Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Latest Episodes:

Episode #359: Laurie Kilmartin, Gaby Dunn, and Chris Staples Mar 30, 2018

Show notes

Comedian Laurie Kilmartin talks about her new book Dead People Suck, in which she uses dark humor to process the death of her father; writer, podcaster and YouTube star Gaby Dunn spills about her problems with money and defining her sexuality in the age of social media; singer-songwriter Chris Staples reflects on being mistook for a popular country singer with a similar name, and host Luke Burbank is joined onstage by writer Elena Passarello to unpack a story about watching a tongue-in-cheek puppet show of actor Ethan Hawk… and how relaying the tale to the actor himself fell flat.

Episode #358: Terese Marie Mailhot, Jason Traeger, Sophie Egan and Reggie Houston Mar 16, 2018

Show notes

Writer Terese Marie Mailhot discusses her new memoir “Heart Berries” and the importance of empathy for the indigenous experience, comedian Jason Traeger describes his therapist choices in Portland, program director of the American Culinary Institute Sophie Egan talks about what’s known as the American food psyche, and former Fats Domino band member and saxophonist Reggie Houston performs the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves."

Episode #357: George Saunders, Jay Larson, Jenny Bruso, and Horse Feathers Mar 02, 2018

Show notes

Luke Burbank describes his attempts to get enlightened, acclaimed author George Saunders explains how swimming in a river of monkey poop led to an illustrious writing career and opens up about his newfound admiration for Abraham Lincoln (the protagonist of this newest work, "Lincoln in the Bardo"), comedian Jay Larson riffs on passive-aggressive Yelp reviews, Unlikely Hikers' Jenny Bruso reflects on her journey to make the outdoors more accessible for all, and indie folk band Horse Feathers perform the first track off their forthcoming album, “Appreciation.”

"On the Contrary" with Andy Kindler, Rico Gagliano, Brendan Francis Newnam, Lidia Yuknavitch, and Ural Thomas & the Pain Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

Host Luke Burbank details how his contrarian streak affects his marriage, author Lidia Yuknavitch shows us how to embrace our inner misfit, Dinner Party Download hosts Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam make the case against brunch, comedian Andy Kindler discusses how his recent foray into therapy has changed his comedy, and Ural Thomas and the Pain bring us musical relief.

2017 Time Capsule Throw Down! (Short) Dec 26, 2017

Show notes

Say goodbye to 2017 with the Live Wire Time Capsule Throw Down! Recorded at Seattle’s Neptune Theatre, host Luke Burbank plays a game with guests John Roderick and Ken Jennings in which they attempt to encapsulate this past year in all its strangeness.

"Word on the Street" with Ken Jennings, John Roderick, Anastacia-Renée, Emmy Favilla, and Laura Gibson Dec 18, 2017

Show notes

Omnibus podcast hosts Ken Jennings and John Roderick give a glimpse of what stories are inside their audio time capsule for future generations (and/or alien invaders), BuzzFeed grammar wiz Emmy Favilla breaks down the problem with punctuation, Seattle’s Civic Poet Anastacia-Reneé shares what it’s like to have an identity that encapsulates everything the president hates, and singer-songwriter Laura Gibson utilizes her newly acquired MFA to improvise musical CliffsNotes about literary classics.

"Cautionary Tales" with Welcome to Night Vale's Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, Danez Smith, Edan Lepucki, and Chad VanGaalen Dec 04, 2017

Show notes

Luke Burbank kicks off the “Cautionary Tales” episode with a harrowing anecdote about his dog’s actual tail, Welcome to Night Vale creators Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor provide some techniques for concentrating on art during trying political times, poet Danez Smith deconstructs wokeness, author Edan Lepucki shares her methods for conjuring a ‘female snarl’ writing state, and musician and animator Chad VanGaalen performs the track “Static Shape.”

"Leftovers" with Glynn Washington, Elna Baker, Baratunde Thurston, Ariel Levy, and John Craigie Nov 27, 2017

Show notes

In this special “Leftovers” edition of Live Wire, host Luke Burbank offers up a smorgasbord of cutting room floor delights. Snap Judgment host Glynn Washington crafts cocktail-related stories, a hypnotist helps Elna Baker discover she has 11 fingers, futurist comedian Baratunde Thurston stands his intellectual ground, Ariel Levy evaluates the credibility of some celebrity factoids using only her journalistic instinct, and folk troubadour John Craigie performs the tune, “I Am California.”

“Brave New World” with Adam Gopnik, Elena Passarello, and Blossom Nov 20, 2017

Show notes

Luke Burbank reflects on the lessons he learned from a day without his iPhone, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik shares his 40-year nostalgia theory and how sex with a long-term partner can reach civil war reenactment status, essayist Elena Passarello coins the term “animalsonified” while examining humans’ complicated relationships with famed mammals, and RnB singer Blossom performs the brand new track, “Possibilities.”

"The Truth Hurts" with Cheryl Strayed, Baratunde Thurston and Meklit Nov 13, 2017

Show notes

Luke Burbank peels back the curtain on a show recording gone wrong that later became the foundation of Live Wire Miracle Day, author and advice columnist Cheryl Strayed offers up some Thanksgiving table survival techniques, futurist comedian Baratunde Thurston reveals the dangers of “anti-social people developing all of our social tools,” and musical guest Meklit brings us along on her journey to find beauty and music in everyday sounds.

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