The media’s perception and portrayal of the character of the “nerd” has certainly changed in the last few decades. Think about it; back when I was a wee boy (and the Professor was already old), the portrayal of the nerd character was done at levels of excess normally reserved for characterizations from Commedia dell’Arte. The portrayal of “Urkel” from the old sitcom Family Matters was an exercise in stock character stereotyping.
This gradually progressed to the character of Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons, whose levels of condescension seemed to place him above the general public, at least in his own mind. This has gradually become the typification as time has gone on. Now, of course, the four amigos in The Big Bang Theory — along with nerd folk hero Wil Wheaton — have redefined the nerd as “cool, but amazingly socially awkward”.
As the arbiters of all things nerdy here, I think we need to sound off on this matter. Who is the nerd character you think of, or whose voice you use, when you encounter something decidedly nerdy? Who is the Alpha Nerd?
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I'm just gonna climb into my pink Sikorsky…
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How about MacGyver? Smart, resourceful, and totally do-able (even in his mullet-wearing episodes)…
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Got to be Pee Wee Herman from the tv show to wacking off in an adult theater,Forever Alone!!!!
Speaking of nerds, Dearthair did you know the cast of Star Trek – NG is coming to Calgary in April? Surely you can put on your anti-ick suit and shoot down here for that.
I did hear that. Any idea on cost of tickets?
No but I'll look into it if you feel like a roadtrip and some quality time in the YYC.
Deets are here: http://www.calgaryexpo.com/calgary-expo/
One day is $22.
Hayden Panatierre (or however you spell that) will also be there to add fuel to my creepy middle-aged man at a nerd expo vibe.
Holy shit, look at that lineup! Let's do it. I'll make that my three-day weekend for that month.
Get a Friday pass and avoid the weekend rush? Let me know for sure and I'll grab tix.
It appears that Friday will also result in us avoiding most of the biggest-name celebs.
Mmmmmmm….Hayden Panatierre.
Hey, I'm not middle aged…yet. So it's slightly less creepy.
It's spelled 'Hayden Panettiere' (I had to look her up, never heard of her), and very slightly less, you lolicon.
I won't say what I was going to because it would inevitably lead you to a "dammit whippersnapper" moment.
Wow. The whole TNG cast plus Katee Sackhoff.
/wish I lived in Canadia
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*I* am the alpha-nerd. All bow to me.
I'm still trying to get used to the whole concept of "nerd cool". I was pretty much a nerd growing up. The nerd was the one everybody picked on, the one the girls teased (if they acknowledged at all), the one with poor social skills. There were not ANY cute nerd girls. If you obsessed over something you generally tried to hide it, not flaunt it.That would be just one more thing to be picked on about. Here in Georgia the two big colleges are University of Georgia (UGA) and Georgia Tech. UGA is seen as the jock school. Tech is seen as the nerd school. While the two schools do have a big football rivalry it is rather lopsided in favor of UGA. The cheer after a loss at my alma mater, Tech, is "That's all right, that's OK, you're going to work for us someday."
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Although the term itself goes back to the 50's, its usage really took off in the 70's with Happy Days. Potsie is my pick for Alpha Nerd (ot Alpha Dren to Joanie).
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Protonerd /= Alphanerd.
An Alpha Nerd is known by the company he keeps. Potsie hung with Fonzie. It doesn't get any better than that.
Also-rans not already mentioned:
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David Byrne hung with the rest of the Talking Heads, at least for a couple of years.
Woz hung with Steve jobs.
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Will Wheaton is a nerd too far.
I have to say that, based on the ability to store scarily archane data, synthesize awesome conceptualizations and excrete 99/100% pure, effervescent brainings, Bill Atkinson, the first Mac software engineer, is King of the Nerds.
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And end thread. Anyone who hangs in KC, with a giant rat, and an arguably hot chick, is the winner.
Who is he? I remember seeing the show once but can't remember any details.
Beakman from Beakman's World. A weirder version of Bill Nye the Science Guy
I waffled a little between Beakman and Bill Nye, but the wackiness of his show plus the giant rat-edness tilted it his way.