In this "Best of Books" special, Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share conversations with two of Live Wire's favorite guests from 2021: writer Ashely C. Ford discusses her celebrated debut book Somebody's Daughter , which follows her experience growing up in Indiana with an incarcerated father; and bestselling author and vlogger John Green ( The Fault in our Stars ) discusses his new collection of essays, The Anthropocene Reviewed , which expands upon his podcast to review different ...
Dec 17, 2021•51 min•Ep. 492
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the strange things listeners love that remain otherwise unpopular; filmmaker Penny Lane discusses her new HBO documentary about instrumentalist Kenny G and what makes his music so polarizing; writer Omar El Akkad unpacks his award-winning novel What Strange Paradise and how writing fiction freed him after a decade-long career in journalism; and Seattle soul revivalists The Dip perform "Sure Don't Miss You."
Dec 10, 2021•51 min•Ep. 491
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss some mysteries we 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 a moving acoustic version of their hit song "Overkill."...
Dec 03, 2021•51 min•Ep. 490
Host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello discuss the kindest things our friends have done; author Gary Shteyngart takes us into the world of fictionalized friendship in his latest book Our Country Friends , already lauded as the Great American Pandemic Novel; comedian Atsuko Okatska explains why getting married is more childlike than staying single; and indie folk duo The Lowest Pair perform their brand new tune "Mount Rainier."
Nov 26, 2021•51 min•Ep. 489
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."
Nov 19, 2021•52 min•Ep. 488
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reminisce about the best moments of the last 18 months; writer and radio host Tom Scharpling ( The Best Show) explains how his dislike for Billy Joel began as a teenage misadventure to Madison Square Garden; comedian Mohanad Elshieky describes why navigating checkpoints is better than talking to his Uber driver; and indie rock group MAITA perform "A Beast" from their album Best Wishes.
Nov 12, 2021•52 min•Ep. 487
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss unresolved (minor) childhood grievances; 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 ; Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natalie Diaz explores the connection between poetry and basketball; and singer-songwriter Kevin Morby performs "Campfire" from his latest album Sundowner.
Nov 05, 2021•52 min•Ep. 486
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal their go-to karaoke songs; Mötley Crüe co-founder and bassist Nikki Sixx describes how his love of storytelling propelled him from a small town kid to a heavy metal icon; Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Todd Haynes ( Far from Heaven, Carol ) unpacks his first documentary feature The Velvet Underground, which looks at the lasting legacy of the 1960s experimental rock group; and genre-bending powerhouse Melanie Charles performs a "reimagini...
Oct 29, 2021•52 min•Ep. 485
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get into the spooky season and share some 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 22, 2021•52 min•Ep. 484
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello chat about household rules we struggle to enforce; actor and humorist Nick Offerman discusses his newest book Where the Deer and the Antelope Play and how he squares his life in Los Angeles with his agrarian sensibilities; comedian and "Dope Queen" Phoebe Robinson explains why no one is allowed to sit on her bed in their outdoor clothes; and singer-songwriter Adia Victoria describes how working at an Amazon fulfillment center gave her the space to...
Oct 15, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 483
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discover what topics listeners would discuss on their hypothetical podcasts; comedian Jamie Loftus unpacks her Lolita Podcast , which reexamines the controversial literary classic through a feminist lens; comedian and television writer Demi Adejuyigbe ( The Good Place , The Amber Ruffin Show) explains why he feels the creative pressure every September 21st; and powerhouse duo The War and Treaty perform the deeply personal song "Five More Minutes" ...
Oct 08, 2021•52 min•Ep. 482
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share listener advice to their teenage selves; actor Marlee Matlin discusses her critically-acclaimed new film CODA and why she's advocating for Deaf actors to play Deaf roles; writer Melissa Febos opens up about her new collection of essays, Girlhood, which looks at the forces that shape the lives of girls and the adults they become; and British blues-folk duo Ida Mae performs the tender song "Raining for You" from their latest album Click Click ...
Oct 01, 2021•52 min•Ep. 481
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some favorite words submitted by listeners; grammar expert Mary Norris recounts her early days as a copy editor at The New Yorker and her foray into all things Greek; actor and television writer Ryan O’Connell explains how keeping his cerebral palsy a secret inspired his book and Netflix series Special ; and soul-rock group Dirty Revival tear down the house with “Pipe Dreams.”
Sep 24, 2021•52 min•Ep. 480
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some special skills that listeners dream of having; filmmakers Mark Duplass & Natalie Morales open up about forming a friendship while making the film Language Lessons , which they shot entirely on webcams; ballet dancer James Whiteside chats about his new memoir Center Center and the need for more queerness in classical ballet; and singer-songwriter and environmental activist Dar Williams explains why she's not sweating the headlines, b...
Sep 17, 2021•51 min•Ep. 479
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello consider the misconceptions our families have about us; comedian and actress Maria Bamford convinces us that anybody can create their own comedy special; stand-up comic Shain Brenden compares his former "single dad" status to a foreclosed home; and Grammy-nominated country singer-songwriter Brandy Clark spins her love of the film Jaws into the topical and heartfelt song "Bigger Boat."
Sep 10, 2021•51 min•Ep. 478
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate the songs lyrics that reflect our lives; writer Nichole Perkins discusses her memoir Sometimes I Trip On How Happy We Could Be and makes the case for why Niles Crane is sexy; Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Lucy Walker ( Waste Land ) unpacks her epic new documentary Bring You Own Brigade, which goes deep inside the devastation of California's wildfires; and Tony-nominated performer Joshua Henry ( Hamilton ) shows us how seductive our c...
Sep 03, 2021•51 min•Ep. 477
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 album Cha Cha Palace.
Aug 27, 2021•51 min•Ep. 476
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello defy expectations this week; comedian Cecily Strong delves into her memoir This Will All Be Over Soon , which weaves themes of grief with moments of absurdity, like filming SNL with her phone during lockdown; Toronto rapper Shad chats about interviewing his heroes for the Emmy Award-winning Netflix series Hip-Hop Evolution and why he's fine with being the "nice guy" in rap music; plus, Shad performs "Out of Touch" from his prescient forthcoming al...
Aug 20, 2021•51 min•Ep. 475
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk "do-overs" this week and hear from listeners about their finicky unfinished projects; New Yorker staff writer Casey Cep discusses her debut book Furious Hours, which follows a mysterious Alabama murder case that captivated beloved author Harper Lee; comedian Matteo Lane questions the job description of pharmacists; and singer-songwriter Samantha Crain details how her days as a child powerlifter prepared her for a life of touring, before perfo...
Aug 13, 2021•51 min•Ep. 474
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello fantasize about a post-pandemic life; writer Daisy Hernández unpacks her latest book The Kissing Bug , a reportage-meets-memoir which follows how Chagas disease affects Latinx communities; Wayne Coyne, frontman of The Flaming Lips, discusses playing a Covid-safe concert where both the band and the audience members are inside their own space bubbles; and we hear a performance of their hit song "Do You Realize" from inside the bubble.
Aug 06, 2021•52 min•Ep. 473
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk movies this week, including some countlessly watched favorites; 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 ...
Jul 30, 2021•52 min•Ep. 472
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello touch on some fascinating things that are mystifying listeners; writer and Radiolab co-host Lulu Miller unpacks the problematic practices of turn-of-the-century taxonomist David Starr Jordan, the subject of her book Why Fish Don't Exist ; comedian and New York Times contributor Sopan Deb discusses his memoir Missed Translations about reconnecting with his immigrant parents; and Moorea Masa performs her single "Honey."...
Jul 23, 2021•51 min•Ep. 471
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss personal theme songs; cultural critic and poet Hanif Abdurraqib describes how his playlist project 68to05 reflects the origins of his personal music fandom; author Eula Biss unpacks the intersection of homeownership and white privilege in her newest collection of essays Having and Being Had; and alt-country singer Lydia Loveless performs "Say My Name" from her latest album Daughter.
Jul 16, 2021•52 min•Ep. 470
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss what listeners have learned about themselves recently; writer Lidia Yuknavitch describes her latest collection of stories, titled Verge , as a series of devotionals to the outcasts among us; comedian Atsuko Okatsuka admits to her insecurities around teenage skateboarders; and Seattle-based rock group The Black Tones shred with "Mama! There's A Spider In My Room!" from their album Cobain & Cornbread.
Jul 09, 2021•51 min•Ep. 469
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello unpack some unpopular opinions; author and psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb explains the importance of delivering a “compassionate truth bomb” to loved ones in need; Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Mitchell S. Jackson discusses his latest book Survival Math , in which he revisits painful relationships with the women from his past; comedian Mohanad Elshieky riffs on reading the Bible as a Muslim; and Brooklyn blues group Revel in Dimes perform “Tough Ci...
Jul 02, 2021•52 min•Ep. 468
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some hypothetical memoir titles penned by listeners; writer Ashely C. Ford discusses her celebrated debut book Somebody's Daughter, which follows her experience growing up in Indiana with an incarcerated father; and gothic folk icon Amigo the Devil explains how his fascination with the macabre has evolved, before performing a rollicking version of "24K Casket" from his newest album Born Against.
Jun 25, 2021•51 min•Ep. 467
In celebration of Father's Day, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some favorite fictional dads; writer Adam Mansbach discusses his path to publishing the hit "parenting" book series Go the F**k to Sleep; filmmaker Maya Forbes recounts being raised by her bipolar father, which inspired her film Infinitely Polar Bear; songstress China Forbes, of Pink Martini, performs The Northern Line from her sister's film; and comedian Kurt Braunohler offers his outrageous take on becoming ...
Jun 18, 2021•52 min•Ep. 466
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get excited about reviving some summer traditions; comedian Chris Gethard chats about his new road-tripping comedy special Half My Life and why he made a pit stop at the dubious Gatorworld theme park; Clint Smith, staff writer at The Atlantic , unpacks his latest book How the Word Is Passed , which tours landmarks and monuments that have shaped the collective conversation around slavery; and indie folk artist Faye Webster performs "Better Distract...
Jun 11, 2021•52 min•Ep. 465
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some financial advice penned by listeners to their younger selves; writer and Slate advice columnist Daniel Lavery explains how his latest 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 bestselling author Michael Arceneaux unpacks the hard truths of student loan debt in his newest essay collection I Don't Want to Die Poor ; and Jonathan Russell fr...
Jun 04, 2021•51 min•Ep. 464
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some controversial 1-star reviews submitted by listeners; bestselling author and vlogger John Green ( The Fault in our Stars ) discusses his new collection of essays, The Anthropocene Reviewed , which expands upon his podcast to review different aspects of our human-shaped world, from Diet Dr. Pepper to sunsets; and rapper Dessa chats about her new monthly singles project, IDES , before performing her pitch-perfect track "Terry Gross."...
May 28, 2021•52 min•Ep. 463
