Poet and Kirkus Prize winner Saeed Jones unpacks his newest collection Alive at the End of the World and why Billie Holiday had a bone to pick with Maya Angelou; writer Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic) explains how her love of horror at a young age found its way into her latest book The Daughter of Doctor Moreau; and indie folk duo The Lowest Pair perform "Pear Tree" from their first record 36 Cents. Plus, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss our strange childhood obsessions.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello celebrate "Black History Month" with this special episode. Comedian Sam Jay (Saturday Night Live) discusses developing a whole new kind of late night show with her HBO series PAUSE with Sam Jay; writer and publisher Jelani Memory (A Kids Book About Racism) explains how he launched a book series for parents and kids to tackle heavy topics; cellist and folk musician Leyla McCalla brings the musicality of Langston Hughes' poetry to life with "Song for a Dark Girl" from her Smithsonian Folkways album Vari-Colored Songs; and instrumental duo Black Violin unpack the intersection of hip hop and classical music, before performing the titular track of their album Stereotypes.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk ambitious DIY projects; chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt tests his knowledge of cooking gadget infomercials; comedian Sara Schaefer leads a seminar on how to perform standup in various comedic styles... including puppetry; and indie rock group Dehd discusses bad loves stories and dental work, before performing "Bad Love" from their new album Blue Skies.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello reveal what our listeners would like to have named after them; legendary filmmaker John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Cry Baby) chats about his first novel Liarmouth and why he'll never leave Baltimore; writer Sasha LaPointe (Red Paint) unpacks her nomadic upbringing in the Pacific Northwest and why Twin Peaks made an impact on her as young Native woman; and indie rock group Deep Sea Diver performs "Shattering the Hourglass" from their album celebrated album Impossible Weight.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello recall some fads of the past; Aubrey Gordon discusses how her hit podcast Maintenance Phase debunks the junk science behind nutrition, wellness, and fatness; stand-up comedian Chris Meija gives us an unexpectedly hilarious account of his call to the suicide hotline; and lawyer-turned-powerhouse vocalist Danielle Ponder performs "Only the Lonely" from her newest album Some Of Us Are Brave.

In this podcast EXTRA, Maintenance Phase podcaster Audrey Gordon participates in a round of “The Jar of Truth” and gives her hot takes on some fads past and present.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello talk wacky cooking hacks; acclaimed chef and restaurateur Gregory Gourdet (Top Chef) discusses how his newest cookbook Everyone's Table begins with his journey to sobriety; and musician and scholar Julian Saporiti, a.k.a. No-No Boy, describes how he transformed his doctoral research on Asian-American history into a multimedia project, before performing "Tell Hanoi I Love Her" from his latest album 1975.

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some stories of when our listeners went "over the top;" actor and comedian Molly Shannon chats about her memoir Hello Molly and how she championed her famous character Mary Katherine Gallagher for Saturday Night Live; South African rocker Tuelo explains why she secretly believes her native Mwana tribe inspired rock 'n roll music; plus, Tuelo performs the track "Trouble" off her debut album The Life of Margaret Cornelius.

In this special Holiday Edition of Live Wire, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share their favorite holiday traditions; comedian Paul F. Tompkins unpacks "weekend water" and passive-aggressive Christmas carolers; social critic Sarah Marshall, host of the hit podcast You're Wrong About, discusses why our misperceptions of the past are largely influenced by the news cycle; and jazz vocalist Jimmie Herrod, of Pink Martini fame, performs his moving piano ballad "Each Time."

In this podcast EXTRA, comedian and writer Demi Adejuyigbe serenades us from the live stage with his own holiday song, "Rock n' Roll Santa Claus."