Well, I Laughed
Semi-educational and organically funny, “Well, I Laughed” is a podcast for listeners who find themselves in search of a good laugh and their next strange story to tell at parties. Each week one of our hosts shares what they have learned on topics ranging from the Unabomber to Frankenstein. Join Grant, a public school teacher, and Maia, an engineer, as they find the humor in the mundane. Well, I Laughed, and we think you will too. New episodes every Wednesday.
Episodes
119: Eye of the Beholder pt.2: Whiskers on Women
Love looks different for everyone, and for some men and women it can be a bit hairy. This week, Maia shares the fascinating history of "bearded ladies". Women born with an unusually large amount of facial and body hair - specifically Annie …
118: Eye of the Beholder pt.1: Black & White
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously spoke of his dream for a future America. A dream that was more progressive and radical than many people remember, but that included a future of racial equality. On the night of his assassination one teach…
117: They Were Roommates pt.3: Listener Episode
Stories from across the Well, I Laughed universe written in by listeners! Enrique finds out what all the teachers were gossiping about. Tommy meets a Prince and maybe a ghost. Katy questions the obvious in a quest for love. Emily learns a t…
116: They Were Roommates pt.2: That Woman
Few sex scandals are as infamous as President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. Overnight, a private young woman in her early twenties was almost as famous as the most powerful man in the world. But why was she so publicly humilia…
115: They Were Roommates pt.1: Lost In Translation
Today's episode challenges you with a simple yet complex question: what do you think you know about Amanda Knox? Many remember the attention grabbing headlines when it was reported that an American college student had savagely murdered her …
114: Famous Feuds pt.3: Listener Episode
Today on Well I Laughed, we read stories submitted by you, the listener! Cheyenne ends up swimming with the horses while deciding if they want to be Jesus' best friend FOREVER. Hannah takes us down another WOOFtastic trip that reminds the c…
113: Famous Feuds pt.2: Queens of Mean
We all love a little gossip. And these two ladies made sure everyone knew about it. These women were here for the drama, maybe even more than they were here for the truth. In an era where women were defined by the men in their lives, Hedda …
112: Famous Feuds pt.1: Party Animals
Has American politics always been so divided? Our current political system seems broken beyond repair, but where did it all start? This week Grant tells Maia about the history of the American political system and the political parties that …
111: Within These Walls pt.3: Listener Episode
Welcome back to the Well, I Laughed Extended Universe! Within These Walls of the studio, Grant and Maia read some listener stories! Whitney pranks her mom with a creepy old doll that might be watching all of us. Kyle has a bummer of a night…
110: Within These Walls pt.2: Crowded Hours
Well behaved women rarely make history. In the case of Alice Roosevelt, they do make scandalous headlines. Alice’s life was marked early by tragedy but defined by her actions and in her own words. Born to a powerful family, Alice chose a li…
109: Within these Walls pt.1: All Roads Lead to Rome
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi is confounding. How does a woman disappear so close to home? Especially when that home is Vatican City. Within these walls a tragedy unfolds and questions persist. Who took Emanu…
108: Bump in the Night pt.3: Listener Episode
Welcome back to the Well, I Laughed Extended Universe! This week Grant and Maia read stories that go Bump in the Night. Kendyl gets sent on a cheese scavenger hunt and Meredith has more than a stomach ache. Jen gets ghosted at college, lite…
107: Bump in the Night pt.2: Conjuring the Truth
When something paranormal goes bump in the night, who are you going to call? This week we learn about Ed and Lorraine Warren! Famous for their involvement with both the Amityville Horror house and the events surrounding The Conjuring. But w…
106: Bump in the Night pt.1: Water Under the Gate
The 1970s was a turbulent time in America. Two episodes ago, Grant covered the draft board raids and the anti-war movement in response to Vietnam. This week, Grant returns to the era, this time to examine the downfall of President Nixon. Wh…
105: Identity Theft pt.3: Listener Episode
Welcome back to the Well, I Laughed Extended Universe! This week Mrant and Gaia catch-up following a ridiculously fun double header of an evening. Then it's time to go to our audience. You’ll meet Ryan, whose mom’s financial radar leads to …
104: Identity Theft pt.2: Hit, Stay, Pray
Does non-violence include property damage? What if you feel God and faith are calling you to do it? What if it works? This week we dive into the anti-war movement and the unlikely group of resistance fighters who burned thousands of draft c…
103: Identity Theft pt.1: Poisonous Postage
Revenge is a dish best served cold, or sometimes through the mail. This week, Maia covers something we can only describe as "a story like Tiger King". Full of outlandish characters and incredible quotes. How could someone like Paul Kevin Cu…
102: Movie Magic pt.3: Listener Episode
This week on Well, I Laughed! Ashley goes on a girls trip and accidentally helps catch a criminal in the process. Jen shares that she might also be related to Napoleon (the general, not the dynamite). Cedar teaches a horrible coworker a won…
101: Movie Magic pt.2: Meet the Chans
Jackie Chan’s best movie is hard to name. He’s been leaping off rooftops since the 1960s, but six decades of big‑screen magic still haven’t revealed his most gripping story: his family. This week we meet the Chans. While Jackie shoots the d…
100: Movie Magic pt.1: Shake that Speare
This week, Grant and Maia attempt to answer a big question “why do we love Romcoms so much?”. Our episode takes us through the history of romantic comedies. From the Greeks to ways Shakespeare still influences the stories we tell today. We …
99: Triple Threat pt.3: Listener Episode
Stories from the Well, I Laughed universe! Makayla reminisces on the time she had beef with a middle-aged, high school theater teacher. Emily learns of the pitfalls of “hell yeah girl, get your…” the hard way. Jane accidentally gets a produ…
98: Triple Threat pt.2: Liza Outlives
A woman who needs no introduction, but if she did she'd shout it! It's LIZA! With a Z! Born into stardom, the daughter of Judy Garland and Vicente Minnelli, Liza was born for greatness. From "Liza... in Cabaret!" to "Liza... in Chicago" to …
97: Triple Threat pt.1: Saints & Singers
Frank Sinatra would say, "I did it my way," and we would agree. From an early age, he lived an unusual life, raised in a mob bar by a strong-willed mother, gifted with a voice that could melt hearts and a face that could charm anyone. But t…
96: Untamed pt.3: Listener Episode
Stories from the Well, I Laughed community as listeners write in! Shreya risks it all in the unknown depths. Rosie and Natasha fan girl over horse sized gorillas, Madi reveals her untamed family drama, Danielle faces down a flock of ring st…
95: Untamed pt.2: Monkeying Around
"Wild monkeys escape" might feel like a concerning headline. But if you're one inventive business owner outside of New York City, it might be the best thing to ever happen. This week, Maia covers the story of untamed monkeys who seek green…
94: Untamed pt.1: Down to Eartha
The voice of Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove, a velvet-toned singer, passionate civil-rights crusader, and—per Orson Welles—“the most exciting woman in the world,” Eartha Kitt took a childhood of neglect and spun it into a life of advent…
93: Two Best Friends pt.3: Enemies & Lovers
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were married lovers, rivals, and life long friends. In a life filled with pain, Frida Kahlo created art and beauty. Find out more about the artwork of Frida Kahlo, Casa Azul, and the work of the beloved Mexican …
92: Two Best Friends pt.2: THAT Girl
The story of Wicked is a beautiful, complicated tale about love, regret, power, and friendship. If your only exposure comes from the Broadway stage, prepare to step through a far heavier door. In this episode Maia reconstructs Gregory Magui…
91: Two Best Friends pt.1: Out of the Blue
Discover a women ahead of her time and instrumental to the women's rights movement. Discover who is Matilda Gage? From radical parents to radical children, Matilda dreamed of a better future. A future she did not live to see, but whose infl…
90: Rumor Has It pt.3: Listener Episode
Stories from the people who listen to "Well, I Laughed"! In the final installment of Rumor Has It, Maia and Grant hand the mic over to their listeners, and what follows is a hilarious, occasionally heartbreaking rollercoaster of gossip, dra…
89: Rumor Has It pt.2: Dearest Reader
Was Bridgerton's Lady Whisledown based on a real person? This week, Maia talks to us about the original Lady Whistledown, Mrs. Crackenthorpe, and whether her true identity is Thomas Baker, or, more likely, Delarivier Manley. Join us as we d…
88: Rumor Has It pt.1: Duel Interests
This week, Grant asks a big question, "what is a chaos bisexual?". In our quest for an answer, we meet a swashbuckling, gossip-soaked tour of 17th-century icon Julie d’Aubigny—La Maupin—whose résumé reads: sword champion, opera sensation, p…
87: Naughty or Nice pt.3: Listener Episode
Settle in for a listener-led joyride through holiday chaos, international crimes, and the kind of stories that make you say, “Wait, what?!” In this finale to our “Naughty or Nice” series, Grant and Maia hand over the reins to you, the liste…
86: Naughty or Nice pt.2: The Dr. Is In
Grant talks love and relationships to ring in the New Year! Grant introduces Maia to Dr. Ruth Westheimer - Holocaust survivor, Israeli sniper, three-time bride, and America’s 4'7" sex-therapy powerhouse whose catch-phrase “Get some!” rewire…
85: Naughty or Nice pt.1: Under Wraps
It is time for some Christmas traditions around the world! Maia explores some crucial questions like "where did Santa come from?" and "who was St. Nicholas?". Along the way we learn about ancient drama and modern traditions in this very spe…
84: Buried Below pt.3: Listener Episode
Listener Chaos, Served Four Ways: Grant & Maia kick things off with Bermuda-Triangle banter before diving into a quartet of jaw-dropping listener tales, a stagehand ancestor who helped John Wilkes Booth, Holly’s Spanish beach-town grifter w…
83: Buried Below pt.2: Lost Boys
In this jaw-dropping follow-up series, Maia and Grant peel back the layers of two wildly different but thematically linked disasters and rescues. First, they relive the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, a blaze so fierce it incinerated an entire …
82: Buried Below pt.1: The Big Cheese
"Where is the secret government underground cheese cave?" The question is simple enough, the answer has more holes in it than a slice of Swiss cheese. In this first part, Grant leads us into the hidden infrastructure that holds America toge…
81: Vigilante Vengeance pt.3: Listener Episode
Grab your greasy quesadilla and your favorite headache cure—Grant and Maia are back post-election night, muddling through day-after chaos, crisis-level hangovers, and bar-crawl confessions (ever almost drown at six or get busted wrangling h…
80: Vigilante Vengeance pt.2: Final Act
**Spoiler Alert This week's episode is about people and their eccentricities. It is about nepotism and vengeance and fame. It is about how truly dramatic theater people can be. This week, a deep-dive finale on America’s most infamous theatr…