What happens when obsession becomes a refuge, when a high score becomes a legacy, and when a rivalry turns into a morality play? This week on Make Me A Nerd , Mandy Kaplan goes deep into the pixelated world of Donkey Kong, a place where the stakes are high, the egos are massive, and the quarters just keep coming. Mandy is joined by Megan Isser, a former documentary filmmaker turned professor of film, who brings her nuanced lens to the unlikely drama chronicled in the cult-classic documentary The...
Jan 13, 2025•52 min•Ep. 31
This week, Mandy slays into Buffy the Vampire Slayer , a show she'd previously avoided. Joined by Pete Wright and Kyle Olson, she confronts her assumptions about vampires and the supernatural in stake and song. Before the nostalgia kicks in, Kyle addresses the complicated legacy of Joss Whedon, emphasizing the importance of separating the art from the artist. This is a conversation about reclaiming the Buffy fandom as a source of joy, setting the stage for a more nuanced discussion. Are Pete and...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 30
Dive deep into the swirling vortex of nerddom with Mandy and Dana as they dissect the wildly popular A Court of Thorns and Roses . Mandy grapples with the thorny intricacies of faerie lore, romanticy, and the age-old question: just how does one maintain hygiene in a pre-modern, magically infused realm? Dana, the seasoned reader and fantasy aficionado, acts as Mandy's Virgil, guiding her through the labyrinthine world of Sarah J. Maas's prose. They explore the surprising parallels to Beauty and t...
Dec 23, 2024•54 min•Ep. 29
What happens when fear isn’t just in the shadows, but in the walls of your own home? When the weight of loss becomes a creature you can see, hear, and—perhaps worst of all—cannot escape? This week, Mandy invites filmmaker, podcaster, and friend Tommy Metz III back to unpack one of the most unsettling films of the last decade: The Babadook . Mandy and Tommy explore the architecture of horror itself, evaluating how Jennifer Kent’s 2014 cult classic reshaped the genre. From the film’s muted color p...
Dec 16, 2024•55 min•Ep. 28
Mandy Kaplan embarks on a cosmic quest to decode the enigmatic realms of sci-fi aboard the USS Orville, captained by the comedic stylings of Seth MacFarlane, with Matthew Fox, host of Star Wars Generations and Superhero Ethics . This isn't a show that's obsessed with warp speeds or phaser frequencies. Instead, Matthew sees science fiction as a mirror reflecting the complexities of our own world, a lens through which to examine ethics, humanity, and the very fabric of consciousness. Mandy sets of...
Dec 09, 2024•59 min•Ep. 27
Mandy embarks on a quixotic quest to decode the enigmatic world of One Piece. Yes, that One Piece – the sprawling, seemingly endless saga of pirates, devil fruits, and a rubber-limbed protagonist named Monkey D. Luffy. Now, before you dismiss this as mere children’s fare, consider this: One Piece, like a meticulously crafted Trojan Horse, smuggles profound themes of friendship, loyalty, and the enduring power of dreams within its vibrant, often absurd exterior. Zach Logan, the erudite host of th...
Dec 02, 2024•53 min•Ep. 26
This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy goes deep into the bewitching woods of "Agatha All Along," a spin-off of the already perplexing "WandaVision." To help her grapple with the show's unique narrative structure, its blend of sitcom tropes and supernatural intrigue, and its connection to the broader tapestry of the MCU she’s got her new best Marvel friend, Matt Cole from the Debate This! Podcast! They dissect the lingering effects of Wanda's hex spell on Agatha Harkness, exploring how it traps her ...
Nov 25, 2024•57 min•Ep. 25
In this delightfully nerdy episode, Mandy joins the ranks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the (sort of) first time with podcaster and comic book aficionado Justin Jaeger. Like a modern-day anthropologist venturing into uncharted territory, Mandy explores the mystifying world of Loki, Marvel's mercurial trickster god, through the lens of a complete newcomer. Justin, whose personal comic collection once aspired to the likes of the Library of Alexandria with 8,000 volumes, guides Mandy through...
Nov 18, 2024•49 min•Ep. 24
This week, Mandy sits down with the Earp-erific Melody McCune from Geek Girl Authority, who's here to school Mandy (and all of us!) on the wild world of Wynonna Earp . Mandy bravely ventured into Season 3, Episode 7 before realizing she needed some serious backstory. So, like the true overachiever she is, she went back and watched the pilot (extra credit!). Now she's ready to chat all things Wynonna, from the show's surprising shift in tone (dark and atmospheric pilot vs. later seasons' campy fu...
Nov 11, 2024•58 min•Ep. 23
Join Mandy and her favorite roommate of all time, Abdi Nazemian, for a deep dive into the gloriously campy world of Mommie Dearest ! Mandy gets schooled by Abdi, an award-winning author and certified Mommie Dearest expert, on why this so-bad-it's-good film has become a gay cultural touchstone. They unpack Joan Crawford's over-the-top portrayal by Faye Dunaway, the unintentional camp that makes it so hilarious, and the surprisingly poignant way the film opened up conversations about abuse. Abdi s...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 22
This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy's chatting with the multi-talented Justine Huxley – voiceover artist, musical theater star, and, as it turns out, a total nerd in her own right. Justine's nerdiness spans the spectrum. She reminisces about belting out show tunes as a kid in San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square (pre-smartphone, sadly, no viral fame) and geeks out about Stephen Sondheim. While Mandy steers clear of museums, Justine confesses her love for all things natural history and science – but...
Oct 28, 2024•54 min•Ep. 21
This week, Mandy sits down with Darren Grodsky, a writer, director, and the mastermind behind the smash-hit podcast "How to Destroy Everything." Mandy and Darren take a timey-wimey trip through "Quantum Leap," the iconic '80s and '90s sci-fi series that captured Darren's imagination as a young boy. Together, they explore the show's genius use of time travel as a vehicle for powerful, emotional storytelling. Darren even admits publicly to choosing "Quantum Leap" over talking to his girlfriend. He...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 20
Hark, adventurers and nerds both fledgling and seasoned! Gather 'round the flickering hearth of Make Me a Nerd, where tales of fantastical realms and digital dungeons unfold. In this episode, our intrepid host, Mandy Kaplan, embarks on a quest into the heart of Dragonlance, guided by the wise and whimsical Simon Petrie. Together, they delve into the worn pages of Dragons of Autumn Twilight, a tome teeming with knights, mages, and creatures most wondrous. Prepare for a journey fraught with dracon...
Oct 14, 2024•51 min•Ep. 19
Ever feel like you're trapped in a world of gilded villains and shadowy agendas, where the fate of nations hangs in the balance? Then step into the thrilling world of James Bond with Matt DeGroot, Vice President of Production at Crooked Media, as he guides Mandy Kaplan through the treacherous landscape of Goldfinger on Make Me A Nerd. Matt, a man who obviously navigates the corridors of power by day and the seductive world of espionage by night, unveils the secrets of 007, revealing why this par...
Oct 07, 2024•57 min•Ep. 18
This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy sits down with podcast producer and "slutty nerd" Andy Nelson . Together, they blast off for a journey back to 1984 to revisit the cult classic film, "The Last Starfighter." This sci-fi adventure, often hailed as the best of the "Star Wars ripoffs," tells the story of Alex Rogan, a trailer park teen who achieves the highest score on an arcade game, only to discover it's a recruitment tool for an intergalactic war. Andy shares his nostalgic love for the film, pr...
Sep 30, 2024•51 min•Ep. 17
This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy explores the world of the inkstained wretch in the complex world of graphic novels with comic book author Adam Rose. Having dipped her toes in the shallow end with lighter reads, Mandy bravely tackles the seminal work "The Watchmen," a graphic novel renowned for its intricate storytelling and mature themes. Adam, a lifelong comic book enthusiast, and professional writer in the field, guides Mandy through the nuances of the medium, explaining how "The Watchmen" ...
Sep 23, 2024•46 min•Ep. 16
This week, Mandy embarks on a mission to appreciate the appeal of Aliens , and a genre she admits to having little experience with. Her guide through this new territory is Darnell Smith, a longtime friend and self-proclaimed sci-fi expert. For their cinematic journey, Darnell selects James Cameron’s film, one he believes to be the pinnacle of the franchise despite its departure from the original's tone. Throughout their discussion, Mandy questions whether "Aliens" belongs in the sci-fi category,...
Sep 16, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 15
This week on Make Me a Nerd, host Mandy Kaplan dives headfirst into the swirling vortex of Doctor Who with the help of returning guest and self-proclaimed "nerd-maker" Krissy Lenz. Mandy, still riding high from solving a real-life murder mystery, confesses her trepidation about tackling the sprawling universe of Doctor Who. But fear not, dear listeners, Krissy has a plan – a plan that involves a very specific episode, a certain famous painter, and a creature that can only be described as a "grun...
Sep 09, 2024•50 min•Ep. 14
This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy Kaplan dives headlong into the fascinating world of The Lord of the Rings with her guest, friend, and Tolkien superfan, Richard Hellstern. Despite her notably limited travel across Middle Earth, Mandy bravely boards the carriage with Gandalf and Frodo and manages to make a drinking game out of the trip. Surprising everyone, her admiration for the complex and rich world of Peter Jackson’s loving adaptation shines through, even though she admits to struggling at ...
Sep 02, 2024•50 min•Ep. 13
On this episode of Make Me A Nerd, Mandy welcomes her longtime friend (and comic book expert!) Jimmy Aquino to the show. Jimmy dives deep into his lifelong love of all things nerd, from childhood cartoons to his impressive Batman tattoo. Then, Jimmy throws Mandy into the deep end with a truly unique Superman story: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang, art by Gurihiru. This graphic novel tackles real-world issues like racism and xenophobia through the lens of a classic superhero narrative...
Aug 26, 2024•54 min•Ep. 12
Mandy sits down with her producer, confidant, consigliere, part-time chef, and friend Pete Wright to dive into the wacky world of the 1984 cult classic, "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension." Discover the enduring charm and infectious sense of fun that has made this quirky sci-fi adventure a beloved favorite among its dedicated fans. Pete shares his first encounter with "Buckaroo Banzai" as a teenager, watching it with friends and being captivated by its quirky humor and u...
Aug 19, 2024•56 min•Ep. 11
Mandy embarks on a journey into the weird and wonderful world of Farscape with none other than the "geek girl authority" herself, Audrey Kearns. The two reminisce about their comedy days at Acme before diving headfirst into the uncharted territories of science fiction fandom. Audrey, a self-proclaimed shy daydreamer, reveals how her childhood overseas and love of escapism led her to become a champion of all things sci-fi and fantasy. When pressed to name her desert island picks, she struggles to...
Aug 12, 2024•57 min•Ep. 10
This week, Mandy welcomes an old friend and collaborator, the multi-talented Brian Bradley, to the show. The pair reminisce about their shared history at the sadly now-defunct Acme Comedy Theater. But what secrets lie hidden in the NDA-protected annals of their legal battles? Mandy and Brian remain tight-lipped. Brian, a lifelong devotee of all things geeky, reveals the origin story of his nerd journey, from comic books to Star Wars to the theater (purely to meet women, of course). But the real ...
Aug 05, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 9
This week in nerddom, Mandy Kaplan embarks on a pixelated journey to the 1980s with special guest Zehra Fazal, a renowned voice actor known for her roles in countless animated series and video games. Zehra, a self-proclaimed nerd with a penchant for retro gaming, guides Mandy through the world of Sierra Games' classic "King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella." As Mandy navigates the text-based commands and dated graphics of this beloved adventure game, she finds herself equal parts frustrated and...
Jul 29, 2024•53 min•Ep. 8
In the latest installment of the podcast "Make Me a Nerd," host Mandy Kaplan ventures into the world of gaming with the help of guest and dear friend, Jonny Lee Jr. This week's mission? Tackling the fan-favorite Nintendo Switch game, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Mandy, a self-proclaimed extrovert and musical theater aficionado, finds herself out of her element as she navigates the vast, often lonely landscape of Hyrule. Armed with a controller and a shirtless avatar named Link (for eye c...
Jul 22, 2024•41 min•Ep. 7
In this episode of "Make Me A Nerd," host Mandy Kaplan welcomes a special guest - her husband, Jeremy Klavens. The couple, married for nearly 18 years, takes listeners on a journey into the world of "Game of Thrones,” in which Jeremy delicately introduces Mandy to the complex wordplay of the title of the show vis a vis, well, characters who are trying to sit… you know… on a throne. Jeremy himself is a reluctant GoT nerd. But it’s hard not to be drawn in by the show's attention to detail and imme...
Jul 15, 2024•52 min•Ep. 6
This week, Mandy settles into the passenger seat of the old Impala with comedian and podcaster Krissy Lenz for a road trip down the highway of "Supernatural," the long-running TV series about two brothers hunting monsters across America and facing their daddy issues. Krissy, a self-proclaimed nerd and host of the Supernatural drinking game podcast, “Gank That Drank,” introduces Mandy to the show's premise and its significance in the genre TV landscape. The two discuss the series' impressive 15-s...
Jul 08, 2024•50 min•Ep. 5
Ever wonder what happens when you mix a sci-fi novice with a medium-level nerd and throw in some Star Wars? Well, buckle up, because that's exactly what this episode of "Make Me A Nerd" delivers. Mandy Kaplan, whose imagination may have gone the way of the Death Star years ago, sits down with podcaster Ocean Murff to chat about "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." Ocean, proud owner of a mere 2,000 comic books (down from 4,000 - he's practically Marie Kondo-ing), attempts to guide Mandy through the g...
Jul 01, 2024•47 min•Ep. 4
In this week's episode of "Make Me A Nerd," host Mandy Kaplan welcomes her friend and fellow podcaster Kyle Olson to discuss his deep love for all things Star Wars. Kyle, a self-proclaimed geek who considers his fandom a core part of his identity, shares his passion for George Lucas's groundbreaking 1977 space epic, Star Wars: A New Hope. As children of the 80s, both Mandy and Kyle grew up in the era of Spielberg and Lucas blockbusters that brought a new level of cinematic entertainment to the m...
Jun 24, 2024•58 min•Ep. 3
This week, Mandy is joined by voice actor, writer and activist JP Karliak to discuss the animated Netflix series Castlevania. JP, a self-described "voiceover artist, queer activist, snappy dresser", has voiced characters like Morph in X-Men 97, Boss Baby, and Green Goblin on Spidey and His Amazing Friends. He also co-founded the organization Nerds Vote to encourage gamers, cosplayers, and pop culture fans to get out and vote, and Queer Vox to provide training and professional support for LGBTQIA...
Jun 17, 2024•44 min•Ep. 2
