Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk post-lockdown self-care; author and blogger Samantha Irby discusses her latest collection of essays Wow, No Thank You and settles some household disputes in the "Live Wire Court;" comedian Jackie Kashian casts doubt over the “empathic” abilities of her fellow comics; and Grammy Award-winning blues artist Fantastic Negrito takes us on a journey through his musical rebirth, before serenading us with "Nobody Makes Money."
May 21, 2021•52 min•Ep. 462
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate the trivial things we spend too much time debating; podcaster Anna Sale reveals how she gets to the heart of the matter in her podcast Death, Sex & Money and in her new book Let's Talk About Hard Things; writer Elissa Washuta explains how magic and witchcraft helped her get sober, as detailed in her collection of essays White Magic; and indie rock icon Juliana Hatfield performs "Mouthful of Blood" from her new album Blood ....
May 14, 2021•52 min•Ep. 461
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate Mother's Day by sharing some favorite fictional moms submitted by listeners; award-winning writer Saeed Jones ( How We Fight for Our Lives ) talks about coming out to his mother; comedian Laurie Kilmartin delivers an outrageous set about single motherhood; filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld chats about his complicated relationship with his mom, which he details in his memoir Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother ; and singer-songwriter Alela Diance...
May 07, 2021•52 min•Ep. 460
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get nostalgic about childhood foods; comedian and podcaster Laci Mosley ( A Black Lady Sketch Show, Scam Goddess ) lends her expertise to real-life "sketchy" situations; musician Michelle Zauner, a.k.a. Japanese Breakfast, discusses her memoir Crying in H Mart , in which she reconnects with her late mother and their Korean heritage through a love of food; and multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi performs "Wait for Springtime" from his new EP Emigrant...
Apr 30, 2021•52 min•Ep. 459
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello relish in delightful things; comedian Cameron Esposito unpacks the ups and downs of making Zoom her comedy stage; poet Ross Gay ponders his fascination with themes of joy and gratitude, while chatting about his essay collection The Book of Delights ; and indie folk trio The Lone Bellow share a song they wrote collaboratively while social distancing.
Apr 23, 2021•52 min•Ep. 458
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello consider some dream careers; playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes explains her love of the human voice and how eavesdropping has inspired her writing; essayist Lauren Hough recounts the various hats she's worn — including airman, cable installer, and cult member; and instrumental duo Black Violin ponder the balance they strike between hip hop and classical music.
Apr 16, 2021•56 min•Ep. 457
To celebrate National Poetry Month, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share listener-penned haikus and invite three poets to the House Party; Roger Reeves tells us why poetry is the harbinger of the future; Franny Choi discusses how she incorporated Google Translate and the Turing Test into her latest collection Soft Science ; and Derrick C. Brown teams up with indie band The Helio Sequence for a rhythmically-moving poetry performance.
Apr 09, 2021•52 min•Ep. 456
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reminisce with listeners about the most memorable live performances they've experienced; writer Hanif Abdurraqib discusses his new book A Little Devil in America , in which he unpacks the cultural and historical impact of Black performance; filmmaker Andrea Nevins shines a light on the challenges and triumphs of female comedians in her documentary Hysterical ; and Americana singer-songwriter Shakey Graves celebrates the 10th anniversary of his deb...
Apr 02, 2021•57 min•Ep. 455
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share hometown slogans penned by Live Wire listeners; comedian Paula Poundstone makes time to chat between walking her dogs and bleaching her house; comedy writer Joey Clift, creator of Our Fifty States Project , explains how he crowdsourced musicians to make an album for every state in the union; and jazz vocalist Jimmie Herrod performs a spring-inspired song he composed during lockdown in his Manhattan apartment.
Mar 26, 2021•52 min•Ep. 454
In honor of Women's History Month, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate amazing women through the ages; Mikki Kendall, author of Hood Feminism , explains how to right the historical wrongs of the mainstream feminist movement; comedian Jamie Loftus unpacks her Lolita Podcast , which reexamines the literary classic as a cautionary tale; and genre-bending musical group Pink Martini performs a cover of the 1970s hit "I Am Woman."
Mar 19, 2021•52 min•Ep. 453
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share listener acts of kindness; writer Shea Serrano discusses how he uses Twitter to raise funds for people in need, especially during the pandemic; comedian Brooks Wheelan recounts how he won a $500 bet with fellow comedian Nick Turner when he completed a marathon… hungover; and singer-songwriter Waxahatchee sings "Can't Do Much" off her album Saint Cloud.
Mar 12, 2021•52 min•Ep. 452
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk birds of all kinds this week; writer Matthew Gavin Frank discusses the controversial world of diamond-smuggling pigeons; filmmaker Davy Rothbart and his subject Cheryl Sanford unpack 20 years of filming her family in their documentary 17 Blocks ; and musicians Andrew Bird & Jimbo Mathus, former bandmates of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, perform "Sweet Oblivion" from their new collaborative album These 13.
Mar 05, 2021•52 min•Ep. 451
This week Live Wire celebrates Black History Month with groundbreaking Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, who reminds us of the power in self-belief; New Yorker poetry editor Kevin Young on his love of Jack Johnson, Prince, and pork; writer Clyde W. Ford, whose book Think Black outlines his father's experience as the first black software engineer in America; and a powerhouse performance from Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah.
Feb 26, 2021•52 min•Ep. 450
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello put a spin on some of our listeners’ favorite words and phrases; hip hop performer and activist Talib Kweli recounts stepping away from big-budget rap culture to become an independent artist; bestselling author George Saunders revisits his love of teaching through unpacking 19th century Russian literature; and singer-songwriter Jillette Johnson performs her incidentally-titled song "I Shouldn't Go Anywhere."
Feb 19, 2021•52 min•Ep. 449
In celebration of Valentine's Day, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello give some love to the inanimate objects that get us through life; comedian Naomi Ekperigin, who co-hosts the podcast Couples Therapy with her partner, riffs on her reluctance towards motherhood; Poet Laureate of Oregon Anis Mojgani rewrites a love poem to reflect his post-divorce reality; and husband and wife duo The War and Treaty perform their heart-wrenching song "Five More Minutes."
Feb 12, 2021•52 min•Ep. 448
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello unveil some hidden talents; actor and best-selling author David Duchovny explains how his latest novel Truly Like Lightning is an attempt to have a larger conversation about America; jump rope world champions Nick and Kaylee Woodard test Luke's skills with a virtual lesson; and alt-folk artist Jensen McRae performs her harrowing new song "Wolves."
Feb 05, 2021•52 min•Ep. 447
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the silliest ways listeners are getting through quarantine; grief expert and podcaster Nora McInerny offers tips on parenting during a pandemic; writer Jon Mooallem ( The New York Times Magazine ) discusses the survival lessons we can glean from his latest book about the 1964 Alaskan earthquake; and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy serenades us with "Save It For Me," which he penned in the early stages of lockdown.
Jan 29, 2021•52 min•Ep. 446
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello recount the most impactful things anyone has ever said to them; actor Connor Ratliff explains how being fired by Tom Hanks inspired his hit podcast Dead Eyes , through which he unpacks showbiz rejection; professor of neuroscience Dr. Carl Hart makes the argument for responsible drug use; and folk icon and activist Ani DiFranco reflects on making her 22nd album Revolutionary Love with masked musicians during a pandemic.
Jan 22, 2021•55 min•Ep. 445
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal some surprising facts about their parents; author Dani Shapiro explains how a mail-in DNA test revealed a family secret, which formed the basis of her New York Times bestseller Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love ; comedian and podcaster Chris Garcia pokes fun at his life choices by channeling his Cuban father; and Casey Neill & The Norway Rats perform “Savages” from their album Subterrene....
Jan 15, 2021•52 min•Ep. 444
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss the mysteries they can never seem to solve; 99% Invisible podcasters Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt unveil the hidden world of everyday design in their companion book The 99% Invisible City ; writer Shayla Lawson takes the lead role in her new collection of essays This Is Major , in which she celebrates black womanhood; and Colin Hay, former frontman of Men at Work, performs an acoustic version of their hit song "Overkill."...
Jan 08, 2021•52 min•Ep. 443
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."
Jan 01, 2021•52 min•Ep. 442
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."
Dec 23, 2020•52 min•Ep. 441
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" ...
Dec 18, 2020•52 min•Ep. 440
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."
Dec 11, 2020•52 min•Ep. 439
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 “A...
Dec 04, 2020•52 min•Ep. 438
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.
Nov 27, 2020•52 min•Ep. 437
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 .
Nov 20, 2020•52 min•Ep. 436
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...
Nov 14, 2020•52 min•Ep. 435
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."
Nov 06, 2020•52 min•Ep. 434
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."...
Oct 30, 2020•52 min•Ep. 433
