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 theatre kid, John Wilkes Booth. Who was the man who killed Lincoln? Why did Booth kill Lincoln? Who was John Wilkes Booth’s family? Grant and Maia untangle the Booth family’s glitter-and-grit dynasty, trace the chaotic manhunt that followed Lincoln’s murder, and reveal how one bullet reshaped Reconstruction, Black citizenship, and an entire century of civil-rights setbacks. Expect Shakespearean drama, accidental heroics, and the jaw-dropping “What-ifs” that still haunt U.S. history. Grab your popcorn and a strong drink—this is the ultimate backstage pass to the night that changed the nation. Plus, discover the bizarre ways Broadway tried to scrub the Booth name, the eerie coincidences that stalked Lincoln’s only surviving son, and why a broken leg and a tobacco barn became pivotal plot twists. By the end, you’ll never look at standing ovations or political assassinations, the same way again. 00:00:00 Catch-Up 00:25:59 Final Act 00:40:44 From Idol to Extremist 01:02:10 Kidnap Plot 01:22:01 Name’s Curse 02:08:30 Barn Showdown 02:28:17 Reconstruction Upended 03:08:22 Age of Reconstruction   Connect with Us Love a good laugh? Stay in the loop with the Well, I Laughed Podcast! Hit up wellilaughed.com for all the fun, throw some love our way on Patreon at https://patreon.com/WellILaughedPodcast, and send us your wildest listener stories at wellilaughedpod@gmail.com—because let’s be real, we know you’ve got some!   Listener stories, topic ideas, or anything else you think belongs on the show—drop it all at wellilaughed.com/contact. We’re all ears—and laughs!   Follow Us On Social Media Instagram: @wellilaughed Tiktok: @wellilaughed Facebook: Well, I Laughed Podcast YouTube: Well, I laughed