Hari Kondabolu, Lindy West & Meagan Hatcher-Mays, and John Craigie

Summary

Podcast Summary: Live Wire with Luke Burbank
Episode: Hari Kondabolu, Lindy West & Meagan Hatcher-Mays, and John Craigie
Date: February 20, 2026

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Episode Overview

This lively episode of Live Wire captures the show’s signature blend of humor, cultural exploration, and creativity. Host Luke Burbank welcomes comedian and podcaster Hari Kondabolu to discuss his foray into the world of health podcasting, followed by a spirited interview with writers and best friends Lindy West & Megan Hatcher Mays about their podcast Text Me Back. Humor, personal stories, and the quirks of contemporary podcasting culture are dissected with wit. The show concludes with soulful live music from singer-songwriter John Craigie, rounding out an evening of insight and entertainment.

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1. The Best News We Heard All Week (03:41–09:35)

Key Points

• Guest Announcer Elena Passarello shares botanical good news:

  • A rare shrub, Petolius cinereus, believed extinct since the 1960s, was rediscovered in Queensland, Australia, by expert Aaron Bean.
  • The discovery was confirmed through the citizen science network iNaturalist, which now boasts over 104 million verified images.
  • Elena celebrates the power of citizen science:

    “Sometimes it’s hard to see the Internet is doing very much good. That’s a generalization. But this is an example of where it’s a wonderful thing…” [06:59]

• Luke Burbank highlights a surprising animal study:

  • A cow named Veronica in Austria was found using tools to scratch herself, employing different tools for different body parts.
  • This adds cows to the select list of animals known for tool use and raises questions about their cognitive abilities.
  • Luke jokes:

    “If this plant could survive and maybe even be brought back from the brink, there is hope for the plants at my house…” [07:13]
    (and, referencing Gary Larson’s The Far Side:)
    “And now look who’s laughing now.” [09:22]

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2. Interview with Hari Kondabolu (Stand-up Comic & Co-Host, Health Stuff Podcast) (11:46–31:16)

Conversion Highlights and Insights

On Hosting Snack vs. Chef

• Hari discusses hosting the snack-based reality competition (Snack vs. Chef) and his personal journey with the craft services:

  “I had lost about 20 pounds to get ready for that show … and then that started a bender that hasn’t ended for four years now.” [11:58]

On Co-Hosting the Health Stuff Podcast

• Hari shares that he co-hosts the podcast Health Stuff with Dr. Priyanka Wali, a double board-certified physician and stand-up comic.

• The show takes a humorous angle on health while tackling big social and systemic issues affecting wellness.

  “The show really is about how society affects your health … if something’s happening in your body, maybe it’s pollution, maybe it’s bad food, maybe it’s bad water. Let’s discuss it. I mean, the show’s a real laugh fest.” [18:12]

• On co-hosting with an actual doctor:

  “I’m just a stand-up comic. And she’s like a stand-up comic—a successful one at that … and then she was like, I’m going to be a doctor again.” [14:31]

Behind the Scenes Health Perks

• Luke asks if Hari’s on the show to get free medical advice:

  “No, but that’s brilliant, actually … there’s always a section where I’m talking about an ailment I have … and Priyanka just listens and smiles and then we move on…” [17:21]

Shocking Health Facts

• Topics like 'matrescence'—the postpartum changes women experience—have shocked and educated Hari:

  “We did one about matrescence. It’s like adolescence, but for the mother when they have a kid…” [18:12]

State of Stand-Up Comedy

• Reflects on changes within stand-up: more crowd work, less material, increased audience “participation,” and shifts from “cancel culture” debates:

  “Right now … this whole anti cancel culture, we can say whatever we want—that’s definitely not what I’m necessarily into.” [20:32]

• On dealing with hecklers:

  “Give it a second. Digest it, and then destroy the human being that caused trouble.” [21:54]

Fun Segment: “Doctor Hari” Diagnoses Animal Ailments (26:05–31:16)

• Luke presents animal medical mysteries; Hari improvises diagnoses with comedic results:

  • Koala with cough? “A cold. I would prescribe koala cough syrup.” [26:54]
    • Real answer: Most likely chlamydia.
  • Horned lizard with blood-shot eyes? “This is why you have to clean your contacts.” [28:18]
    • Real answer: Defense mechanism.
  • Snappperfish with a new tongue? “Clearly it’s an alien.” [29:13]
    • Real answer: Tongue-eating louse parasite.
  • Female ferret with high estrogen? “Don’t talk down to the ferret.” [30:18]
    • Real answer: Needs to mate; could be fatal if not.

• Memorable moment:

  “That’s almost like the animal version of Human Centipede.” –Hari [29:59]

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3. Interview with Lindy West & Megan Hatcher Mays (Text Me Back Podcast) (32:57–43:36)

The Realities of Co-Hosting a Chat Podcast

On Preparation (or Lack Thereof)

• The duo laughs about their “planning” process:

  “Lindy loves to text me and be like, I have a segment idea. …That’s just, like, a sentence you thought of.” –Megan [33:32] “We faithfully every week, will write in the document: Snakes.” –Lindy [34:12]

• On losing track of Google Docs:

  “Can I keep track of that bookmark where the document is? No, forget it.” –Megan [34:20]

The Rhythm of the Show

• Megan explains their show’s vibe:

  “I got a bone to pick with archaeology. They keep digging stuff up, but it just looks like rocks … and then the show’s over.” [35:10]

• Lindy’s “stupidest hyper fixation yet”:

  “How do seals sleep at night? And that doesn’t require a lot of pre planning, you know?” [35:21]

“Password Reset” Quiz (Podcast Co-Host Edition)

• Testing how well they know each other’s online security answers, leading to hilarious and revealing moments:

  • Place least likely to visit?

    • Megan guesses “Disney World,” correct answer is “Burning Man.”

      “Oh, that is the worst place I can imagine. The vibe is even worse than the weather.” –Lindy [37:17]

  • What song do you think you could have sung better than the original singer?

    • Megan’s answer: “Any Bob Dylan song.”

      “…This man sucks. He sounds like an old tin can and not in a good way.” –Lindy [40:16]

  • Shampoo brand used?

    • Lindy’s answer: “The dregs of whatever bottle someone left in the shower.”

      “I feel like you don’t even buy shampoo.” –Megan [41:34] “You can always add more water, shake it up.” –Megan [41:42]

  • Pet’s name (Yahoo account)?

    • Megan is a “famous animal hoarder,” listing decades’ worth of pets. Official answer: “Tigger, a cat of inordinate size.”

      “I have a list of over 20 pets in front of me.” –Luke [42:13]

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4. Musical Guest: John Craigie (45:40–53:57)

Interview Insights

• John’s most recent album is Greatest Hits, Just Kidding Live no Hits.

  “Where is the line between self deprecation and cripplingly low self esteem? Because it is a line that I walk myself often.” –Luke [45:46]

  “My first live album … was called Capricorn in Retrograde, Just kidding, Live in Portland. And [my manager] hated that so much.” –John [46:15]

• On performance and introversion:

  “I think it is a misnomer that a musician would be outgoing. I think one reason we choose this is that … at a party, if you’re the one playing music, then you don’t have to talk to people.” [48:51]

• On songwriting:

  “Lyrics always. I’m not that comfortable with the music part. … I was never comfortable with the music part. Music’s hard. I don’t know if you guys have tried it.” [49:35, 49:48]

Performance:

• Song: “Fire Season” (50:14–53:57)
  • Evocative, poetic, and warmly received by the audience.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Give it a second. Digest it, and then destroy the human being that caused trouble.”
  — Hari Kondabolu on dealing with hecklers [21:54]

• “I would prescribe koala with the appropriate cough syrup, because I’m assuming there must be koala cough syrup. … Eucalyptus flavored.”
  — Hari Kondabolu riffing on koala medicine [27:01]

• “I don’t know why the boomers have been trying to shove Bob Dylan down our throats for the last 60 years, but this man sucks.”
  — Lindy West [40:16]

• “I just really feel like her shampoo is probably like an eight in one.”
  — Megan Hatcher Mays [41:02]

• “I have a list of over 20 pets in front of me.”
  — Luke Burbank [42:13]

• “You can always add more water. Shake it up.”
  — Megan Hatcher Mays [41:42]

• “I think it is a misnomer that a musician would be outgoing. … At a show, I come out, I do the thing … and then I can run backstage. So it is ideal for an introvert, even though it sounds sort of counterintuitive.”
  — John Craigie [48:51]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:41 – The Best News We Heard All Week
• 11:46 – Interview: Hari Kondabolu
• 26:05 – “Doctor Hari”: Animal Medical Diagnoses Game
• 32:57 – Interview: Lindy West & Megan Hatcher Mays
• 35:52 – “Password Reset” Quiz
• 45:40 – Interview: John Craigie
• 50:14 – “Fire Season” by John Craigie

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Live Wire continually proves its ability to find the comedic and profound overlaps in culture and creativity. This episode is no exception—combining real science, animal oddities, personal vulnerabilities, and plenty of laughs, all delivered in the genuine voices of the guests and hosts. If you missed it, this summary captures the warmth, wit, and whimsical intellect that make Live Wire a must-listen.

Transcript

[Luke Burbank]

Hey there. Welcome to Livewire. I'm your host, Luke Burbank. All right, today on the show, Hurry Kondabolu talks to us about his new podcast, Health Stuff, which looks to answer serious health questions using a bit of humor. Now, the good news is his co host on the podcast is an actual doctor. Hurry is not a doctor, but we still asked him for his advice about some weird ailments that certain animals might experience. Then we're gonna talk to Lindy west and Megan Hatcher Mays. They are real life besties. They also co host the podcast. Text me back and we are gonna find out if they know each other so well that they could hack into each other's online accounts. Not that they ever would. Then we're gonna hear a brand new song from our pal, the one and only John Craigie. All right, we got a great episode of Livewire in store for you this week, so don't go anywhere. It all gets started right after this.

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[Elena Passarello]

It's Live Wire. This week, comedian Hari Kondabolu and the

[Hari Kondabolu]

audience doesn't know what's going on. They don't know what the heckle was. So I'd say give it a second, digest it, and then destroy the human being that caused trouble.

[Elena Passarello]

Podcasters Lindy west and Megan Hatcher Mays.

[Lindy West]

I feel like you don't even buy shampoo.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Oh, no.

[Elena Passarello]

What's the need?

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

You can always add more water.

[Elena Passarello]

Shake it up with music from John Craigie and our fabulous house band. I'm your announcer, Elena Passarello. And now the host of Livewire, Luke Burbank.

[Luke Burbank]

We have an absolutely fantastic show in store for you this week. Can't wait to get to it. First, though, we got to kick things off the way that we always do, a little segment that we call the best news we heard all week. Here is the premise of this segment. Despite what you may have heard, there is good news happening on planet Earth. It takes a lot of research, but luckily we've got a crack team that looks for good, and then we find it and we tell you about it. Elena, what's the best news you heard all week?

[Elena Passarello]

Well, you know what I always say, if you're looking for good news, turn to plants. Yes, this news comes from the world of botany. There's a little shrub called Petolius cinereus. It's a shrub that has little purple flowers that kind of come up like milkweed, long stalks. Have you ever seen it? No, you haven't. I'm going to tell you you haven't. You know why I know you haven't?

[John Craigie]

Why?

[Elena Passarello]

Because I know when you were born. And the last time anybody saw petolius scenarios was nearly a decade before you were born.

[Luke Burbank]

Wow. So like in the 60s or something.

[Elena Passarello]

That's right.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Elena Passarello]

LBJ was president. I don't know why I'm bringing up all these American facts, like the birth of Luke Burbank and LBJ's presidency.

[Luke Burbank]

People think of those in the same context. Those are both incredibly big moments for this nation's history.

[Elena Passarello]

You are the LBJ of public radio.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know if I want that title, but okay,

[Elena Passarello]

so this shrub is an antipodal plant. It's from the Australia area, and it's been missing longer than both of us have been alive. But this summer, a horticulturist and bird bander named Aaron Bean was traipsing around a remote area of Queensland, and he saw a plant that matched its description, which we should pause here to say, this guy knows so much about plants, he could recognize a plant. Plant that nobody has seen probably as long as he's been alive. That is an encyclopedia. Like, plant people are amazing. So he uploaded it to this forum called Inaturalist, which is kind of a community. Yeah. Do we have Inaturalist users in the house?

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, it's a public radio crowd, most of these people.

[Elena Passarello]

Are you on it now?

[Luke Burbank]

Most people met their partners on Inaturalist. That's right.

[Elena Passarello]

Well, so you guys know about this great citizen scientist website that not only just fans of nature use, but, you know, trained botanists use it. And a bunch of experts weighed in after Aaron Bean was like, is this what I think it is? And after a process, they confirmed that, yes, this plant that had thought to be long gone was thriving in this tiny region in. Well, I don't know if it was thriving, but at least it was there.

[Luke Burbank]

Wow.

[Elena Passarello]

Yeah. And. And I mean, for me, the best news is about, like, the folks here who participate in Inaturalist other kind of citizen science forums, like what's happening in the Katmai Peninsula with bears and explore.org where people are monitoring wildlife cams. Audubon has all of these opportunities for. We have so much more ability to catalog our world because of people who go out and take pictures and upload it. They say that iNaturalist has 104 million verified images.

[John Craigie]

Wow.

[Elena Passarello]

So, you know, sometimes it's hard to see the Internet is doing very much good. That's a generalization. But this is an example of where it's, I think, a wonderful thing that we all can do to make sure we have a great biological picture of our world.

[Luke Burbank]

Also, if this plant could survive and maybe even be brought back from the brink, there is hope for the plants at my house that I bought from Trader Joe's once on a weird whim that. I'll be honest with you. They don't seem like they're doing well.

[Elena Passarello]

No. Yeah, I'm actually getting something from Inaturalist right now. No, a citizen scientist has just put a skull and crossbones on that app about your Trader Joe's face.

[Luke Burbank]

Unfortunately.

[Elena Passarello]

Sorry. Sorry about ya.

[Luke Burbank]

The best news that I heard all week actually came from a Livewire listener named Mark, who sent this in. Shout out to Mark. And, you know, a lot about animals. Elena, in fact, you wrote a great book. Animals Strike Curious Poses.

[Elena Passarello]

Thanks, Mom.

[Luke Burbank]

So you probably know that sort of the thought has been that it's a relatively small list of kinds of animals that can use tools. Primates have demonstrated the ability, some birds, also some marine mammals, like dolphins. But there's a new animal that we can add to the list. It's a cow named Veronica from Austria, who's 10 years old. And the folks taking care of Veronica noticed that she was really adept at finding things in her natural environment that she could use to scratch her ass with. And somebody just said, me too, in the audience. Veronica, are you here? But it was so kind of rather repetitive, and it seemed like there was some intention behind it that they called up some scientists who came out and decided to run this whole study, which they just published in the magazine Current Biology. And they basically set Veronica up with a variety of different things that she could use to scratch herself. Some of them were kind of. Sometimes they had soft bristles, other times they were stiffer. They were different lengths. And the researchers say that Veronica used different parts of the same tool for specific purposes. She even modified her technique depending on the type of object or the area of her body that she wanted to scratch.

[Elena Passarello]

And she's holding it in between.

[Luke Burbank]

In her mouth.

[Elena Passarello]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And like, scratching her back with, like, a long broom with all these different things that they had sort of set up for her.

[Elena Passarello]

So she. So she also could, like, she could do it backwards. Like, she could hold the broom in her mouth and feel the broom. Wow.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. And they think that this is the first time that they've ever seen a cow using tools. And what they think it means is that cow we may be underestimating or may have underestimated the cognitive capacity of cows. And this is one more thing. The thing about Veronica is Veronica is a pet. She's not living in one of these, you know, sort of. Sort of less than great environments that a lot of cattle end up in. She's living in a field. She's not producing meat or milk. She's just hanging out, finding things to scratch herself with, which they think is very good for her cognitive abilities. Right. So I also feel like this is a. I mean, this is a real W for the cartoonist Gary Larson, who did the Far side. It seems like most of the Far side cartoons were about an animal using a tool in a way that we didn't expect them to. And we laughed at Gary Larson. And now look who's laughing now. So the fact that Veronica is Getting a good scratch that maybe this will lead to us thinking a little bit about how we're treating these cows and being nicer to them and the fact that Gary Larson is having a great week. That's the best news that I heard all week, my friends. You're listening to Livewire from prx. Let's get our first guest on out here. He's a comedian and writer who the New York Times calls one of the most exciting political comics in stand up today. He's released multiple comedy specials and is a regular panelist on. Wait, wait, don't tell me. He also was one of the hosts of the Netflix food show Snack vs Chef, where he ate a lot of snacks and then probably needed some medical attention, which is convenient because he's now also the co host of the new podcast Health Stuff, where he learns things and hangs out with an actual double board certified physician. Please welcome Hurry Kondabolu to Livewire. Hurry. Welcome back to the show.

[Hari Kondabolu]

It's nice to be here.

[Luke Burbank]

I said something to that intro for you that I actually don't know if it is true or not. I said that you were one of the hosts of Snack vs Chef and that you ate a lot of snacks, but did you?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

So you had access to the snacks?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, I went. I had lost about 20 pounds to get ready for that show, you know. Cause it's like I'm hosting a TV show and I want to look good. And then that started a bender that hasn't ended for four years now.

[Luke Burbank]

You could have a lawsuit.

[Hari Kondabolu]

I mean, honestly, with Netflix, I mean, it was funny because they had all like. Because it was. They had a fake bodega full of like chocolate bars and stuff. And we were told not to touch them because for continuity's sake. But as soon as the last episode was done, I went nuts. But the thing, it was a fake bodega. So they also had like bodega stuff. So they said you could have whatever you wanted. So I was grabbing toilet paper. I was grabbing. I had like deodorant for three years.

[Luke Burbank]

Like you had a bodega cat.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Exactly.

[Luke Burbank]

That you brought home with you?

[Hari Kondabolu]

I went for the big money items. It was like Supermarket Sweep. I was excited.

[Luke Burbank]

Is it fun hosting like a kind of a competition show like that? Or is it really, like long hours and actually more tedious than people might think?

[Hari Kondabolu]

I mean, it was. It was long hours and it was very tedious. But it was also really fun. You know, I was hosting with Meg Stalter, who is absolutely brilliant. She's Some of you might know her from hacks, but she's a fantastic comedic actress and like, I just had so much fun doing that job.

[Luke Burbank]

Did you learn anything, like, about, like, can you make some kind of exotic snack preparation now? Do you know how to make a Reese's peanut butter cup or whatever from scratch?

[Hari Kondabolu]

I learned nothing. Nothing was gained other than pounds.

[Luke Burbank]

So you are hosting this podcast now called Health Stuff with a doctor named Dr. Priyanka Wali. How did this end up happening? Did they approach you? Did you pitch this show around? How did you become the non doctor on this show?

[Hari Kondabolu]

They were looking for a co host for Priyanka. Priyanka had hosted another podcast called Hypochondriacor.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay.

[Hari Kondabolu]

So they asked me if I'd be interested and we did a test run. It went great. And that's it. Like, I got this gig even though, I mean, here's the thing, if it was a television show, I don't think I would have gotten it because I'm not particularly healthy. But because it's a podcast, nobody knows.

[Luke Burbank]

Your co host, Dr. Wally is also. I was on her Instagram page. She's also a stand up comedian and a practicing medical doctor.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah. Which is. I'm not, man.

[Luke Burbank]

Like, that's supposed to be your lane.

[Hari Kondabolu]

I'm just a stand up comic. And she's like a stand up comic. A successful one at that. Like she toured and all that. And then she was like, I'm going to be a doctor again. And then now she's a double board certified doctor. It's very, It's. Yeah. My parents, I'm sure, are like, ah, we got the wrong one.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know though. Like, I was thinking about this. Do you want a funny doctor as the patient? You know what I mean? That seems like that could go sideways pretty fast.

[Hari Kondabolu]

I think it depends on what kind of doctor proctologists know. Dentists. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

You're listening to Livewire from prx. We're talking to comedian and podcaster Hari Kondabalu. We're at Revolution hall in Portland this week and we need to take a very quick break, but don't go anywhere. More Livewire in just a moment.

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[Luke Burbank]

Welcome back to LIVEWIRE from prx. I'm Luke Burbank here with Elena Passarello. We are talking to comedian and podcaster Hurry Kondabolu. Did you agree to do this health stuff podcast? Because as a comedian, you do not have adequate health care and this allows you to talk to a physician with no copay on a weekly basis?

[Hari Kondabolu]

No, but that's brilliant, actually. You know, I mean, especially in some of the early episodes, there's always a section where I'm talking about an ailment. I have, like, something, I pulled something. Oh, I just got a crown put in. There's always something where I'm updating the audience on, like, the state of my health and Priyanka just listens and smiles and then we move on with the show.

[Luke Burbank]

You're not able to glean a little free kind of medical advice, like, while you're sound checking or before the show's happening in real life, you'd be like holding your foot up to zoom, going, does this bunion look problematic?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Is my pee supposed to be neon?

[Luke Burbank]

Have you learned anything in the process of co hosting this that's actually been pretty surprising to you, just about the human body or things related to medicine?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Every episode, there's always something that shocks me. We did one about matrescence. It's like adolescents, but for the mother when they have a kid. Like the big changes that happen both, like, psychologically, biologically, socially in a woman's life when they have a kid. And we were just talking about different countries and how raising a child works and how in certain countries a child is touched by up to 10 to 15 different human beings during the day because that's how community works. You have different people, you know, holding your kid, taking care of your kid, giving you a chance to recover from this incredible thing. You've just Done. And in America, it's not 10 to 15 people a day. It's a very different kind of thing. So it's kind of like learning those kinds of things. Like, that's not necessarily like a medical thing, but it's. The show really is about, like, how society affects your health and like, the bigger issues involving health. The fact that it's not like if something's happening in your body, that means something, set it up. Right. Maybe it's pollution, maybe it's bad food, maybe it's bad water. Like, let's, let's discuss it. I mean, the show's a real laugh fest.

[Luke Burbank]

It is, though. It is, though. It's a really nice blend of information and also humor. You are both very funny.

[Hari Kondabolu]

We do have a fun time with it. I mean, it's hard. Some of the topics are heavy, but we try to infuse just enough humor where you can, you know, you're not completely broken by the end of it, like, because some of this stuff is heavy, but it's really a fun show.

[Luke Burbank]

So, Hari, you're a nationally touring standup comedian, and I'm just kind of curious, like, how you feel about the sort of state of stand up comedy these days. I feel like it's gone through so many shifts. Like, I look at far too much TikTok, but what I see on there a lot is like everything that's coming out of the stand up comedy world is either crowd work. Yeah, it's comedian destroys heckler. Or it's like this scene in Austin where it's like a lot of really seemingly pretty toxic comedy going on. And this kind of scene down there that's generating a lot of the well known folks. Or it's three dudes sitting around on a couch, talking in the microphones, podcasting. It feels like Santa Climb is in kind of a weird place. How do you find it?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah, I think that's right. I mean, I think it's. I mean, crowd work is a part of the gig, right? Like, if somebody talks or heckles you, you have to address it and make sure you regain control of the show. But the idea that that's all standup is like, you know, I'm at, you know, I'm doing shows and I've noticed more people are calling out and stuff than they usually do. And it's like, oh, you think you're part of the show? Even though I have the microphone and everyone's facing me. So it's a very strange phenomenon. And yeah, I mean, I think that scenes go in waves. Right. And so right now, we're in this. This whole anti cancel culture. We can say whatever we want. And, like, this. This kind of whole vibe, which, like, is definitely not what I'm necessarily into. It's a lot of people that feel that all these great comics are being canceled. No one's really getting canceled. I mean, the last comic that was canceled was Lenny Bruce. You know what I mean? Like, and he died, what, of, like, a morphine overdose? Like, after. Like, there was all these court cases that the government, like, that's cancellation. Somebody saying, hey, maybe don't say that. Like you're a comic. Then you come up with a joke to address that. I mean, that's how this works. It's free speech. Right.

[Luke Burbank]

So do you have any strategies for kind of getting things back on track when you're dealing with heckler?

[Hari Kondabolu]

The first thing I do is pause, like, a second for the audience to digest it and for me to think of something, because I think the. Sometimes people just go, start talking. The audience doesn't know what's going on. They don't know what the heckle was. They don't see the whole room the way you do. So I'd say, give it a second. Digest it, and then destroy the human being that caused trouble.

[Elena Passarello]

How do you train to know how to do that?

[Luke Burbank]

At the London School of Economics where Hurry attended. True story, by the way. London School of Economics graduates.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

I always have to brag on your behalf because that's, like, the coolest academic accomplishment of anyone I know.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah, I've wasted a lot of money is what that tells everybody. I mean, I think it's a fear response, right? Like, you're basically an animal in a corner of a room, and everyone expects something from you. And your jokes are how you. You stay alive. And if there's a stoppage and there's silence, you have to come up with something, right? I think it's a fear response that forces you to say something. And sometimes the thing you say is incredibly mean and destroys a human being, but it regains the attention of the room. And that's kind of what you wanted to begin with.

[Luke Burbank]

We're talking to Hari Kondabolu here on Livewire. This week. I saw something on your Instagram page a couple months ago that I literally thought was one of those Sora AI videos because it was Zoran Mamdani standing in front of a huge crowd of people saying, wait, wait. Before I go, I have to take a minute to shout out and honor my friend. Hurry. Kondabolu, who believed in me before I even believed in myself. And by the way, Zoram Hamdani, the new mayor of New York, you know that guy?

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

That's insane.

[Hari Kondabolu]

I've known Zoran since he was 17 or 18, and he went to my alma mater, Bowdoin College, and his mother had asked me to talk to him just about what the school was going to be like. And we spoke, and then we kept in touch. For his four years in college and after and remained friends. He lived in Seattle for a summer doing an internship. So I used to live in Seattle. So I hooked him up with all my cool friends there. And, um, you know, he's such a great guy. He asked me to do a fundraiser for his run for assembly when he first ran for assembly before becoming mayor of New York.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. You can't even say it. It's so crazy.

[Hari Kondabolu]

It's so stunning. You know, I remember him telling me that he was gonna run, and I was happy he was gonna run because his values were gonna be on display. And the bigger, you know, his campaign got, the more people could hear about here are alternate possibilities for what the future could be in this city. Right? And this is something we're fighting for. I mean, I feel bad, but I didn't think he was going to win because there's such a big machine, right? Especially in the Democratic Party, there's such a machine that prevents candidates like that who are Democratic socialists from having a chance of winning. But he's so charismatic and he's so smart and he's so funny, and he understands how to use social media and get like, he's on every. Every podcast, he's on every video show, and he's so good in all of them. And he knows how to reach young people. And that's the group that we were trying to mobilize more than anything, instead of worrying about how do we get the middle. You know, there's a bunch of voters on the left that desperately want to be inspired to vote and to care, and that's who he's reaching. And it's unbelievable.

[Luke Burbank]

Incredible. This is Livewire Radio. We're talking to Hari Kondabolu. Okay, Hari, you've got this new podcast. It's about various health ailments and struggles that we face as humans. And the co host of the show is, of course, as we said, a real life doctor, which is probably for the best. But we were thinking, you know, if RFK Jr. Can run health and Human Services, why not give stand up comic Hari Kondabolu. A crack at practicing some unlicensed medicine.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah, Yeah, I can do this.

[Luke Burbank]

So here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna describe some medical situations, and we would like you to try to give us your best guess as to what is going on. But because we really don't want the smoke of doling out questionable human medical advice on Livewire. Take a note, Dr. Oz. We're gonna focus on non human animals, who we're pretty sure aren't going to hear this anyway. So these are some medical situations with non human animals that we would like to get your best guess on. What is going on? All right, so a koala comes into your medical practice and is presenting with wheezing and coughing. What would you likely diagnose this koala with, Dr. Kondabalu?

[Hari Kondabolu]

A cold. I mean, based on what I know about colds, there's often sneezing and coughing.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Hari Kondabolu]

And I would prescribe the koala with the appropriate cough syrup, because I'm assuming there must be koala cough syrup.

[Luke Burbank]

It's the cutest cough syrup out there. It's adorable. They hold it with their little hands.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Eucalyptus flavored.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that would be close. The actual. The most likely diagnosis would be chlamydia.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Wow.

[Luke Burbank]

Three people in the audience were like, yep, checks out.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Yeah.

[Hari Kondabolu]

From coughing and.

[Elena Passarello]

Really?

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Up to 48% of the koala population has chlamydia. And in some parts of Australia, the infection rates are as high as 90%.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Well, then I'd prescribe condoms is what I prescribe. My God.

[Luke Burbank]

Adorable little condoms. Here's a bonus fun koala. This is much more fun than the chlamydia one. A bonus fun fact. Koala fingerprints are so close to humans fingerprints that they could conceivably taint a crime scene.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Good to know.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Useful information.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, we've taken care of the koala, and now the next patient to come into your office, Dr. Kondabalu, is a horned lizard presenting with blood splurting out of its eyeballs. What do we think is going on here?

[Hari Kondabolu]

I mean, this is why you have to make sure you clean your contacts every morning. Make sure you put the solution in.

[Luke Burbank]

Do not go to sleep with them in.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Do not sleep. Clearly, this lizard has dry eyes.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. This is apparently, like, a pretty regular thing for this horned lizard because they do this on the regular. Horned lizards restrict the blood flow to their head until the pressure builds up, rupturing the vessels in their eyelids. They do this as a defense mechanism to confuse Their predators.

[Hari Kondabolu]

It's confusing.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, it seems effective. I would immediately back away from the horned lizard I was about to eat if it did that. All right, how about this? A Colorado snapperfish swims into your office, but its tongue has fallen out. But now there's a new tongue that's growing there. What do we think is going on with this snapper fish, Dr. Kondabalu?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, my God. Well, clearly it's an alien. Like, there's no question. That's not a snapper fish. That's an alien. This is a.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that's close. Yeah. It has been invaded. Its mouth has been invaded by something called a Cymotha exigua, also known as a tongue eating louse.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, my God.

[Luke Burbank]

By the way, this radio show is on right about lunchtime on Saturdays. This is one of our least popular segments. The louse eats the fish's tongue and then attaches to what's left and is now the fish's new tongue.

[Hari Kondabolu]

The louse is the new tongue.

[Luke Burbank]

That sounds like a horror movie.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, my God. That's almost like the animal version of Human Centipede.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Elena Passarello]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, last one. A female ferret shows up at your office presenting with aggression and high estrogen. What can we do to help this female ferret, Dr. Kondabalu?

[Hari Kondabolu]

Well, definitely don't talk down to the ferret.

[Luke Burbank]

Do not.

[Elena Passarello]

Don't tell her to relax.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Tell her to relax.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. Wise.

[Hari Kondabolu]

No condescension. Just hear her out and find out what's going on.

[Luke Burbank]

Very well handled, Dr. Kondabalu. There's also something very real going on with this ferret, and that is that the ferret needs to mate. And if the ferret does not mate, there is a 30% chance she will die.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, my God.

[Elena Passarello]

That would be such a good half rom com, half action movie. You know, like Speed meets How to Lose a guy in 10 days.

[Hari Kondabolu]

You know, if I don't have sex, I am going to die.

[Elena Passarello]

Also, I'm a ferret.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. Well, Hari Kondabalu, great job on our little exercise. You got none of them right, but it was still a great effort, Hari Kondabalu.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Thanks, everybody.

[Luke Burbank]

That was Hurry Kondabolu right here on Livewire. Make sure you check out Hurry's new podcast, health stuff, wherever you cast your pods. Hey, special thanks this episode to Jim Gochi and Cara Toronto of Portland, Oregon. Jim and Kara are not just actual friends of mine, but they are vital members of the Livewire member community, and they are generously supporting Livewire with a financial donation. And we are so grateful for that support because it is how we're able to keep this whole radio show and podcast going. So a big shout out to Jim and Kara for supporting Livewire. This is Livewire. Okay. Our next guests are an actual pair of best friends in real life. In fact, they were voted most likely to make you laugh at their high school. But the amazing thing is they've actually delivered on that promise by co hosting the very wonderful podcast Text Me Back, which blends the news and their lives and their text threads and their meditations on pop culture. Meditations that run deep, real deep and weird, but, like, you know, in an entertaining way. Let's take a listen to Lindy west and Megan Hatcher Mays, recorded live at Benaroya hall in Seattle back in December. Megan and Lindy, welcome to Livewire.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Yay.

[Luke Burbank]

Bing.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Thank you.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you for exciting.

[Lindy West]

Thanks for having us.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

What an honor.

[Luke Burbank]

I am such an enormous fan of Text Me Back. It is just the best. Listen, I'm wondering what, like, a typical session of your podcast is like, you know, from a recording standpoint, like, how detailed of a plan are you going in with? Because I also, I host a podcast that's kind of a chat show, and I think people would be surprised at how much planning can go into something that sounds very casual. Where are you guys at on the spectrum of preparation on Text Me Back?

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Oh, boy.

[Lindy West]

On the topic of planning, thanks for asking. Actually, we were just talking about this on the way over here. Lindy loves to text me and be like, I have a segment idea. Okay, It's. My car's kind of dirty. It's like, not a segment idea. That's just, like, a sentence you thought of. Do you know what I mean? But that's, like, the extent of the planning, I would say. We do have a. I. We have a wonderful producer who's like, okay, guys, we need to have a production meeting, and we need to have a planning document where you put your segment ideas for every episode in the document. And so we faithfully, every week, will write in the document. Snakes.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Yeah. Or I mean, truly. Well, first of all, no, we won't, because. Can I keep track of that bookmark where the document is?

[Luke Burbank]

No, forget it.

[Lindy West]

She doesn't have the letter.

[Luke Burbank]

Is it a Google Doc?

[John Craigie]

It's a Google.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

It's a Google Doc.

[Luke Burbank]

Just take a moment and say, we need to, as a nation, consider our reliance on Google Docs and how often they let me down. It is constantly trying to log me in as Some Gmail burner account of mine that I started to try to get 10% off of.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

It's like all of a sudden, something on Instagram, it'll be like, anonymous dog.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

And then Google's like, that's you.

[Lindy West]

You're the meerkat.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, right.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Oh, but to answer your original question, no, there's no planning.

[Luke Burbank]

You crack the microphone, start talking, basically.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

And then I'll be like, real quick, before we get started on Snake,

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

I

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

got a bone to pick with archaeology. They keep digging stuff up, but it just looks like rocks. And then like, it's literally just like, that's the show. That's the show. And then the show's over.

[Lindy West]

Or like, oh, here's Lindy's stupidest hyper fixation yet. How do seals sleep at night? And that doesn't require a lot of pre planning, you know?

[Luke Burbank]

We're talking to Lindy west and Megan Hatcher Mays about their podcast. Text me back. Megan, you and Lindy have been best friends for over 20 years. You know each other very well. We were curious, though, this week to see if you know each other well enough to break into each other's online accounts. We want to play a little game called password reset. Okay.

[Lindy West]

I'm so stressed out.

[Luke Burbank]

This is how this is going to work. Before the show, we asked each of you a set of actual security questions that Internet websites ask you to verify your identity. You know, like mother's maiden name, stuff like that.

[Lindy West]

Congratulations to the producers of Livewire for getting my bank account information.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Lindy West]

Well done.

[Luke Burbank]

And what we want to see is if you are able to guess the answers that your podcast partner would give to these very personal security questions. These are real security questions from real institutions that we have checked in on. So, Megan, let's start with you. If you were to try to hack into Lindy's US bank account, you would need to be able to answer the security question that Lindy has filled out, which is, what place are you least likely to visit? What is the place that you think Lindy is least likely to visit?

[Lindy West]

She doesn't want to go somewhere hot, so I'm going to. Oh, boy, there's so many hot places.

[Luke Burbank]

It's in the name.

[Lindy West]

Oh, Hot Springs. Is that a place? It is, but that's not it.

[John Craigie]

Hot.

[Luke Burbank]

A place that is both actually temperature warm and also culminates in a pyrotechnic event.

[Lindy West]

Disney World.

[Luke Burbank]

Ideally, the answer is Burning Man.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Oh, my God.

[Lindy West]

Oh, that is the worst place I can imagine. Oh, the vibe of it is even Worse than the weather.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Can you imagine? Can you imagine me writhing?

[Lindy West]

Writhing?

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

I don't think so.

[Lindy West]

The nudity, the mud.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

I almost put business school, but then I wasn't sure if that counted as a place.

[Lindy West]

Dude, somebody gave birth at Burning man last year. And I said, oh, yeah, I would

[Luke Burbank]

imagine that is a not infrequent, you know, sort of event. Oh, Burning Man.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

The baby came out hula hooping.

[Luke Burbank]

It did.

[Lindy West]

And with the freaking devil sticks.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Yes.

[Lindy West]

Thank you.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, Lindy, I'm scared. If you were trying to hack into Megan's personal information on the California Franchise Tax Board, a place we know, Meghan, does a lot of online business.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Or as I like to call it, Tuesday.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. Okay, this is a real question. What song do you think you could have sung better than the original singer? Oh, that is a question that Megan has answered for the California Franchise Tax Board. What do you think Megan's answer to that was? What song could she have sung better than the original singer?

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

A lot of people don't know this about Megan, but she's a karaoke champion. Megan's karaoke performance deserves a Nobel Prize. And Megan used to be the karaoke host at Busch Gardens.

[Luke Burbank]

No way.

[Lindy West]

No, no, no, no. It wasn't at Busch Gardens, but it was owned by. It was like a co. I got recruited.

[Luke Burbank]

No. Because the guy at Busch Gardens had that Superman necklace on and would often sing the same song someone just did, which was not cool.

[Lindy West]

Or is it the greatest power move you've ever seen in your life? No, I got recruited to host karaoke at, like, Tony's Sports Bar at Busch Gardens. And Tony would be like, is it cool if we just show you the check and then give you cash? And I was like, I don't know what this is, but I feel like we shouldn't talk to the IRS about it.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Well, clearly, I never went because I was still shy. And I'm going to pick one of Megan's karaoke classics, even though I don't know how to answer this question. But I'm gonna pick welcome to the Jungle.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, can I?

[Lindy West]

Before you read the answer. Before you read the answer. I'm so mad at myself because I had that written down. And then I thought. And then I thought, well, it's not that I can sing it better than Axl Rosa, but I made a last minute change. So I would like to say is that spiritually, you did get that.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

I would have. My other thing I was gonna guess was a journey song, but I know you would never have the Hubris.

[Elena Passarello]

Never.

[Lindy West]

I would never step to Steve Perry.

[Luke Burbank]

We're give you a half point on the. On the Guns n Roses. The actual answer from Megan Hatcher Mays. What song do you think you could have sung better than the original singer? Any Bob Dylan song.

[Elena Passarello]

Yes, something.

[Lindy West]

I don't know why the boomers have been trying to shove Bob Dylan down our throats for the last 60 years, but this man sucks.

[Luke Burbank]

But what about.

[Lindy West]

He sounds like an old tin can and not in a good way.

[Luke Burbank]

Megan, if you were. If there were some sort of a national emergency, you needed to hack into Lindy's Vanguard account.

[Elena Passarello]

Yes.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Sure.

[Luke Burbank]

And you were trying to guess some of her security questions, what would your answer be to this security question that Lindy has answered? What brand of shampoo do you use? What brand of shampoo does Lindy use that she would have listed as her answer to a security question from Vanguard?

[Lindy West]

I'll just preface this really quickly by saying Lindy has beautiful, glowing skin. Yes. And people will come up to her and be like, oh, my God, what is this? Your skincare routine? And she's like, antibacterial dial soap from. From the dishwasher or whatever.

[John Craigie]

Okay.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Megan, he's tied to.

[Luke Burbank]

I would say keep going with that line of reasoning.

[Lindy West]

So I just really feel like her shampoo is probably like an eight in one.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

It's gotta be like.

[Lindy West]

It's gotta be like a pert plus situation. I'm gonna respectfully say, like, Pantene Pro

[Luke Burbank]

V. We're gonna accept it. The actual answer, the security answer for Lindy's Vanguard account of what shampoo she uses was quote, the dregs of whatever bottle someone left in the shower.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yes.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

I was like, she's gonna get it. Actually, maybe when you started that monologue.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Lindy West]

I should have just said whatever's in your shower because I feel like you don't even buy shampoo.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Oh, no.

[Elena Passarello]

What's the need?

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

You can always add more water. Shake it up.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, last one. Lindy. When Megan set up her Yahoo account, they asked her this security question, and this is a fairly standard one, but we were wondering if you could guess it. What is the name of your pet? We're wondering if you can guess the answer that Megan gave. What is the name?

[Lindy West]

Oh, no.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

It's very hard because Megan is a famous animal hoarder.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I'm going to give you two points for that because that is exactly what the answer. I have a list of over 20 pets in front of me.

[Lindy West]

They say sent me the thing and it was like, name all your pets and roughly the years you had them. And I had to go Back to like 1984 being like you did.

[Luke Burbank]

That was Gremlin, A cocker spaniel.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

85 to 87 rehomed.

[Lindy West]

Well, she hasn't guessed yet. Don't give her the answers. But. No, but. So then I had to send them a bulleted list of like 30 guys.

[Luke Burbank]

Otis, cat with mental illness, 1984, question mark. Hank. Chihuahua. And my one true love, rest in power.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

My godson, Hank.

[Lindy West]

He was born in a basement apartment across the street from the Urban Outfitters on Broadway.

[Luke Burbank]

Sounds like a Bob Dylan song. Ozzy, a papillon with severe anxiety and dissociative disorder, born 2008. I actually did not name the one that was officially the answer, so you still have a chance.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Hank. March.

[Luke Burbank]

No.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Eleanor the cat. Oh, I did.

[Luke Burbank]

I forgot to put.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

What about Coco?

[Lindy West]

She wasn't my dog. She's my brother's dog. Well, you remember your favorite one, your favorite gal.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Oh, Brenda. Of course, baby. Brenda.

[Luke Burbank]

Is that the official.

[Lindy West]

It's not Brenda. What's the answer?

[Luke Burbank]

It is Tigger, a cat of inordinate size.

[Lindy West]

Well, he. You're the one who said it. You were like, is he half bobcat? What's wrong with him?

[Luke Burbank]

There you go. Megan Hatcher Mays, Lindy West. The show is texting me back. Thank you for coming on Livewire.

[Megan Hatcher Mays]

Thank you for having us.

[Luke Burbank]

That was Lindy west and Megan Hatcher Mays recorded live at Benaroya hall in Seattle back in December. You can check out their podcast. Text me back wherever you get your podcasts. This is Livewire. We've got to take a very quick break, but stay right where you are because when we return, we will hear some music from the one and only John Craigie. Stick around. More Livewire in just a moment. Welcome back to Livewire. I'm your host, Luke Burbank. Okay, before. Before we get to this week's musical performance from John Craigie, how about a little preview of what we're doing on the show? Next week we are going to be talking to the writer and co host of the award winning podcast, Scamfluencers, Sachi Cole, about her newest book of essays, Sucker Punch. It's just a brutally honest and yet hilarious account of what happens when everything you know and maybe once loved veers just completely off course, also known as getting divorced. Then we're going to hear some poetry and some music from multidisciplinary artist Emma Ruth Rundle. Her work is both chilling and beautiful and includes her latest poetry collection, which is called the Bella Vista. You can catch that all next week right here on Livewire. In the meantime, our musical guest this week has graced the bills of the Newport Folk Festival Pickathon, the High Sierra Music Festival, and is one of our very favorite musicians right here on Livewire. His latest album is I Swam Here and he played us a track for it at a special event that we held next to a vineyard at Domain Druin, Oregon back in September of last year. Check this out. John Craigie, welcome to Livewire.

[John Craigie]

Thank you. Good to be here.

[Luke Burbank]

The name of your latest album is Greatest Hits, Just Kidding Live no Hits. And I'm wondering where is the line between self deprecation and cripplingly low self esteem? Because it is a line that I walk myself often.

[John Craigie]

You sound like my therapist. That's a good question he would ask me.

[Luke Burbank]

Like, I mean really like. You obviously are very self deprecating, but why did you choose this particular title for the album?

[John Craigie]

My first live album I released right after I signed on with my manager and he has a good sense of humor, but he's also a manager trying to make my career efficient and successful and I'm often in the way of that. And he said, what do you want to call this? And I think he said, should we call it Live in Portland? And I said, that's too boring. So the album is called Capricorn in Retrograde. Just kidding. Live in Portland. And he hated that so much. And so my second live album was just called Live Opening for Steinbeck, which is a lot simpler. He was okay with that, but he was getting too comfortable. So I wanted my third live album to be similar in the Just Kidding realm. I see he's okay with it.

[Luke Burbank]

That's sort of the Craigie brand at this point.

[John Craigie]

I hope so. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

What are the songs on there? How did you choose them for the live albums?

[John Craigie]

I tend to choose songs that have some sort of audience participation ness or maybe they're a little funny. Funnier than a studio recording.

[Hari Kondabolu]

Yeah.

[John Craigie]

I think to get the stories captured is the main purpose for that.

[Luke Burbank]

Something that you said on this album to the live audience assembled was that the longer that you have been playing music, the more shy you felt.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Yeah.

[John Craigie]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

I didn't think that was the direction that that would typically go in.

[John Craigie]

I know, but they told me I would get more outgoing and cooler and it has not been the case. Maybe it'll swing back around and I'll just back to my normal awkward 14 year old self. But that's the goal now, just to get back to that.

[Luke Burbank]

So is that like when you say more shy, is it the. You feel nervous before the show or you maybe feel a little uncomfortable with the kind of interacting at the merch table? What is the part of it where you feel more shy?

[John Craigie]

The whole thing. But I think in the early days you really want people to pay attention to you. You are in the coffee shop, they didn't come there to see you. And so you're trying to get, hey, look at me, look at me. And then at some point they come and they start looking at you and then they can get really intense and then they're saying weird things to you and they have a tattoo of something, if that's of yours on them and you don't know what to say. And then I think it can drive you a little more inward. So that might be sort of like the boomerang effect, I don't know. But I also never was born, like, to be that outgoing.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't think it's surprising how many people I interview for Livewire who are performers who are actually pretty introverted considering that the thing they're doing kind of demands an audience. That's a pretty typical personality type.

[John Craigie]

I think it is a misnomer that a musician would be outgoing. I think one of the reasons we choose this is that it is at a party if you're the one on playing music and then you don't have to talk to people. And at a show, I come out, I do the thing, I get comfortable with that thing. It's hard at first, but you do it and then you can be run backstage. So it is ideal for an introvert, even though it sounds sort of counterintuitive.

[Luke Burbank]

This is Livewire Radio for prx. We are at Domain Druin this week with John Craigie. His latest album is Greatest Hits. Just kidding Live no Hits. I'm wondering how your songs are. The. The music is great and also the lyrics are always so engaging. Kind of what tends to come first for you. How do you create a song?

[John Craigie]

Lyrics always. I'm not that comfortable with the music part. It's something I that. That's hard for me.

[Luke Burbank]

So you're getting more shy and you're not comfortable playing the music. But other than that, the cruise sounds like it's going pretty well.

[John Craigie]

I was never comfortable with the music part. Music's hard. I don't know if you guys have tried it.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, are you essentially a writer who figured out that if you added some music to the background, it would go over better.

[John Craigie]

Yes. You have cracked my secret code. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, John, can we hear some music?

[John Craigie]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

All right. John Craigie, everybody.

[John Craigie]

I'd like to do a new song for you now. And that's the seven words you'd never want to hear at a show are. I have a new album coming out. This song is called Fire Season. I haven't played it out much, so let's see how it goes.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

You don't need Atlantic. You don't need Pacific. You can drown me all on your own I'm a stone sinking deep inside you I just wanna hide in you till it's gone Inhale me like one of your vases Deep into your lungs Just like you like it like treason I'm feeling fire season Point me alive I'll be your ruin, babe I'm only human so practical carnal too which one of you? You can feel my power I'm one of those flowers that only blooms at night Sing me like one of your dirges Swallow whole and worthless like treason I'm feeling fire season I wanna die. Inhale me like one of your vases Deep into your lungs Just like I like it like treason I'm feeling fire season I'm feeling fire season Burn me alive

[John Craigie]

thank you so much. Have a good evening.

[Luke Burbank]

That was John Craigie right here on Livewire, recorded at a special event we held at Domain Drouin, Oregon. All right, that's gonna do it for this week's episode of Livewire. A huge thanks to our guests, Hurry Kondabolu, Lindy West, Megan Hatcher Mays, and John Craigie. Also, special thanks this episode to David Millman and all the wonderful folks over at Domain Drouin, Oregon.

[Elena Passarello]

Laura Hadden is our executive producer, Heather D. Michel is our executive director, and Melanie Sevchenko is our producer and editor. Evan Hoffer is our technical director, Trey Hester is our assistant editor, Valentine Keck is our operations manager, and Ashley park is our marketing manager.

[Luke Burbank]

Our house sound is by Aaron Tomaszco, and our house band is Sam Pinkerton, Eyal Alves, Ethan Fox Tucker, and A. Walker Spring, who also composes our music. This show was mixed by Eben Hoffer and Trey Hester.

[Elena Passarello]

Additional funding provided by the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts. Livewire was created by Robin Tenenbaum and Kate.

[Luke Burbank]

This week, we'd like to thank Livewire members and actual friends of mine, Jim Goetchi and Kara Turano of Portland Oregon. For more information about our show or how you can listen to our podcast, head on over to livewireradio.org I'm Luke Burbank for Elena Passarello and the whole Livewire crew. Thank you for listening and we will see you next week. Hey, if you want to experience the real Seattle, take it from me. A born and bred Seattleite, the Arctic Club Hotel has been a downtown landmark since 1916, and you can still experience all its early 20th century grandeur. Of course, it wouldn't be True Seattle if it weren't pet friendly too. So bring your pup, sleep in and then fuel up with their complimentary breakfast buffet before you step out the door to Pike Place, Market T Mobile Park, Lumen Field, Basically everything worth seeing with zero rental car headaches. Book your Seattle story right now at Arctic Club Hotel.

[Elena Passarello]

From prx.