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.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 50 minutes
- Episodes
- 716
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2025
"Real Talk" with Mitchell S. Jackson, Lori Gottlieb, Mohanad Elshieky, and Revel in Dimes
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get down to some “Real Talk;” writer Mitchell S. Jackson discusses how – in his latest book “Survival Math” – he uses men of history to frame his own …
00:53:19 |
Fri 12 Apr 2019
Elena Passarello (Short)
This podcast short features the original interview with award-winning writer Elena Passarello who, after this appearance, became Live Wire's announcer. Elena is the author of two books of nonfiction,…
00:24:57 |
Fri 29 Mar 2019
"Ice Breakers" with Colin O'Brady, Dani Shapiro, Chris Garcia, and Casey Neill & The Norway Rats
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss not-so-classic “Ice Breakers;” endurance athlete and adventurer Colin O’Brady recounts his world record-breaking trek across Antarctica; autho…
00:53:11 |
Fri 15 Mar 2019
"Going Rogue" with Geraldine DeRuiter, Matteo Lane, Makini Howell, and Valley Maker
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello unpack the concept of “Going Rogue;” blogger Geraldine DeRuiter of The Everywhereist explains why she hangs onto things that spark rage; comedian Matt…
00:52:48 |
Fri 01 Mar 2019
"Buggin' Out" Hanif Abdurraqib, Nora McInerny, Nore Davis, and Alela Diane
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss what it means to be “Buggin’ Out” in their forties; music writer and New York Times bestselling author Hanif Abdurraqib explains how music is …
00:53:19 |
Fri 15 Feb 2019
"All-Stars" with Luis Alberto Urrea, Eileen Myles, and Moshow The Cat Rapper
This special Live Wire episode brings together some "All-Star" guests by way of the Portland Book Festival; celebrated author Luis Alberto Urrea dissects the dynamics of his Mexican family, which ins…
00:53:00 |
Fri 01 Feb 2019
"Living the Dream" with Ian Karmel, Al Letson, Caitlin Kunkel, and Laura Gibson
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello dispute the importance of their dream lives; satirist Caitlin Kunkel shares her favorite jokes from her new book, "New Erotica for Feminists: Satirica…
00:52:54 |
Fri 18 Jan 2019
"The Morning After" with Dan Savage, Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, Frangela, and Meklit
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 f…
00:58:27 |
Fri 04 Jan 2019
"Hand-Me-Downs" with John Hodgman, RJ Young, Fabi Reyna, and Sávila
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 moth…
00:54:37 |
Fri 21 Dec 2018
"Character Building" with Lauren Groff, Tommy Orange, Caitlin Weierhauser, and Lucy Kaplansky
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 cas…
00:54:41 |
Fri 07 Dec 2018
"Hitting the Road" with Abbi Jacobson, Nicole Chung, Peter Sagal, and The Dip
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-coun…
00:53:23 |
Fri 23 Nov 2018
"Paying Your Dues" with Phoebe Robinson, Thomas Page McBee, Lainey Morse, and Sammy Brue
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 transgende…
00:52:58 |
Fri 09 Nov 2018
"Letting Go" with Tommy Pico, Emily Heller, Eli Saslow, and The Helio Sequence
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…
00:54:24 |
Fri 26 Oct 2018
"Facing Your Fears" with Jose Antonio Vargas, Courtenay Hameister, Marcella Arguello, and Planes on Paper
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…
00:55:38 |
Fri 12 Oct 2018
"Fresh Starts" with Gary Shteyngart, Hari Kondabolu, Maxine McCormick, and Lenore
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 inspire…
00:55:43 |
Fri 28 Sep 2018
"Facing the Music" with Charley Crockett, Roger Reeves, and La Barbecue's LeAnn Mueller & Alison Clem
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 Charle…
00:53:08 |
Fri 14 Sep 2018
Caitlin Doughty (Short)
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 "…
00:32:47 |
Fri 31 Aug 2018
Kevin Young (Short)
Kevin Young, acclaimed poet and poetry editor of The New Yorker, speaks on his writing process, the inspiration he gleaned from Prince, and the cross-section between hip hop and poetry in describing …
00:14:46 |
Fri 17 Aug 2018
Simon Rich (Short)
A humorist, novelist, and television writer, Rich talks with Luke about his youthful appearance making him "seem like a pretty clever 14-year-old," which leads to the longest awkward pause in Live Wi…
00:24:26 |
Fri 03 Aug 2018
Barbara Ehrenreich (Short)
In this podcast short from the Live Wire archive, author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich ("Nickel and Dimed") speaks to Luke Burbank back in 2014 about her book “Living with a Wild God: A Nonbeliever…
00:16:33 |
Fri 20 Jul 2018
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