Throw horns for history and rush the stage* for statistics riffs at the bar show where the nerds are the rock stars and smart is punk af.
Cue it up: Three experts. Dozens of cheeky slides. A bar full of former gifted kids gone feral who love special interest deep dives. This is Nerd Nite DC.
*okay maybe just do this in spirit. Nerds are wild creatures who can be easily spooked by sudden movements.
Nerd Nite DC has been DC’s favorite irreverent lecture series since 2009.
DATE CHANGE NOTE!!! This month, the show is on a different Saturday than our usual, but at the same time (doors at 6, show at 6:30) that you know and love! Next month, we’re back on our regular schedule.
Your host this month is the iconic navi, joined by our three wildly entertaining and wickedly smart speakers with three must-see talks:
– Kallie Brown, “Ye Oldest Profession: The History of Redlight Districts, Brothels, and Prostitution in Washington, DC”
Before Shenanigans and Decades were the best places to get into some mischief in DC, the now unrecognizable “Murder Bay” (AKA: Hooker’s Division) around Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street NW housed brothels, gambling dens, and other hotspots for illicit activity. We’ll discuss some of the places that now house well-known DC establishments, such as the Old Ebbitt Grill and the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. After listening, you’ll be itching to tell someone, “Do you know that restaurant used to be a brothel!”
Kallie Brown has a desk job in government affairs, but after hours she let’s her nerd flag fly as a writer and history enthusiast. Kallie is a self-proclaimed expert in Southern Gothic fiction and seedy American history.
– Alice Bergen Phillips, “All About That Cheddar”
Did you know that the word “Cheddar” is a noun, a place, and verb? Do you know what a truckle is? Did you know that some cheddars can taste like pea shoots and horseradish? Discover everything you ever wanted to know about one of the world’s most popular cheeses and how to pick the one that’s right for you!
Alice Bergen Phillips is the owner and head cheesemonger of Cheesemonster, a cheese education and catering business in the Washington, D.C. area. Alice delights in being a cheese confidant for her customers, pushing herself to stay on top of a market that is constantly changing and evolving. Her favorite cheese is currently Colston Bassett Stilton. But honestly, it depends on the day 🙂
– Adelaide Nebeker, “Fake Analysis: A Trivial Tour of Ridiculous Math Terminology
As pretentious as they are, mathematicians have a lot of gall expecting you to take their work seriously while giving it names like The Hairy Ball Theorem. Fake Analysis (created with Coleman Hines) is a literature review-qua-trivia game: given three ridiculous math terms, you have to spot the fake.
Adelaide Nebeker is a mathematician. In the fall she’s heading to Scotland to study at St. Andrews University. Before she was a mathematician, she was a theater producer in DC. She co-founded The Arcanists, with whom she created The Tarot Reading and SHRINES.
Doors open at 6, show at 6:30. Talks are 15 minutes with a 5 minute Q&A, and during the breaks, you can play along in our “alternate talk titles” competition to try to win a free drink on us. It’s rowdy, interactive, and the most fun you’ll have learning something all month.
The show is on the second floor of DC9 and is mostly standing room with limited seating available on a first-come, first served basis.
Nerd Nite DC is produced by Rae Pendergrass, navi, and Diva Darling.