The season finale of King of the Nerds Season 2 aires tonight on TBS and one of the last nerds standing is Brian. Brian has played this game very well to this point and has a great chance of winning the Throne of Games. Quiet and friendly, he has managed to stay on the “good side” of the competitors which has helped to keep him safe.
Brian from King of the Nerds
Brian on King of the Nerds Season 2 Photo: Trae Patton
The rest of the remaining competitors do now realize that they have a strong and very smart opponent and we will see tonight how they all match up in the final events.
Brian on King of the Nerds Season 2 Photo: Jeremy Freeman
We actually haven’t learned too much about Brian this season since he is so “under the radar” on the show. Check out his answers to our questions and learn more about Brian!
1. How does it feel to be picked to be on King of the Nerds?
It feels great. While I have a lot of traditionally nerdy attributes (love of board games, obscure facts, role-playing video games, etc.), I wasn’t sure if my particular brand of “book nerd” would fit in on the show. But it turns out that you can be a nerd about pretty much anything. In my case, that’s history and books, with a good dose of “cult” pop culture thrown in there — and I’m glad to see that being recognized! Also, the show itself was such an unforgettable experience like nothing I’d ever done before.
2. Why do you think you will be “The King of the Nerds”?
One of my big strengths is studying. I can tackle big subjects easily, and I find myself enchanted by widely divergent subjects. I thus fill out a nice role as a “jack of all nerds,” and I have particular strengths in trivia, literature, and science fiction. All of this definitely plays to my advantage in a competition like King of the Nerds.
3. What is your favorite part of Nerdvana?
Nerdvana was definitely as cool as it looked — I like to think of it as a combination of Willa Wonka’s factory and Hogwarts! My favorite thing about it was probably just the constant activity. Whether it was preparing for a challenge, discussing voting strategies, or simply enjoying the candy/pool/video games/remote-controlled toys, there were ALWAYS fun things to do, and great people to do them with!
4. What is your favorite cartoon?
I absolutely loved Pinky and the Brain from years ago. I also love Hayao Miyazaki’s films (assuming they count as cartoons). Doesn’t everyone?
5. What is your favorite food?
Quite hard to say — I’m not a very picky eater. Lately, though, I’ve been eating a lot of Trader Joe’s Speculoos cookie butter. It’s sinful.
6. What is your job? Do you like it? Why or why not?
I’m studying library and information science right now and working part-time in a rare book library, where I help describe some of our archival collections and work with patrons on reference questions. I really enjoy the work that I get to do — we get to handle all kinds of special things, from famous things like Shakespeare’s first folio or the Gutenberg bible, to fragments of medieval manuscripts or letters from famous authors. So many of these collections exist around the world — it’s a pity that they’re not better known!
7. What are your hobbies?
Reading, of course, and also keeping up with news and online trends. I love exploring new places with friends, and I’m fond of hiking–which can be quite nerdy! After all, hobbits hiked all the way to Mordor…
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8. What is your favorite animal? Do you have pets?
My parents have two cats which are sort of mine, and I really enjoy them, although I’m mildly allergic. I would say that my spirit animal is a marmot, though (they like taking naps in the sun and are pretty fuzzy, just like me!).
9. Have you ever failed a test?
I got a “C” in penmanship in elementary school. Glad that they stopped grading that!
10. Can you speak a different language?
I speak fluent French, semi-fluent German, and I have a very small amount of knowledge of Russian, Hebrew, and Japanese. Also a few words of Klingon.
11. What were you for Halloween last year?
I dressed up as Pan, the satyr-like god of the wild in Greek myth.
12. Do you play any sports?
I don’t really understand sports ball. I did fence a little bit in middle/high school, though, and I took judo lessons for a bit. Plus, as I said, I enjoy hiking.
13. Who is your best friend in Nerdvana?
I was very close to everyone on the Purple Team in general, but I really enjoyed my interactions with everyone.
14. What advice do you have for young kids in school?
I know that not everyone enjoys school, but school is one of the few times in your life that you really have license to explore subjects that interest you! Take advantage of this, and don’t be afraid to talk to friends, teachers, librarians, or other people about Big Questions. Also, don’t specialize too early! If you think that you don’t like a particular subject, study it a little bit more before you make up your mind. If you think that you absolutely love a subject, that’s great — but take some time to study something else and kindle new interests.
Tracy is a busy mother to 2 girls, 3 dogs, 5 cats, and 17 chickens! Her adventures in cooking led her to create Daily Dish Magazine. She has a passion for pairing food with travel and wine. She is Marketing Director at Crimson Vine Marketing, Social Media Specialist at Cougar Digital Marketing, and a Dental Hygienist in her spare time... but her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family.
Tracy Iseminger
