Live Wire with Luke Burbank
PRX | November 7, 2025
Episode Guests: Maria Bamford, Brandi Brown, The Reasonable Doubts
Overview
This episode of Live Wire with Luke Burbank brings the energy of the Minnesota State Fair directly to the airwaves. Recorded at the Fine Line in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the show explores Midwest traditions, creative comedy, quirky passions, and the power of community. Luke chats with comedian and crop art aficionado Brandi Brown about her affection for the state fair, welcomes standup legend Maria Bamford for a signature set, and introduces a truly unique musical guest: The Reasonable Doubts, a cover band composed entirely of Minnesota state judges. The episode radiates warmth, irreverence, and a strong sense of place, offering listeners a window into Minnesota’s distinctive spirit.
Key Segments and Insights
1. Best News We Heard All Week
(03:27–09:00)
- Yogi Berra World Record Catch: Elena Passarello shares a feel-good story about 2,358 people gathering at a New Jersey stadium to play the world's largest game of catch in honor of Yogi Berra’s centenary. Fun Yogi-isms like "If you see a fork in the road, take it."
- Quote: "Catch is such a friendly, personable sport. But the coolest thing about this article I read is what it takes to make a Guinness World Record..." —Elena Passarello [04:40]
- Unexpected Travel Camaraderie: Luke details his nightmare (but meaningful) travel ordeal trying to reach Minneapolis due to flight delays, culminating in unexpected connections with fellow travelers.
- Quote: "It’s easy to get bummed out, but...when you’re in something that really sucks...human beings tend to actually kind of take care of each other and bond and really show up for each other, you know?" —Luke Burbank [08:55]
2. Interview: Brandi Brown, State Fair Superfan & Comedian
(10:36–25:18)
Minnesota Roots & State Fair Obsession
- Brandi grew up in Minneapolis, has attended the fair since childhood (often on a humane wrist leash), and is now a true fair "power user" who submits crop art yearly.
Crop Art Deep Dive
- Definition: Art made with seeds or plant material, using crops grown or used in Minnesota.
- Materials Scandal: Brandi recalls the "yellow mustard" seed controversy—a push to ban it was defeated by finding Minnesota farms that grew it.
- Inspiration: Her pieces commemorate events like the 1988 Olympic doves mishap—deadpan funny and dark.
- Quote: "They released the peace doves, and they went to rest on top of the cauldron. And then the torchbearers...lit it from above and cooked the peace doves." —Brandi Brown [13:03]
Prince Anecdote
- Brandi tells her "truly Minnesotan" Prince story: As a child, after hitting her head at Prince's house, he comforted her with a bag of frozen peas and a snack to-go.
- Quote: "Prince was like, okay, this needs to stop. And so he picks me up and he's like showing me around his place, and he gets like a bag of peas to put on my head. Frozen bag of peas." —Brandi Brown [14:12]
State Fair Magic: Bridging Divides & Llama Pageantry
- Brandi loves the fair for its size and mix of urban/rural cultures, comparing its fairgrounds to "Disney World proper."
- Highlights non-food events, especially the 4H Llama Costume Contest and the "Haystack Glee" 4H musical.
- Quote: "My favorite event is every year I go see the 4H Llama costume contest. That’s my favorite." —Brandi Brown [21:07]
Crop Art Renaissance
- A new wave of 'fine' artists and workshops has elevated the competitive field, Blurring the lines between craft and fine arts.
- Quote: "I'm proud of what I did, but…I mean, there’s some incredible art." —Brandi Brown [19:22]
Fair Attendance Schedules & Fair Superfans
- Brandi's strategic multi-day visits contrast with even more devoted superfans ("Memories on a Stick"), including one who tracks every meal and animal.
Comedian Swag
- Brandi sells humorous buttons inspired by her stand-up bits and invites the audience to buy them to help cover her car repairs.
3. Audience Interaction: Local Gems From Listeners
(26:37–29:02) Listeners call in with must-see recommendations from their hometowns, including:
- Duluth’s Lake Walk — “The wind will exfoliate your face for free.” —Greg
- Torchy’s Tacos in Austin, TX — “Don’t say you don’t like breakfast tacos!”
- Fremont Troll in Seattle — Jordan likens it to a "local Bigfoot, only we know exactly where it lives." Luke enthusiastically agrees.
4. Comedy Set: Maria Bamford
(30:01–40:07)
- Money Worries & American Anxiety: Maria skewers the absurdity of Americans (at all income levels) worrying about money, lampooning both oligarchs and everyday struggles.
- Quote: “I should never worry about money again because I could retire to Pahrump, Nevada in the middle of the sentence if I would just stop instacarting individual cans of Pillsbury Crescent rolls.” —Maria Bamford [32:15]
- Surreal Stories: Including a billionaire (“Grimace from the McDonald’s franchise”) trying to stiff her on a gig, a run-in with California police after wildfires, and a bit about therapy podcasts doing ad reads amid trauma counseling.
- Memorable Satire: Maria lampoons podcast ads: “We will be talking about domestic violence as well as sexual trauma. Hello, Fresh.” [37:26]
- Philosophy on Enjoyment: Ends with a story about an older man on an Amtrak quiet car, whose motto Maria adopts: "I am just trying to enjoy myself." —[40:00]
5. Musical Guest: The Reasonable Doubts (All-Judge Cover Band)
(44:07–51:44)
Origin Story
- Supreme Court Justice Ann McKeague started the band to combat the emotional toll of judging by doing something fun after court hours.
- Quote: “I was worried about...my colleagues on the court, myself...I just thought, you know, we need to do something fun.” —Ann McKeague [44:51]
Band Dynamics
- No auditions; just a call-and-response of judges interested in music. They navigate song choices carefully to avoid conflicts with their public roles.
- Quote: “We live in a world of logic and making factual determinations...this is creativity.” —Sarah Hennessy [46:03]
- Humor abounds about the ethics of song selection and maintaining non-partisanship ("What's the lower court say on Fortunate Son?" "I'd like to overrule the justice...this may be my shot and I'm taking it.”).
- Exchange:
- “What are some of the ethical implications of the songs that you pick...?” —Luke
- “We try to be more thoughtful about it because…we never want to do anything that would allow anybody who has to come before us to actually feel like they didn’t get a fair shot.” —Ann McKeague [47:10]
- Exchange:
Performance
- The band plays John Mellencamp’s “Authority Song,” with judges swapping vocals and instruments, bringing surprising energy and endearing earnestness to the cover.
- Chorus:
- “I fight authority, authority always wins...I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid and I come out grinnin’.” —The Reasonable Doubts [48:46]
- Chorus:
Notable Quotes
- Luke Burbank: “Making friends in unusual places, that’s the best news I heard this week.” [09:00]
- Brandi Brown on Crop Art: “There was a big controversy a few years ago...about yellow mustard, and they tried to ban it, but we fought back.” [11:31]
- Maria Bamford on Therapy Ads: “There is no abatement from your grief until you yourself pass on. And that is why...distract yourself by checking out your auto rates on progressive.com.” [37:36]
- The Reasonable Doubts (song lyric): “I fight authority, authority always wins.” [48:46]
Episode Structure Outline (Timestamps)
- Best News We Heard All Week: 03:27–09:00
- Brandi Brown Interview: 10:36–25:18 (includes crop art, Prince, state fair lore)
- Audience Hometown Gems: 26:37–29:02
- Maria Bamford Standup Set: 30:01–40:07
- The Reasonable Doubts Band Interview & Song: 44:07–51:44
Tone & Atmosphere
The episode is lively, irreverent, and heartfelt. It highlights regional quirks, finds comedy in the mundane and the surreal, and celebrates the ways people come together—whether at a state fair, on a delayed flight, or in a band full of judges. There are plenty of offbeat, humanizing moments; humor and community are never far from the surface.
For New Listeners
- You'll leave with stories about crop art, Minnesota's deep love for Prince, the perils of instacarting crescent rolls, llamas in costumes, and a band of singing judges.
- Expect a mashup of old-fashioned variety show energy and contemporary observational wit.
- Maria Bamford's set alone is worth the listen—it's both hilarious and bitingly insightful.
- The Reasonable Doubts’ performance is a rare treat—where else will you find judges belting Mellencamp on public radio?
Summary prepared for: Live Wire with Luke Burbank (PRX) – Nov 7, 2025 | Episode: Maria Bamford, Brandi Brown, and The Reasonable Doubts