Luke Burbank
Encyclopedia
Luke Burbank is an American
podcaster who currently hosts the Seattle-based former radio program and current podcast
Too Beautiful to Live
.
Early in his radio career, Burbank worked in Seattle as a producer
for the conservative talk show host Kirby Wilbur
as well as the public radio station's KUOW 94.9 FM
local talk show The Conversation and the public radio satire
show, "Rewind". Later, Burbank moved to Los Angeles, California, where he began booking appearances for the National Public Radio (NPR) program Day to Day
and worked as an assignment reporter on shows All Things Considered
, and Morning Edition
. On November 2, 2001 he had a story aired on This American Life
.
In July 2006, he became a panelist on the radio game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
. He substituted as host for Peter Sagal
for some weeks while Sagal finished his book, and fills in whenever Sagal takes a vacation. His appearances on the show have been marked by the audience chanting "Luuuuuuuuuuuuuke!" as the show comes back from a break.
Burbank spent two months as host of NPR's short-lived morning show The Bryant Park Project, an experiment in alternate programming by the network that aired on 13 public radio stations. Burbank left the show in mid-December 2007, in order to spend more time with his daughter in Seattle. His last appearance on the program was on December 14, 2007.
After leaving NPR, Burbank returned to Seattle to host a local show called Too Beautiful to Live
. The program ran for 18 months (initially on KIRO-AM and then on KIRO-FM), and was Seattle Weekly
s choice as "Best Radio Talk Show" in July 2009, but after a poor showing in the July Arbitron
ratings, the radio program was canceled in September. Burbank and KIRO said that the program would continue as a daily podcast from Burbank's living room until "at least" January when his contract expired. As of March 2010, Luke has been hosting his so-called "imaginary radio show" from what he has dubbed "Burbank Studios" located in a makeshift yet impressively equipped room of his house.
On October 26, 2010, after one year off the KIRO airwaves, Burbank joined The Dave Ross Show
as co-host. The show has been renamed to Ross and Burbank.
In addition to the podcast, he has regular speaking engagements and stand-up comedy appearances.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
podcaster who currently hosts the Seattle-based former radio program and current podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
Too Beautiful to Live
Too Beautiful to Live
Too Beautiful to Live is a podcast and a former radio show originating from Seattle, Washington. It first aired on January 7, 2008 and its final broadcast was September 11, 2009...
.
Early in his radio career, Burbank worked in Seattle as a producer
Radio producer
A radio producer oversees the making of a radio show. There are two main types of producer. An audio or creative producer and a content producer. Audio producers create sounds and audio specifically, content producers oversee and orchestrate a radio show or feature...
for the conservative talk show host Kirby Wilbur
Kirby Wilbur
Kirby Wilbur is an American radio personality and conservative political activist who hosted a local conservative talk radio morning show on KVI-AM in Seattle, Washington. He occasionally hosts The Sean Hannity Show on a fill-in basis. He was elected the State Chairman of the Washington State...
as well as the public radio station's KUOW 94.9 FM
KUOW-FM
KUOW-FM 94.9 is a National Public Radio affiliate radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is a top-ranked radio station in the Seattle/Tacoma media market...
local talk show The Conversation and the public radio satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
show, "Rewind". Later, Burbank moved to Los Angeles, California, where he began booking appearances for the National Public Radio (NPR) program Day to Day
Day to Day
Day to Day was a one-hour weekday American radio newsmagazine distributed by National Public Radio , and produced by NPR in collaboration with Slate. Madeleine Brand served as host since 2006...
and worked as an assignment reporter on shows All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
, and Morning Edition
Morning Edition
Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
. On November 2, 2001 he had a story aired on This American Life
This American Life
This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...
.
In July 2006, he became a panelist on the radio game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is an hour-long weekly radio news panel game show produced by Chicago Public Radio and National Public Radio. It is distributed by NPR in the United States, internationally on NPR Worldwide and on the Internet via podcast, and typically broadcast on weekends by member...
. He substituted as host for Peter Sagal
Peter Sagal
Peter Sagal is an American playwright, screenwriter, actor, and host of the National Public Radio game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He is originally from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, although he currently resides in Oak Park, Illinois. Sagal attended Harvard University in Cambridge,...
for some weeks while Sagal finished his book, and fills in whenever Sagal takes a vacation. His appearances on the show have been marked by the audience chanting "Luuuuuuuuuuuuuke!" as the show comes back from a break.
Burbank spent two months as host of NPR's short-lived morning show The Bryant Park Project, an experiment in alternate programming by the network that aired on 13 public radio stations. Burbank left the show in mid-December 2007, in order to spend more time with his daughter in Seattle. His last appearance on the program was on December 14, 2007.
After leaving NPR, Burbank returned to Seattle to host a local show called Too Beautiful to Live
Too Beautiful to Live
Too Beautiful to Live is a podcast and a former radio show originating from Seattle, Washington. It first aired on January 7, 2008 and its final broadcast was September 11, 2009...
. The program ran for 18 months (initially on KIRO-AM and then on KIRO-FM), and was Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly is a freely distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as The Weekly...
s choice as "Best Radio Talk Show" in July 2009, but after a poor showing in the July Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings, the radio program was canceled in September. Burbank and KIRO said that the program would continue as a daily podcast from Burbank's living room until "at least" January when his contract expired. As of March 2010, Luke has been hosting his so-called "imaginary radio show" from what he has dubbed "Burbank Studios" located in a makeshift yet impressively equipped room of his house.
On October 26, 2010, after one year off the KIRO airwaves, Burbank joined The Dave Ross Show
Dave Ross
Dave Ross is a talk show host on Seattle's KIRO-FM radio station, with whom he had been a news anchor from 1978 until his talk show started nine years later in 1987. He has sometimes broadcast his show while on assignment in other locations, including overseas, such as Baghdad, Iraq in April...
as co-host. The show has been renamed to Ross and Burbank.
In addition to the podcast, he has regular speaking engagements and stand-up comedy appearances.