Live Wire With Luke Burbank

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello pen their own commencement speeches and perform them to a few graduating high school seniors; writer and scholar Clint Smith discusses how he defended his Harvard dissertation over Zoom to a virtual audience of friends and family; Luke pays tribute to filmmaker and friend of the show Lynn Shelton, who passed away recently; and singer-songwriter Waxahatchee sings "Can't Do Much" from her studio in Kansas City.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share small wins they've accomplished; François Clemmons, famously known as Officer Clemmons on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," discusses how Fred Rogers became a mentor and father figure to him during personally turbulent times; comedy writer Joey Clift explains how he painstakingly crowdsourced musicians to make an album for every state in the union... a feat which was promised (yet never finished) by singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens; and Luke and Elena try their hands at writing and performing their own regional songs.

In honor of Mother's Day, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello invite their moms on the show to discuss how their daily routines have changed since lockdown; filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld shares anecdotes on his complicated relationship with his mother, working with the Coen Brothers, and leg wrestling Will Smith; and Grammy Award-winning blues artist Fantastic Negrito takes us on a journey through his musical rebirth, before serenading us with his song, "Nobody Makes Money."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello choose their ideal fictional characters to join them in lockdown; comedian Cameron Esposito unpacks the ups and downs of making Zoom her new comedy stage; Claude Taylor, who launched the Twitter feed @ratemyskyperoom, critiques Luke's home studio background; and The Lone Bellow share a new song they collaborated on while social distancing.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss what listeners are not missing during lockdown; author and blogger Samantha Irby settles some household disputes in the "Live Wire Court;" Francis Lam, food journalist and host of The Splendid Table podcast, offers tips on how to elevate a grilled cheese sandwich; and singer-actress Mandy Moore is joined by her husband Taylor Goldsmith to perform "If That's What It Takes" from her latest album "Silver Landings."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share stories of acts of kindness they've witnessed recently; comedian Paula Poundstone makes time to chat between walking her dogs and bleaching her house; hair stylist and salon owner Deanna Everson virtually coaches Luke through a home haircut; and Jonathan Russell of The Head and The Heart performs "Glory of Music."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal those unexpected things that are getting them through this time; writer and podcaster Nora McInerny offers insight into parenting during a pandemic; poet Saeed Jones explains his decision to adopt a dog while in self-isolation; and Jeff Tweedy, of renowned alt-rock band Wilco, performs a collaborative tune with his two sons titled "Save it For Me."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share what they've learned about themselves since being stuck inside; author Shea Serrano discusses how he uses Twitter to raise funds for people in need; comedian Brooks Wheelan recounts how he won a $500 bet with fellow comedian Nick Turner when he completed a marathon… hungover; and jazz vocalist Jimmie Herrod performs a springtime-inspired song he wrote while isolated in his Manhattan apartment.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello admit to wanting more nonessential items while being homebound; Dear Sugar advice columnist and acclaimed writer Cheryl Strayed answers listener questions on how to cope in these complicated times; author Jon Mooallem discusses the survival lessons we can glean from his topical new book "This Is Chance!: The Shaking of an All-American City, A Voice That Held It Together;" and we hear a new track from Charlie Brand, of indie-pop band Miniature Tigers, plus find out how he’s composing a break-up album in the midst of a lockdown.

In this "Mic Check" special edition of the "Live Wire House Party" series, host Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello record the show from their homes and discover the silver lining of self-isolation; Emily Flake, cartoonist for The New Yorker, teaches us the art of the awkward hug; master poet Eileen Myles takes on the presidency in a reading of their epic poem "Acceptance Speech;" and indie rock group Giants in the Trees, featuring Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic, perform their latest single “It Goes.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello tell stories of risks they've taken; Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Timothy Egan unpacks his relationship to faith during a thousand-mile trek across Europe that inspired his new book "A Pilgrimage to Eternity;" activist Jeannette Ward Horton discusses her organization NuLeaf, which advocates for minority inclusion in the legal cannabis industry; comedian Adam Pasi argues for the superiority of the Samoas Girl Scout cookie; and indie pop duo Pure Bathing Culture perform "All Night" from their latest album "Night Pass."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello swap stories about their failed musical auditions; Chioke I’Anson, the voice of NPR’s underwriting, admits to feeling self-conscious about the sound of his own voice; journalist Leah Sottile unpacks the symbiotic relationship between the federal government and fringe patriot groups, as investigated in her podcast Bundyville; and indie folk trio Joseph perform “Green Eyes” from their new album "Good Luck, Kid."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello assess the most unrealistic things on their bucket lists; humorist John Hodgman ponders themes of fame, prestige and airline mileage, as outlined in his new book “Medallion Status: True Stories from Secret Rooms;” journalist and podcaster Jon Mooallem takes a deep dive into the inner-workings of this tranquil podcast “Walking;” and soul singer Allen Stone performs “Brown Eyed Lover” from his album “Building Balance.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello describe their family crests; author Jami Attenberg struggles to feel compassion for the patriarch in her new book "All This Could Be Yours;" producer James Kim explains how language barriers and silence are used as narrative tools in his fictional podcast Moonface; chef Bonnie Morales discusses how her Belarusian background inspired the celebrated restaurant Kachka; and psychedelic rock group Federale perform the title track from their album "No Justice."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello riff on the ways they cheer themselves up; humorist, journalist, and actor Mo Rocca explains select chapters from his new book "Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving," in which he memorializes fascinating people (and objects) from history who didn't receive the send-off they deserved; poet and writer Heather Christle takes a deep dive into the art and act of crying – why we do it and even how tears reflect systems of power; and jazz vocalist Jimmie Herrod performs “Anything at All” from his new album "Falling in Love and Learning to Love Myself."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share their fanciest little habits; writer and poet Saeed Jones reflects on growing up black and gay in North Texas and why coming out is still challenging for many people in America today; Kristen Arnett, author of "Mostly Dead Things," argues that everything is taxidermy, including our reconstructed memories; and indie rock band Ages and Ages perform “Needle and Thread.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello tell us a secret; author Tim O’Brien explains his latest work, "Dad’s Maybe Book," as a series of letters and observations to help bridge the age gap between himself and his sons; writer Mira Jacob unpacks the process of creating her graphic memoir, "Good Talk," through which she taught herself how to draw to communicate difficult conversations about identity; and virtuoso singer and guitarist Edna Vazquez performs her new song “Monita.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss where they "Draw the Line" in life; Emily Flake, illustrator for The New Yorker, teaches us the art of the awkward hug; comedian Dave Hill recounts the journey to discover his Canadian roots, as outlined in his new book "Parking the Moose;" and indie rock group Giants in the Trees, featuring Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic, perform their latest single “It Goes.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal their personal “Love Languages;” documentary filmmaker Irene Taylor Brodsky discusses her new film "Moonlight Sonata," which follows her deaf son as he attempts to master Beethoven’s famed composition; poet Matthew Zapruder speaks on employing anger as a literary emotion in his latest collection "Father’s Day;" and indie rock group Bodies on the Beach perform their new single “Ghost.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello describe the moments that make them feel most at home; writer Dina Nayeri discusses the immigrant experience from interviews in her new book "The Ungrateful Refugee" and fleeing Iran herself as a child; author Adam Mansbach reflects on the surprise success of his children's book parody series; comedian Shain Brenden compares his former "single dad" status to a foreclosed home; and Portland's first lady of blues, LaRhonda Steele, soars through a cover of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.”