Live Wire with Luke Burbank
Episode: Sam Sanders, Sandi DuBowski, and The Lowest Pair
Date: September 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This vibrant episode of Live Wire brings together a dynamic trio of guests. Host Luke Burbank starts with award-winning podcaster and pop culture observer Sam Sanders for a thoughtful (and playful) conversation on monoculture, the influence of "In Living Color," peak stadium concerts, and the weird world of viral content. Next, Burbank welcomes filmmaker Sandi DuBowski, whose moving new documentary "Sabbath Queen" explores a queer rabbi’s challenge to Jewish tradition and generational change. The episode closes with a rousing musical performance by folk-duo The Lowest Pair, featuring a hilarious story about a 45-minute improvisation at a medical marijuana farmers market.

With wit and warmth, the episode dives into modern culture, identity, family, faith, and the oddities of internet fame.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Best News of the Week (01:51–08:32)

• Elena Passarello shares the story of Ken Broussard, who, at age 66, trained to become a marching band member at LSU, rekindling his tuba skills, becoming a non-traditional student, and finally performing on the field.
  • Quote (05:25):
    “People retire, but dreams don’t.” — Ken Broussard, as quoted by Elena Passarello
• Luke Burbank highlights Brooke Johnson, who skateboarded across America in honor of her late stepfather, Roger, raising $50,000 for spinal injury research, and carrying Roger’s ashes the whole way.
  • Emotional moment: When nearly quitting in bleak conditions, Brooke finds and plays a supportive voicemail from Roger, helping her finish her journey.

Conversation with Sam Sanders (08:32–26:12)

The End of Monoculture and Iconic TV (09:45–15:12)

• The loss of a shared monoculture:
  Sam argues that with the explosion of streaming and social media, we no longer come together around a handful of shows — leading to uniquely individual pop culture experiences.
  • Quote (10:08):
    “There’s like, I want more things that everyone is consuming together.” — Sam Sanders (C)
• If we had to pick three shows for the monoculture:
  Sam’s hot picks:
  1. I Love Lucy (the sitcom as the ultimate unifier)
  2. Girls (for its self-aware commitment to unlikable characters)
  3. In Living Color (for changing pop culture and the Super Bowl halftime show paradigm)
  • In Living Color’s legacy:
    Sam details how the show’s halftime special outperformed the Super Bowl’s official production, prompting networks to up their game (e.g., landing Michael Jackson the next year), and how the Wayans family and stars like JLo, Rosie Perez, Jim Carrey, and Jamie Foxx owe part of their rise to the program.
    • Quote (12:54):
      “Pop culture as we know it doesn’t exist without In Living Color.” — Sam Sanders (C)
    • Quote (14:46):
      “The entire Wayans family—put them on Mount Rushmore. I’ve said this before.” — Sam Sanders (C)

Peak Stadium Concerts & The Desire for Intimacy (15:55–18:44)

• Sanders reflects on the spectacle of modern stadium tours (Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Pink) and wonders if we’ve reached saturation, yearning for a return to smaller, more intimate live performances or the spirit of MTV Unplugged.
  • Quote (16:51): “I had this epiphany after seeing Renaissance four times... I go to the Cowboy Carter tour, and I’m like, mm, I’ve seen this.” — Sam Sanders
  • Quote (18:12): “The smaller, more intimate venue opens up these artists to new musical possibilities.” — Sam Sanders

Podcasts, Video, and the Bizarre Attention Economy (19:03–24:58)

• Tribeca Film Festival now has a podcast division; Sam jokes about receiving his judge invite as a texted screenshot rather than a formal Robert De Niro-signed letter.
• Are there too many podcasts? Sam says no: "No one ever says there’s too many books... but yeah, the more the merrier." (21:13)
• Video podcasting and the challenge of virality:
  • The struggle of crafting elaborate, personal content that loses to random viral moments ("vampire movies can predict recessions" or a debate over “Apple Bottom Jeans” lyrics).
  • The oddity of competing with everything from ASMR rug cleaning videos to comedians’ hot takes.
  • Quote (24:43): “Ten years ago, when I began podcasting, you were just up against other podcasters. And now I have to compete with short-form ASMR Rug Deep Cleaning Videos.” — Sam Sanders

Joy of Pop Culture Commentary (25:03–25:58)

• Sanders confirms he never tires of discussing pop culture:
  • Quote (25:30): “No, it’s just fun. I mean, I get paid to, like, watch Internet, watch TV, watch movies... and then talk about them. I’m so lucky. Every day I’m grateful for it.”

Audience Q&A: "Mandatory Viewing" TV Shows (27:24–30:46)

• Somebody Somewhere (for its celebration of friendship)
• Andor (praised as “perfect. 10 out of 10, no notes.”)
• The Real Housewives franchise (for following the lives and growth of middle-aged to older women, and showing autonomy)
  • Warm banter about the broader significance of “guilty pleasure” shows and cultural phenomenon.

Conversation with Sandi DuBowski (Filmmaker, "Sabbath Queen") (31:40–41:47)

The Story and its Roots (31:57–32:49)

• Origin: Sandi met Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie in the late '90s while filming "Trembling Before G-d." Already a boundary-breaker, Amichai declined to be in that project, joking, “I don’t do collage.”
  • They developed trust and began filming "Sabbath Queen" five years later.

Legacy, Challenge, and Stretching Tradition (32:54–36:09)

• Amichai comes from a thousand-year Orthodox rabbinical dynasty — dubbed “the Kennedys of Judaism.”
• The film shows the arc of Amichai’s relationship with his brother, an Orthodox rabbi, who learns to “show up” and practice difficult dialogue despite differences.
  • Quote (33:46): “There’s something about... what does it mean to show up? What does it mean to commit to difficult dialogue?... That act of committing to discomfort and disagreement for me is so powerful.” — Sandi DuBowski

Interfaith Marriage, Generational Trauma, and Transformation (36:09–38:40)

• The film’s central tension: officiating interfaith (and same-sex) marriages.
  For many, intermarriage (not sexual orientation) is the more existential challenge, rooted in intergenerational trauma and a desire to maintain cultural boundaries.
• But as Sandi notes, over 70% of liberal American Jews are in relationships with non-Jews — so tradition is adapting, whether officially or not.
  • Quote (37:44): “We’re in a time of sacred hybridity... We need to lean into love. We need love to drive our world. Like, we’re so fear-based right now.” — Sandi DuBowski

Navigating Gaza, Truth, and Discomfort (38:40–41:39)

• The film’s candid inclusion of Amichai’s call for a Gaza ceasefire has led some Jewish film festivals to decline screening it, but DuBowski stands by its honesty, emphasizing the need to hold space for disagreement.
  • Quote (40:37): “I love the film. I hate the last two minutes. But I’m still recommending it to all my friends. That means sitting in discomfort... and the ability to hold the both/and. I think we need that.” — Sandi DuBowski
• Amichai's influence continues: his brother's daughter Orly is set to become the first female rabbi in this millennia-old dynasty.
  • Quote (41:39): “Queer people change people. You know, that’s what we do. Like, we come from that place of the margin and we have power, you know, to shape the world.” — Sandi DuBowski

Musical Performance: The Lowest Pair (44:29–50:09)

• Backstory:
  The Lowest Pair hilariously retell how, overwhelmed by “medical samples” at a marijuana farmers market, they forgot all their songs and improvised the same tune for 45 minutes to avoid driving.
  • Quote (44:55): “Palmer looked at me and said, I have forgotten all of our songs. And I said, I too have forgotten all of our songs. Let’s get out of here.” — Kendall Winter
• Performance:
  They deliver a heartfelt, rootsy rendition of “Stand By Me” (not to be confused with the Ben E. King classic), with Appalachian harmonies and intricate banjo. Their chemistry and wit shine on stage.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “People retire, but dreams don’t.” — Elena Passarello on Kent Broussard (05:25)
• “Pop culture as we know it doesn’t exist without In Living Color.” — Sam Sanders (12:54)
• “The entire Wayans family—put them on Mount Rushmore.” — Sam Sanders (14:46)
• “There’s like, I want more things that everyone is consuming together.” — Sam Sanders (10:08)
• “The smaller, more intimate venue opens up these artists to new musical possibilities.” — Sam Sanders (18:12)
• “No one ever says there’s too many books... but yeah, the more the merrier.” — Sam Sanders (21:13)
• “Ten years ago, when I began podcasting, you were just up against other podcasters. And now I have to compete with short-form ASMR Rug Deep Cleaning Videos.” — Sam Sanders (24:43)
• “Queer people change people. You know, that’s what we do. Like, we come from that place of the margin and we have power, you know, to shape the world.” — Sandi DuBowski (41:39)
• “We’re in a time of sacred hybridity... We need to lean into love. We need love to drive our world. Like, we’re so fear-based right now.” — Sandi DuBowski (37:44)
• “I have forgotten all of our songs...Let’s get out of here.” — Kendall Winter, The Lowest Pair (44:55)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Best News of the Week – 01:51–08:32
• Sam Sanders Interview (Monoculture and TV) – 08:32–15:12
• Sam Sanders on Stadium Concerts & Podcast Culture – 15:55–26:12
• Audience Q&A: Mandatory TV – 27:24–30:46
• Sandi DuBowski Interview & ‘Sabbath Queen’ – 31:40–41:47
• The Lowest Pair: Story & Song – 44:29–50:09

Tone & Style

The episode blends wit, heart, and deep cultural reflection. Sanders is smart and genial; DuBowski is articulate, passionate, and direct; the hosts balance journalistic insight with lighthearted banter. The musical guest brings both humor and warmth, rounding out an episode that moves naturally between celebration, critique, and genuine storytelling.

Summary

This Live Wire episode is a lively, poignant, and insightful ride through pop culture, faith, personal transformation, and how viral content both divides and unites us. Whether you’re nostalgic for shared TV moments, curious about faith at the margins, or just here for killer banjo licks and banter, you’ll find something to savor and discuss.