Episode 419
with Lidia Yuknavitch, Atsuko Okatsuka, and The Black Tones
Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss what they've learned about themselves recently; writer Lidia Yuknavitch describes her latest collection of stories as a series of devotionals to the outcasts among us; comedian Atsuko Okatsuka admits to her insecurities around teenagers; and rock group The Black Tones perform "Mama! There's A Spider In My Room!"
Lidia Yuknavitch
Acclaimed & Beloved Portland Author
Lidia Yuknavitch writes with urgent empathy. In her new book, “Verge,” she turns her eye to life on the margins, in all its beauty and brutality, as she pens the stories of the marginalized and outcast among us. Yuknavitch is the author of the novels “The Book of Joan,” “The Small Backs of Children, “Dora: A Headcase,” and a critical book on war and narrative, “Allegories of Violence.” Her widely acclaimed memoir “The Chronology of Water “was a finalist for a PEN Center USA award for creative nonfiction and winner of the Oregon Book Award Reader's Choice. “The Misfit's Manifesto,” a book based on her recent TED Talk, was published by TED Books. She founded the workshop series Corporeal Writing, where she teaches both in person and online. If you want your reading to open your mind and inspire your heart, Lidia Yuknavitch is the contemporary writer you’ve been waiting for. Website • Twitter
Atsuko Okatsuka
Observational Comic & Host of "Let's Go, Atsuko!"
Atsuko Okatsuka has a firm grip on her comedy. The stand-up, writer, and actor just released her new comedy album “But I Control Me,” which lets listeners into the creative mind of a comedian who delivers her unique brand of observational and relatable comedy in a tidy package. Featured in Vulture as one of “38 Comedians You Should and Will Know,” Okatsuka has also been named a top comedian to watch by TimeOut LA and plays to local and nationwide audiences. She’s recently starred in her own one-hour special for Hulu, written for Adult Swim, and has a number of pilots in development. Atsuko's latest creation, “Let's Go, Atsuko: A Woke Japanese Game Show,” has monthly sold-out shows in Los Angeles and is a hit weekly podcast as part of Forever Dog Productions. Recently, she’s partnered with National Lampoons and Quibi to bring the televised version of “Let’s Go Atsuko” to screen. For surprising, hilarious comedy, hand over the controls to Atsuko Okatsuka. Website • Twitter
The Black Tones
Southern Blues Meets Northwest Punk
Simply put...The Black Tones are like a mixture of Kurt Cobain and cornbread. Consisting of founders/twin siblings Eva Walker on guitar/vocals and Cedric Walker on drums, the blues- and punk-based dynamo continuously project subversion, power and the potential for something new on stage. Website • Twitter • Spotify
