Well, I Laughed

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 circuses and these women often found...

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 hard truths. This week on Well, I Lau...

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 Laughed!

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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 since she became so notorious, and ask ...

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 headlines when it was reported that an American college student had savagely murdered her roommate, but what was the evidence and motives behind that initial ruling? This week we investigate what got lost in translation with the infamous Amanda Knox case.

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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' best friend FOREVER. Hannah takes us down another WOOFtastic trip that reminds the crew of their most loved/hated episode yet. Danica goes to war with the roaches and Becky reminds us that cheaters never win. Finally this week's show wraps up with Milly's petty revenge on a form...

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 here for the truth. In an era where women were defined by the men in their lives, Hedda Hopper and Elda Furry rose by cutting others down. Complicated, conservative, prying, and oh so much fun. This week, meet the original Queens of Mean!

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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 Maia about the history of the American political system and the political parties that have defined the eras. We discuss winning strategies, coalition building, and add some important framing and context to the current state of politics in America. In this country, we’re all Party ...

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 with a creepy old doll that might be watching all of us. Kyle has a bummer of a night that ruins more than a birthday. Willow watches the wrong movie with the right person. Vic finds a warm glow on her college campus. And Sandi survives - or inspires - a horror movie or two. All ...

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 defined by her actions and in her own words. Born to a powerful family, Alice chose a life that fit her above all else. In the process she caused controversy and defied expectations. An advocate for style and an ally to many, her life was a series of Crowded Hours.

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The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi is confounding. How does a woman disappear so close to home? Especially when that home is Vatican City. Within these walls a tragedy unfolds and questions persist. Who took Emanuela? Why? What did her disappearance accomplish? And what role, if any, did organized crime and the Catholic Church play in the disappearance and potential cover up? This week, All Roads Lead to ...

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 went bump in the night but for goo...

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 truth!

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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 name "Watergate" become sy...

Welcome back to the Well, I Laughed Extended Universe! This week Mrant and Gaia catch-up following a ridiculously fun double header of an evening. Then it's time to go to our audience. You’ll meet Ryan, whose mom’s financial radar leads to a surprise wine surplus; Sam, whose identical twin gets blamed for a campus stalking accusation; Taylor, who survived a literal cremation mishap at work; Maggie, who loses a Firehouse sub to a fa...

Does non-violence include property damage? What if you feel God and faith are calling you to do it? What if it works? This week we dive into the anti-war movement and the unlikely group of resistance fighters who burned thousands of draft cards - priests and nuns. This week Grant teaches about the "Draft Board Office Raids", resistance in the face of political oppression, and uncovers a conspiracy... a conspiracy to save ...

Revenge is a dish best served cold, or sometimes through the mail. This week, Maia covers something we can only describe as "a story like Tiger King". Full of outlandish characters and incredible quotes. How could someone like Paul Kevin Curtis poison you through the mail? How does one make ricin? And how far will someone like James Everett Dutschke go to get back at an online bully? Join us as we uncover the world of Elv...

This week on Well, I Laughed! Ashley goes on a girls trip and accidentally helps catch a criminal in the process. Jen shares that she might also be related to Napoleon (the general, not the dynamite). Cedar teaches a horrible coworker a wonderful lesson. Katelyn learns about supporting women's rights and wrongs during… a WWE style grocery brawl. All that and more, this week on Well, I Laughed!

Ever find yourself in a grocery store ...

Jackie Chan’s best movie is hard to name. He’s been leaping off rooftops since the 1960s, but six decades of big‑screen magic still haven’t revealed his most gripping story: his family. This week we meet the Chans. While Jackie shoots the documentary Traces of a Dragon, he discovers the astonishing truth about his parents, Chan Chi‑Long “Charles” and Chan Lee‑Lee “Lily”: a Nationalist spy‑turned‑Shanghai gang boss and a blue‑flower...