Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Latest Episodes:

"The Morning After" with Dan Savage, Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, Frangela, and Meklit Jan 04, 2019

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello unpack the ominous implications of “The Morning After;” author and journalist Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall describes his gonzo attempts to find the cure for the hangover; comedy duo Frangela riff on why they’re not giving up their healthcare; sex and relationship columnist Dan Savage advises on monogamy, gender pronouns, and online social etiquette; and Ethio-Jazz performer Meklit makes her return to Live Wire with the song, “I Want to Sing to Them All.”

"Hand-Me-Downs" with John Hodgman, RJ Young, Fabi Reyna, and Sávila Dec 21, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss the significance of “Hand-Me-Downs”… namely, Luke’s childhood stirrup jeans; author and humorist John Hodgman recounts how inheriting his mother’s vacation home led him into the wilderness of homeownership; writer RJ Young explains how he got immersed in the world of race, guns, and self-protection after being gifted a pistol from his father-in-law; musician Fabi Reyna shares why she launched "She Shreds" – the only magazine devoted to female guitarists; and cumbia/Latin band Sávila perform “La Danza.”

"Character Building" with Lauren Groff, Tommy Orange, Caitlin Weierhauser, and Lucy Kaplansky Dec 07, 2018

Show notes

In this second installment from the Portland Book Festival, host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello explore the process of “character building” for actors; celebrated author Lauren Groff makes the case for why art is not a competition; writer Tommy Orange discusses how urban Native identity became the theme of his debut novel There There; comedian Caitlin Weierhauser admits to telling all her secrets to pugs; and singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky performs her tune “Keeping Time.”

"Hitting the Road" with Abbi Jacobson, Nicole Chung, Peter Sagal, and The Dip Nov 23, 2018

Show notes

In this special Portland Book Festival episode, host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello discuss "hitting the road" and the risks of hitchhiking; Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson recounts her solo cross-country road trip; writer Nicole Chung discusses her journey of discovering the difficult truth behind her own adoption; Peter Sagal, host of Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, takes a marathon-length inspired quiz; and Seattle soul group The Dip perform their single “Atlas.”

"Paying Your Dues" with Phoebe Robinson, Thomas Page McBee, Lainey Morse, and Sammy Brue Nov 09, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello describe moments when they "paid their dues;" 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; entrepreneur Lainey Morse reveals the origins of goat yoga; and Americana wunderkind Sammy Brue performs the song "Our Garden."

"Letting Go" with Tommy Pico, Emily Heller, Eli Saslow, and The Helio Sequence Oct 26, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello confess to how bad they are at “letting go;” poet Tommy Pico explains how writing as his alter ego "Teebs" allows him to be less self-censoring in his work; journalist Eli Saslow discusses Derek Black – the subject of his new book "Rising Out of Hatred" – and how the once-heir to the white nationalist movement made a stunning transformation; comedian Emily Heller spins gut-busting analogies to online dating; and indie rock duo The Helio Sequence perform “Lately” from their album “Keep Your Eyes Ahead.”

"Facing Your Fears" with Jose Antonio Vargas, Courtenay Hameister, Marcella Arguello, and Planes on Paper Oct 12, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello “face their fears” of the IRS and snakes; journalist Jose Antonio Vargas recounts coming out as an undocumented immigrant who faces deportation at any moment; comedian Marcella Arguello makes the case for staying single over 30; writer and former Live Wire host Courtenay Hameister describes how she spent a year facing her anxiety head-on by engaging in activities that pushed her boundaries; and folk duo Planes on Paper perform “Hermit Song.”

"Fresh Starts" with Gary Shteyngart, Hari Kondabolu, Maxine McCormick, and Lenore Sep 28, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank gets a “fresh start” when he learns how to correctly pronounce announcer Elena Passarello’s name; writer Gary Shteyngart recounts how his Greyhound adventures across America inspired his new book “Lake Success;” comedian Hari Kondabolu shares his experience teaching stand-up to prison inmates; 14-year-old Maxine McCormick explains how she became the two-time world champion of fly casting; and Portland folk band Lenore perform their track, “Thick Skin, Tender Heart.”

"Facing the Music" with Charley Crockett, Roger Reeves, and La Barbecue's LeAnn Mueller & Alison Clem Sep 14, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello “Face the Music” in this episode from a hotel room in the Live Music Capital of the World – Austin, Texas. Busker-turned-bona fide blues artist Charley Crockett subs in as Live Wire’s house band; poet Roger Reeves stops by and tells us why poetry is the harbinger of the future; and the women behind Austin’s famed La Barbeque – music and fashion photographer LeAnn Mueller and her partner Ali Clem – share the secrets to quintessential Texas BBQ.

Caitlin Doughty (Short) Aug 31, 2018

Show notes

In this studio segment, Luke speaks with mortician Caitlin Doughty, who is known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of the Western funeral industry. She is the creator of the web series "Ask a Mortician," founder of the organization The Order of the Good Death, and is the author of two bestselling books, "From Here to Eternity" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." In this interview, Caitlin discusses death phobia, corpse interaction, and how many cultures outside of the United States tend to have a more positive relationship to grief.

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