Brutal sex lives of insects ... and beer

Photo Credit: Matt Wasowski

As a fellow nerd, the combination of insect sex, beer, and socializiation is always enticing. 

Nerd Nite, at Galapagos Art Space in Dumbo, offers a monthly mix of cocktails and dweeby presentations such as Things your Spiritual Adviser Never Told You about Quantum Mechanics, The Scientific Investigation of Alien Life, and Doing it Buggy Style: The Fascinating and Brutal Sex Lives of Insects (most likely a crowd favorite).

If you haven't experienced the goober festivites, such as nerd speed dating, it is best to seek wise counsel from the NYC Nerd Boss, Matt Wasowski.

Kira:  When did Nerd Nite start?
Matt:  Nerd Nite started in 2003 in Boston. My friend Chris was a doctoral candidate at Boston University and was a barfly at his local bar, The Midway, in Jamaica Plain. He had to go to Cameroon every fall for 3 months to study a bird and when he'd return the bartenders would overhear him telling his friends about the trips. Finally they got bored of hearing the story and asked him to tell his friends at one time...and voila, a presentation about science at a bar. I brought it to New York in March 2006 after running several bar trivia shows. I already had a pretty
nerdy following (and friends) so the transition was easy.  Good thing we all like to drink a lot. So yeah, Nerd Nite was basically an excuse to talk about absurd things while drinking.  And voila...

Kira:  Will speed dating be a regular occurrence?
Matt:  We've done four or five hetero speed datings since January 2009 and we've done two gay speed datings too. We can't do them every month because we don't want to overexpose it, but we try to do it every 3 or 4 months. Though maybe I should do it more often because it's always way more popular than I ever imagined it would be. Who knew that nerds need so much love? Fortunately, most everyone ends up getting a few matches. Oh, and guys with British accents seem to get selected by every girl. Brits! Interestingly, like any other dating I guess, I've seen the entire array of successes and heartbreaks. I know of a few couples still going strong for a year, and I have a few guys and girls who have been to nearly every speed dating event. Love is fickle, even for smartypantsers and smartypantresses.

Kira:  Who qualifies as a nerd?
Matt:  Nearly everyone's a nerd. As I always say, just about everyone knows more about something than everyone else. Even the star quarterback can spin yarns about how to read a cover-2 defense. Now that's nerdy.

Kira:  How have you seen Nerd Nite grow?
Matt:  The growth of Nerd Nite has amazed me. We started it at a small bar in the East Village with maybe 25 or 30 friends, and here we are a few years later consistently selling out a 250-seat venue. We went on tour last spring and packed places throughout California, and we've also spread our wings to Austin, SF, DC, New Orleans, and even Munich. Apparently we're filling some weird niche. But I'm just happy we've stuck to the spirit of Nerd Nite and haven't become exclusionary or jerky.

Kira:  Are there any surprises at the event?
Matt:  There are always surprises - namely the fact that presentations that sound really boring on paper are usually the most hilarious and/or charismatic presentations you'll ever see. Who would have thought that a presentation about mathematicians would end in a rap? Exactly.

Kira:  What is your favorite aspect of Nerd Nite?
Matt:  My favorite aspect of Nerd Nite is that when someone first hears about it, he or she often asks, "what would I present at Nerd Nite?" and instantly that person is hooked. Like I said, everyone's nerdy about something, so this is giant drunken group of nerds. What more would one want out of a Friday night?

Kira:  What's your insider's advice to someone that is attending for the first time?
Matt:  Drink and heckle!

There you have it.  Now, take out your contacts, grab your spectacles, and bring out your inner-geek at Nerd Nite.

Geek-worthy Info:

Nerd Nite NYC at Galapagos Art Space DUMBO
16 Main Street in DUMBO Brooklyn (F train to York St. or A/C train to High St.)
Friday April 9, 2010
Quizo trivia at 7:00pm (get there at 6:45 to check in!)
Regular Nerd Nite at 8:30pm
$13 for Quizo trivia (includes admission to regular Nerd Nite)
$10 cover charge for regular Nerd Nite-only

You can contact Nerd Nite NYC Boss Matt Wasowski at matt@nerdnite.com

Tickets for Quizo trivia + Nerd Nite on Friday April 9 at 7pm ($13) :  http://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?EID=&showCode=NER56

Regular Nerd Nite-only tickets for Friday April 9 at 8:30pm ($10) :  http://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?EID=&showCode=NER57