Well, I Laughed

Well I Laughed Podcast

A weekly podcast where unexpected topics turn into laugh out loud conversations. From infamous historical figures to stories we thought we understood, hosts Maia (an engineer) and Grant (a public school teacher) talk through the facts and find the laughs. Well, I Laughed… and we think you will too. New episodes every Wednesday.

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169 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes169

Newest first

Aug 28, 2024 · 2 hr 1 min
68: A Lover Scorned pt.2: Wanderlust
Who killed Walter Wanderwell? Grant introduces us to a globe-trotting cast with entirely too many aliases, starting with the irreverent Nell Miller, continuing to the self-styled explorer Captain Walter Wanderwell, and detouring through the fabulously odd heiress Harriet White Fisher. Yet the true scene-stealer, in more ways than one, is Idris Hall, the six-foot Canadian teenager who reinvented herself as Aloha Wanderwell. A woman as singular as her adopted name, Aloha slid behind the wheel of a
Aug 21, 2024 · 1 hr 47 min
67: A Lover Scorned pt.1: Heads Will Roll
Think your breakup was messy? Wait till you meet Olga of Kiev. In this explosive (and only technically shorter) episode of Well, I Laughed, Grant and Maia dive into the blood-soaked legend of a woman scorned who didn’t just clap back—she burned entire cities to the ground. After her husband, Prince Igor I, is gruesomely executed by the Drevlians (spoiler: it involves birch trees and a “human hammock”), Olga goes full medieval mastermind. We’re talking trench burials, surprise bathhouse infernos,
Aug 14, 2024 · 2 hr 21 min
66: Horsing Around pt.3: Listener Episode
This week’s listener episode finds Grant and Maia christening their brand-new studio, complete with glitchy Wi-Fi, Denver heat, and a hilariously ill-timed breakup mid-opening credits, before diving into six wild listener stories. Stacy shares two painfully familiar dating disasters; Mimi flashes back to the infamous Lee episode “Falsely Imprisoned”; Jessica narrowly escapes being named “Frock”; and Gina’s horse-girl deep dive proves Panera-era obsessions run deep. Classroom chaos arrives courte
Aug 7, 2024 · 2 hr 2 min
65: Horsing Around pt.2: Ranch Ain't Big Enough
A true-crime saga that starts with a dressage horse and ends with a shooting. In this jaw-dropping episode, Maia and Grant unpack the wild and winding tale of a barn drama that spirals from elite-level horse training into Facebook call-outs, police showdowns, and a shocking act of violence. After Maia moves her prized mount to a prestigious facility run by ex-Olympian Michael Barone, tensions build with tenant Lauren Ack, whose relentless social media accusations ignite a firestorm that no one s
Jul 31, 2024 · 2 hr 13 min
64: Horsing Around pt.1: D*ck of All Trades
Who was the "Irish Hamilton"? Join us in learning the jaw-dropping saga of Richard Martin, a man of passion who was just as likely to shoot you in a duel as he was to defend an innocent animal. Dubbed “Hair-Trigger Dick” for the 100-plus duels he survived and “Humanity Dick” for dragging a battered donkey into court and writing the world’s first anti-cruelty law, Martin was an 18th-century Irish MP, ship-wreck magnet, and founding spirit behind what would become the ASPCA. Come for the gossip; s
Jul 24, 2024 · 1 hr 50 min
63: Down to Business pt.3: Listener Episode
A listener episode! Listeners of Well, I Laughed share their connections with this week's theme "Down to Business". Polly details an uncomfortably close connection with a man known as Dr. Death. Ashley emailed in about the dangers of donating blood in a story so funny, we almost passed out. Nicole writes in with a friend or foe, deal or no deal story about a high school romance gone wrong. And Warren shares about being the intimidating guy in the parking lot, completely accidentally. All that an
Jul 17, 2024 · 1 hr 43 min
62: Down to Business pt.2: Down Under
Grant takes the opportunity to share some "weird stories from Australia." He introduces us to an underground, deadly underwater cave system in the middle of a cow field known as "The Shaft" in Australia. Next, he covers the disappearance of Harold Holt. The Australian Prime Minister (and spear fisher) who was abducted by aliens, eaten by a shark, or something way more normal and boring. Finally, we learn about what happens when you try to take on mother nature. Specifically, when you launch "The
Jul 10, 2024 · 2 hr 9 min
61: Down to Business pt.1: Worth Fighting For
Was Mulan real? Did Mulan exist? And, if so, how accurate is the movie Mulan? This week we get down to business to uncover the history behind our favorite female warrior. Maia spotlights three extraordinary women whose boldness and brilliance helped reshape East Asian and global history: Tamoe Gozen, a Japanese Samurai from the 12th century, whose bravery and romances were featured in Heike monogatari (The Tale of Heike); Murasaki Shikibu, the author of what's thought of as the world's oldest no
Jul 3, 2024 · 1 hr 31 min
60: Friend or Foe pt.3: Listener Episode
A listener episode! Listeners of Well, I Laughed share their connections with this week's theme "Friend or Foe". from a chilling backyard skeleton discovery and a spirit finally laid to rest, to a 5th-grade art prize snub that turned into a marriage proposal. You also shared enemies-to-lovers glow-ups, high school heartbreaks, and a museum specimen bag labeled “99.9% sure it’s a bat.” Plus: ketamine ER memories and a muddled theater-kid “Am I the Asshole?” that tests what it means to be a true f
Jun 26, 2024 · 3 hr 51 min
59: Friend or Foe pt.2: Open Waters Open Questions
What happened to Laci Peterson, and did the media get it all wrong? In this deeply researched episode, Maia and Grant unpack one of the most polarizing true-crime cases of the early 2000s: the trial of Scott Peterson. Maia walks us through the mysterious circumstances and tragic death of Laci Peterson. We meet her husband Scott Peterson, learn his alibi, and end up with some serious open questions. What was the killer's motive? How does the media's portrayal of a case affect its outcome? How do
Jun 19, 2024 · 2 hr 31 min
58: Friend or Foe pt.1: Tree Hugger
What is eco-terrorism and... is it all bad? In the 1990s the US government found out what happened when you anger young environmentalist and the power of positive reinforcement for things like sabotage. Grant covers who was the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the degree to which their crimes deserved the label "terrorist". Saviors of the planet, terrorist, or both? This week's episode of Well, I Laughed, we unpack the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), the FBI’s sweeping “Operation Backfire,” and wh
Jun 12, 2024 · 1 hr 15 min
57: The Hills We Die On pt.3: Listener Episode
Laugh, cringe, and question everything you thought was normal—this jam-packed listener episode has it all. Maia and Grant spiral through a whirlwind of chaos, comedy, and oddly relatable life hacks—starting with the brilliance of a “receiving hour” to curb messaging guilt. From there, it’s off to the gym: Maia recounts a cardio mishap that ends in a starfish-shaped crisis, while Grant shrugs his way through circuit anarchy. Nature talk includes a spiritual birdwatching moment atop Green Mountain
Jun 5, 2024 · 1 hr 46 min
56: The Hills We Die On pt.2: Something in the Waters
Criminal justice, true crime, and the bonds of family all clash in today's podcast episode! It starts with a story we've heard before. An innocent man is convicted of a crime he did not commit. Facing life in prison few believe in his innocence or his chances to overturn his conviction. Fortunately, for his sister, this is a hill she is willing to die on. Learn who is Kenny Waters, who is Betty Anne Waters, and the power of a sibling with a little bit of fight. Trace how Kenny’s indomitable sist
May 29, 2024 · 2 hr 35 min
55: The Hills We Die On pt.1: Friends in Weird Places
OUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! And a story as odd as any we've told. A potentially unsolved mystery. A podcast episode about a spooky (and at times hilarious) cryptid that takes us from the streets of London, to the Isle of Man, to the space between walls. You will not believe what the creature ends up being, or what is ends up saying. That is, if you believe the story at all. Depends on the hill you're willing to die on. Gef the Talking Mongoose AKA Jack the Talking Weasel AKA The Dalby Spook! The
May 22, 2024 · 2 hr 31 min
54: In the Bag pt.3: Send Less Help
Three true crime episodes in a set, well that's a first. The set, a Swedish Bank. The Players, Jan-Erik Olofsson, Sven, Sven, Maybe another Sven?, Kristen Enmark, Brigitta Lundblad, Elisabeth Oldgren, and Clark Olsson. Key events, The streets of Stockholm are swarmed as everyone wants to get in on the most exciting robbery of the summer. Bullets are fired, loves are forged, and Kaj Hansson makes a surprise call in NOT about the bees. The 1973 Stockholm bank siege that gave the world “Stockholm s
May 15, 2024 · 2 hr 3 min
53: In the Bag pt.2: How to Hide a Painting
Jump back into one of the greatest unsolved heists in history? In Part 2 of our deep dive into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft, Grant and Maia pick up the story 48 hours after 13 masterpieces vanished—and the chaos really kicks in. From a scrapped smoke-bomb plan in the ’80s to Myles Connor’s audacious Rembrandt heists, they trace a tangled web of mobsters, shady art dealers, and maybe a few guards who weren’t as innocent as they seemed. Follow the trail through Boston’s underworld, me
May 8, 2024 · 2 hr 18 min
52: In the Bag pt.1: Night at the Museum
A true-crime episode! Grant takes us to Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the night of the Gardner Museum Art Heist—the largest art robbery in modern history. We meet Myles Connor, Boston’s top art thief, wonder whether night guard Richard Abath was an unlucky bystander or an inside man, and learn about Isabella Stewart Gardner, the eccentric woman who built the museum and swore its layout must never change. All to get to the bottom of “the largest art heist in history.” But first, Gr
May 1, 2024 · 1 hr 29 min
51: Prophetic Dreams pt.3: Listener Episode
Dive headfirst into a bizarre (and surprisingly emotional) parade of prophetic dreams that hit a little too close to home. We’re talking moose people on a mission, dogs turning into fully clothed humans, and a priest with psychic winter gear. From eerily accurate pregnancy dreams to a rainbow flag so powerful it sent missionaries packing, these stories blur the line between funny, freaky, and full-on fate. Whether you’re a dream journal fanatic or just here for the weird vibes, this episode deli
Apr 24, 2024 · 1 hr 55 min
50: Prophetic Dreams pt.2: Misérables
Who was Victor Hugo, and why was he so cool? In this podcast episode about Les Misérables and it's creator, Grant shares the fun loving life of the great French writer, Victor Hugo. Part history podcast, part lifestyle guide, Hugo helped define and describe the era he lived through. We learn about the writing of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and the writers commitment to the less fortunate, both in fiction and reality. Party tricks, politics, and publishing defined the life of a man who dreamed a
Apr 17, 2024 · 2 hr 30 min
49: Prophetic Dreams pt.1: Little Red Lie
In this chilling episode, Maia Warner and Grant Thomas dig into the twisted tale of Maria Martin—a young woman whose secret romance ended in betrayal, murder, and a shallow grave beneath the floorboards of a crumbling Suffolk barn. Set in 1827 and powered by prophetic dreams, shady love letters, and a suspiciously well-timed disappearance, this true crime saga has it all: scandal, séance vibes, and a stepmother with psychic accuracy. From the trial that captivated England to the grotesque public