King of the Nerds exploitative or genuine?

[Dembadon]

I guess that's a good way to summarize what makes me nervous about this show. Historically, the word "nerd" has been a pejorative. However, recently the word "nerd" has been somewhat embraced by people and it's more socially acceptable to be "nerdy." I refer to myself as a nerd fairly often, though "geek" might be just as appropriate. So when I use the word, it isn't as a pejorative. In the video bios of the contestants, they refer themselves to nerds.

This has been my experience as well. I describe myself as "nerdy" when the situation calls for it. I'm to the point where I don't care what people think, but I have noticed a general shift in paradigms about our kind.

However, I am nervous that this show IS subtly using it as a pejorative. This show will either reinforce the old "nerd" stereotypes, or it will show that those that self-identify as nerds have depth and are worthy of respect.

I had the same reservations about BBT, but it turned out to be one of our favorite shows for many of the same reasons you mentioned in an earlier post. We don't have cable/satellite anymore (haven't for quite a few years), but we do occasionally catch things that come out on NetFlix. If it becomes available through something like that, I'll probably check it out.

 

[Jack21222]

I had the same reservations about BBT, but it turned out to be one of our favorite shows for many of the same reasons you mentioned in an earlier post. We don't have cable/satellite anymore (haven't for quite a few years), but we do occasionally catch things that come out on NetFlix. If it becomes available through something like that, I'll probably check it out.

Full episodes online. Here's the first episode: http://www.tbs.com/video/index.jsp?cid=875319