Live Wire with Luke Burbank

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.

Ep. 279 Encore: "Going Gonzo" with Jon Ronson, Mac McClelland, Jed Arkley and Katie Watkins & Ivan and Alyosha

An update from author, attorney, and rapper Gyasi Ross about what's going on at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation and why he believes it's an amazing time to be alive.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share their personal catchphrases; comedian Paul F. Tompkins impersonates iconic German filmmaker Werner Herzog to review his local Trader Joe’s; author and activist Anuradha Bhagwati discusses the challenges women face for equal treatment in the Marines; and singer-songwriter Patterson Hood performs “21st Century USA.”

In this studio segment, Luke speaks with mortician Caitlin Doughty, who is known for advocating death acceptance and the reform of the Western funeral industry. She is the creator of the web series "Ask a Mortician," founder of the organization The Order of the Good Death, and is the author of two bestselling books, "From Here to Eternity" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." In this interview, Caitlin discusses death phobia, corpse interaction, and how many cultures outside of the United States tend to have a more positive relationship to grief.