Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Latest Episodes:

John Hodgman, Jon Mooallem, and Allen Stone Aug 14, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello give themselves some pre-pandemic advice; humorist John Hodgman ponders themes of fame, prestige and airline mileage, as outlined in his new book Medallion Status: True Stories from Secret Rooms; writer Jon Mooallem takes a deep dive into the inner-workings of his meditative podcast Walking; and soul singer Allen Stone performs “Brown Eyed Lover” from his album Building Balance.

Hari Kondabolu, Sarah Scoles, Angelica Garcia Aug 07, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and guest announcer Hari Kondabolu admit to being undecided on matters of personal hygiene and bed-making; science journalist Sarah Scoles encounters some true believers at the International UFO Congress; and singer-songwriter Angelica Garcia performs I Don't Believe in Death from her latest album "Cha Cha Palace."

Jami Attenberg, James Kim, and Federale Jul 31, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss how they've been staying in touch with their loved ones during lockdown; author Jami Attenberg unpacks the complexities of American families in her new book All This Could Be Yours; podcaster James Kim explains how language barriers and silence are used as narrative tools in his fictional podcast Moonface; and psychedelic rock group Federale perform the title track from their album "No Justice."

Lidia Yuknavitch, Atsuko Okatsuka, and The Black Tones Jul 24, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss what they've learned about themselves recently; writer Lidia Yuknavitch describes her latest collection of stories as a series of devotionals to the outcasts among us; comedian Atsuko Okatsuka admits to her insecurities around teenagers; and rock group The Black Tones perform "Mama! There's A Spider In My Room!"

Ross Gay, Casey Cep, and Colin Hay Jul 10, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello tell us about their simple delights; poet Ross Gay ponders his fascination with the themes of joy and gratitude; Casey Cep, staff writer for The New Yorker, discusses her debut book about a mysterious Alabama murder case that captivated beloved author Harper Lee; and Colin Hay, formerly of Men at Work, performs "Come Tumblin' Down" off his album "Fierce Mercy."

James Veitch, Allison Breed, and Chasity Brown Jun 26, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share what they're most nostalgic for; comedian James Veitch explains his crusade to antagonize email scams, as outlined in his book "Dot Con: The Art of Scamming a Scammer;" scent archivist Allison Breed discusses how she created the Male Scent Catalogue on Twitter, which documents how the essence of male characters are described in romance novels; and singer-songwriter Chastity Brown performs her soaring song "Curiosity."

"Live Wire House Party" with Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, and Shakey Graves Jun 12, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share their honored summer traditions; comedians Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz discuss the secrets behind creating their long-form improv comedy series; and Americana singer-songwriter Shakey Graves chats about the genesis of his trademark “suitcase drum," before performing his song "Dining Alone."

"Live Wire House Party" with Ijeoma Oluo, Danez Smith, and Amythyst Kiah Jun 05, 2020

Show notes

In response to nationwide protests against police brutality, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share conversations with writer Ijeoma Oluo, who unpacks the themes of systemic racism in her book "So You Want to Talk About Race;" poet Danez Smith, who explains how they're looking for leadership elsewhere in their poem “My President;” and singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah, who performs her Grammy-nominated song “Black Myself."

"Live Wire House Party" with Daniel M. Ortberg, Michael Arceneaux, and Prom Queen May 29, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal how their self-improvement goals have progressed; writer and Dear Prudence advice columnist Daniel M. Ortberg explains how his new book, "Something That May Shock and Discredit You," revisits the media and myths of his past through the lens of his transition; New York Times best-selling author Michael Arceneaux unpacks the hard truths of student loan debt; and doom-wop singer Prom Queen performs "End of the World."

"Live Wire House Party" with Clint Smith, Waxahatchee, and a Tribute to Lynn Shelton May 22, 2020

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello pen their own commencement speeches and perform them to a few graduating high school seniors; writer and scholar Clint Smith discusses how he defended his Harvard dissertation over Zoom to a virtual audience of friends and family; Luke pays tribute to filmmaker and friend of the show Lynn Shelton, who passed away recently; and singer-songwriter Waxahatchee sings "Can't Do Much" from her studio in Kansas City.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected