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 masses. Kyle explains how Star Wars and other "nerd" properties have since become mainstream pop culture juggernauts, with comic conventions drawing crowds rivaling the populations of small cities.
For their discussion, Kyle had Mandy watch the "4K77" version of Star Wars - a fan restoration of the original 1977 theatrical cut, before Lucas's controversial later changes and additions. Mandy recalls her own early Star Wars memory, amazing her mom as a toddler by pointing out Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca in a store window display.
Join Mandy and Kyle as they dive deep into the Star Wars that started it all, and Kyle attempts to awaken the Force within his friend and indoctrinate her into the ways of this landmark sci-fi saga. It's a heartfelt and humorous conversation about childhood nostalgia, the mainstreaming of geek culture, and how the universal themes and iconography of Star Wars continue to captivate audiences over four decades later.
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What is Make Me A Nerd with Mandy Kaplan?
Hey folks. Mandy Kaplan here. I’d like to share a bit about my intentions and mission for MMAN if you’ll indulge me. You will? Huzzah!
Look, I am a lot of things. I’m a writer, actress, mother, and lover of musicals and cats, but NOT Cats, The Musical. Give me a little bit of credit, would ya? So...throughout my life, I’ve been surrounded (and intrigued) by all things nerd. A sister who plays D&D, a Star Wars-obsessed husband, friends who love anime, comic books, video games, and...well, you get the picture. Somehow, I have always held it all at arm's length. Not to get too deep, but maybe I never thought I was smart enough to follow it. Or maybe I have control issues and have never been able to embrace fantastical things like dragons and time travel. Until now!
So, with an open mind and heart, I am ready to join this massive (and beautifully inclusive) club and GEEK THE #%$ OUT! It’s time for all my wonderfully strange friends to baptize me into NERD-DOM. Please join me on this journey. Who knows? Maybe you’ll discover or remember a side of yourself along the way. Or at least make fun of me as I try!