. Madison McGee. She's my friend, writer, director, producer, podcaster. She hosts Ice Cold Case and Frozen Files. And she's an awesome human being. She's got some great stories. And we're going to set some kava.

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44.429 - 50.187 Tom Schwartz

You guys ever had kava? What you know about kava? Well, let's do a little kava 101.

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52.023 - 82.03 Tom Schwartz

kava kava is a traditional beverage made from the root of the piper methisticum plant native to south pacific it's a shrub it has a sedative anxiolytic which is just like a fancy word for anti-anxiety and muscle relaxing effects due to compounds called cavalactones yummy give me some cavalactones so people dig kava because it provides a sense of relaxation stress relief a mild sense of euphoria

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82.01 - 103.63 Tom Schwartz

Yeah, let's get euphoric. It's often used as a social drink, kind of similar to alcohol, but, you know, without the hangovers or strong intoxication, so you probably won't end up rage texting your ex with tears running down your face in the back alley at Sir. But, also, I've never tried it, so I can't promise that. Um...

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So yeah, it's praised for some of its potential therapeutic benefits, too, for anxiety, sleep disorders. But like with everything, moderation. Ideally, you want a single-source root powder or extract that hasn't been steeped in grain alcohol like a lot of the tinctures you'll find at grocery stores. But yeah, it chills you out. Moderation is key.

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Popular alternative for the sober-minded or sober-curious.

Chapter 2: What makes true crime so compelling for listeners?

129.209 - 149.895 Tom Schwartz

I'm gonna stop rambling here. Let's get into it. Let's drink some cava with Madison McGee. Also, reminder here, guys, I'm not an expert. I'm learning here with you. I'm not your guru. We're all in this together. Consult a physician for taking a psychoactive substance, no matter how mild.

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150.756 - 165.477 Tom Schwartz

So, yeah, although we may be catching the most mellow buzz today in this episode with Madison, I'm still considering it a detoxification session or a mindful retox, whatever you guys think.

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165.457 - 209.939 Tom Schwartz

again okay without further ado kava with madison and also also if you know you could use a little help say your first last month's rent or maybe uh alleviate a little financial stress to float you a couple months stay tuned i'm going to tell you about rnpl rent now pay later okay i'll stop yapping let's get into it with madison Wait. Oh, my God. Madison McGee. We're rolling.

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We're rolling.

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211.02 - 213.223 Tom Schwartz

Wait. Do you want to tell everyone where we are and what we're doing?

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Where are we?

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We're at Kavanaugh, which is a kava bar.

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Okay.

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In Santa Monica.

Chapter 3: How does Madison McGee connect true crime with reality TV?

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But it's fun that it could be kind of either.

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236.23 - 241.259 Tom Schwartz

Listen, I mean, we'll see where it goes. We're going to sip, but we're not going to get lost in the sauce.

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241.279 - 243.082 Unknown

Well, we got three shots.

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243.403 - 259.572 Tom Schwartz

Should we do it right now? Because the guy was telling us you have a reverse tolerance for it, essentially meaning that you have to drink more for the first time until your body acclimates. Yeah. And then after that, you can have one shot and you'll feel the euphoric pleasant effects. Yeah.

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259.754 - 261.216 Unknown

So we have three.

261.457 - 265.604 Tom Schwartz

Should I read you what it says on the website? Yeah. Do you know what kava is?

265.624 - 267.306 Unknown

No, I'm coming in blind.

267.426 - 285.576 Tom Schwartz

Well, I kind of know what it is, but I'm just going to read from the website to show love to Kavanaugh and Santa Monica. The kava beverage is made from the root of the kava plant, which is native to the Pacific Islands. The word kava refers to the plant itself, its roots, and the drink it's made from. Natural kava tastes fresh, earthy, slightly peppery. From the peppercorn family, like you said.

285.556 - 287.538 Unknown

Yeah, our tongue is going to tingle, he said.

Chapter 4: What insights does Madison share about her podcast journey?

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Oh, that's good.

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319.171 - 322.675 Tom Schwartz

It's really good. Well, I love kava bars.

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322.776 - 324.217 Unknown

Wait, I like this.

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324.277 - 326.8 Tom Schwartz

You just made a fan for life. It's so good.

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Live tingly is what the back of his shirt says.

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Does it? You guys. Wait, kava is delicious.

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I might go to the West Side again for this.

336.052 - 337.573 Tom Schwartz

Oh, my God. Wait, you want to try mine?

Chapter 5: Why do some cold cases receive more media attention than others?

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I'm busy and a little stressed.

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360.332 - 361.713 Tom Schwartz

Do you want me to hype you up for a second?

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362.313 - 362.594 Unknown

Yeah.

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362.854 - 372.422 Tom Schwartz

Okay. Madison McGee, if you don't know, producer, writer, podcaster, beautiful human being, lover of Joshua Tree, now lover of Kava.

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372.443 - 372.723 Madison McGhee

Yes.

373.383 - 383.012 Tom Schwartz

And my friend, host of Ice Cold Case, now the Frozen Files, right? Yeah. You're doing the damn thing. She's an OG podcaster, killing the game. She's my mentor.

382.992 - 405.405 Tom Schwartz

and life coach what else what else i i think you nailed it that was a pretty strong introduction really good um so she made waves in the podcast world but yes with your show ice cold case uh investigating the 2002 murder of your father uh john cornelius mcgee rest in peace by the way thank you um

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We don't have to go into it, because I don't want to spoil it for people, but we can... I don't know if this is a spoiler. As of now, it remains unsolved. It's an open case.

416.355 - 431.77 Unknown

It's an open case, open investigation out of Ohio. Yes. And yeah, it's... I mean, it was just sitting in a case file, and then I started looking into it. So now it's getting some traction and movement, but it is still currently unsolved.

Chapter 6: What updates does Madison provide on her father's cold case?

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I'm fascinated with people's fascination with true crime. Yes. I'm sure you've been. And by the way, I know this is your real life. The cold case file with the murder of your father. And it's very real. Rest in peace again. But how do you explain people's fascination, obsession with true crime? I like to fall asleep to cold case. I fell asleep to cold case files last night. Yeah. I really did.

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478.428 - 487.731 Tom Schwartz

Maybe it's the pacing, the narrator. But yeah. Essentially, I'm falling asleep to murder stories. Yeah. How do we explain this? The psychology, Madison, tell us.

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487.791 - 505.65 Unknown

You know, I wish I studied psychology in college. And I had no idea, you know, what I would end up doing in my life. There is a weird fascination with crime, and I think part of it is some women will argue, oh, I want to be prepared if something happens.

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505.79 - 507.996 Tom Schwartz

Yes, like simulation for worst case scenarios.

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508.036 - 524.427 Unknown

Yes, but I really think what it is is like, It all kind of goes back to this weird crossover of people who like true crime also like reality TV. Yes. And it's almost like you've disassociated from the true part of true crime enough that it almost feels like a drama.

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You're hearing some sort of drama story and, you know, the same girls that are, like, running background checks on their friends' boyfriends are the people who like true crime. So it almost feels like... it's not real. And that's maybe why you're so obsessed with it.

Chapter 7: How does Madison navigate criticism and public perception?

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Cause it's like, well, this would never happen to me or this couldn't happen to me. This wouldn't be my friend group. This wouldn't be my life. Meanwhile, it absolutely could. And it's more, likely going to be than not going to be because of statistics. And so it's just a really, I think we're all just so fascinated.

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554.671 - 555.852 Tom Schwartz

I'm getting the tongue.

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555.892 - 556.133 Unknown

Me too.

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556.153 - 563.961 Tom Schwartz

The tongue tingle. But it's like you, it's like a simulation trial from the safety, the comfort of your own bed, your own room.

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564.142 - 564.462 Unknown

Yeah.

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You know what I mean?

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You know you're safe, but you're listening to these like crazy stories. And I think that's why a lot of people, you know, navigate towards the you know, the missing white women syndrome is because they put themselves in those stories because it's like, oh, that looks like me. That is me. That's closer to my life, but it's not my life.

585.046 - 587.809 Unknown

And I'm just watching it or I'm listening to it in my car or whatever.

588.23 - 593.776 Tom Schwartz

Yeah. And I totally get it. I'm on board with it. I love reality TV and true crime, not in a fetishized way.

Chapter 8: What are Madison's thoughts on the current state of reality TV?

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It's nice to feel like, oh my God, other people have gone through this too. It can be comforting. Totally.

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622.955 - 643.814 Unknown

I mean, that's how I feel about a lot of reality TV for me. Someone was asking me why I'm so into reality TV. And I'm like, it's almost like escapism because it does feel like not real life in a way where it's like it's so absurd and so wild that I'm like, oh, it's like not real. But it is. But it's not my life. It's not real in my life. Like I'm not doing any of these things.

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643.874 - 648.097 Unknown

So it just feels kind of like escapism in that way. And I think true crime can be similar.

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648.438 - 649.619 Tom Schwartz

Totally escapism.

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649.659 - 652.101 Madison McGhee

But it's your real life. And I know you. So that is kind of.

653.212 - 677.143 Tom Schwartz

Let's not turn this into a therapy session. But also, my friends tell me when they watch it, it's nice to have your intuition and your suspicions validated about someone. Or when you're listening to one of your podcasts, one of your episodes, or watching Vanderpump Rules, like, I knew it. I knew it all along. Yes. It sort of reaffirms your instincts, right? Yeah.

677.264 - 700.427 Tom Schwartz

And I think, yeah, so there are a lot of parallels. And it's like there is a voyeuristic aspect to it or like a morbid curiosity. Like almost everyone I know has seen Two Girls, One Cup. They know it's going to be disgusting. But there's almost like a camaraderie, a morbid curiosity. Like I got to see it. For sure. And you're like, oh, God, why did I watch that? Totally.

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Maybe I lost the plot there. No, no.

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It's the same as like scary movies where it's like, you know, you know, you're going to be scared, but you watch it anyways. And it's just like, you want to, you know, you're going to have that feeling, but you want to know you're going to have that feeling. I equate it to, this is going to sound crazy. I always say to people, I would like to go to space.

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