When you come to next Friday’s KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT SHARKS feel free to wear your favorite shark shirt, hat or accessories.
SHARK fashion is always in style:
ThisKevin
the adventures of Kevin Maher, writer-comedian
We’re pleased to announce that on Friday July 16th, Matt Glasson and I will present an ENCORE screening of KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT SHARKS.
To get you psyched for this JAWSOME event, here’s a gallery of some great sharks:
Last Friday (June 21st) was the final Kevin Geeks Out. (the theme was KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT ALIENS)
Photos, recap and bonus material to come.
In the meantime, here’s a nice write-up about K.G.O. from the wonderful Vault of Horror, by a guy who really “got” the show, Brian Solomon.
I think the worst thing you can do with a pop culture phenomenon is to interpret it for people, or tell them why it’s successful or (worst of all) tell people why they really like it. That said, I will share *my* thoughts/reactions/observations to the final episode, simply because I haven’t seen this interpretation anywhere in the “mainstream media” (granted I only read 2 – 3 articles.)
I thought the final 15 minutes of LOST was all about the show ending. The church, we’re told, is something that was created by the characters, it was something very special they created together and it captured the most important moments of their lives. It’s like the show creators are looking back on the show they created (as their best creative work and the best years of their professional lives). With the audiences, they created theories, fan-pages, message boards, and a dynamic 21st century media circuit that connected the show and viewers. (this sort of thing never existed when “I LOVE LUCY” was on TV. The creators of Gunsmoke didn’t kill off a character because fans hated the character.) The church is the unique experience of LOST.
At the episode’s end, it’s time for everyone to move on. The actors will move on to other movies and TV shows (which will inevitably be compared to LOST.) Audiences will have to find new obsessions. J.J. Abrams will move on to gimmicky movies.
For the past 6 seasons, the ABC voice-over (the voice of GOD) would announce at 9pm “an all-new episode of Lost starts NOW!”
Christian Shepard told Jack (and told us) there is no more “NOW”. Show’s over. Time to move along into an unknown future.
If anyone watched the final episode of XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS you’ll know what I’m talking about: XENA has to die, and Gabrielle panics because she’s unable to live without Xena. (the same way die-hard fans can’t let go.) But Xena gives a speech about how she will live on in Gabrielle’s memory, and there’s even a whole thing where Xena’s spirit is transferred into Gabrielle (which is passed into Gabrielle’s body through a kiss!)
Kevin Geeks Out began while I was doing a weekly web series for American Movie Classics, focussing on Science-fiction movies. The wonderful Erez Ziv (at the Horse Trade Theater Group) suggested I do a monthly show at the Under St. Marks. He suggested I rent a movie (from Kim’s Video, just down the street from the theater), showing a film that I had spotlighted on my web show.
I thought no one would pay to see a movie that they could rent from Netflix or watch on a computer. So I came up with an idea for a clip-based show. Lots of clips around a given theme, all leading up to a feature presentation (a short film, TV episode, something like that.) Then Meg Sweeney Lawless and Jay Stern started producing the show with me. We added a co-host (a different one each month.) We brought in guest speakers. And then we got rid of the feature presentation to make room for more clips.
The show was great fun, with amazing guests and the best audiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of appearing before.
After the jump, there’s a complete list of shows, followed by a complete list of guests:
Kevin Geeks Out about Aliens! (May 18, 2010)
Kevin Geeks Out about April All-Stars! (April 16, 2010)
Kevin Geeks Out about Sharks! (March 19, 2010)
Kevin Geeks Out about Monkeys! (February 19, 2010)
Kevin Geeks Out about Visions of the Future! (January 22, 2010)
Kevin Geeks Out: The Holiday Grab Bag! (December 18, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Dummy Deaths! (November 20, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Vincent Price! (October 16, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Werewolves! (September 25, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out: The Best of the Sci-Fi Screening Room (June 17, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Robots! (May 20, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out: the Grab Bag show (April 8, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Superheroes! (March 18, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Video Games! (February 9, 2009)
Kevin Geeks Out about Sci Fi Musicals! (December 10, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about Bigfoot! (November 17, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about Frankenstein! (October 27, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about Damnation Alley! (September 25, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about Rock & Rule! (July 2, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about Batman! (June 4, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about The Apple! (May 14, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about KISS! (March 11, 2008)
Kevin Geeks Out about The Incredible Hulk! (January 22, 2008)
LIST OF PREVIOUS GUEST SPEAKERS
Craig Wichman (actor, writer, producer) at Frankenstein, Batman, Superhero, Werewolf, Holiday Grab Bag nights
Nick Nadel (writer) at Batman, Superhero, Grab Bag, Holiday Grab Bag
Lisa Beebe (writer, baker, blogger) created cupcakes for everyone at Holiday Grab Bag, Dummy Deaths, Vincent Price, Werewolf shows, and donated her roomba at Robot Night
Professor Geoff Klock (author, How to Read Superhero Comics) Superhero Night, Holiday Grab Bag, Monkeys, April All-Stars
Sara Reiss (Artist, baker, blogger) spoke at Holiday Grab Bag and Aliens, and made shark cupcakes, April All-star Cookies and alien cupcakes
Matthew Glasson (filmmaker) at Sharks, Dummy Death, Grab Bag
Will Carlough (filmmaker) at Video Game Night, Frankenstein Night, Batman Night.
Michael Kupperman (Cartoonist) at Monkeys, Aliens
Elliott Kalan (The Daily Show, Closely Watched Films) at Visions of the Future and Aliens
Raven Snook (Writer, Performer, Diva) at The Apple, Sci Fi Musicals
Eric Drysdale (The Colbert Report) at Sci Fi Musicals, Vincent Price
Professor Heather Hendershot (Cinema Journal) at Vincent Price, April All-Stars
Matt Mitler (actor) at Werewolves and Dummy Deaths
R. Sikoryak (cartoonist) at Holiday Grab Bag and April All-Stars
Noah Tarnow (quizmaster from The Big Quiz Thing) at Holiday Grab Bag and Monkeys
Matthew K. Manning (comic book writer) at Batman Night and Superhero Night.
Kriota Willberg (anatomy teacher and “Cinematologist” blogger) at Visions of the Future, Aliens
Kevin Scullin (actor) at Dummy Deaths and Vincent Price
Marian Brock (actress) at Frankenstein and Bigfoot
Mark Douglas (comedian, web-sensation) appeared at The Incredible Hulk show and contributed film for Robot Night
Ritch Duncan (stand-up comic, author) at Werewolves, Sharks
Doug Skinner (writer, host of “Ullage Group”) at Bigfoot.
Ernie Cline (screenwriter) at Monkeys.
Jane Doherty (Psychic) at Visions of the Future.
Joe DiPietro (playwright, lyricist, Toxic Avenger: The Musical) at Sci Fi Musicals.
Tom Peyer (comic book writer) at Vincent Price.
Carrie McLaren (editor, MonkeyWire) at Monkeys.
James Dean Conklin (animator) at Superhero Night.
Carrie McLaren (editor, MonkeyWire) at Monkeys.
James Dean Conklin (animator) at Superhero Night.
Maura Madden (author of Crafternoon) at Frankenstein night
Seth Porges (Technology Editor for Popular Mechanics) at Visions of the Future.
Nathanael Wharton (The Henson Company) at Vincent Price
Lucas Zachary Hazlett (guy in gorilla suit) at Monkeys
After 22 shows, great reviews and sold-out houses, Kevin Maher (pictured, with gorilla) is stopping the run following this Friday’s event (Kevin Geeks Out About Aliens ). Since January 2008 Kevin produced the monthly “pop culture cavalcade”, covering favorite genre topics like Bigfoot , Batman, Dummy Deaths, Visions of the Future and Shark Cinema.
Here are five internet rumors about why the show is ending:
1. Kevin suddenly realized he hates low-budget cult movies from the 70’s.
2. Kevin only started the show to impress a cool girl in “nerd” glasses, but has since learned she has a boyfriend.
3. Kevin needs more time to write horrible science-fiction novels under the pen name “William Shatner”
4. Kevin wants to spend more time with his family, specifically: telling his wife and children some long, anecdotes about the critical reception to “Krull”
5. Kevin developed a rare form of Terminal Diarrhea.
At April’s installment of KEVIN GEEKS OUT we got everyone in attendance to play GEEK BINGO. How does it work? It’s exactly like regular Bingo, but instead of using specific numbers, you fill in a square based on geeky things about yourself.
(for example, if the letter “B” is picked, the announcer reads “BEEN to Comic-Con” If you have been to Comic-Con, then you get the point. The object is to be the first person with 5 checks across or 5 checks down.)
So take a regular BINGO card or make your own using blank boxes under the letters.
Next, pick bingo balls out of a hopper (again ignore the numbers, just call the letter) the read one of the statements that are labeled “B” “I” “N” “G” or “O”
Once you’ve gotten 5 across or 5 down, you shout “GEEK BINGO!“
The call-out card is attached and was written with the help of Lisa Beebe, Scott Christian Carr, Noah Tarnow and Mike Whalen. (Thanks guys!)
BLOGGED about the death of Captain Lou Albano.
BOWIE: If you ever meet David Bowie, you already know exactly what you’ll say to him.
BILBO, BUCKAROO and BOBA: If you ever have a baby you’d consider naming him Bilbo, Buckaroo or Boba.
BEATLES: You find the music of the Beatles to be inferior to the songs of the Rutles.
BUCKAROO BANZAI: You are still holding out for the promised sequel, “Buckaroo Banzai Against The World Crime League”
BOOBIES: You have turned a calculator upside-down to see this word.
BOOBIES: You have turned a calculator upside-down to see this word.
BOOBIES – you have turned a calculator upside down to see this word
BUCKET: You regularly eat food served in a bucket.
BLADE RUNNER: You can explain why one version of Blade Runner is better than the other four versions on DVD.
BIGFOOT: Not only do you believe in Bigfoot, but you know he has a heart of gold.
BOTHERED BY people who fail to distinguish Frankenstein from Frankenstein’s Monster.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER – you wrote an academic paper on Buffy – but did not focus on Feminism.
BOOGER – you rank Dudley Dawson (aka BOOGER) as the “cool” character from Revenge of the Nerds.
BIG LEBOWSKI – you have corrected someone when they misquote “The Big Lebowski”
BOBBLEHEAD: You own one and consider it decorative.
BOBBLEHEAD: You own one and consider it decorative.
BATMOBILE: You have a sexual fantasty that involves the batmobile.
BEASTMASTER: You have logged more than 10 hours watching BeastMaster.
BUGSY MALONE: You recognize this film as Paul Williams, Scott Baio AND Jodie Foster’s finest hour.
BOUGHT anything because it was described as “limited-edition”.
BOOTLEG: Your home library includes a bootleg of “The Star Wars Christmas Special”
BOND VILLAINS: You think the Bond movies need to spend more time on the likes of Goldfinger, Dr. No and Hugo Drax.
BEEN to Comic-Con and got lucky.
BARBARELLA: You view Barbarella on a non-ironic, non-camp value.
THE BLOB : You know how to detain the Blob.
BRILLIANT: You have worn a high-concept Halloween costume that someone has described as being “brilliant”. (NOTE: this does not count if the person is British)
BLACULA: You can distinguish the original BLACULA from SCREAM, BLACULA SCREAM.
BOBA FETT TATTOO
I
INEBRIATED from drinking too much Meade at the Renaissance Fair.
INCREDIBLE HULK: You know the significance of the Incredible Hulk #181.
iTUNES library includes music by The Shaggs.
IRONIC BURN: Someone has complimented your funny, ironic T-shirt – which you were wearing un-ironically.
INCONCIEVABLE: If faced with the sad news that you and your spouse cannot have children, you would bring levity to the situation by quoting the Princess Bride.
THE ILLIAD: Not only have you read The Illiad, but you keep mentioning when you friends are talking about action-adventure movies.
IRON BUTTERFLY: You can name a song of their besides In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.
INTERNET IDENTITY: You have a separate internet identity, not just another name but a personality whose tastes and beliefs are separate from your own.
IDENTIFY with Leatherface and his family, and not the teenage protagnists in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre quadrilogy and remakes.
INITIAL T: You know what the initial T stands for in James T. Kirk
IMAX: You witnessed the IMAX experience of Sigfried and Roy’s The Magic Box.
INVESTED more than 20 dollar on a comic book.
INCONSOLABLE after the death of a fictional character (i.e.Dumbledore, Charlie Pace, Bride of Frankenstein)
“I’M STOKED!!” You would use the term “I’m Stoked” to describe your feelings about the TRON sequel.
INABILITY to name either of the teams that plays in this year’s SuperBowl.
IT (Stephen King book) You can name 3 differences from the novel and the TV mini-series.
imdb.com: You have engaged in a faceless battle with a stranger on imdb.
IRONIC: You actually grasp the definition of irony. It’s not just an excuse to wear an otherwise lame T-shirt.
I.Q. You occasionally mention your I.Q. in casual conversation.
N
NEON BIBLE: When I said “Neon Bible” you didn’t think of the album by the Arcade Fire, but the second published novel by John Kennedy Toole, the author of Confederacy of Dunces.
NESSIE: Despite all the evidence to the contrary, you still believe in the Loch Ness Monster.
NASHVILLE: You can’t find 2 and half hours to watch Robert Altman’s Oscar Winning satire, but you have spent 70 minutes watching an online review of the Phantom Menace.
KNIGHTS WHO SAY “NI” – You can hear that phrase without cringing.
NANOO NANOO: You’ve concluded an email, online chat, or actual conversation with the traditional Orcan farewell.
NEVER had a Whopper. (Specifically – you are the nerd from the 1985 Burger King campaign.)
NOISES: You are very good at making action-noises when playing with action-figures.
NIXON: When I said Nixon, you first thought of hillbilly rocker Mojo Nixon, and not the 37th President of These United States.
NINJA: As a child you considered “NINJA” as a career option.
NATIONAL LAMPOON’S ANIMAL HOUSE : Everything you know about the 1960’s you learned from that college comedy.
NINTENDO: You posses the necessary knowledge to cheat at Nintendo games.
NOT ASHAMED OF liking The Monkees.
NEVERMIND: You rank Nirvana’s Nevermind as the band’s weakest album.
NEWTON: Given the opportunity to have dinner with Issac Hayes or Issac Newton, you choose Newton.
NOVA: Your TiVO currently contains 1 or more episode of NOVA.
THE NUGE: Regardless of whether it’s good or bad, you have impersonated Ted Nugent.
NABOO: You can name someone who was born on this planet.
NANO-TECHNOLOGY: You can talk about nano-technology without quoting Norman Osborn’s dialogue from Spider-Man.
Neuromancer – you own a copy of this book.
NEGOTIATED: You’ve negotiated vacation plans based around a city’s proximity to a specific rollercoaster.
NEMESIS: You have a nemesis.
G
GREAT GAZOO : You are upset that the dum-dums who make Flinstones Vitamins have not included the Great Gazoo.
GODZILLA: You’ve written a rap song about Godzilla.
GONE to see They Might Be Giants in concert more than 3 times.
GOOGLE NEW FRIENDS: As soon as you meet someone new, you google them.
GOONIES: You’re the first person you know who watched the deleted scene with the Octopus.
GILLIGAN: You are pretty certain you know what Gilligan’s First Name Is.
GUILTY: Guilty of stealing happy meal toys from a niece/nephew because they just wouldn’t appreciate it as much as you do.
GREEDO: You can debate whether or not Greedo shot first.
GONZO: You skipped taking an online quiz that promised to tell you what muppet you are, because you already know the answer is Gonzo. (But then you took the quiz anyway.)
GEENA & JEFF : You desperately want Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum to get back together.
GARBAGE PAIL KIDS: When you meet someone for the first time, you mentally call them by their Garbage Pail Kid Name.
Ghosts – you know the names of all four pac-man ghosts
GAMER: You have referred to yourself as a GAMER.
GOLEM: You know what word is written on the Golem’s forehead.
GOLLUM: Of all the Tolkien characters, you identify most with Gollum.
GAME SHOW: You have appeared on more than one TV Game show.
GAY ROBOT: You can name a homosexual robot besides C3P0.
GROK : You grok the novel Stranger in a Strange World.
GIDDY with excitement over the TRON sequel.
GOURMET: You consider yourself a gourmet when it comes to all things coated in batter and deep-fried.
GADGET: You’ve day-dreamed about all the cool things you would do, if you were Inspector Gadget.
GALACTUS: You don’t believe in God, but you do believe in Galactus
GILLIAM:
GILLIAN ANDERSON: You think X-Files is actually her weakest work.
GUNS N’ ROSES: You think the album “Chinese Democracy” was well-worth the wait!
GOLDBLUM: Jeff Goldblum impression.
GET you daily dose of vitamin D from a bottle of Yoo Hoo.
GRAMMA’S BOY: You do not enjoy this Adam Sandler-produced comedy because it “hits too close to home.”
GOBLIN: You’d be more than happy to see a GOLBIN cover band.
O
OVERTHINKING: You have regularly been accussed of “overthinking it”.
OWN a dice with more than 6 sides to it.
OSCAR WILDE : You know which cast member from TV’s LOST once portrayed Irish poet Oscar Wilde.
OBSERVATION SKILLS : You’ve observed that this game is ripping off a Jeff Foxworthy routine.
OCCASSIONALLY use the words “Weird Al Yankovic” and “underrated” in the same sentence.
OFTEN talk about the time you met Pat Kiernan. (we will also accept Roger Clark.)
OBSCURISM: As defined by the book Generation X: Obscurism is the practice of peppering daily life with obscure references (forgotten films, dead TV Stars, unpopular books, defunct countries, etc.) as a subliminal means of showcasing both one’s education and one’s wish to dissociate from the world of mass culture.
OBSOLETE: You think print media is obsolete! (we’ll also accept “You know which Ghostbuster said “Print is dead.”)
OBJECT to the judge’s decision last season as to who is the Top Chef.
OPTED to come here tonight instead of seeing KICK ASS.
OZ: You’ve watched The Wizard of Oz while listening to Dark Side of the Moon.
OPINIONATED: You are fiercely opinionated as to whether or not zombies can run.
ONLINE PETITION: You have signed a petition to protest the inevitable cancellation of a Joss Whedon project.
OBI-WAN: When faced with life’s toughest choices, you ask “what would Obi-Wan do?”
ONE of your hobbies is trying exotic sodas.
ORNERY : You get downright ornery when someone says “all chewing gum is the same.”
ORANGE SODA SNOB: You are very particular about which brands of orange soda you’ll let into your body.
OBJECT: You object to the claim that Troll 2 is the worst movie ever made.
OOKLA THE MOK – You have written fan fiction about Thundarr The Barbarian, with an emphasis on Ookla the Mok. (alt. Ookla the Mok impression)
ORIGIN: You know the origin of the phrase “23 Skidoo!”
OCTOPUS You were the first person you know to have seen the deleted “Octopus” scene in “The Goonies”
OSWALD: Lee Harvey Oswald impression.
OPIUM: You have compared kettle corn, or another snack food, as being so good, it’s like opoium – even though you’ve never had opium.
OREOS: You invented a new way to eat oreos.
This Friday (May 21st) is the final installment of KEVIN GEEKS OUT!
It’s also our first (and last) annual TIN FOIL HAT Competition.
So come with your own tin foil hat and enter the contest. You could win a big prize! Or maybe you’ll meet the love of your life. If nothing else, you will shield your brain from the most electromagnetci psycotronic mind-control carriers.
This month, Kevin Geeks Out about ALIENS!
It’s a 90-minute cultural cavalcade of trivia, snacks, prizes, and guest speakers presenting rare film footage and TV clips you won’t find on YouTube or Netflix. Kevin is joined by co-host Philip Shane (editor of the documentary UFOs – Seeing is Believing) and some very special guests:
· Emmy Award-winning Daily Show writer Elliott Kalan looks back at his favorite E.T. rip-off.
· Dr. Justin Weinstein shares insider secrets with his talk “How to Make a UFO Documentary”
· Anatomy Teacher Kriota Willberg dissects the concept of alien-as-parasite in science fiction films
· Artist-Baker Sara Reiss serves up home-made Alien snacks
· Cartoonist Michael Kupperman (Tales Designed to Thrizzle) presents his Martian-themed comic strips.
All this plus a brief history of Project Blue Book, a survey of the galaxy’s sexiest extraterrestrials, a musical retrospective of “Aliens that Rock”, and a field guide on how to identify alien invaders in everyday settings.
All audience-members are encouraged to compete in the TIN FOIL HAT COMPETITION. (Tin foil will be provided.)
Arrive early and you can catch our new PRE-SHOW VIDEO, featuring dozens of clips from past shows and original music (“The Haunting Theme from Kevin Geeks Out“) by Anne Kadet
KEVIN GEEKS OUT ABOUT ALIENS
92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson Street
New York, NY
$10 (click here for tickets)
ONE SHOW ONLY – Friday May 21, 8:00pm
Now here’s the trailer, edited by the show’s co-host, Philip Shane:
My man Dano made this. I hope we see it on Sesame Street real soon!