Live Wire with Luke Burbank

In this 20th Anniversary Special, Live Wire celebrates some of its most memorable moments in the past two decades. Host Luke Burbank gets interviewed by former host Courtenay Hameister about taking the reins of the show and how the embarrassment he felt as a child led to his "openness" onstage; Americana singer-songwriter Charley Crockett chats about busking and train-hopping, before performing "I...

Comedian Paul F. Tompkins chats about his improv comedy podcast The Neighborhood Listen, where he and fellow comedians re-enact posts from the app Nextdoor; poet Safiya Sinclair discusses her memoir How to Say Babylon , in which she recounts growing up Rastafarian in Jamaica under the strict patriarchy of her father; and singer-songwriter Isabeau Waia'u Walker performs her song "All My Friends Thi...

Acclaimed writer Cheryl Strayed ( Wild, Tiny Beautiful Things ) discusses her new personal essay "Two Women Walk into a Bar," which follows her complicated relationship with her late mother-in-law; stand-up comedian Jay Jurden bridges the generational divide with some poignantly hilarious observations on Boomers and Gen Z; and singer-rapper-poet Dessa performs "Hurricane Party" from her latest alb...

Comedian and writer Aparna Nancherla discusses her memoir Unreliable Narrator and why her mother made her order pizza to combat her shyness; stand-up comedian Gary Gulman riffs on the false notion of dangerous scissors in elementary school; singer-songwriter and historian No-No Boy performs his song "1603," featured on his latest album Empire Electric , which tells the story of the first non-Nativ...

Cartoonist Emily Flake ( The New Yorker ) reveals Joke in a Box,  her 70-card deck of creative prompts, which results in some live cartooning from the stage; writer and artist Tessa Hulls discusses her graphic memoir Feeding Ghosts, which looks at the three generations of Chinese women in her family; and indie pop duo Pure Bathing Culture perform "The Memento" from their latest album Chalice. Plus...

Comedian Gary Gulman ( The Great Depresh ) discusses his memoir Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s, his struggles with mental health, and the awkwardness of being recognized in the psyche ward; Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani reads from his newest collection The Tigers, They Let Me and makes the case for why poetry exists all around us; singer-songwriter Olive Klug touches on the TikTok gene...

Comedian and writer Moshe Kasher dives into his new memoir Subculture Vulture , which explores the six communities which shaped his life, from AA and Burning Man to sign language interpretation and his ultra-Hasidic upbringing; stand-up comedian Mohanad Elshieky tells us why he might be the most dangerous man in America; and indie band Glitterbox perform their single "TV." Plus, host Luke Burbank...

Comedian and writer Scott Aukerman brings his wildly popular improv podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! to book form and reveals how a goofy name and an occupation is really how a character begins; astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance explores her own universe as a woman, scientist, cancer advocate, and one-time swimsuit model in her book Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark...

Bestselling writer Lindy West ( Shrill ) chats about her new podcast Text Me Back , which unpacks friendship, the news, and text threads; comedian Paul F. Tompkins takes a stab at some other P.F.T. acronyms; and soul ensemble Ural Thomas & The Pain perform "No Distance." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some texting habits that really irk our listeners.

Author Héctor Tobar explores the meanings and myths of the term "Latino" in his sixth book Our Migrant Souls ; comedian and writer Jena Friedman ( Borat Subsequent Moviefilm ) chats about her debut collection of essays Not Funny and recounts the time she put her foot in her comedic mouth; and indie folk trio Joseph performs a cover of Tom Waits' song "Come On Up to the House." Plus, host Luke Burb...

Writer Sloane Crosley unpacks loss in her memoir, Grief is for People , which poignantly weaves the suicide of a dear friend with the burglary of her home; The New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast shares some of her weirdest dreams from her new illustrated book, I Must Be Dreaming , including meeting a rollerskating Fran Lebowitz; and indie rocker Black Belt Eagle Scout performs “Nobody” from her lates...

Comedian Maria Bamford chats about her new book Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult , which unpacks mental illness and the quest to belong... and why 12-step programs and the Suzuki Method have more in common than you might think. Then, singer-songwriter Isabeau Waia'u Walker performs her song "The Prince," written as a tribute to her father and the young men of Hawaii who often slip through the cracks. Plu...

Comedian and writer Dave Hill dives into his newest book The Awesome Game , which makes the case for why hockey should be more popular in the United States, then tries his hand at the surprisingly popular genre of "hockey romance" novels; and singer-songwriter No-No Boy performs "Western Empress" from his latest album Empire Electric , which tells the history behind the grave of the first Japanese...

Author and Jeopardy host Ken Jennings takes us on a journey to the afterlife with his latest book, 100 Places to See After You Die , and explains why contestant interviews are so darn awkward; writer Erica Berry discusses her debut book Wolfish , which examines all things "wolf" – from fables to fears; and international rock group Making Movies perform "Porcelina" from their album XOPA . Plus, hos...

To celebrate Valentine's Day, this extra episode features author Curtis Sittenfeld ( Romantic Comedy ) in a game where she must decide if famous rom-com couples broke up or lived happily ever after.

Podcaster Avery Trufelman unpacks her podcast Articles of Interest , in which she reveals the history behind fashion and clothing, including prison uniforms and the debate over pockets; author Camille Dungy discusses her latest book Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, which chronicles her attempts to diversify her garden in the predominantly white community of Fort Collins, Colorado; and s...

In this Black History Month special episode, former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith discusses her memoir To Free the Captives, which explores Black strength, continuance, and community by looking back at her own family’s history; poet Saeed Jones ( Alive at the End of the World ) unpacks the backstories behind some of his poems involving Billie Holiday, Maya Angelou, and Luther Vandross; and Eth...

Journalist J. Wortham ( The New York Times Magazine, Still Processing ) recounts what happened when they visited a nude queer beach in Oaxaca; author Curtis Sittenfeld discusses her newest novel Romantic Comedy , which flips the script on the celebrity love story; and singer-songwriter Margo Cilker performs "With the Middle" from her sophomore album Valley of Heart's Delight. Plus, host Luke Burba...

Writer and podcaster Jamie Loftus dives into her New York Times bestselling book Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs , a travelog on the cultural and historical significance of the American sausage; chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt tests his knowledge of cooking gadget infomercials; and R&B/Soul vocalist Danielle Ponder performs "So Long" from her debut album Some of Us Are Brave ....

Comedian Hari Kondabolu discusses his new standup special “Vacation Baby” and how regrettably he blew off congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on her campaign trail; writer Kristi Coulter unpacks her memoir “Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career,” which recounts the often soul-crushing work culture of an Amazon executive; and indie rock duo Quasi performs "Queen of Ears" off...

Ari Shapiro, journalist and co-host of All Things Considered , unpacks his new book The Best Strangers in the World: Stories From a Life Spent Listening , which chronicles his reporting adventures across the globe, from Air Force One to the stage of the Hollywood Bowl; comedian and TV writer Demi Adejuyigbe explains how the WGA strike afforded him so much free time... to go to the Renaissance Fair...

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and acclaimed author Timothy Egan unpacks his newest book A Fever in the Heartland , which traces the Ku Klux Klan's expansion across America in the 1920s and one woman's crusade to stop them; rapper and poet proves she's more talented than AI by performing a poem she penned backstage using popular search terms. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello...

On the special holiday edition of Live Wire, comedian and podcaster Paul F. Tompkins talks about passive-aggressive Christmas carolers and the most tense rendition of “O Holy Night" he's ever heard; poet José Olivarez discusses his latest collection Promises of Gold, which explores the various types of love in our lives, from self-love to platonic love and over to romance; and singer-songwriter Es...

In this podcast extra, comedian Aparna Nancherla ( Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself and Imposter Syndrome ) is quizzed on the former "career lowlights" of some high-profile celebrities.

Writer and director Laura Chinn ( Florida Girls ) discusses her memoir Acne, which tackles her racial identity, Scientology, and of course... very oily skin; standup comedian Mohanad Elshieky riffs on embarrassing encounters with TSA and Uber drivers; and multi-instrumentalist Jenny Conlee, of The Decemberists, performs "Hawk" from her solo album Tides: Pieces for Accordion and Piano. Plus, host L...