Episode Show Notes

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. Chapters 00:00:00 Catch-Up 00:31:50 Who are You? 00:36:42 Marriage? It's Good. 00

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

A percentage of the profits from Well, I Laughed in March of 2026 will be going to The National Center for Victims of Crime and the National Compassion Fund 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 slo

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 influen

What are the forces that make us who we are? Many people with hard childhoods grow up into adults with fulfilling lives and careers. Others... get kicked out of a sex cult. Charles Guiteau is the latter. A man destined for greatness if he was not so consistently bad at everything. And a liar. And crazed. But in America, even a loser can hit it big. This week on Well, I Laughed the incredible forgettable life of a man who changed the course of American history. A Life Long Los