Nerd Nite Los Angeles - March 2024
Event description
Nerd Nite is fun-yet-informative lectures at a bar. It's like TED Talks...but with beer.
We all know that learning is more fun when you’re drinking with friends and colleagues. Thus, Nerd Nite is a monthly event held in more than 100 cities across the globe during which several folks give 20-minute fun-yet-informative and easily accessible presentations across all disciplines – while the audience drinks along.
FAQ's:
- Doors open at 7pm. Intro at 7:45pm. Presentations at 8pm.
- The Brewyard Beer Company is a 21+ venue.
- There is free street parking surrounding the bar, but we recommend utilizing a ride share service.
PRESENTATION LINE-UP:
PRESENTATION #1: Disability is Out There: That Time X-Files Tore Ableism Apart
by Grace Waldschmidt
Summary: As the tv/film industry claims to become increasingly inclusive, it says a lot that one of the best pieces of disability representation comes from 1996. Self-proclaimed fan-favorite Grace Waldschmidt breaks down a classic X-Files episode depicting a town of disabled side-show performers suspected of murder, and explains why it is still a paragon of thoughtful inclusion and a shrewd commentary on everyday ableism.
Bio: Grace Deppe-Waldschmidt is a queer, disabled TV writer whose work can be seen on Hulu and Netflix. She writes fantasy, sci-fi, and (accidentally) horror, but will always smuggle in a dash of sexual tension (thanks, Mulder and Scully). This is her third talk for Nerd Nite LA, the first two being on Queer rep in TTRPGS and Disabled rep among gay pirates. Grace lives with her elderly corgi-chihuahua, Shamus, who is not invited to the talk.
PRESENTATION #2: Monsters, Muppets, Movies, and Me: My Curious Career Creating Creatures, Chaos, and Comedy
by Kirk Thatcher
Summary: Creative extraordinaire Kirk R Thatcher recounts stories from his 40+ year career, designing, building, puppeteering, voicing, acting, writing, and directing funny, weird, and whimsical creatures and characters for both movies and television. From wrangling Ewoks, puppeteering Klingon lizard dogs, writing computer gags and singing a punk song for Star Trek IV (while also Associate Producing), and creating the series Dinosaurs with Jim Henson, he covers his wide-ranging series of odd jobs and how he developed the skills to procure them - all the while keeping his sense of humor and most of his sanity.
Bio: Kirk R. Thatcher is an Emmy award-winning writer/producer, as well as a director, actor, song-writer, creature maker, and designer for both films and television. He started at 19 in the Jim Henson Creature Shop on Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and has worked on Star Treks 2, 3, and 4, E.T., both Gremlin Movies, RoboCop 2, and help create the series Dinosaurs, Muppets Tonight, and The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell. As an actor, he recently finished portraying the maniacal Monster Hunter, “Jovan” in the Marvel Television Special, Werewolf by Night, and reprised his role as the Punk on the Bus in the 2nd Season of Picard. In 2021, he directed, co-wrote, and designed characters for the Disney + television movie, Muppets Haunted Mansion.
PRESENTATION #3: Pro Wrestling is Real: A Deep Dive into the Intersection of Wrestling and Real Life
by Brendan Boogie
Summary: Let me tell you something, brother! Like a steel chair to the cranium, professional wrestling has crashed into our arenas, TV screens, and popular culture for decades. Larger-than-life behemoths entertain the rabid masses with ruthless aggression and astounding feats of athleticism. But… you probably think that it’s all fake, right? In the words of The Rock, "it doesn’t matter what you think!" With its uniquely symbiotic relationship with fans and propensity for weaving real-life behind the scenes drama into on-screen storylines, pro wrestling is as real as it gets. Filmmaker and unabashed wrestling nerd Brendan Boogie takes us through the history of pro wrestling and explores how “real” things really get inside the squared circle. And that’s the bottom line, ‘cause Brendan Boogie said so!
Bio: Brendan Boogie is a writer, filmmaker, and longtime wrestling fan. Since catching the wrestling bug at age 10, he has spent more time watching and thinking about wrestling than anything else in his life, including his college degrees, professional obligations, and most members of his family. Things haven't gone that great for him, really.
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