Podcast Summary

Podcast: Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien
Host: MyCultura and iHeartPodcasts
Episode Title: From SNAFU with Ed Helms: Sophia Bush and the Mona Lisa Heist
Date: January 14, 2026
Guests: Ed Helms, Sophia Bush

Episode Overview

This episode is a crossover special from the SNAFU podcast hosted by Ed Helms, featuring actress and activist Sophia Bush. While "Murder on the Towpath" typically examines historical mysteries and their larger social meanings, today’s episode dives into one of the most sensational art crimes of all time: the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. Blending art history and celebrity reflection, Helms and Bush recount the story of the Mona Lisa heist, discuss how myth and narrative can eclipse even the greatest works of art, and explore how fame—both for artworks and people—can utterly transform their meaning in culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction & Banter: Activism, Acting, and Authenticity

[02:08–06:32]

• Ed Helms comments on Sophia Bush’s tireless activism, asking if her causes are strategic or gut-led.
  • Sophia: “It's definitely, definitely option B... my whole team has been like, 'please shut up about that.' ...But the system needs to be agitated. It's a shitty system... The activism... that's my calling. Like painters can't not paint. Writers can't not write. I cannot... keep my mouth shut about things that I know are wrong.” (04:30)
• Sophia reflects on needing both acting and activism for her sense of purpose.

Notable Quote

• "The whole point of being on this planet is to, like, be neighbors with people. I can't shut my mouth." – Sophia Bush [06:11]

Hobbies & Empowerment: On Fly Fishing and Being Outdoors

[06:32–07:50]

• Sophia shares how fly fishing, like horseback riding, connects her to the meditative grandeur of the American West.
• Bush is passionate about getting more women outdoors:
  • “I'm also really passionate about getting more women out into the outdoors, into spaces where there are often less of us...” [07:22]

The Mona Lisa Heist: Narrative Meets Art

[07:54–46:44]

Setting the Scene: Why the Mona Lisa?

[08:17–10:35]

• Ed gives background: In 1911, artist Louis Berud discovers the Mona Lisa missing from the Louvre.
• Panelists marvel at the painting’s technical and mystical appeal.
  • “She's so luminous. Look at her. She looks like she swallowed a light bulb.” — Sophia Bush [09:43]
  • Ed describes the painting’s dimensions and the legend of her enigmatic smile.

Sophia's Backstage Louvre Experience

[11:32–13:10]

• Sophia shares a once-in-a-lifetime story: she visited the Mona Lisa after hours with no crowds—an emotional highlight.
  • “It actually made me emotional. I got a little weepy... It was like maybe one of the coolest things that will ever happen to me...” — Sophia [12:28]

The Heist Unfolds

[14:12–28:41]

• The theft: Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia steals the Mona Lisa by hiding it under his smock and waltzing out with the painting.
  • Ed describes how Peruggia, an Italian nationalist and museum worker, used his insider knowledge but also faced discrimination in France.

The Aftermath: Suspects and Fame

[28:59–37:35]

• Myriad suspects arise, including poet Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso, due to their documented art thefts.
  • “Picasso was so terrified and overwhelmed with fear that he was sobbing. And that would be me.” — Ed Helms [36:44]
• Despite intense investigation, two years pass before the painting is found.

Finding La Gioconda: The Dramatic Recovery

[38:01–46:44]

• In 1913, Alfredo Geri, an Italian art dealer, is contacted by “Leonardo” (Peruggia) wanting to “return” the painting to Italy—for a considerable sum ($100,000, worth roughly $3 million today).
• Geri and the Uffizi director confirm the painting’s authenticity; police arrest Peruggia.
• Motivation remains murky: a blend of nationalism, opportunism, and obsession.
  • Ed: “I think it's a bit of columns A, B and C here...”
• Upon return to France, crowds mob the Louvre to see the now world-famous painting.

Notable Quote

• “I fell victim to her smile and feasted my eyes on my treasure every evening. I fell in love with her.” — Ed Helms, quoting Peruggia [44:01]

Reflections: Fame, Myth, and Repatriation

[46:14–50:54]

How Narrative Fuels Icon Status

• The Mona Lisa’s status as art royalty is as much about her dramatic story as her aesthetics.
  • Ed: “The narrative around the Mona Lisa... became as important and exciting as the painting itself. And it's... a reflection of how the story of something can almost matter more than just the reality of it.”
• Sophia points out that public narratives—about art or about famous people—often eclipse nuance in service of what’s profitable or popular.
  • “If there is a character that is not accurate or not honoring the nuance of your life, but it's profitable to others, it's the one that will prevail. And that's tough.” [47:11]

Questions About Ownership & Repatriation

• Ed brings up modern debates around returning cultural treasures.
  • “There are a couple of... high altitude takeaways... One is just how the narrative around the Mona Lisa... took the painting to the next level. ...This story also raises the very real question about repatriation.”
• The panel notes recent examples (e.g., the Netherlands returning bronzes to Nigeria), crediting dialogue and historical reckoning for progress.

Notable Quote

“Whether we're talking about art or stories or history itself, the more we treat it as something to be passed around and experienced by everyone, the richer it all becomes.” — Ed Helms [49:39]

Coda: Learning, History, and Hope

[50:32–51:25]

• The episode ends on a hopeful note: learning about other cultures, caring about history, and sharing stories expands everyone’s world.
  • “It's almost like learning about history is cool. Does that make me cool? I don't know.” — Ed Helms [50:48]
  • “It's pretty cool. I think so.” — Sophia Bush [50:54]

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Sophia Bush [04:30]:
  “The system needs to be agitated. It's a shitty system. ...The activism that is for everybody else, for community, like, that's my calling. It's like, like painters can't not paint. Writers can't not write. I cannot even... keep my mouth shut about things that I know are wrong.”

• Sophia Bush [06:11]:
  “The whole point of being on this planet is to, like, be neighbors with people. I can't shut my mouth.”

• Sophia Bush [09:43]:
  “She's so luminous. Look at her. She looks like she swallowed a light bulb.”

• Sophia Bush [12:28]:
  “It actually made me emotional. I got a little weepy... It was like maybe one of the coolest things that will ever happen to me in my life.”

• Ed Helms [36:44]:
  “Picasso was so terrified and overwhelmed with fear that he was sobbing. And that would be me.”

• Ed Helms quoting Peruggia [44:01]:
  “I fell victim to her smile and feasted my eyes on my treasure every evening. I fell in love with her.”

• Sophia Bush [47:11]:
  “If there is a character that is not accurate or not honoring the nuance of your life, but it's profitable to others, it's the one that will prevail. And that's tough.”

• Ed Helms [49:39]:
  “Whether we're talking about art or stories or history itself, the more we treat it as something to be passed around and experienced by everyone, the richer it all becomes.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:08: Ed introduces Sophia Bush and her activist legacy
• 04:30: Sophia Bush on activism vs. acting
• 06:32: Sophia & Ed discuss the meditative power of fly fishing
• 09:43: Analyzing the Mona Lisa’s “light bulb” quality
• 12:28: Sophia’s after-hours, intimate visit with the Mona Lisa
• 14:12: The theft is discovered, panic spreads through the Louvre
• 25:22: Identification and profile of culprit Vincenzo Peruggia
• 36:44: Picasso and others become suspects; celebrity guilt
• 38:01: The recovery—Peruggia’s ill-fated attempt to sell the painting
• 44:01: The stolen painting is returned, Peruggia’s “love” for Mona Lisa
• 46:14: The Mona Lisa’s legend is as important as her reality
• 49:39: Insightful reflections on art, history, and sharing cultural treasures
• 50:48: Ending exchange on the coolness of learning history

Tone and Style

The episode is witty, conversational, and insightful. Ed Helms brings his signature mix of humor and earnest enthusiasm for history, while Sophia Bush adds vulnerability, passion, and a sense of social justice. Personal anecdotes blend with art historical narrative, creating a rich, playful, and occasionally poignant tone.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode offers a lively retelling of the Mona Lisa heist—rife with fascinating details, modern parallels about fame, and deep questions about art and legacy. Through Ed and Sophia's engaging dialogue, listeners come away with a fresh appreciation for both the world’s most famous painting and the power of storytelling in shaping what, and who, captivates the world.