Live Wire with Luke Burbank

Author and columnist R. Eric Thomas shares anecdotes from his memoir Congratulations, The Best Is Over, including how baking cupcakes may have saved his life; standup comedian Ian Karmel makes the case for why Arby's is a farm-to-table restaurant; and indie group NONBINARY GIRLFRIEND perform the title track off their new album Big and Kind. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal the surprising differences between our listeners and their partners.

Journalist and podcaster Kelsey McKinney (Defector) dishes on producing her juicy podcast Normal Gossip; poet Brenda Shaughnessy explains how her newest collection Tanya is partially an attempt to reconnect with her estranged college roommate; and Grammy-winner Madison Cunningham performs her single "Broken Harvest." Plus host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some niche gossip from our listeners.

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 Think I'm Okay." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some unhinged behavior from the neighbors of our listeners.

Record-breaking runner Lauren Fleshman unpacks her New York Times bestseller Good for a Girl, a part-memoir, part-manifesto which challenges the male-built sports system; comedian and writer Joey Clift chats about his Comedy Central digital series Gone Native, which delves into the weird microaggressions Native people are up against; and Seattle-based indie supergroup Who Is She? performs a cover of a Le Tigre song... which actually got them fired from a sports arena gig. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share what records our listeners would like to break.

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-Native sighting of Oregon by a multicultural crew of sailors who fell through the cracks of history. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello learn about the times our listeners suffered from impostor syndrome.

Celebrated author Cheryl Strayed (Wild, Dear Sugar) revisits her collection of advice columns, Tiny Beautiful Things, which celebrates its tenth anniversary and has recently been adapted as a Hulu series starring Kathryn Hahn; writer Joseph Earl Thomas unpacks his memoir Sink, in which he describes how geek culture saved him from his hazardous upbringing; and singer-songwriter Stephanie Anne Johnson performs their song "The Day That You Begin." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some life advice from our listeners.

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 generation of songwriting, before performing her song "Raining in June." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the ways in which our listeners have been unexpectedly cheered up by others.

Poet and essayist Ross Gay (Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude) dissects privilege, pain, and skateboarding, all themes from his newest book Inciting Joy; Michelin Star chef Iliana Regan outlines her journey from farmer's markets to foraging, while creating a new dining experience in the wilds of Michigan; and singer-songwriter Baroque Betty, accompanied by Mood Area 52, performs the title track off her album Sobering Up. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share our listeners' perfect weekends.

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, a scientist, a cancer advocate, and a one-time swimsuit model in her book Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark; rock ensemble and faux cult Family Worship Center perform "Snake Dance" from their new album Kicked Out Of The Garden. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the alter egos of some of our listeners.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu (Snack vs. Chef) unpacks his most popular tweets and dives into why Bert and Ernie need couples' therapy. Then, singer-songwriter Margo Cilker explains why she might have cow poop on her sleeve at any given time backstage, before performing "Tehachapi" from her debut album Pohorylle. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello get nostalgic for some snacks from the past.

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 Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello explain why you shouldn't attempt to be as funny as David Sedaris.

Chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt tests his knowledge of cooking gadget infomercials; comedian Sara Schaefer leads a seminar on how to perform standup in various comedic styles... including puppetry; and indie rock group Dehd discusses bad love stories and dental work, before performing "Bad Love" from their new album Blue Skies. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk ambitious DIY projects.

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. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some cult-adjacent experiences from our listeners.

Poet and Kirkus Prize winner Saeed Jones unpacks his newest collection Alive at the End of the World and why Billie Holiday had a bone to pick with Maya Angelou; writer Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic) explains how her love of horror at a young age found its way into her latest book The Daughter of Doctor Moreau; and indie folk duo The Lowest Pair perform "Pear Tree" from their first record 36 Cents. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss our strange childhood obsessions.

Aubrey Gordon discusses how her hit podcast Maintenance Phase debunks the junk science behind nutrition, wellness, and fatness; stand-up comedian Chris Meija gives us an unexpectedly hilarious account of his call to the suicide hotline; and lawyer-turned-powerhouse vocalist Danielle Ponder performs "Only the Lonely" from her newest album Some Of Us Are Brave. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello recall some fads of the past.

In this extra episode, podcaster, writer, and road-tripper Jamie Loftus (Raw Dog: The Naked Truth about Hot Dogs) tests her knowledge of the official slogans of various American states.

Writer and podcaster Nora McInerny (Terrible, Thanks for Asking) explains why she is the saddest happy person she knows; music entrepreneur Nabil Ayers chats about his memoir My Life in the Sunshine and his estranged relationship with his biological father, funk/soul musician Roy Ayers; and singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham gives a show-stopping performance of her song "All I've Ever Known” from her Grammy-winning album Revealer. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss the ways in which we are too hard on ourselves.

Award-winning author George Saunders (Lincoln in the Bardo) unpacks his writing process and explains how creating confusion often leads to interesting literary worlds; and singer-songwriter Samantha Crain discusses the importance of making music in her Choctaw language, before performing "Joey" from her album A Small Death. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate teachers and the impact they've had on us.

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 performs "Porcelina" from their album XOPA. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share versions of the perfect afterlife, according to our listeners.

Washington Post reporter Casey Parks unpacks her new book Diary of a Misfit, wherein she reckons with her own sexuality, her Southern identity, and her complicated relationship with her mother; and singer-songwriter Thunderstorm Artis explains how his music went from The Voice to Grey's Anatomy, before performing his single "Stronger." Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello set out to solve some mysteries.