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Artwork for Live Wire

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

PRX
Comedy
Music
Grief
Mental Health
Alcohol
Parenting
Poetry
Portland Book Festival
Black History Month
I Was a Teenage Slasher
Acne
Sobriety
Stand-Up Comedy
Sloane Crosley
Portland, Oregon
Pop Culture
Church Of Scientology
Paul F. Tompkins
Horror Genre
Text Me Back

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes767Founded20 years ago
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Performing ArtsArts

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Artwork for Live Wire

Latest Episodes

Author Lindy West discusses her road-trip memoir, Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane, and the online backlash sparked by the relationship choices she details in the book; writer Angela Nissel unpacks her new book, Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom Is De... more

Comedian Maria Bamford riffs on money troubles... and why Instacart might be to blame; comic and crop artist Brandi Brown unpacks her childhood encounter with Prince and her favorite spots at the famed Minnesota State Fair; and The Reasonable Doubts ... more

Writer Edgar Gomez discusses his collection of essays Alligator Tears, which follows his various hustles as a youth in Florida—from being a flip flop salesman to getting fake teeth through a little bankruptcy fraud; author River Selby recounts how th... more

Popular science writer Mary Roach dives into lab-grown organs, historical nose jobs, and unlikely hair transplants, as covered in her latest book Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy; stand-up comedian Janesh Rahlan riffs on learning Spanish ... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Angela Nissel
TV writer and memoirist, Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom Is Dead
Author
Episode: Lindy West, Angela Nissel, and Pedro the Lion
Edgar Gomez
Writer, memoirist of Alligator Tears
Author
Episode: Edgar Gomez, River Selby, and Hunter Noack (REBROADCAST)
River Selby
Former elite wildland firefighter and memoir author
Author
Episode: Edgar Gomez, River Selby, and Hunter Noack (REBROADCAST)
Hunter Noack
Pianist and founder of In A Landscape
Musician/Artist
Episode: Edgar Gomez, River Selby, and Hunter Noack (REBROADCAST)
Mary Roach
Popular science writer and author of Replaceable You
Author
Episode: Mary Roach, Janesh Rahlan, and Amy Millan (REBROADCAST)
Janesh Rahlan
Comedian
Stand-up comedian
Episode: Mary Roach, Janesh Rahlan, and Amy Millan (REBROADCAST)
Amy Millan
Musician (Stars, Broken Social Scene)
Musician
Episode: Mary Roach, Janesh Rahlan, and Amy Millan (REBROADCAST)
Jeff Chang
Author of Water Mirror Echo, Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America
Author/Scholar
Episode: Jeff Chang and Okaidja Afroso
Okaidja Afroso
Ghanaian musician and dancer
Musician
Episode: Jeff Chang and Okaidja Afroso

Hosts

Luke Burbank
Host of Live Wire, known for warm interview style and humor; leads conversations with guests across arts, culture, and travel.
Elena Passarello
Announcer and co-host, contributes hosting segments and audience engagement.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 356 ratings
  • Love

    Listening to Live Wire on my commute brings me so much joy. Luke and Elena bring the perfect balance of humor, warmth, positivity, and oddly specific geographic knowledge. I love hearing from writers about their lives and artistic process. The standup routines, musical guests, “best news,” and station location examination segments are not only entertaining, but a true comfort in these challenging times. This show is a major highlight of my week!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    randomuno
    United Statesa year ago
  • Damp January

    With new guidelines recommending a cancer warning label for alcohol and thinking about why I consume alcohol, this series is thoughtful and got me thinking about different perspectives. I also appreciate Luke’s courage and honesty in the interview with his mom and his own experience with alcohol. Worth listening to!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Upstate Midwesterner
    United States2 years ago
  • So good!

    Love the show but some new eps would be nice. You can’t do a TAL rerun-based model with this few episodes.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Raincloud06
    United States2 years ago
  • Love Luke!

    So excited for this new series Damp January! Luke is the best and his perspective on this topic is so insightful.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    D7s4
    United States2 years ago
  • Best Weekly Podcast Around

    There’s nothing that delights me more during my busy week than to be notified that Live Wire has dropped another episode. Luke and Elena are delightful and charming and their dynamic is top notch. The guests they have on are obviously chosen with great care, and even when I may not have an immediate recognition of the guest’s work, I’m soon drawn into the interview and I walk away more informed about the world around me. Best News is fun and light, and Station Location Identification is a great ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sakura Mama NYC
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests consistently praised for thoughtfulness and variety, with listeners noting warmth of hosts and engaging music segments.
The show is described as a refreshing contrast to political podcasts, offering culture-driven conversations and uplifting moments.
Listeners appreciate the blend of humor, insightful discussion, and live performances, though a segment suggests desire for more frequent new episodes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Maria Bamford, Brandi Brown, and The Reasonable Doubts (REBROADCAST)
Q: Are there ethical implications to the songs you choose for the band?
The group discusses careful curation to avoid perceptions of bias, noting the public can be brutal but stressing a desire to maintain fairness for people who appear before them.
Maria Bamford, Brandi Brown, and The Reasonable Doubts (REBROADCAST)
Q: What were your thoughts when the idea of the band was proposed to you?
The district court judge explains you don't say no to a fellow judge, framing the decision as a collaborative, voluntary off-hours project rather than a formal obligation.
Maria Bamford, Brandi Brown, and The Reasonable Doubts (REBROADCAST)
Q: What was going on for you personally when you thought we needed a band made up of Minnesota state Supreme Court justices?
Anne talks about workloads and the need to do something fun to balance the stress of cases and public service, emphasizing the importance of taking breaks and sharing joy.
Edgar Gomez, River Selby, and Hunter Noack (REBROADCAST)
Q: What was it like transitioning from a dangerous wildland firefighting life to a writing career and academia?
The transition came after recognizing the double standards I faced and choosing to pursue education, which eventually led to a PhD and a new professional path.
Edgar Gomez, River Selby, and Hunter Noack (REBROADCAST)
Q: Your mom's decision to have veneers sounds like a pivotal moment—how did that shape your sense of self and your future?
It gave me a new appearance that allowed me to stop hiding, which was essential for my confidence and for pursuing writing about my life honestly.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Live Wire

What is Live Wire about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A warm, One-off-episode-to-another mix of interviews, musical performances, humor, and cultural observation drives this show. Across recent episodes, conversations span comedians, writers, musicians, and cultural thinkers, with frequent live performances and playful segments that spotlight regional flavors, travel, and storytelling. Notable strengths include a charismatic host duo, a flexible format that blends deep-dive chats with light banter, and a knack for turning diverse guests—ranging from literary voices to indie musicians—into entertaining, thoughtful conversations. The show's balance of culture, humor, and music makes it a likely discovery for listeners seeking nourishing, boundary-pushing cultural conversations and uplifting, hum... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Live Wire?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Live Wire:

1. TBTL: Too Beautiful To Live
2. Fresh Air
3. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
4. Week In Review
5. Go Fact Yourself

How many episodes of Live Wire are there?

Live Wire launched 20 years ago and published 767 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Live Wire?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Live Wire?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Live Wire from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Live Wire?

Recent guests on Live Wire include:

1. Angela Nissel
2. Edgar Gomez
3. River Selby
4. Hunter Noack
5. Mary Roach
6. Janesh Rahlan
7. Amy Millan
8. Jeff Chang

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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