Well, I Laughed

How responsible are we for the consequences of our actions? This week, Grant and Maia dive into the story of a woman who has come to be known as a reckless, disease spreading cook. Mary Mallon, also known as “Typhoid Mary.” Mary spread typhoid to dozens, maybe even hundreds of people. Several of whom would die from the disease before she was finally caught and quarantined. But behind the sensation...

These stories will have you in a trance! It's stories from the Well, I Laughed universe! Emily survives a strange hook up, only to be haunted by it years later. Yael's tio takes a trip no one wants to go on. Malana's brother falls in love with an illegal turtle. Lily avoids being radicalized. And Addi visits a liminal (haunted) space. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed! 00:00:00 Catch...

Can one person’s legend be another person's vicious rumor? This week, we try to separate fact from fiction as we look at the Mystic Monk himself - Rasputin. From humble beginnings and fervent religious belief Rasputin grows from peasant to powerful advisor in a stunningly short period of time. He was powerful, but was he evil? What was his relationship with the Queen? And how did he die? Man, myth...

As someone once told Grant "See how men lie?" This week Maia entrances Grant with the life of a man as interesting as it was false. Ronald Dante. AKA Ronald Pellar, Dr. Dante, Phil Harris, Joseph Reuben, Mr. Fabian, and so, so many more aliases. But what can we learn from a liar? Turns out quite a bit, as long as you're able to believe. Today we find out we're all living in Ron's world....

These stories hit close to home because they are Far From Home but near to our hearts (that's something, right?) AJ does not handle meeting a pope well. Kelsi gains and looses in Venezuela. Cedar rehomes some ducks. And Halie finds new friends in her new home. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!   00:00:00 Catch-Up 00:21:09 Catch-Up pt.2 00:33:49 Maia steals a car? 00:37:44 AJ in the...

Would you trust love one more time... if you had to do it on a boat? Literally? This week we follow one man, Santiago Genovés, as he seeks to answer a few too many questions the easiest way he knows how. Forcing a dozen strangers to spend three months on a raft at sea. What happens when people drift far from home and into the arms of someone else? This week, The Acali "Sex Raft", on Well...

When our hero is stolen from his home, what will it take to get back? This week, we retrace the steps of Paquipquineo. The Native American and Algonquin speaker who was kidnapped by the Spanish from his home in modern Virginia. His journey took him throughout the Spanish empire and taught him a valuable lesson - be cautious of these Europeans. Paquipquineo's journey is at times heartbreaking and h...

Word of Mouth is... that these stories came from listeners like you! This week, Nicole sees the dark underbelly of high school security. Hazel's brother defends her honor. Terra manages somehow to survive (you'll see), and Tony teaches empathy through bullying. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!   00:00:00 Catch-Up 00:30:48 Nicole the SRO 00:48:25 Hazel's Hijab Gossip 01:05:43 Terra'...

An episode that will leave you hungry for more! America's best food always comes from somewhere else, from people we actively discriminated against. Chinese immigrants are no exception. So how did this relatively small group of immigrants build a cuisine that is ubiquitous across America and uniquely are own? This week, we break out the cooking wear and Wok it Out as we learn the surprising histor...

The Greek Gods were deadly serious and wildly ridiculous. In this week's episode, Maia attempts to straighten out the wonky family tree of some of the most famous gods from ancient Greece. Vengeful, spirited, unpredictable, murderous, and more than a little flirtatious. The Pantheon of Greek Gods is an unlimited source of wild stories. But if you are looking for a truly wild time, one god reigns s...

This week on Well, I Laughed - stories from around the listener universe! Maggie sees a beautiful woman on a wild night out. Madeleine’s roommate gets suspicious of her and her gummies. Stinson is saved by the powerful, blockbuster movie Chicken Little. Sarah catches the eye of a man on the bus (maybe). And McKenna gets trapped by a neighbor who is blind to her frustration. All that and more, this...

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 Jones (the inspiration for The Greatest Showman's Lettie Lutz) and Percilla Bejano. They captivated audiences while touring the country in traveling c...

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 teacher felt moved to continue to work towards his dream. Enter Jane Elliott. Educator, speaker, disrupter. A woman who will look you in your eye and deliver some ha...

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 terrible lesson about trusting strangers. And Rachel fields heartbreak and an unusual offer all in the same phone call. That and more, this week on Well, I Laugh...

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 humiliated while Clinton continued to enjoy public support? This week, we retrace the path to her public humiliation, find out what Monica Lewinsky has been up to sinc...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   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 headl...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   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'...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   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 her...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   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 Ma...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   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...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   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 def...

Nominate us in this year's People's Choice Podcast Awards!? Head to podcastawards.com and vote for Well, I Laughed the categories of Comedy, Education, Entertainment, history, Asian Hosted Podcast, and, of course, the People's Choice Podcast!   The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi is confounding. How does a woman disappear so close to home? Especially when that home is Vat...

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, literally. Audrey takes a few too many bumps. Katie’s joke doesn’t impress. And Reality Winner writes in with some added appreciation for Robert McNamara, a man who...

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 what are the credentials of these famous paranormal investigators? And how does one even investigate the paranormal to begin with? This week, we conjure up the t...

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. What started as a strange break-in in the summer of 1972 would lead to one of the largest corruption and cover-up scandals in American history and would see the n...