Susan Orlean and David Ramirez

Comedian Hari Kondabolu tells us about his new podcast Health Stuff and offers his "expert" advice on how to treat some strange medical symptoms of wild animals; best friends and podcasters Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays are put to the test on how well they really know each other; and musician John Craigie unpacks the paradox of being a shy person and a reluctant guitar player while finding great success as a singer-songwriter, before performing his new tune "Fire Season." john

In his latest book Rock*, writer and culture critic Chuck Klosterman takes us through an alternate reality of music history, where The Velvet Underground were the biggest band in the world while The Beatles faded into obscurity; musicians Alicia J. Rose and Gilly Ann Hanner chat about Menopunks, a movement and documentary project they've launched to de-stigmatize menopause and get women the healthcare they deserve; and indie rock group Ages and Ages perform "Wild Ride" from their latest album Fine Thanks and You.

Actor and writer Jeff Hiller dives into his memoir Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success, which highlights his awkward youth as a bullied kid in Texas to his Emmy win for HBO's hit series Somebody Somewhere; stand-up comedian Mohanad Elshieky recounts some recent challenges... like getting stuck in his apartment elevator and being tricked into hiking by his wife; and singer-songwriter Edna Vázquez gives us a brief history of mariachi, before performing with Forest Grove High School's ensemble Mariachi Tradición.

New York Times obituary writer Sam Roberts (Are The Dead Yet?: the Art of the Obit) discusses the notion of famous last words, the etiquette of the "advanced obituary," and how he once wrote an obit for Jesus Christ himself; plus singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno reveals how she manifested her childhood dreams — which took her from Guatemala to the Grammys and onto Broadway — before performing "New Dawn" from her latest album DUSK.

Acclaimed writer Susan Orlean (The New Yorker) reflects on her storied career through the lens of her new memoir Joyride, which touches on her unique approach to research and celebrity profiles... and how Meryl Streep came to portray her in the "adaptation" of her hit book The Orchid Thief; plus, Austin's beloved singer-songwriter David Ramirez performs "Put in the Work" from his album Rules & Regulations.

Comedian and writer Eliot Glazer unpacks his often awkward journey through modern queer life in his collection of essays The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Gay; celebrated poet Paisley Rekdal evokes the beauty and complexities of family legacy in her newest collection Heritance; and indie rock band Jonny's Day Out perform "Cough" from their debut album JDO.

Comedy writer Tamara Yajia unpacks her memoir Cry for Me, Argentina, which follows her unorthodox upbringing between the U.S. and Argentina while attempting to become a child star; stand-up comedian Susan Rice comments on life as a woman in her 70s... which includes a dating service called SilverSingles; and indie folk artist Anna Tivel explains how traveling by train across North America has inspired her songwriting, before performing her tune "California Zephyr."

Chef and restaurateur Sean Sherman (a.k.a. The Sioux Chef) explores the historical significance and culinary potential of decolonized ingredients in his latest cookbook Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America; stand-up comedian Jackie Kashian unpacks her anger... and the business of fly fishing; and indie folk musician Laura Veirs finds the connection between weight lifting and songwriting, before performing her tune "Flying Into Darkness" from her latest album Temple Songs.

Writer Alexis Okeowo (The New Yorker) untangles the themes of her new book Blessings and Disasters: A Story of Alabama, which weaves personal experience and the complex history of her home state; legendary comedian Maria Bamford takes the hot seat and answers her popular Vulture magazine questionnaire; and alt-folk rocker Pete Droge performs "You Called Me Kid" from his latest album Fade Away Blue.

Author Lindy West discusses her road-trip memoir, Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane, and the online backlash sparked by the relationship choices she details in the book; writer Angela Nissel unpacks her new book, Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom Is Dead — a reckoning with her complicated relationship with her mother, particularly her role as caretaker in her mother's final days; and indie rockers Pedro the Lion perform "Modesto" from their latest album, Santa Cruz.