Live Wire with Luke Burbank: Episode Summary – January 24, 2025

Live Wire with Luke Burbank, hosted by Luke Burbank and produced by PRX, dives deep into eclectic and culturally rich topics each week. The January 24, 2025 episode features a rebroadcast with insightful conversations from Annie Rauwerda, Ivan McClellan, and Sammy Braman. This summary captures the essence of their discussions, key insights, and memorable moments from the episode.

1. Episode Introduction

Luke Burbank opens the show with an engaging overview of the episode's content, highlighting the unique guests and topics to be covered:

• Annie Rauwerda: Creator of the social media account Depths of Wikipedia, which showcases the most absurd and delightfully weird entries from Wikipedia.
• Ivan McClellan: A renowned photojournalist whose latest book, Eight Seconds, explores black cowboy culture in America.
• Sammy Braman: A folk fiddle master performing live from the Pickathon Music Festival.

Luke Burbank [00:02]: "This week on the show, we are sinking to some new depths, but in a good way. We're entering the depths of Wikipedia with Annie Ruerda..."

2. News Highlights

a. Regrowth of a Sycamore Tree at Hadrian's Wall

Elena Passarello shares a heartening story about the regeneration of a beloved sycamore tree at Hadrian's Wall in England. After an act of vandalism in which the tree was chopped down, scientists preserved its genetic material. Recently, a park service officer named Gary Pickles discovered new shoots emerging from the stump, signaling hope for the tree's revival.

Elena Passarello [05:10]: "It's kind of like normal people... the tree is regenerating itself."

Gary Pickles' quote [07:36]: "Oh, you're back, are you? Aw, it's just so."

b. Bowser the Tortoise’s Adventure

The best news segment features Bowser, a nine-year-old tortoise from Southeast Portland, who escaped his home for two days. After a community-wide search involving police officers distributing water during a heatwave, Bowser was safely found and returned to his relieved family.

Elena Passarello [09:02]: "Oh, no, it's Bowser."

Luke Burbank [09:46]: "He's throwing fireballs... Bowser is now safely back at home where Bowser belongs."

3. Featured Guests

a. Ivan McClellan – Eight Seconds

Ivan McClellan, a photojournalist, discusses his evocative book Eight Seconds, which delves into the vibrant black cowboy culture in America. His work challenges the stereotypical portrayal of cowboys in media and celebrates a rich, underrepresented community.

• Early Perceptions of Black Cowboys: McClellan reflects on his upbringing in Kansas City, Kansas, where black cowboys were present but invisible in mainstream media.

  Ivan McClellan [11:17]: "Like, watching that and the Beverly Hillbillies... I didn't know anything about the history and really didn't identify the people around me like that."

• Journey to Documenting Culture: His transition from feeling out of place in Portland’s predominantly white environment to immersing himself in black rodeo culture in Oklahoma.

  Ivan McClellan [12:58]: "Thousands of black cowboys... a beautiful mixture of western culture with black culture that I was familiar with."

• Photography Challenges: Using a medium format camera to capture fleeting moments in rodeo action, despite the technical difficulties.

  Ivan McClellan [20:02]: "I shoot with a medium format camera... which is the exact wrong camera to shoot action with."

• Founding the Juneteenth Rodeo: As the CEO of the 8Seconds Juneteenth Rodeo in Portland, McClellan highlights the event's role in celebrating black heritage and promoting community pride.

  Ivan McClellan [21:07]: "There's a lot of pride in the community here. It's a gathering of the black community. Everybody's welcome."

b. Annie Rauwerda – Depths of Wikipedia

Annie Rauwerda, the creative mind behind Depths of Wikipedia, shares insights into her project that curates the most peculiar and fascinating Wikipedia entries.

• Origins of the Project: Started during the COVID-19 lockdown, Annie began collecting quirky Wikipedia facts to entertain her friends, which eventually attracted a massive audience.

  Annie Rauwerda [28:16]: "Covid hit and so suddenly I had all this free time and I was reading about stolen and missing moon rocks or the timeline of the far future."

• What Makes a Great Entry: Relatability and the inherent intrigue of the stories featured, such as Penelope the platypus’s quirky behavior or the infamous Kentucky Meat Shower.

  Annie Rauwerda [29:58]: "It's really great when there's an element of relatability in stories."

• Wikipedia’s Reliability and Rules: Discusses how Wikipedia has evolved from a free-for-all to a more regulated platform with hierarchies and guidelines to maintain accuracy.

  Annie Rauwerda [41:16]: "You should be a little bit skeptical of things you read on Wikipedia... it's the largest and most accessible source of knowledge that humanity has ever had."

• Interactive Segments: Engages in a disambiguation game where she identifies the correct term based on various descriptions, demonstrating the complexity and breadth of Wikipedia entries.

  Annie Rauwerda [31:09]: "The pizza meter was an informal measure of if the US is about to have a big military action."

c. Sammy Braman – Riveter

Sammy Braman, a talented folk fiddle musician, discusses his debut solo record Riveter and his experiences performing at the Pickathon Music Festival.

• Musical Influences: Blends traditional fiddle tunes from Appalachia, Cape Breton, and Irish music with contemporary sounds, creating a unique and danceable style.

  Sammy Braman [45:37]: "I'm obsessed with learning and uncovering old tunes from Appalachia... and music from Louisiana and Scandinavia."

• Growth and Performances: From forming a string band at age eight to touring extensively and winning prestigious awards, Sammy's journey showcases his dedication to music.

  Sammy Braman [46:57]: "I feel like it's dance music to the core... that's what the music needs to be—something that makes people wanna dance."

• Life in Nashville: Adapted to the vibrant music scene in Nashville, embracing opportunities to perform live regularly and drawing inspiration from the city's dynamic environment.

  Sammy Braman [47:22]: "Nashville is... inspiring. I wanted to be the worst fiddler in the room, and that's been my experience."

4. Interactive Listener Engagement

• Wikipedia Deep Dives: Elena Passarello shares listeners' intriguing Wikipedia exploration experiences, ranging from etymologies of fruit names to detailed entries on obscure agreements like the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact.

  Elena Passarello [26:17]: "Carl's latest Wikipedia wormhole involved going through fruit names one by one and reading their etymologies."

• Disambiguation Challenge: Annie participates in a live game where she identifies correct terms based on multiple disambiguated descriptions, enhancing listener engagement and showcasing the depth of her project.

  Luke Burbank [38:08]: "It is a brand of automobiles produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1938 to 2011... metallic chemical element with the symbol H.G. – Mercury."

5. Musical Performance

Sammy Braman delivers a captivating live performance of his track "Riveter" at the Pickathon Music Festival, illustrating his mastery of the fiddle and his ability to blend traditional and modern musical elements seamlessly.

Sammy Braman [48:03]: "This is a tune called Riveter, which is the title track of my album."

The performance resonates with the audience, showcasing the emotional depth and infectious energy of his music.

6. Closing Remarks and Credits

Luke Burbank wraps up the episode by thanking the guests—Annie Rauwerda, Ivan McClellan, and Sammy Braman—and acknowledging the support from sponsors like Powell's Books and Secret Aardvark hot sauce. He previews the next week's special Black History Month episode, featuring conversations with poet Tracy K. Smith and writer Saeed Jones.

Luke Burbank [53:20]: "A huge thanks to our guests Annie Rueda, Ivan McClellan and Sammy Braman."

Notable Quotes

• Ivan McClellan [20:02]: "I shoot with a medium format camera... which is the exact wrong camera to shoot action with."
• Annie Rauwerda [41:16]: "You should be a little bit skeptical of things you read on Wikipedia... it's the largest and most accessible source of knowledge that humanity has ever had."
• Sammy Braman [46:57]: "I feel like it's dance music to the core... that's what the music needs to be—something that makes people wanna dance."

Conclusion

This episode of Live Wire with Luke Burbank masterfully intertwines diverse topics—from the resurgence of a historic tree and the adventurous journey of a tortoise to the rich tapestry of black cowboy culture and the whimsical depths of Wikipedia. With compelling conversations and lively performances, the episode offers listeners a profound and entertaining exploration of culture, history, and the quirky corners of knowledge.

For those who missed the episode, Live Wire with Luke Burbank continues to deliver thought-provoking and delightful content each week, blending insightful interviews with captivating stories and music.