Live Wire with Luke Burbank

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W. Kamau Bell, Rick Steves, and Edna Vázquez

July 31, 2026

Podcaster W. Kamau Bell (Who's With Me?) explains why he's a comedian first... despite his reputation for having difficult conversations with groups like the KKK; travel writer Rick Steves admits he was surprised to find himself a plot point in Apple TV’s “Pluribus;" and singer-songwriter Edna Vázquez, alongside a group of high school mariachi musicians, performs "Lindo Colima" from her album of traditional Mexican music Te Esperaba.

Sam Sanders, Sandi DuBowski, and The Lowest Pair (REBROADCAST)

July 24, 2026

Radio host and podcaster Sam Sanders makes the case for the three TV shows that he believes changed culture; filmmaker Sandi DuBowski discusses his documentary Sabbath Queen, which follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie over two decades as he grapples with orthodoxy, interfaith marriage, and his drag persona; and indie folk duo The Lowest Pair perform "Fall on My Knees"... a song which they once performed for 45 minutes at a medical marijuana market. 

Jeff Chang and Okaidja Afroso

July 17, 2026

Writer and cultural critic Jeff Chang breaks down this latest book Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, which explores the life and legacy of the martial arts icon — from his days as a pesky college kid in Seattle to teetering on the brink of Hollywood stardom; plus, Ghanaian singer and guitarist Okaidja Afroso explains how he uses his native language of Gã to create a new musical sensibility, before performing his song "Nū Ké Là" (Water and Fire) from his Ancient Afr...