Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Latest Episodes:

Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, Jenny Bruso, and LaRhonda Steele Jan 01, 2021

Show notes

In this celebratory New Year's special episode, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello make their resolutions for 2021; author and journalist Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall describes his gonzo attempts to find a cure for the hangover; Unlikely Hikers founder Jenny Bruso expands upon her mission to make the outdoors more accessible for all; and Portland's "First Lady of the Blues" LaRhonda Steele soars with a cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good."

Holiday Special: Thomas Middleditch & Ben Schwartz, Atsuko Okatsuka, and Amthyst Kiah Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

In this "Best of 2020" holiday special, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello confess to being both naughty and nice this year; actors Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz discuss the secrets behind creating their long-form improv comedy series; comedian Atsuko Okatsuka shares a gut-busting anecdote about getting too close to a stranger's dog; and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah performs "Firewater."

Ian Karmel, Al Letson, Caitlin Kunkel, and Laura Gibson Dec 18, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello describe their dream lives; comedian Ian Karmel (The Late Late Show with James Cordon) takes down the masculinity of men's grooming products; Al Letson, host of investigative radio show Reveal, revisits an uncomfortable encounter with a far-right protester; writer Caitlin Kunkel tells us what women really want in her book New Erotica for Feminists: Satirical Fantasies of Love, Lust, and Equal Pay; and singer-songwriter Laura Gibson performs "Tenderness" from her latest album Goners.

Ijeoma Oluo, Jill Lepore, and The Bengsons Dec 11, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello make some small wishes for the future; Jill Lepore, historian and staffer at The New Yorker, tells us about the first American company to predict voter behavior through the use of computers; writer Ijeoma Oluo envisions a future free from racism and sexism in her book Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America; and indie folk duo The Bengsons spread a little hope with their viral hit "The Keep Going Song."

Abbi Jacobson, Nicole Chung, and The Dip Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello dream up their post-pandemic travels; star and co-creator of Broad City Abbi Jacobson recounts the highs and lows her solo cross-country road trip, as illustrated in her New York Times bestselling essay collection I Might Regret This; writer Nicole Chung discusses her journey to discover the difficult truth behind her own adoption, which formed the basis of her debut book All You Can Ever Know; and seven-piece soul ensemble The Dip perform their single “Atlas.”

Rachel Bloom, Natalie Diaz, and Kevin Morby Nov 27, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello give gratitude to some of their favorite things; Emmy Award-winning entertainer Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) makes the case against inside jokes in her new collection of essays I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are; MacArthur Fellow and poet Natalie Diaz explores the connection between poetry and basketball; and singer-songwriter Kevin Morby performs "Campfire" from his latest album Sundowner.

Phoebe Robinson, Thomas Page McBee, and Sammy Brue Nov 20, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello describe the small things they've recently accepted; memoirist Thomas Page McBee shares what he learned about masculinity while training to become the first transgender man to box at Madison Square Garden; Dope Queen Phoebe Robinson reflects on managing debt and embracing "trash" culture; and Americana wunderkind Sammy Brue performs "Our Garden" from his EP Down with Desperation.

Lindy West, Kirsten Johnson, and Leyla McCalla Nov 14, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello chat about the movies they've watched countless times; New York Times opinion writer and bestselling author Lindy West unpacks why she's known as the official hater of Love, Actually; filmmaker Kirsten Johnson comes to terms with the life, death, and legacy of her father through her Netflix documentary Dick Johnson is Dead; and folk singer Leyla McCalla brings the musicality of Langston Hughes' poetry to life with "Song for a Dark Girl" from her recently re-released album Vari-Colored Songs.

Jose Antonio Vargas, Danez Smith, and Angelica Garcia Nov 06, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share their most effective coping mechanisms during stressful times; journalist and activist Jose Antonio Vargas recounts coming out as an undocumented immigrant with the publication of his memoir Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen; poet Danez Smith praises personal heroes in their poem “My President;” and singer-songwriter Angelica Garcia performs the one-woman version of her song "It Don't Hinder Me."

Cristina Costantini & Kareem Tabsch, and Anaïs Mitchell Oct 30, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reminisce about their most memorable Halloween costumes; filmmakers Cristina Costantini & Kareem Tabsch reveal the man behind the cape in their Netflix documentary Mucho Mucho Amor about famed Puerto Rican astrologer Walter Mercado; and singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell takes us to the underworld of Greek mythology to discuss her Tony Award-winning folk opera Hadestown, before performing one of its hit tracks "Wedding Song."

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6