To commemorate Charles Manson’s 74th birthday on Nov. 12 — well, not commemorate, but, whatever the opposite of commemorate is — we proudly present I Love Serial Killers, a lovely piece of comedy written and directed by Margot Leitman, who we just happen to interview with right here:

ATOM: Who’s the most intriguing serial killer of all time?
MARGOT LEITMAN: Jack the Ripper. We still don’t know who he really was after all these years. My family is British, for all I know he could be a distant relative. I’d say Manson, but he’s not technically a serial killer. He’s a conspiritor — his talent lied in motivating people. If they were alive at the same time Charles Manson would have given Jack the Ripper fabulous direction.

ATOM: If you could ask Charles Manson one question, what would it be?
ML: How the hell did you convince Miss Jessica Fletcher herself, Angela Lansbury, to allow her son to run off with the Manson Family? How ironic is that? The star of Murder She Wrote allowed her son to run away with Charles Manson? I would love to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation.

ATOM: Should serial killers be allowed to sell artwork for profit from prison?
ML: Sure, if the money goes to the victims’ families, why not?

ATOM: What’s the biggest misconception about serial killers?
ML: That they’re “cool” and they would be awesome to meet. I guarantee if you spent one second with a serial killer (behind bars or not) you’d be running for your life, whimpering like you’ve just watched Beaches. They aren’t meant to be celebrated, which is why I was so amused by this concept (I Love Serial Killers). I’m not a fan of any serial killer, however I have read countless books on them; I guess I have an insatiable fascination. I started having nightmares until I thought of this idea — to parody the silliness of talking heads shows by discussing the most somber thing possible, in the most upbeat tone. I sleep a lot better now, but my head is still filled with bizarre facts about a number of these maniacs.

Watch I Love Serial Killers