Live Wire with Luke Burbank

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's Search for the Truth About Everything," defining the mysterious "visions" she experienced as a lifelong atheist, and her unending quest for knowledge.

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello relive their “great escapes;” writer Tessa Fontaine explains how learning to eat fire as a part of America's last traveling sideshow helped mend her broken heart; comedian and actor Moses Storm riffs on a childhood spent living in a bus with his missionary family; memoirist and visa lottery winner Abdi Nor Iftin recounts his journey from war-torn Somalia to rural Maine; and singer-songwriter Laura Veirs performs the T.S. Eliot-inspired “Margaret Sands” from her latest album “The Lookout.”

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk “do-overs” with real and hypothetical tattoos; author Anya Yurchyshyn discusses her new memoir “My Dead Parents,” in which she explores aspects of her parents she never knew; journalist and podcaster Mike Pesca dissects the most intriguing “what ifs” in sports history; science vlogger Lindsey Murphy reveals how she engages her young “Fab Lab" audience; comedian Robby Slowik ruminates on the need for a national anthem; and doom-wop singer-songwriter Prom Queen gives herself a musical makeover with her track “Blonde.”

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal what takes them out of their comfort zones; comedian Paul F. Tompkins discusses the perils of improvising on his podcast “Spontaneanation” and shares the secrets behind writing his theme to the film, “Phantom Thread;” writer Ijeoma Oluo unpacks the themes of racial oppression in her new book, “So You Want to Talk About Race;” and hip hop artist Open Mike Eagle performs a track from his concept album “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream” about the Chicago Housing Project where spent time as a kid.

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk personal “breakthrough” moments, including the Jimmy Buffett lyric that has eluded them both; poet and music writer Hanif Abdurraqib discusses essays from his critically acclaimed book “They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us” and why he's no longer willing to suffer for his art; Portland scientist Mary Zelinski shares the breakthrough research on male contraceptives; comedian Beth Stelling spins stories on childhood guinea pigs and skin conditions; and folk humorist John Craigie performs, “Let’s Talk This Over When We’re Sober and Not at Burning Man.”

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello recall times when they were way over their heads; Marine-turned-writer Matt Young reflects on how his experience in the military informed his gut-wrenching memoir “Eat the Apple;” Portland non-profit leader Brandi Tuck explains how bringing together musicians and homeless mothers can produce healing; comedian Katie Nguyen riffs on the new “dewy” beauty standard; and musician Tomo Nakayama plays the title track from his airport-inspired album “Pieces of Sky.”

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk about their true beliefs; Chapman & Maclain Way, creators of the Netflix docuseries “Wild Wild Country,” discuss the incredible true story behind the followers of guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh who established a controversial commune in 1980s rural Oregon; sports journalist Mary Pilon details the life of Olympian Kevin Hall and his struggles with the Truman Show delusion; high school senior Raley Schweinfurth explains her award-winning efforts to save Portland’s bees; comedian Ahmed Bharoocha questions the crow flight training program; and Hawaiian soul group Ron Artis II & The Truth perform “Searching for Answers.”

Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello confess their guilty pleasures; New York Times columnist Lindy West reveals how she tried to entice Donald Trump into blocking her from Twitter; Sarah Gertrude Shapiro unpacks how her Lifetime series UnREAL was inspired by her own troubled experiences as a producer of The Bachelor; comedian Alex Falcone shares his frustrations over the "fashion raccoons" of secondhand boutiques; Portland startup entrepreneur Stephen Green speaks on the importance of supporting local Black businesses; and soul group Moorea Masa & The Mood perform “Ever Moving.”

Comedian Laurie Kilmartin talks about her new book Dead People Suck, in which she uses dark humor to process the death of her father; writer, podcaster and YouTube star Gaby Dunn spills about her problems with money and defining her sexuality in the age of social media; singer-songwriter Chris Staples reflects on being mistook for a popular country singer with a similar name, and host Luke Burbank is joined onstage by writer Elena Passarello to unpack a story about watching a tongue-in-cheek puppet show of actor Ethan Hawk… and how relaying the tale to the actor himself fell flat.

Writer Terese Marie Mailhot discusses her new memoir “Heart Berries” and the importance of empathy for the indigenous experience, comedian Jason Traeger describes his therapist choices in Portland, program director of the American Culinary Institute Sophie Egan talks about what’s known as the American food psyche, and former Fats Domino band member and saxophonist Reggie Houston performs the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves."