I just went to the grocery store, turned on NPR and heard a segment of this for the first time. When I got home I googled it.
Live Wire Radio is a radio variety show that was launched in 2004 in Portland, Oregon, United States.
Which explains why one musical guest said to audience laughter that Bilbao is often referred to as "the Portland of Europe".
Live Wire is built on various elements such as standup comedy, guest interviews, and musical performances.[4][5] Its emphasis is on the quirky local character of Portland.[4] Each show is recorded in front of a live audience, every other week, which is then edited into material for two weekly shows.
It makes such a difference.
In February 2003,[7] Kate Sokoloff approached Robyn Tenenbaum with the idea for Live Wire, a younger, "hipper" version of Prairie Home Companion... (Wikipedia)
It is very much like the old PHC that I used to listen to in my young, single days also on Saturday nights (I was never a live wire, even on Saturday nights.), which was also recorded live.
I listened to, I guess, parts of three segments. Every one was funny, none were stand-up comedy, just interviews. The guests and hosts were just naturally funny. The first segment I heard was an interview of Jay Werthem (sp), a LGBTQ+ person who just had something published in NYT mag. They are also finishing writing a book. They were funny, too. It was refreshing to hear a LGBTQ+ person be light-hearted about their identity. So much that I hear, or read (or at least expose myself to) is "serious"--about the problems they face and faced coming out, fitting in. Werthem read from her NYT piece I guess it was, about going to a LGBTQ+ nude beach for the first time in Mexico. It was funny and charming.
HIGHLY recommend Live Wire Radio.
