Well, I Laughed

A true crime podcast, part 2! What role did Myles Connor play in the Gardner Museum art heist? How did the mafia and organized crime steal so much artwork, and then how did they make it disappear? We meet more suspects in the Gardner Museum heist. Search for missing Rembrandt paintings. Hear the perspective of Boston Herald journalist Tom Mashberg. We chase leads and go down rabbit holes and yet are still left wondering - how to hide a painting.

A true crime podcast episode! Grant takes us to the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum, and the night of the Gardner Museum Art Heist. The largest art heist in the world. We meet Myles Connor, Boston’s top art thief. We examine if Richard Abath is guilty of the crime, and the role he might have played. We learn a little about Isabella Stuart Gardner, the eccentric women who built the museum. All to get to the bottom of “the largest art heist in history.” Part 1!

A listener episode! Listeners of Well, I Laughed share some of of their wildest prophetic dreams. A priest predicting a house fire. A journal entry that turns out to be all too true. Even college athletes getting you fired. Some hilarious and heartwarming stories, a podcast episode about listening to your dreams, at least sometimes!

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 dream of time to come!

A true crime podcast episode on the Red Barn Murder in Polstead in 1827. Maia introduces us to a surprising number of Anne's as she explains who was Maria Martin. How tragic and unnecessary her death was, and the man behind the crime, murderer William Corder. Grant and Maia cover the difficult choices women were left with in the 1800s, why a bad man got away with so much, and finally the trial and execution of William Corder. Join us as Maia explains a Little Red Lie.

It is our first listener episode! Listeners from the Well, I Laughed universe share stories about surviving family curses, gay haircuts, a terrible first date story, and the unsettling "St. Mikulas" tradition in Prague! An episode of shocking, surprising, and funny episodes all about being Out and About.

Drag is art, drag is exciting, drag is… old? This week, Maia explores the history of drag. From drag in Ancient Greece and Rome and male only casts, to more contemporary artist like the work of Julian Eltinge. Maia shares the life of William Dorsey Swann, who was America’s first drag queen, or at least one of them. Taking us to the Drag Balls of Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance and the extravagant homes of DC that first held drag gatherings. Swann’s life proves that drag has history in America. Take a swan dive in the life of “William Dorsey Swann”!

Where did the phrase “coming out of the closet” come from? Is history gay? And if it is, why is gay history a secret? This week’s podcast episode looks at famous gay people in history. Including gay Kings of England and America’s first gay president, at least potentially. Grant and Maia also take on the controversy of learning gay history. Explore the perks of being a spinster. Before ending with a tour of modern gay history in the United States. They say he was never married, a confirmed bachelor, and famous for his dinner parties. A queer history, now out!

Stories from the Reddit AITA page. The challenge of being a new mom with a clueless new father. A family that respects their daughters wishes. A family prank that went too far. And disappointing husbands that could do more to support their spouse. A series of funny Reddit stories about people who might have taken it a little too far. Excessive force AITA!

A podcast on workers rights and the labor movement! Striking workers and unsafe working conditions, a uniquely American story. This week, Grant explores two historic moments in the labor rights movement. The Haymarket Riot in Chicago and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York. We learn more about Albert Parsons and Lucy Parsons, Clara Lemlich, and even get a surprise appearance from gilded age aristocrats. Discover the meaning behind May Day in today’s episode, March to May!

Today’s podcast episode is about a famous school rivalry. The rivalry between Denver University and the Colorado School of Mines. Maia covers some pranks that go too far. Pranks with explosives, hostages, and lots of ways to go wrong, at least a little. It is about more than a game of football, or a big white M on the side of the mountain. An episode on school pride and smart people doing dumb things. CU vs CSU. Auburn vs Georgia Tech. Harvard vs Yale. John Evans vs History. Who's side are you on?

Stories from the Reddit AITA page. For Valentine's day we cover terrible dates. Being too honest with your friend about their dating expectations. Reacting to sudden hostility while grabbing drinks. And telling your friend they’re wrong, even when pressured not to. Four Reddit stories about dating, and terrible dating experiences.

Do aliens exist? Or are we alone in the universe? In this week’s podcast episode we explore Fermi's Paradox. Maia covers topics like the “great filter theory”, the day a UFO sighting stopped a football game with Ardico Magnini, the “coso artifact”, and the US Congressional Hearing on UFO sightings and the testimony of Retired Maj. David Grusch. An episode that addresses the question, if there are supposed to be plenty fish in our galaxy… where are they?

Grant tells Maia about the rarest fish in the world, found in the strangest of places. An episode about the Devil’s Hole Pupfish and Devils Hole, located in Death Valley National Park. We learn more about Ash Meadow, the legal rights of a tiny fish, and the many strange occurrences that have been documented at Devil’s Hole. A podcast episode that will leave you enchanted with the oddity of fish in the desert.

Stories from the Reddit AITA page. Maia covers the story of a roommate who is a bit too casual with the cops. Later, a mother-in-law's famous Mac and Cheese that goes too far. Or maybe it was the daughter-in-law who could have handled things better. Two AITA stories about family drama and the cops, what else is new?

In today's podcast episode, Grant covers some Civil War history. Specifically, the life and legend of John Brown. Abolitionist, hero, domestic terrorist? Depends on who you ask. Also covered is the conflict known as “Bleeding Kansas”, the raid on Harpers Ferry, and the work of important abolitionists like Fredrick Douglass and Gerrit Smith.

A podcast episode about the Pinkertons and the internet group Anonymous. Grant and Maia play a game of "good cop, bad cop" as we dive into the history of both groups. We travel to the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln and the death of a famous revenge porn website. Part history podcast, part storytelling experience. Join us as we discuss Jesse James and his gang and the vile Hunter Moore!

Pigeons in New York City? Groundbreaking. Today we discuss the animals that make New York City their home. Are birds real? Why did we use to love pigeons? Also talked about is Ethan Couch and his infamous case of "affluenza". And an AITA story from Reddit that asks "should I run away from everything and move to NYC? Our answers probably won't shock you. Well, we laughed!

Maia unveils a spy ring that was operating in the US! We laugh and gasp at the true story of Anna Chapman. A Russian spy who was either very good at her job, or was terrible at it. America loves a messy celerity story, so Welcome to New York! Part two, Victory Tour.

Grant takes us back to the Gilded Age with the origin story of the word "JUMBO". A tale at times hilarious and heartbreaking. Our story starts in East Africa and winds its way through Europe before arriving in New York. Buckle up for this story, it can feel like a real circus. In this episode Grant and Maia cover Jumbo the Elephant, possibly one of the inspirations for the movie "Dumbo" (or maybe Dumbo's father?). Listen in to hear about this iconic circus elephant and his relationship to travel and P.T. Barnum.