Live Wire with Luke Burbank

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 Britis...

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...

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...

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 topic...

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 Califor...

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.

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 wit...

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 Sam...

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;...

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 f...

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 wi...

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 "Sa...

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'...

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 Elshie...

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 versi...

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 Northe...

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...

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...

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 he...

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...

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; an...

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, wh...

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...

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.

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 classic...