Geeks can worry a little less about being shoved into trash cans these days as celebrity geek role models are popping up everywhere.
“Jeopardy!” leading man Ken Jennings–America’s reigning endearing geek icon–has continued his winning streak into a second season of the show. Internet search-engine dorks Larry Page and Sergey Brin just made billions taking Google public.
Even the movies are advocating going geek. With “The O.C.’s” Adam Brody thinking of remaking the 1984 geek classic “Revenge of the Nerds” and the title character in the film “Napoleon Dynamite” grabbing headlines this summer, members of the socially inept crowd have been given license to embrace their own inner geek.
“Today there is definitely more cache to being a geek,” says Jane Buckingham, president of the trend-spotting company Youth Intelligence. “If you think about the cliche of the computer nerd, he’s now the guy who takes his company public for $3 billion. Being a geek is good, not bad.”
So, geek is chic. But how did those once-friendless brainiacs from high school become so attractive? Buckingham says that it’s because people today are so overstyled and overprocessed that geeks are a welcome burst of reality.
“Everybody’s trying to be so cool,” she says. “So when you’re not trying, it feels a little more genuine. Trend-setters will sometimes see that and say, ‘I admire that pocket protector,’ and adopt the style.”
People can relate to geeks, says Jared Hess, director and co-writer of “Napoleon Dynamite.”
Dynamite has trouble distinguishing reality from fantasies about ninja powers and hunting wolverines in Alaska; he speaks in an inarticulate, defensive monotone; he embodies the almost gruesome clumsiness of high school; and by the end of the movie, audiences are cheering out loud for him.
“I think people can say, ‘I was either as awkward or more awkward than him,’ ” Hess told the Los Angeles Times. “Everyone has their Napoleon moments.”
Geeks also gain more social acceptance as people mature. Megan Roche, a 27-year-old sales manager from Bucktown, says that as people grow up, they are more open to developing relationships with different kinds of people.
“You choose your friends for who they are,” she says. “When you’re younger that’s not the most important thing.”
This was true for Ramie Robbins, a
28-year-old interactive manager from Lincoln Park who says she was a cheerleader type in high school. She liked a geek so much she married him.
“He wrote his first book about mastering Nintendo at age 13,” Robbins says. “He wore Hawaiian shirts with shorts and black Reeboks.”
But his lack of style wasn’t important when Robbins got to know him. Just like in nerd movies, his personality won her over.
“He’s also very fun and outgoing,” she says, adding that he now wears Kenneth Cole and Banana Republic.
“Besides, my grandma always said to marry a nerd because they make better husbands. They’re nicer and more successful.”
Who says geeks can’t get a date?
Annie Alexander of Chicago’s Match Making by Annie says that these days people are more open to loving someone who’s a little on the geeky side.
“It’s probably not going to be the trend,” Alexander said. “But people now are more interested in a potential partner’s ethics. It’s not always about status and how they dress.”
We’re living in tough times, Alexander believes, and people want someone who is a competent partner–not just a stud.
Geeks who want to use their smarts and personality to woo dates should leave their pocket protectors at home.
“We all have to have a little chemistry,” Alexander said.
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mcarberry@tribune.com
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Nerd hall of fame
They don’t give out Oscars or Emmys for the portrayal of geekiness, but maybe they should. Here are some who might be contenders for their performances in film or TV.
— REDEYE
Anthony Edwards and Robert Carradine were the lead nerds who took on the Alpha-male football players in “Revenge of the Nerds.”
Anthony Michael Hall played a sensitive, flare-gun-toting brainiac in “The Breakfast Club” and teamed up with Ilan Mitchell-Smith to bring pubescent male computer fantasies to life in “Weird Science.”
Casey Kasem voiced Shaggy from “Scooby Doo,” whose only friend was a dog.
Milhouse Van Houten from “The Simpsons” and Paul Pfeiffer from the “Wonder Years” were both classic four-eyed geeks whose best friends were far cooler than they were.
In “Ghostbusters,” Rick Moranis played Louis Tully, who was a meek tax accountant until Gozer the Traveler took over his body.
Danny Goldman played a blue creature in underwear and a hat when he voiced Brainy Smurf.
Although Anthony Michael Hall’s character was called “The Geek” in “Sixteen Candles,” it was Joan Cusack’s character who was the real geek as she tried to dance and drink from a water fountain while wearing a body brace.
Alan Ruck offset Matthew Broderick’s cool Ferris Bueller with the spineless, girlfriendless Cameron Frye.
Dustin Diamond made Zack and Slater look so much cooler when he played Screech on “Saved By the Bell.”
Jack Black was such a music geek he sent music lovers running from the record store in “High Fidelity.”
David Herman and Ajay Naidu kicked a printer’s ass as Michael Bolton and Samir in “Office Space.” And, of course, Stephen Root’s Milton is still looking for his stapler and piece of cake.
Daniel Radcliffe has donned thick-rimmed glasses in all three Harry Potter flicks.
Sean Astin was not only a hobbit, but a fat, geeky hobbit in “The Lord of the Rings.”
Jaleel White was arguably the biggest geek of all time: Steve Urkel.
Jon Heder finally found a tetherball date in “Napoleon Dynamite.”
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Dweeb achievers
Being a geek doesn’t mean you can’t be popular. Look at how much these celebrity dorks have achieved:
George Lucas
Geek claim to fame: Wrote and directed the “Star Wars”
trilogy.
Dork factor: Ewoks.
Lovability factor: Who can despise the man who invented the light saber?
Quentin Tarantino
Geek claim to fame: Wrote and directed “Pulp Fiction.”
Dork factor: Gangly, misunderstood artist loves Kung Fu movies.
Lovability factor: Uma Thurman’s endorsement.
Chelsea Clinton
Geek claim to fame: First daughter of the 1990s now has
big-shot New York consulting job.
Dork factor: Couldn’t master the art of applying hair gel until her mid-20s.
Lovability factor: Older, made-over version pals around with Madonna and Gwynnie at fashion shows.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
Geek claim to fame: Founded google.com, the world’s most popular search engine.
Dork factor: Spent hours in a garage playing with computers.
Lovability factor: Cute little guys
enabled casual stalking.
Ben Stein
Geek claim to fame: Star of quiz show “Win Ben Stein’s Money.”
Dork factor: Walking encyclopedia redefines nasal, monotone voice.
Lovability factor: Balances his smarty-pants side with sarcastic sense of humor.
Janet Reno
Geek claim to fame: Former U.S. attorney general under Bill Clinton.
Dork factor: Resembles Smokey the Bear.
Lovability factor: Embraced Will Ferrell’s “SNL” character byappearing on the show.
Bill Gates
Geek claim to fame: Computer-nerd-turned-richest-man-in-the-world rules Microsoft Corp.
Dork factor: Shuns Armani in favor of grandpa sweaters and dweeby glasses despite his bling.
Lovability factor: Everyone wants to be him.
A`Nerds’ remake?
Nerds may have their revenge a second time, now that “The O.C.’s” Adam Brody has teamed with Fox Searchlight to remake the 1984 geek flick “Revenge of the Nerds.”
Variety reports that Brody and his pal Brett Harrison, of the WB’s “Grounded for Life,” pitched the idea to “O.C.” executive
producer McG, who then sold the idea to Fox Searchlight.
Brody and Harrison are set to co-produce with McG and may star in the remake if their TV schedules permit.
McG says to expect cameos by Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, the film’s original stars.
— Maegan Carberry
Chris Elliot
Geek Claim to fame: Former David Letterman writer
Dork factor: His own short-lived TV show was actually called “Get a Life.”
Lovability factor: Even when he plays bad guys (“There’s Something About Mary”) you still have to laugh.
Albert Einstein
Geek claim to fame: Invented E=mc2
Dork factor: Really, really liked math.
Lovability factor: Throwback geek paved the way for future frizzy-haired mad scientist types.
