Live Wire

Series produced by Live Wire! Radio

Series image

Live Wire artfully blends unpredictable conversation, live music, and original comedy from all types of cultural talent and creative minds, from emerging artists to established acts.

NOTE: This program is available to PRX affiliates. For more information please email memberships@prx.org.

Hosted by Luke Burbank (Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, CBS Sunday Morning), the show is taped in front of a live audience in Portland, Oregon and reaches over 300,000 listeners via 150 public radio stations across the country (including WAMU in DC, KUOW in Seattle, KJZZ in Phoenix, Minnesota Public Radio, and more).

Past guests include writers and authors such as George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Hanif Abdurraqib, Lindy West, Chuck Klosterman, Salman Rushdie, and Gary Shteyngart; performers and comedians John Hodgman, Paul F. Tompkins, Abbi Jacobson, Michael Ian Black, Jackie Kashian, Naomi Ekperigin, Ian Karmel, Phoebe Robinson, Andy Kindler, and Reggie Watts; and film directors Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Lynn Shelton, and Chapman & Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country). Past musical guests include Helio Sequence, The Dandy Warhols, Meklit, Laura Gibson, Open Mike Eagle, Pink Martini, Jonathan Coulton, and Bilal, to name a few.

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Hosted by Luke Burbank (Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, CBS Sunday Morning), the show is taped in front of a live audience in Portland, Oregon and reaches over 300,000 listeners via 150 public radio stations across the country (including WAMU in DC, KUOW in Seattle, KJZZ in Phoenix, Minnesota Public Radio, and more). Past guests include writers and authors such as George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Hanif Abdurraqib, Lindy West, Chuck Klosterman, Salman Rushdie, and Gary Shteyngart; performers and comedians John Hodgman, Paul F. Tompkins, Abbi Jacobson, Michael Ian Black, Jackie Kashian, Naomi Ekperigin, Ian Karmel, Phoebe Robinson, Andy Kindler, and Reggie Watts; and film directors Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Lynn Shelton, and Chapman & Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country). Past musical guests... Show full description


Additional Files

637 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: American folk musician Willy Porter, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
DAN SMITH author of Monkey Mind; Comedian and author of Tasteful Nudes, DAVE HILL; Musical Guest, WILLY PORTER.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Oct 12, 2012
  • Length: 55:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: American folk musician Willy Porter, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
DAN SMITH author of Monkey Mind; Comedian and author of Tasteful Nudes, DAVE HILL; Musical Guest, WILLY PORTER.

Bought by KWMR, Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, 90.5 WESA and more


  • Added: Oct 12, 2012
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Issa Rae, Creator of the web series, "The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl", Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Writer and Director of ParaNorman CHRIS BUTLER. Writer and web series director ISSA RAE. Musical Guests FINN RIGGINS.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Oct 04, 2012
  • Length: 55:02
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Issa Rae, Creator of the web series "The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl", Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Writer and Director of ParaNorman CHRIS BUTLER. Writer and web series director ISSA RAE. Musical Guests FINN RIGGINS.

Bought by Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, WCPN, and 90.5 WESA


  • Added: Oct 04, 2012
  • Length: 58:58
  • Purchases: 5
Piece image
Comedian EUGENE MIRMAN. Documentarian D.A. PENNEBAKER. Musical guest STEVE POLTZ.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 28, 2012
  • Length: 55:02
  • Purchases: 1
Piece image
Comedian EUGENE MIRMAN. Documentarian D.A. PENNEBAKER. Musical guest STEVE POLTZ.

Bought by Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.5 WESA, and WCPN


  • Added: Sep 27, 2012
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Corin Tucker of Corin Tucker Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Acclaimed author ROB REID. Author CHELSEA CAIN. Musical guest JOE PUG. Sleater-Kinney alum's solo project CORIN TUCKER BAND.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 20, 2012
  • Length: 55:03
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Corin Tucker of Corin Tucker Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Acclaimed author ROB REID. Author CHELSEA CAIN. Musical guest JOE PUG. Sleater-Kinney alum's solo project, CORIN TUCKER BAND.

Bought by Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.5 WESA, and WCPN


  • Added: Sep 20, 2012
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Mike Birbiglia, Comedian and star of the new film Sleepwalk With Me , Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Comedian and Filmmaker MIKE BIRBIGLIA. Journalist and video game designer MATT HARDING. Musical guests HELIO SEQUENCE.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 14, 2012
  • Length: 55:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Mike Birbiglia, Comedian and star of the new film Sleepwalk With Me, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Comedian and Filmmaker MIKE BIRBIGLIA. Journalist and video game designer MATT HARDING. Musical guests HELIO SEQUENCE.

Bought by 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, 90.5 WESA, WCPN, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Rhythm & News Service


  • Added: Sep 14, 2012
  • Length: 58:58
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Fruit Bats, Eric D. Johnson, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author BRIAN DOYLE. Storyteller AMBER JO. Musical Guests FRUIT BATS.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 06, 2012
  • Length: 54:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Fruit Bats, Eric D. Johnson, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author BRIAN DOYLE. Storyteller AMBER JO. Musical Guests FRUIT BATS.

Bought by Oregon Public Broadcasting and Rhythm & News Service


  • Added: Sep 06, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Hey Marseilles Indie Folk Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
ELIZABETH WEIL - Author of "No Cheating, No Dying: I had a Good Marriage and I Tried to Make it Better." IAN KARMEL - Stand-up comic, winner of t...

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Aug 29, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Hey Marseilles Indie Folk Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
ELIZABETH WEIL - Author of "No Cheating, No Dying: I had a Good Marriage and I Tried to Make it Better." IAN KARMEL - Stand-up comic, winner of t...

Bought by Rhythm & News Service and Oregon Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Aug 29, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Humorist & Author David Rakoff, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author, Commentator, Humorist David Rakoff, Author Jonathan Lethem plus musical guest 21 year old sensation Sara Jackson-Holman

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Aug 23, 2012
  • Length: 54:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Humorist & Author David Rakoff, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author, Commentator, Humorist David Rakoff, Author Jonathan Lethem, plus musical guest 21 year old sensation Sara Jackson-Holman

Bought by Rhythm & News Service and Oregon Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Aug 23, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Indie Pop band Lost Lander, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
AJ JACOBS - New York Times bestselling author. DAVID WOLMAN - Author and Journalist. LOST LANDER - Portland indie pop band.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Aug 09, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Indie Pop band Lost Lander, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
AJ JACOBS - New York Times bestselling author. DAVID WOLMAN - Author and Journalist. LOST LANDER - Portland indie pop band.

Bought by KUT, 90.5 WESA, Rhythm & News Service, and Oregon Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Aug 09, 2012
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: New York Times Best-selling author of Wild, Cheryl Strayed, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
CHERYL STRAYED - Best-selling Author LAUREN WEEDMAN - Actress, Writer, Humorist LAURA GIBSON- Singer/Songwriter

  • Added: Aug 16, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
Caption: New York Times Best-selling author of Wild, Cheryl Strayed, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
CHERYL STRAYED - Best-selling Author LAUREN WEEDMAN - Actress, Writer, Humorist LAURA GIBSON- Singer/Songwriter

Bought by 90.5 WESA and Rhythm & News Service


  • Added: Aug 16, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2