Tyson Mao, a record-setter in blindfolded Rubik’s cubing, kept his eyes wide open as he demonstrated his peculiar talent for a roomful of TV critics.
After a few seconds, during which he gave an indecipherable explanation of the algorithms that make his trick possible, he presented the cube – unscrambled.
He was amazing, he was brilliant, but was he … hot?
Revenge of the Nerds is so 20th century. Revenge of the Geeks is now.
The pocket-protector-wearing, Rubik’s-cubing, hopelessly awkward and unfashionable self-described dweebs – many of whom are gifted intellects – are getting face time across a number of television formats. Date time too.
Increasingly, nice nerds are playing romantic leads. Or at least being offered romantic possibilities they never thought possible.
More than 5 million viewers make “Beauty and the Geek,” on which Mao appears, a reality TV hit for The WB (8 p.m. Thursdays on KWGN-Channel 2). Its fundamental sweetness makes it an easy sell.
“Beauty and the Geek” is planning a reverse competition – featuring smart, nerdy girls opposite dumb, gorgeous guys – for a future season. Tonight, the syndicated “ElimiDate” (locally on KWGN, consigned to the wee hours) launches geek week, during which haircuts and makeovers will help the unstylish contestants en route to winning future dates. And NBC’s “Fear Factor” is casting a “geek week” for broadcast sometime this season.
Clearly, the formula works: Find a socially inept geek – yes, we recognize the redundancy – who is self-conscious enough to know that he or she needs help and yet confident enough to appear on camera. Pair him or her with a hottie, self-aware enough to know that he or she is no genius, and you’ve got a show.
These entertainment spectacles function not to make fun of the geeks (or the dimwitted beauties), although that is surely part of the appeal. The goal is to demonstrate the possibility of change.
Geeks can learn social skills, dumb bunnies can learn to answer challenging questions, like, can you name the vice president of the United States of America? (That stumped a beauty who folded under pressure.)
“We’re not trying to make a mean-spirited show,” said Ashton Kutcher, co-creator and producer of “Beauty and the Geek.” “We’re not trying to make fun of people. The idea of the show is to help people become better people.
“We’re looking for people who have something to give and people (who) need something.”
Evidently, it is possible to evolve. So how much progress can one make?
“Carl (a geek contender) moved his Dungeons and Dragons game from Friday to Wednesday,” noted Jason Goldberg, executive producer of “Beauty and the Geek.”
Now there’s a breakthrough.
“Sometimes when people use the term ‘geek,’ there’s a negative connotation with it,” said Rubik’s cube master Mao. “And I think that comes partly from the media, the way it portrays geeks, such as movies like ‘Napoleon Dynamite.’ I think, you know, a geek is someone who is intelligent and likes to learn.”
The negative connotation is outmoded, of course. Geek chic has supplanted the derisive images of nerddom. Nor does geekdom refer mostly to computer savvy these days. It has more to do with an idiosyncratic, quirky and nonconformist persona.
Think Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) on Fox’s “The O.C.” and Topher Grace who leaped from “That ’70s Show” to films.
True alpha geeks might snub them as unworthy of the title. Yet they brought new, unconventional versions of what’s appealing to the small screen. By widening the parameters of what’s cool, they made the world a bit safer for geekiness.
It’s still possible to find T-shirts for sale on ThinkGeek.com bearing the slogan, “No, I will not fix your computer.”
But the geek specifically tied to computer science was just the beginning. “Geek” is now a term of pride, indicating a focused mind and eccentric personality, devoted to specific (fringe) subjects. Anime geeks, Mac geeks, even “geekswith guns.com.” Wired magazine listed the 10 musicians, bloggers and “otherwise geek-o-licious sexiest geeks of 2005.”
With that in mind, can a “Geek Project Runway” or “America’s Top Geek Model” be far behind?
TV critic Joanne Ostrow can be reached at 303-820-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com.
