Nerd Demographics: Niche Geek

When you get right down to it, the very essence of being a nerd is an intense interest in something unpopular. So, really, all geeks are niche geeks, whether it be for a game or a TV show or a hobby. But there are some interests out there that are so microscopic in their scope, so wildly unpopular, that they don't even warrant a separate cohort in the nerd demographic spectrum.

We're talking Ham radio, model trains, Frank Zappa fans. We're not talking chess tournaments, folks, we're talking Boggle.

For ages, niche geeks were the lowest on the nerd pecking order. They couldn't band together the way Star Trek fans could, so they were lonely. And they might not be smart enough to get full scholarships to Ivy League Schools the way math and science geeks could. Most went underground and pursued their hobbies in secret.

But then. Then! Teh Interwebs! Now every niche geek could geek out exponentially! Harry Nilsson fans could trade mp3's of old demos! Fans of The Prisoner could start flame wars about the identity of Number 1: it was the midget butler... no, it was Number 6! Fans of tentacle Hentai could rejoice in their disgusting, filthy habits!*

A funny thing happened, though. As these micro-hobbies were exposed to the light of day, some of them suddenly became Hip. Because nothing is hipper than having an ironic interest in something no one else likes. This is a double-edged sword for the niche geek. A good example is knitting. Couple years ago, only grandmas and niche geeks knitted. Now, you can't walk through a downtown without tripping over three places called some variant of "Stitch 'n' Bitch". Even my tiny town, population 14,000, has a yarn shop now. Re-donk.

Not to say knitting isn't a fun, rewarding activity: it totally is! Absolutely! But it kind of sucks when something you love, yet have been ostracized for, becomes the Next Big Thing. Because then you are in the position of seeing the thing you love be taken over by Hipsters, and god forbid, become Popular. Shudder.

My advice to the niche geek in this position? Take advantage of it. If possible, trade this new found popularity in your interest into something good, like contributing to a blog or getting laid. Because once the Hipsters decide something even more obscure is fun, you will be left with trying to explain to people that, no, really, you were into knitting WAY before it became popular, seriously.

How to make friends: Listen to them talk about their hobby without yawning.

How to get them in bed: Leave a positive comment on their blog.

How to make enemies: If the hobby is currently hip, insinuate that they only like it because it's popular and/or ironic. If the hobby is currently outre, Don't bother making enemies. They're pathetic enough.


*Seriously? That shit is GROSS.

Finally!

Election's over, everyone! You know what this means? That's right! A return to web comics that are actually funny, rather than a pathetic attempt to find a glimmer of sardonic humor in the face of impending doom!

I mean, much as I enjoyed seeing the foibles of Sarah Palin in lo-fi, 2D format, it's nice to go back to funnies that are actually funny:


Super-Fun-Pak Comix, Courtesy of Ruben Bolling/Tom the Dancing Bug via Salon

I knew this day would come.

David Tennant is leaving Doctor Who. I... I can't even talk about it.

Sigh. If you want the official word from BBC, they have a little video about it, with an interview. A little video that just crushed me into utter devastation, is all.

Oh, David, you will be missed.

This one's for you, Spraggs!

Coming soon to an Xbox Live near you: Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix.

Image courtesy of Capcom, via Kotaku.

Halloween! Yay!

Let's be honest. Halloween is a chance for nerds to really shine. It's the one time of year where you get props for knowing the meticulous details of your favorite scifi/fantasy/horror movie/game/book. It's the only day where explaining the nuance of your Klingon Dress Battle Raiment to a drunk frat boy in a dress won't get you clocked.

This year, I went as Shaun, of Shaun of the Dead. I think the costume was a success, in that at least five people got very excited to point at me and say "You've got red on you!" The costume got more authentic as the night went on, because at one point I hugged a zombie and got blood all over my shirt. I didn't make a headband of the tie, though.


There were quite a few awesome nerd entries, including a couple with a shower/skeleton Karate Kid theme. There were two guys dressed as Andy Warhol (luckily from different eras, otherwise that would be AWKWARD), a droog, a gnome, and a Big Lebowski.

I have to give credit to two guys, though, for really bringing out the geek. First, my friend Buckley, who went as Gambit:

I'm a terrible photographer, so you're not getting the full effect of the outfit. Obviously though, guy knows his Gambit - the pose alone is a shining testament. I was very impressed, even though Gambit is my least favorite X-men.* He was also concerned that he couldn't find a brown trenchcoat and had to go with a gray one. Awesome. He couldn't convince his wife to go as Rogue, unfortunately.

But the ultimate win of the night goes to Cory, who went as Slob Robin, or Slobbin, as we were calling him:

People, this is COMMITMENT TO A BIT. Any costume that involves specifically shaving to give yourself a Fu Manchu is automatically made of pure uncut win. He didn't wash his hair for days, either. And last but not least, letting his gut hang through the costume was absolute gold.Sorry, ladies, he's taken.


*Seriously, playing cards? PLAYING CARDS? Come on. And his accent is ridiculous.

But what about BOY HERO?

FINALLY! A look inside Toxic Avenger: The Musical. Io9.com did up a little mini-doc about the musical based on everyone's favorite Troma pic, complete with a bit of the song "Hot Toxic Love". Check it out!

Thanks io9! Now I don't have to go down to New Jersey.*



*Thank God.

Made of WIN.

Too tired to do anything but link:
Cthulhu Movie Pitch

The Disney-esque font on the Lovecraft is the best part.

Of course he's awesome.

In news that should surprise precisely no one, David Tennant is receiving critical praise for his new role in Love's Labour's Lost. Apparently he was awesome in Hamlet with Patrick Stewart, and he is also killing as Berowne, that signor-junior, giant-dwarf, Dan Cupid,
Regent of love-rimes, lord of folded arms,
The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,
Liege of all loiterers and malcontents
Dread prince of plackets, king of codpieces
Sole imperator and great general
Of trotting paritors...


Sigh. I lurve me some Tennant. His oath would not be safe with me around, I can tell you!!! I'd be his Rosaline, wink wink! I'd wait a year and a day! Oh, Shakespearean humor. Nothing could be less funny.

It's so stimulating being your head.

I picked up a cheap DVD of Labyrinth the other day. I haven't seen it in ages, but on the whole, it fared well against the test of time. Kind of a trip down memory lane. I was never a huge Labyrinth fan, but there were also a couple of genuinely funny scenes. And the creature effects were fabulous, as always.

As a kid, it certainly cemented a lifelong love for David Bowie. This might have had something to do with some halfway decent songs he wrote for the flick, like this one, which featured some awesome 80's production values, fantastic sparkly masks, as well as Jennifer Connelly's teeth*.



Or, on second thought, it may have had a little to do with the costume design, which I found absolutely captivating as an 11-year old girl:





Nah, it was the music.**

*Does she have, like, the sexiest front teeth ever, or is it just me? If teeth can be classified as sexy.

** Seriously though, put some pants on that dude. That movie made me feel funny as a kid. Leggings are not for everyone.

Maybe they need new writers?

Judge for yourself. Forty + years of the same question, and it still never gets old:



Thanks for finding this, io9! And thanks for sifting through ten generations, NoDaylight!