**Spoiler Alert This week's episode is about people and their eccentricities. It is about nepotism and vengeance and fame. It is about how truly dramatic theater people can be. This week, a deep-dive finale on America’s most infamous theatre kid, John Wilkes Booth. Who was the man who killed Lincoln? Why did Booth kill Lincoln? Who was John Wilkes Booth’s family? Grant and Maia untangle the Booth family’s glitter-and-grit dynasty, trace the chaotic manhunt that followed Lincoln’s murder, and reveal how one bullet reshaped Reconstruction, Black citizenship, and an entire century of civil-rights setbacks. Expect Shakespearean drama, accidental heroics, and the jaw-dropping “What-ifs” that still haunt U.S. history. Grab your popcorn and a strong drink—this is the ultimate backstage pass to the night that changed the nation. Plus, discover the bizarre ways Broadway tried to scrub the Booth name, the eerie coincidences that stalked Lincoln’s only surviving son, and why a broken leg and a tobacco barn became pivotal plot twists. By the end, you’ll never look at standing ovations or political assassinations, the same way again.
00:00:00 Catch-Up00:25:59 Final Act
00:40:44 From Idol to Extremist
01:02:10 Kidnap Plot
01:22:01 Name’s Curse
02:08:30 Barn Showdown
02:28:17 Reconstruction Upended
03:08:22 Age of Reconstruction
Connect with Us
Love a good laugh? Stay in the loop with the Well, I Laughed Podcast! Hit up wellilaughed.com for all the fun, throw some love our way on Patreon at https://patreon.com/WellILaughedPodcast, and send us your wildest listener stories at wellilaughedpod@gmail.com—because let’s be real, we know you’ve got some!
Listener stories, topic ideas, or anything else you think belongs on the show—drop it all at wellilaughed.com/contact. We’re all ears—and laughs!
Follow Us On Social Media
Instagram: @wellilaughed
Tiktok: @wellilaughed
Facebook: Well, I Laughed Podcast
YouTube: Well, I laughed
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!