Live Wire with Luke Burbank – Episode Summary
Episode: Timothy Egan, and Dessa (REBROADCAST)
Date: October 31, 2025
Podcast Host: PRX

Overview

This episode of Live Wire, originally recorded in June 2023, features award-winning author and journalist Timothy Egan discussing his book A Fever in the Heartland, which delves into the alarming rise of the Ku Klux Klan in 1920s America and the courageous woman who played a crucial role in their downfall. The program also welcomes back musician, poet, and podcaster Dessa, who reads from her latest, provocatively titled poetry collection and takes on the live challenge of composing a poem backstage using prompts pulled from top Google searches. The episode blends historical insight with vibrant performance, humor, and candid conversations about confronting hate, finding community, and the rewards and costs of a creative life.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. “Best News All Week”

Timestamps: 03:09–07:22

• Elena Passarello shares a heartwarming graduation story about Grace Mariani and her service dog, Justin, who both received “diplomas” at Seton Hall University (03:09).
• Luke Burbank recounts the discovery of what might be the earliest transcription of a stand-up comedy set from 1480, challenging assumptions about medieval humor and culture (04:40).

Notable Quotes:

• “The best news… is a reminder there is good out in the world.” – Luke Burbank (03:09)

2. Interview: Timothy Egan on A Fever in the Heartland

Timestamps: 08:15–26:57

a. Egan’s Way Into the Story (08:21)

• Egan describes learning about the Klan’s surprising prominence in “uber-woke” Oregon, which once had a Klan governor and mayor, and where 10,000 attended a Klan convention (08:45).
• He expands to Indiana’s Klan dominance, highlighting its paradoxical rise in a Union state with few minorities but a deep fear of change (10:29).

Notable Moments:

• “One in three white males in Indiana in the 1920s belonged to the Ku Klux Klan.” – Timothy Egan (10:29)
• “These weren’t toothless rubes… They were the people who held their communities together.” – Timothy Egan (10:54)

b. The Grand Dragon & Klan Culture (14:56)

• D.C. Stephenson, a traveling salesman-turned-Klan leader, amassed power and wealth in Indiana, preying on racism and societal anxieties (15:18).
• The Klan masqueraded as mainstream; they had children’s groups (“Ku Klux Kiddies”), women’s brigades, even barbershop quartets (11:51).

Notable Quotes:

• “He lied by way of respiration — if he was breathing, he was lying.” – Timothy Egan (11:37)
• “He just knew what people wanted to hear. He would always say, you didn’t create your own problems. Someone else did.” – Timothy Egan (15:20)

c. Madge Overholtzer — The Woman Who Stopped the Klan (16:52)

• Madge, a courageous and independent woman, exposed Stephenson’s crimes after being victimized, succeeding where institutions like Notre Dame and the NAACP had failed (17:00–18:21).
• “She had the guts… to say, I’m going to bring that guy down.” – Timothy Egan (25:14)

d. Parallels to the Present (18:48)

• Egan and hosts note chilling echoes between 1920s Klan rhetoric and contemporary politics (“Make America a country for Americans”) (19:45).
• Despite progress, Egan acknowledges persistent undercurrents: “Today if you go to a press conference and say ‘I’m Klan,’ you’re shamed; in 1925, people said, ‘Howdy, neighbor!’” – Timothy Egan (19:51)

e. Reasons for Hope (20:47; 21:16–22:32)

• The Klan’s grip has weakened, and key racist laws they championed — like eugenics and anti-miscegenation statutes — have been repealed (21:16).
• “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” – Timothy Egan (21:16)

f. Why the Klan Fell (22:44)

• The Klan’s unraveling was due to both exposure of their corruption and scandals, and the realization that much of what they sought (Prohibition, discriminatory laws) had already been codified (22:44–24:42).

3. Audience Q&A: Station Location Game

Timestamps: 28:38–29:14

• Elena and Luke play a fun city-guessing game centered on “Manhattan, Kansas,” nicknamed the “Little Apple.”

4. Interview & Performance: Dessa

Timestamps: 30:29–52:12

a. Life as a Touring Musician (30:31)

• Luke remarks on Dessa’s candor about the reality behind the touring life.
• Dessa reads “How to Stage Dive,” an irreverent, insightful poem on the rituals and risks of performing (30:52–35:25).
  • “There is always a tinge of fear. Right? Because a stage dive that is unsuccessful is an ambulance ride.” – Dessa (36:52)

b. On Art, Sacrifice, and Community (36:05)

• “If you can bury a complaint in a thank you, right, that’s the way to do it… I really like this life.” – Dessa (36:05)

c. “Fun Facts” Poem (37:34)

• Dessa reads a whimsical poem blending playful untruths and emotional insight (37:34–39:11).
  • “It takes your body 20 minutes after you’ve stopped eating to know if this was a date or just a friend hang.” – Dessa (38:05)
• Conversation about ambiguity in modern romance and the pain of clarity: “If you put it out there… and they decline, there’s no pretending that wasn’t your intention.” – Luke (39:53) / “I hate pain.” – Dessa (40:05)

d. AI & Poetry (41:18)

• Hosts use ChatGPT to compose a poem about Dessa, with mixed results; Dessa is unimpressed but anticipates AI will improve (42:24).

e. Live Poem Challenge — “Meat vs. Machine” (43:34; 50:45–52:12)

• Dessa accepts a challenge to write a poem using four Google search terms: “Wordle,” “Betty White,” “PCR test near me,” and “What does oligarch mean?” (44:00)
• Returns with “Aging Tastefully,” a clever tribute intertwining the prompts, ending on a note honoring Betty White ("…thank you for being a friend.") (50:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Timothy Egan: “History doesn’t repeat itself—it rhymes.” (01:54, repeated 19:07)
• Egan, on American archetype grifters: “He lied by way of respiration.” (11:37)
• Dessa, on stage diving: “There is always a tinge of fear, because a stage dive that is unsuccessful is an ambulance ride.” (36:52)

Important Timestamps

• 03:09 – Good news segment: Service dog “graduates”
• 08:15 – Timothy Egan on Livewire introduction
• 10:29 – Egan on Indiana Klan’s size and influence
• 15:18 – Egan details Klan leader D.C. Stephenson’s rise
• 17:00 – Story of Madge Overholtzer
• 19:45 – Egan on historical parallels: “Make America a country for Americans”
• 21:16 – Laws repealed, progress since the 1920s
• 24:42 – Why the Klan fell (scandal and “winning”)
• 30:52 – Dessa reads “How to Stage Dive”
• 37:34 – Dessa reads “Fun Facts”
• 41:18 – ChatGPT poem about Dessa
• 43:34 – The live AI/human poetry challenge is set
• 50:45 – Dessa performs her “search term” poem live

Tone & Style

The tone is dynamic, candid, and at times humorous, mixing serious historical discussion with lighter performance and backstage banter. Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello foster a welcoming, inquisitive atmosphere, balancing the darkest aspects of history and society with wit and empathy.

Takeaways

• Egan’s historical account is a sobering reminder of the persistence of hate groups, but also the possibility of progress and the power of individuals (especially women like Madge Overholtzer) to make a difference.
• Dessa’s poetic performances underscore the emotional realities and quirks of creative life, articulated with humor, vulnerability, and resilience.
• The playful engagement with AI reflects curiosity and skepticism about technology’s role in the arts.
• Audience participation and live challenges highlight the show’s ethos of community, creativity, and improvisation.

This episode’s blend of history, performance, and real-time creativity makes for a thought-provoking listen, with moments both haunting and heartening.