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.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello write their respective epitaphs; Megan Phelps-Roper, writer and former member of the Westboro Baptist Church, recounts how she left the notorious hate-driven cult and found the path of redemption; comedian Joe Kwaczala pokes fun at online dating as a short man; Xiomara Torres recounts how she became a Multnomah County judge after aging-out of foster care; and singer-songwriter Chastity Brown performs "Boston."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share stories of fictional and nonfictional dissertations; writer Chuck Klosterman explains why a puma in an airplane bathroom appears in his newest collection "Raised in Captivity;" humorist Tiffany Midge pokes holes in the notion of the “contemporary” Native writer; and indie pop group Tacocat performs “Grains of Salt” from their latest album "This Mess Is a Place."

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share the superpowers they would most like to possess; comedian Rhys Darby schools us on the secret underwater continent of Zealandia; comic book writer Kelly Sue DeConnick explains how she uncovers the humanity in her superhero characters; theater artist Ahamefule Oluo admits that performing a one-man show about his mother is sometimes awkward… especially when she’s in the audience; and indie rocker Cataldo teams up with Oluo to perform “When You First See the Waves” from the new album "Literally Main Street."

Host Luke Burbank recounts how a garter snake got “The Last Laugh” when it refused to leave his dining room; comedian Josh Gondelman attempts to be a nice guy in the competitive world of comedy; author Clyde W. Ford reflects on his father’s career as the first black software engineer in the nation; endurance athletes Alex Borsuk and Kaytlyn Gerbin discuss how they broke a record by conquering Mount Rainier’s Infinity Loop; and Americana duo The Lowest Pair perform “Rosie” from their album “The Sacred Heart Sessions.”

In this special Live Wire episode, host Luke Burbank catches up with comedian Pete Holmes on his "Comedy Sex God" book tour, where he explains how TV success took him in a new spiritual direction; poet Franny Choi discusses how she incorporated Google Translate and the Turing Test into her latest collection "Soft Science;" and powerhouse vocalist Jimmie Herrod, with Pink Martini, performs a rendition of the classic ballad “The Exodus Song.”

Humorist and former Live Wire host Courtenay Hameister reads from her recent nonfiction book "Okay Fine Whatever: The Year I Went from Being Afraid of Everything to Only Being Afraid of Most Things," which is a semi-finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Courtenay shared this essay on stage during Live Wire's 15th anniversary show in June 2019 at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon.

Celebrating Live Wire’s 15th anniversary, host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello give advice to their 15-year-old selves; writer and TV creator Lindy West explains why she is not the lead character in her Hulu series "Shrill;" comedian Dave Hill demonstrates how making mother jokes will get you kicked off of Twitter; and genre-crossing musical group Pink Martini perform the first song they ever wrote, the French language “Sympathique.”

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello contemplate a life on Mars; acclaimed author Karen Russell explains why she creates fantastical worlds in her stories to get at truth; comedian and television host W. Kamau Bell describes how his CNN show "United Shades of America" is really about gentrification; and multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi performs “Summer of ’42” from his latest album "Omoiyari."

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.”