Best News: Cardboard Dad
Luke and Elena discuss Tony Passarello's Live Wire fandom, the first female Mariachi band in Denver Colorado, and rescuing a busload of stranded Torontonians.
Sep 21, 2022•15 min
Live Wire with Luke Burbank
Like late-night for radio, Live Wire is hosted by Luke Burbank (Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me) and artfully blends an eclectic mix of artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, comedians, and cultural observers.
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Episodes
Isaac Fitzgerald, Carmen Lagala, and No-No Boy
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello chat about childhood misperceptions; writer Isaac Fitzgerald grapples with identity, forgiveness, and a new vision of masculinity in his searing memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts ; stand-up comedian Carmen Lagala explains how her love of the WNBA broke up a teenage relationship; and singer-songwriter No-No Boy performs "Boat People" from his album 1975, as a tribute to the millions who fled southeast Asia after the fall of Saigon....
Sep 16, 2022•52 min•Ep. 526
Best News: Corntastic!
Luke and Elena discuss fly-by summers, food stand hustles, and South Dakota's Corn-Bassador.
Sep 14, 2022•16 min
EXTRA: Paul F. Tompkins, Sarah Marshall, and Demi Adejuyigbe
In this EXTRA episode, comedians and podcasters Paul F. Tompkins ( Spontaneanation ), Sarah Marshall ( You're Wrong About ) and Demi Adejuyigbe ( Gilmore Guys ) team up for a raucous round of "Whose Podcast Is It, Anyway?" live from the stage in Portland, Oregon.
Aug 26, 2022•11 min
Chuck Klosterman and Making Movies
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get nostalgic for the 1990s; writer Chuck Klosterman ( Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs ) unpacks his newest book The Nineties and admits how the "slacker ethos" of the decade made him embarrassed to succeed as a writer; and international rock band Making Movies explains why it's difficult to separate activism from their music, before performing the title track off their new album XOPA.
Aug 05, 2022•52 min•Ep. 525
Nichole Perkins, Lucy Walker, and Joshua Henry
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 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 cellp...
Jul 29, 2022•52 min•Ep. 524
Dylan Marron and Brittany Davis
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello unpack some unexpected topics of conversation; writer and podcaster Dylan Marron chats about his book and podcast of the same name, Conversations with People Who Hate Me, and how a phone call can forge a deeper connection than social media; and musician Brittany Davis explains how music became their first language as a blind person, before performing "Loud Loud World" from their new EP I Choose to Live.
Jul 22, 2022•52 min•Ep. 523
SNL's Cecily Strong and Rapper Shad
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some surprising facts about our listeners; 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 pres...
Jul 15, 2022•52 min•Ep. 522
Jon Mooallem, The Sport Bra's Jenny Nguyen, and Laura Veirs
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk dream businesses; writer Jon Mooallem ( The New York Times Magazine ) discusses his newest collection of essays Serious Face and why you shouldn't tell your friend they look like a 1940’s Spanish bullfighter; chef Jenny Nguyen chats about opening her Portland bar The Sports Bra, which exclusively televises womens' sports; and singer-songwriter Laura Veirs performs "My Lantern" from her new album Found Light.
Jul 08, 2022•52 min•Ep. 521
Daisy Hernandez and Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate the spirit of live performances; writer Daisy Hernández unpacks her latest book The Kissing Bug , a reportage-meets-memoir which outlines the impact of Chagas disease on Latinx communities; Wayne Coyne, frontman of The Flaming Lips, explains how to play a Covid-safe concert using space bubbles; and we hear a performance of their hit song "Do You Realize" from inside a bubble.
Jul 01, 2022•51 min•Ep. 520
Sam Jay, Sean Patton, and Kurt Vile
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some go-to icebreakers from our listeners; comedian and Emmy Award-nominated writer Sam Jay ( SNL ) chats about turning a party with her friends into poignant content for her HBO show PAUSE ; stand-up comedian Sean Patton pokes fun at regional airports with a tough TSA; and singer-songwriter Kurt Vile confesses to being Philadelphia's best forklift driver, before performing "Flyin (Like a Fast Train)" from his new album (watch my moves)....
Jun 24, 2022•52 min•Ep. 519
Best News: Summer Break is Here!
In this final episode before a brief hiatus, Luke and Elena discuss their summer plans, including an Alaska writing residency and mega home renovations. The Best News will return weekly beginning September 14, so stay tuned!
Jun 22, 2022•9 min
Kirsten Johnson, Chris Garcia, and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate dads this week, in honor of Father's Day; filmmaker Kirsten Johnson comes to terms with the life, death, and legacy of her father through her Netflix documentary Dick Johnson is Dead ; comedian and podcaster Chris Garcia pokes fun at his life choices by channeling his Cuban father; and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy serenades us with "Save It For Me," accompanied by his two sons.
Jun 17, 2022•51 min•Ep. 518
Best News: Whatever Rolls Your Meatball
Luke and Elena discuss the Kate Bush resurgence, a missing dachshund that made its way into Hillary Swank's lap, and sexy Swedish trash cans.
Jun 15, 2022•16 min
Cecily Wong & Andrew Bird
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello dish out some yums and yucks from our listeners; writer Cecily Wong chats about her book Gastro Obscura , which features fascinating food stories from across the globe, including psychedelic honey that was once used as a weapon; and Grammy Award-nominee Andrew Bird explains how he balances painful shyness with being a public figure, before performing "Make a Picture" from his new album Inside Problems.
Jun 10, 2022•52 min•Ep. 517
Best News: Pounce de León
Luke and Elena discuss a turtle on a Hot Wheel, "Hero Rats" with tiny backpacks, and endangered bees now classified as fish.
Jun 08, 2022•16 min
Kristen Arnett, James Kim, and Lavender Country
In this special episode celebrating "Pride Month," host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello give a shout-out to some unsung (or under-sung) queer heroes; writer Kristen Arnett ( Mostly Dead Things ) shares why she specifically likes to be referred to as a queer writer and why 7-Eleven is her happy place; podcaster James Kim shares how the language barrier between him and his mother complicated his coming out process… and ultimately inspired his fictional podcast Moonface ; and Lavender C...
Jun 03, 2022•52 min•Ep. 516
Kathryn Schulz, Keanon Lowe, and John Craigie
Luke and Elena discuss a baby giraffe with human leg braces and a dog that snuggled its way into a stranger's bed; Pulitzer Prize-winning New Yorker writer Kathryn Schulz unpacks her memoir Lost & Found, which weaves together the loss of her father with finding true love; football coach and mentor Keanon Lowe recounts the day he intercepted a potential school shooter with a hug; and storyteller and singer-songwriter John Craigie explains having to sing around "naughty" words for public radio...
May 27, 2022•52 min•Ep. 515
Best News: The Hunter S. Thompson of Public Radio
Luke and Elena discuss kitten claws, a high school student who subbed in as Pearl Jam’s drummer, and a Minnesota prison program that teaches tattooing to inmates.
May 25, 2022•14 min
Anna Sale, Elissa Washuta, and Juliana Hatfield
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss two wildly different yet equally inspiring graduation stories; 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 album Blood ....
May 20, 2022•51 min•Ep. 514
Best News: Spring Pong!
Luke and Elena discuss ping-pong showmanship, TikTok's favorite baseball team, and a passenger with no flight experience who emergency-landed a plane at Florida airport.
May 18, 2022•16 min
John Waters, Sasha LaPointe, and Deep Sea Diver
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss an emotional support pig and a DoorDasher who saved a customer's life. Plus, legendary filmmaker John Waters chats about his first novel Liarmouth and why he'll never leave Baltimore; writer Sasha LaPointe ( Red Paint) unpacks her nomadic upbringing in the Pacific Northwest and why Twin Peaks made an impact on her as young Native woman; and indie rock group Deep Sea Diver performs "Shattering the Hourglass" from their album Impossible Weig...
May 13, 2022•51 min•Ep. 513
Best News: Space Crime & Punishment
Luke and Elena discuss a young listener's quest to transcribe a 200-year French diary, Canadians barred from committing murder in space, and the triumphant return of the California condors.
May 11, 2022•16 min
Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Moorea Masa
In honor of Mother's Day, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some thoughtful mom-centric conversations: 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; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes (In the Heights ) reflects on how her mother's use of language informed her writing career; and singer-songwriter Moorea Masa perform...
May 06, 2022•52 min•Ep. 512
Best News: "A Robot Walks into a Bar..."
Luke and Elena discuss recording this week from a Mazda rental car, a robot living with a penguin colony in Antarctica, and a nonprofit that sends unused hotel soap to people in need.
May 04, 2022•20 min
Chef Gregory Gourdet and No-No Boy
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk wacky cooking hacks; acclaimed chef and restaurateur Gregory Gourdet ( Top Chef ) discusses how his newest cookbook Everyone's Table begins with his journey to sobriety; and musician and scholar Julian Saporiti, a.k.a. No-No Boy, describes how he transformed his doctoral research on Asian-American history into a multimedia project, before performing "Tell Hanoi I Love Her" from his latest album 1975 .
Apr 29, 2022•51 min•Ep. 511
Best News: Smell You, Nancy Drew!
Luke and Elena discuss a guilt-ridden mail bag, a lemonade stand raising money for the Humane Society, and an anonymous French man who's donating his lottery winnings to help the planet.
Apr 27, 2022•17 min
Laci Mosley of Scam Goddess podcast, Marlee Matlin, and Kishi Bashi
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal some scams our listeners have fallen for; comedian and podcaster Laci Mosley ( A Black Lady Sketch Show, Scam Goddess ) lends her expertise to real-life "sketchy" situations; actor Marlee Matlin discusses her Academy Award-winning film CODA and why she's advocating for Deaf actors to play Deaf roles; and multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi performs "Wait for Springtime" from his latest EP Emigrant.
Apr 22, 2022•52 min•Ep. 510
Best News: Teaching Them to Flush is the Hard Part
Luke and Elena discuss kitty adoptee Bubbles Burbank, a new Pink Floyd song in solidarity with Ukraine, a prom dress giveaway, and 90s butt cuts.
Apr 20, 2022•18 min
Former SNL star Molly Shannon and Tuelo
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some stories of when our listeners went "over the top;" actor and comedian Molly Shannon chats about her memoir Hello Molly and how she championed her famous character Mary Katherine Gallagher for Saturday Night Live ; South African rocker Tuelo explains why she secretly believes her native Mwana tribe inspired rock 'n roll music; plus, Tuelo performs the track "Trouble" off her debut album The Life of Margaret Cornelius....
Apr 15, 2022•52 min•Ep. 509
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