Well, I Laughed

Some dreams are too grand to let die, even if they might kill you. This week Maia introduces us to “Lawnchair Larry” - otherwise known as Larry Walters - a man who looked at the sky with wonder… and then wondered to himself… could he float up there? Could he literally tie a bunch of balloons to a chair and get UP there? Larry’s story is inspiring and questionable, but it proves that with the support of friends and family anything is possible! As long as you keep it a secret from the federal government. This week we learn abou...

What would you do for love? What would you do to escape it? This week Grant tells us the bizarre story of the beauty queen who would do anything for the man she loved, and the man who didn’t quite feel the same way in return. What follows is a tale of kidnapping, counter theories, costumes, and one very quotable woman. It is the story of tabloids who turn the incident into spectacle and in the process undermine justice and truth. Joyce McKinney believes she is many things, what is actually true and what is a figment of he...

This week on Well, I Laughed we have a bunch of people that did it themselves... with questionable outcomes. Alice moves to Missouri which is only the start of her trouble. Elena accidentally helps create a sexy, hostile work environment. And Adele flys to Hollywood to find out for herself that Dr. Phil is not a good person. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:37:18 "Alice" goes a felony speed
01:02:44 Elena accidentally works at a certain kind of club
01:28:08 "Adele" survives Dr. Phil

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In the criminal justice system, sometimes you have to do it yourself! This week Grant tells us two stories! The first covers the legal history of Robert Lee Brock. A man who saw opportunity around every corner to try to break the criminal justice system. If there was a “get out of jail free” card, he was going to find it! Even if that meant he became “the man who sued himself”. Next we learn about Warren Demesme, who asked for a lawyer, or a dog, but probably not a dog who is a lawyer, right? The famous legal case of...

Maia and Grant might not totally agree on ghosts, but there is one thing that we do agree on: the Winchester Mystery House is awesome. After experiencing tremendous personal loss Sarah Winchester was left with few options, thank goodness she had more money than she knew what to do with. After moving to San Jose, Sarah set out to build the house of her dreams. A kind employer and ADHD architect she built something no one else could. But was she haunted by ghosts, boredom, earthquakes, or more? Find out this week on Well, I Laughed.

It's listener stories from around the Well, I Laughed universe! "Kate" changes a dolphin's life in a way that would make Hellen Keller proud. Next, Birdie's dog gets a rap sheet right before Birdie has a month of unfortunate events. It's funny, we promise. Or, at least we laughed.

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:29:54 "Kate" is the Anne Sullivan for a Dolphin
00:53:40 Birdie's dog goes to jail
01:17:23 Birdie's follow-up

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Website: wellilaughed.com

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One of the most famous pair of outlaws in American history. Mythologized as a pair of tragic lovers. Outlaws. Infamous for their crime spree and their furious driving style. This week, Maia leads Grant through the back story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. From Clyde’s rough childhood to Bonnie’s concerned mother, the back story before their criminal records provide interesting clues and more than a few laughs. Donkeys get involved, birds are harassed, and the notorious Bonnie and Clyde shoot their way into history. Gone but Not Forgotten, this week on Well, I Laughed!

Long before Rosa Parks famously refused to move from her seat on a public bus, thousands of Black Americans had spent decades protesting segregation with their bodies. Ida B. Wells grew up orphaned, impoverished, and with several young siblings to care for. But Wells never let the circumstances of her life stop her from advocating for what is right. An accomplished author, Wells was exiled from the South for decades for her explosive (and true) expose on southern racial violence. A pioneer in investigative journalism and anti-lynching laws, Ida B. Wells believed in America, she knew “I’ll B. Bett...

It's stories from the Well, I Laughed listener-verse! This week's stories feature lawlessness, heartbreak, and some pretty wild women. Our first story comes from Lily’s whose wild adventures in her youth lead to love and so much more. Squinn is shocked to find out their favorite game was also deeply educational. An anonymous listener who finds out it is always the quiet ones you have to watch out for (to break the law). And Elena finds her groove in online piracy… for a cause! When it comes to our listener stories, we have a wild good time. This week...

A lot has been said by Helen Keller. Revered by many, misunderstood by some. Helen's life was so extraordinary that some assume her life's accomplishments must be embellished. How did a woman with no sight, no hearing, living decades before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act manage to do it all? But what often gets lost in the well-deserved praise of her accomplishments is the radical idealist behind those acts. Helen Keller was inspiring, but she was also controversial. A woman who knew intimately how uncaring this world could be, the privilege her wealth afforded her, and...

Some are born for greatness, others are made. For Judit Polgár and her sisters, their father was not leaving it up to chance. Raised from birth to be chess prodigies, the Polgár sisters overcame communism, misogyny, and her own self doubt to become the youngest chess grandmaster in history and the first woman to ever break into the top ten chess players in the world. Win, lose, or draw, there is no questioning her legacy. This week, on Well, I Laughed.

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:30:36 Win, Lose, or Draw
00:35:50 The Experiment
00:46:18 Ches...

It's our listener episode and we have some WILD stories to end our Wild Women theme. Nicole shares that in her family nothing is what it seems... because it could be full of money. Jenny is haunted be a spooky force that won't leave her alone. Emily learns to be careful what you wish for, especially if you are not close to a bathroom. And Axel get's closer to "be gay, do crime!" than almost any other listener story we've had so far. All those wild stories and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

Be a girl, do crime! This week Maia takes us to the streets of London and snitches on a girl gang with sticky fingers. The Forty Elephants gang was notorious for the crimes they pulled off. Using their wits, charm, and a eye for the most valuable merchandise in the store this all-girl group had no problem slipping out whatever they liked most. We also take a closer look at a few of the leading Queens like Mary Carr (subject of A Thousand Blows on Disney/Hulu), Alice Diamond, Maggie Hughes, and Shirley Pitts. Find out how they did...

We love powerful women on this show, and this week's subject is no different! Boudica is known as a powerful leader against Roman control. She is a popular figure in British history. And her likeness is used as a symbol for a host of causes. But what is the actual story behind Boudica's popularity? What is her story? And who can we trust when it comes to document it and share it truthfully. This week we dive in the Tit for Tat history of Boudica. This week on Well, I Laughed.

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:26:31 Ti...

It's a week of listener stories! Of people finding and losing themselves. Jaime's aunt finds herself and a lifelong friend, a plant, Malana breaks into the wrong bus, Allison runs a tight ship, and Nokhaze craves a ring and to terrify her mother. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Pattie Gonia v. Patagonia
00:20:53 Catch-Up
00:29:59 Jaime's aunt finds herself
00:45:25 Malana breaks into a bus
00:56:23 Allison the chore manager puts a man in his place
01:13:19 Nokhaze craves the ring

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If you could be anyone in the world, who would you be? For one French peasant that question wasn't theoretical. When Martin Guerre left his village, wife, and child behind he was not missed. When he returned he was a changed man and suddenly beloved. But how much can one man change? Turns out, a whole lot. We ask the question that befuddled the village: who are you? This week on Well, I Laughed.

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:31:50 Who are You?
00:36:42 Marriage? It's Good.
00:52:04 He Leaves, Cannon Law
00:59:21 The Return
01:12:42 I am...

To catch a criminal, sometimes you have to pretend to be a criminal. That was the thought process behind "Operation Sting" the very first organized sting operation in the United States lead by Lt Detective Bob Arscott of the DC Metro Police. The operation was "successful" at capturing criminals, less successful at coming up with their fake names. But in the aftermath of the operation some sticky questions remain. Did the operation catch criminals, or create them? This week's episode is An Offer You Can't Refuse on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:33:28 An Of...

These stories are good... lawfully good even (maybe?). And they come from you! Sandi writes in with her own story about the work of Judy Heumann and how it has shaped her own life. Next, Blair and her fellow teenage, rural Canadians brave the big city and become crime fighters. Shannon learns a few lessons by going the wrong way. And Rosie & Natasha shines bright on a night out with friends. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:24:45 Sandi's Judy Heumann experience
00:38:41 Blair's robotics team accidentally solves a...

Do you know your neighbors? Do you want to? François Clemmons is one of America's iconic examples of neighborly love. Through the combination of the love of his neighbors and his own love of music, we meet history's best neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A powerful advocate for educational television, Mister Rogers taught American children it was okay to feel and how to process big emotions. But his legacy extends to his friends and coworkers too. By turning his program into an example of integration and acceptance Fred Roger’s helped change America and empower Francois Clemons (better known as...

Bass Reeves' adult life started with a crime: he ran away from the white man enslaving him. In his quest for freedom he made his way to the state of Oklahoma, learned several languages, and became the toughest man west of the Mississippi. All traits he would need when he became the first Black US Marshal in the west. A life that began with a crime would be defined by it’s lawfulness. Meet your favorite Lone Ranger, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
0:34:34 Lone Ranger
00:41:37 Early Life
01:08:17 The Western Frontier

Most of these stories are righteous, one might be a crime, but they all came from you! Lauren talks resistance movements in daycare. Liv survives and thrives in off-air reality television. Laura is fully prepared for all but one thing on her way to an interview. Hazel bounds over how crappy her brother is. And Michelle "bears" a lesson learned while canoeing. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:28:03 "Lauren's very first protest
00:31:36 "Liv" stars in an upcoming Reality TV Show
00:48:32 Laura and her unfortunate journey to...

In the 1970s the campers at Camp Jened in upstate New York all shared two things in common. First, that they were all living with some kind of disability. And second, they would help launch a movement that would change the world. The United States looked very different 50 years ago for individuals with disabilities - it was closed to them. Our modern world is filled with physical proof - from elevators to curb cuts - of the advocacy these former campers and long time friends committed their lives to. One camper in particular would become synonymous with the Disability...

Women are expected to be quiet and complacent. Where such an expectation would limit most women, a few have managed to use it for the greater good. When the NAZIs occupied the Netherlands during the second World War, resistance took many forms. For these ladies of liberty, it took on a violent and righteous resistance. Hannie Schaft, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen were known to on occasion to use their beauty to lure NAZI soldiers to their deaths, but that hardly scratches the surface of these courageous women. This week on Well, I Laughed we take a moment to appreciate...

This week it's YOUR episode! It's the listener episode! Some of these stories maybe should have stayed In the Dark because we have several Prime Time Crimes on deck for you as well! First, Jaime's friend helps an old woman wrestle a trout in the dark. Jamal breaks the law and some skin all in the quest to impress a girl. Danica spills the beans on jury duty (Maia is jealous). And "Ashley" discovers church and state don't have to be separate if someone is breaking the law. All these stories have us laughing, this week on Well, I...

Some crimes are crimes of passion. And sometimes those crimes can leave us In the Dark as to what to do. When one intruder can't get enough of the treasures locked inside the homes of local residents, law enforcement is left with an impossible question: how do you get a bear to stop craving Doritos? In bucolic Lake Tahoe the bears are making a mess of things, if only the clean up was so simple. This week on Well, I Laughed learn about the hilarious misadventures of Hank the Tank. The beloved menace who was unbothered by bear deterrence...

On the night of April 15th, 1912 a ship sank in the waters of the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage. Titanic's tragedy made her infamous. But a second ship was involved that fateful evening, lurking in the dark. The efforts of her crew, her passengers, and one intrepid young wireless operator would ensure that this deeply unremarkable ship would also sail into the history books that night. As the Carpethia steamed towards Titanic in the hopes of a grand rescue all souls on board were united in one effort and one thought: wait for me. This week on Well...

These listeners are very cool, and not just because they are connected to some Prime Time Crime's! Kate is a little too cool in high school and suffers the consequences of her actions. Alicia's sister poses a threat to national security. Kassidee builds the setting for the perfect crime only to be saved by a sick dog. And Suzannah learns that sometimes the only way to find out what your sibling has been up to is for the FBI to tell you. Those crimes and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:38:35 Kate...

When is political violence justified? Is it ever? In a period of rapid industrialization, social strife, and weak democratic institutions one man will choose to take political change into his own hand and in the course of one afternoon change the course of history forever. Gavrilo Princip’s decision to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdiand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire turned the world upside down. A world that was intentionally undemocratic and maintained it’s power through violence. Gavrilo Princip cold blooded assassin? Or Princip of Peace? This week on Well, I Laughed.

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:27:39 Princip of Peace...

The case is infamous, but the details and the controversy surrounding the OJ Simpson trial are less well known. This week, Maia unpacks the horrific murder of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. We build a timeline of both the crime and the subsequent investigation and trial. There will be blood, a hero dog, a surprisingly slow car chase, and, of course, gloves. Unpacking how a case that seemed so clear cut could go so disastrously wrong for the prosecution and how the defense was able to convince the jury to acquit. Forget what you think you know about the...

These people are famous, because they've made it to the pod! This theme's listener episode includes a story from Kara, who commits a group robbery and does not regret it. Cass who has to send her roommate more than a few hints. Ashley survives an awful date with an awful man that makes a story funny than he was. Finally, Grant's friend Ryan writes in about what a good liar he was in high school and asks an important question... should he regret it (no)? All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 C...

Have you ever looked someone up online to get a better sense of who they are? What data did you use? Americans have thousands of data points about themselves floating online, and some companies are more than happy to collect that data and use it however they see fit. Cambridge Analytica used it to try to influence elections all over the world. The scandal shocked the world when it came to light, but how illegal was their data collection? And how effective were they at influencing people’s behavior? This week we get into all of the Dirty Data.

The company's name has become synonymous with lies and fraud, but what happened to Enron is a beautiful web of malice and mischief. The Enron scandal came to reshape expectations around corporate behavior and oversight. The lies were big, the money was bigger, and after climbing the mountain there is only one way to go - bankruptcy. Listener beware! This week we are "Entering Enron".

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:30:14 Entering Enron
00:43:30 So Much Money!!
00:50:57 Lie? Me? Yes!
01:21:57 I Gotta Go
01:39:13 After the End
01:45:25 Never Again?

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Stories from the Well, I Laughed listener-verse! This week Jenni shares her brief stint living a life of crime. Amanda gets understandably nervous about passing a drug test. Bella tries to become an actor and it's a tragedy. Madison cares for nature which does not care for her. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:25:27 Jenni's Five Finger Discount
00:37:52 Amanda Combination IBS-Drug Test
00:58:17 Bella gets murdered on TV
01:11:39 Madison accidentally gets burnt

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Website: wellilaughed.com

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If man's best friend is a dog, his second best friend might just be a beer. But there was a time in our history when the government tried to cut the bond... prohibition! And while most have heard of prohibition, few truly appreciation it's unique place in American history. The only amendment in US history to ever be taken back, how we banned it and what it did to us is still misunderstood. Grab a drink and enjoy as we get to how American became dry... and wet in such a short period of time.

00:00:00 C...

Call him Smoky the bandit because he is going to steal your heart. When Bill Wynne was fighting for the US in the Pacific during World War 2 he was prepared for whatever the enemy might throw at him, he did not expect a tiny Yorkshire Terrier named Smoky. Bill and Smoky were inseparable and (obviously) popular. What started as an unlikely meeting in the least hospitable of places quickly turned into magic. As Smoky raised spirits across the allied lines he became recognized as "one of the first therapy dogs" for his adorable face and impressive tricks. He was...

Welcome to week three of our Holiday Break where we're revisiting your favorite old episodes! This week: Harry Houdini!

Get ready for an enchanting episode as Maia and Grant sit down to talk about the fascinating story of the iconic Harry Houdini, dive into the complex world of dating loaded with relationship humor, and discuss modern childhood experiences especially those related to Grant's intriguing classroom conversation. So, get ready to sound the spiritual trumpets, because this episode is here to delight and surprise, packed with a lot of craziness, humor and entertainment, a true comedy podcast!

Welcome to Well, I Laughed: People of Agency Edition. For today's holiday break episode, Grant and Maia introduce Aileen and this People of Agency episode.

What if the most revolutionary force in American history wasn't a politician or an army, but mail carriers bringing letters to farmhouse doors? At the turn of the 20th century, rural Americans lived in profound isolation, cut off from news, markets, and opportunities that city dwellers took for granted. Predatory merchants and railroad companies exploited this information gap, charging whatever they wanted because farmers had no way to know if prices were...

Welcome to week one of the Well, I Laughed Holiday Break. Today, based on audience votes, we're revisiting Episode 40, originally published 2-14-24.

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. With wild conservation showdowns, unexpected legal dramas, and a touch of irreverent humor, this episode is your invitation to uncover nature’s most astonishing secrets. Join us as we peel back the layers of a hidden ecosystem whose delicate balance has spar...

We’re so glad these listeners shot their shot because now we get to read their stories! Our friends from around the Well, I Laughed listener-verse had some fantastic tales. Sarah resorts to hiding in a bush. Clara’s dad redefines “family” multiple times. Savannah survives her artistic era and gets her happy ending. And Anna needs a shot on Christmas Eve after an eventful encounter. They shot, and next time you could too! It’s this theme’s Listener Episode!

00:00:00 Catch-Up
00:24:07 Sarah brings out the finger guns
00:42:01 Clara's dad is an animal
01:07:1...

Shoot your shot, take the leap, jump over a bunch of obstacles. This time, literally. Evel Knievel was a man that would only let one thing hold him down: gravity. But when a rebellious streak led to a wife and kids, Evel hopped on his bike and took off with the goal of supporting his family. His famous stunts and infamous wipeouts made him a household name. And his story is as interesting as his antics. The world knew him as the daredevil Evel Knievel, but we take a running jump at knowing Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel.

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