Zakiya McCummings
Nerd Nite celebrates 6 months in Alaska
Photo by Kerry Tasker
Walking into the sixth anniversary of Nerd Nite Anchorage, I expect to see geeky-looking 20-somethings with big-rimmed glasses decked out in various kinds of sci-fi memorabilia. Cliché, I know. And as with most things in life, expectation did not live up to reality. Instead, as I enter the Snow Goose Theater on a Wednesday night, I am met with a room consisting largely of 30-somethings dressed like everyday people. There are some in casual garb, while others in suits and pencil skirts have obviously come straight from work. Toward the back of the room a long line waits for some Sleeping Lady brew, with a few attendees seeking out a taste of the small selection of wine available.
The distinct smell of meat and cheese from Snow Goose’s signature dishes wafts through the air as groups settle into the chairs arranged in the center of the large banquet room. Some of them are obviously well acquainted; laugher and teasing runs rampant among the energetic crowd. At 10 minutes past seven, the official starting time of Nerd Nite, local founder Darla Hane, aka GusGus McGee, calls for attention in a cheery yet commanding tone.
As she begins the opening announcements, Hane tells the crowd, “Rules are made to be broken, but traditions last forever.” The traditions of Nerd Nite are simple: first, presenters are not allowed to promote or recruit for any local businesses, clubs, universities, charities, foundations, or non-profits and are discourage from mentioning local workplaces while presenting. Second, each presentation is limited to 15 minutes. And lastly, Nerd Nite has been and always will be uncensored. “So please don’t be pissed off,” Hane pleads jokingly to a laughing room.
Tonight’s presentations are all about the history of beer, iconic B-movie actors, and the untold history of the Civil War. The first presenter of the night is Andrew Schmitt, a local beer aficionado who starts off his presentation with a bold declaration: “Beer is the reason civilization exists.” He delves into the history of beer, going as far back as 7,000 years ago when beer first appeared in China, to the time in Europe when it was largely produced by monasteries and churches. Nerd Nite event promoter Chris Linn is next up, discussing iconic B-movie actors Tim Tomerson, Lance Henrikson and Bruce Campbell. A highlight of his presentation is when he pulls up a slide showing all the remakes of classic movies currently in production, inciting a round of boos from the crowd. The closer for the night, Jane Isch, discusses the Civil War, including a brief section about General Joseph Hooker, whom we can all thank for the moniker we now associate with prostitutes.
The night ends on a positive note, with Hane revealing that the next Nerd Nite will include a presentation about different kinds of soil, and a presentation about sex from a medical doctor. “So get ready for some dirty sex, and we’ll see you next month!” she exclaims. The room is by no means empty in a matter of minutes. People linger to talk with the night’s presenters, as well as with each other. Some even exchange numbers, with the sound of laughter echoing off the walls.
A few weeks later Hane, Linn, and Nerd Nite event manager Rachel Mills meet me at a local coffee shop. The story of how these individuals came together starts in 2013. Hane, a world traveler, was introduced to Nerd Nite in Cambodia, but didn’t become a Nerd Nite Boss (as organizers are called) until she settled here in Alaska. Bringing Nerd Nite to Anchorage started out for selfish reasons, and a desire for economical forms of entertainment. “I’m poor! I can’t afford to buy super expensive tickets!” Hane laughs. “I was looking for something that was free, that was really high quality, and that I could meet people at. Anchorage didn’t have any of that.”
Although Hane got the go-ahead from Nerd Nite Global to create Nerd Nite Anchorage in December of 2013, the first Nerd Nite did not take place until December 2014 when Chris Linn and Rachel Mills got on board. Linn was working at downtown mainstay Snow Goose, a restaurant that also happens to have a theater. Once the trio started talking and building a relationship, it didn’t take long to make the leap from wanting to create Nerd Nite to suggesting hosting the event at the Snow Goose.
With a venue secure, the next hurdle was finding speakers. With the DIY attitude of promotion by word of mouth, it was hard to get people to bite. Then when the first Nerd Nite finally took place, one of the presenters got in an accident and never made it to the venue. The solution was to get event manager Mills up in front of the 20 people who’d shown up and let her talk about barnacle penises. “I used the word bukake in front of my mother,” Mills laughs.
The ostentatious first Nerd Nite did its job, however. A month later when the second event took place, attendance doubled to 40. The following month, the audience grew to 80, a number that has remained steady since and is typical of other Nerd Nites around the world.
With six months under their belt, the Nerd Nite Anchorage trio is focused on growing the event in the future. Linn recently created what will be the official Nerd Nite Anchorage logo, and Hane hopes to see more people come forward to present. “What I hear most often from people when I approach them to present is that they think they’re not nerdy enough,” she says. “Everyone’s a nerd about something.” For the seventh Nerd Nite Anchorage, the three topics of presentation will be deep-sea exploration, sex, and soil. Previous topics include gothic language, homosexuality in the 21st century, space, the social structure of brown bears and wolves. “Everyone has a story that they should totally present on, and it’s probably not their nine-to-five job,” Hane says. “We’re like these little Nerd Nite investigators going around like ‘No, tell me what you really do!’”
What started as a broke girl’s attempt to have a night out on a budget as since turned into a social event where everyone is free to talk about that one thing all their friends asks them not to. For those of you who can’t shut up about something that’s just too cool to keep to yourself, consider nerding out to an audience more than willing to hear you. There’s nothing else quite like it around town.
Nerd Nite Anchorage 7 will take place on Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. in the Snow Goose Theater (717 W. 3rd Ave.) The night’s presentations will be Going Deep Sea by Daniel Rogers, Maximum Pleasure by George Stransky, M.D., and Soil and Compost by Jodie Anderson.
Tags:
news
games
News