Geeknights

Infobox Podcast
title = GeekNights
host = Brandon "Rym" DeCoster and Scott Rubin
url = http://www.frontrowcrew.com/
status = Nightly Monday-Thursday
began = 2005-10-31
ended =
genre = Science, Technology, Gaming, Anime, Comics, "Geekery"
ratings = Sometimes Explicit

GeekNights is a podcast which covers a myriad of topics in a self-described "late-night radio talk show" style. It is actually not one but four semi-independent podcasts that each update weekly, catering to different demographics. One of these, GeekNights Wednesdays, was awarded the 2007 Parsec Award for "Best Anime Podcast."http://parsecawards.com/node/234 The Parsec Awards 2007 Winners, Retrieved September 4 2007]

The Hosts

GeekNights is hosted by Brandon "Rym" DeCoster and Scott "Apreche" Rubin, known on the show simply as "Rym and Scott." Both are computer technology professionals, having Bachelors of Science in Information Technology and Computer Science respectively, both from the Rochester Institute of Technology. At RIT, Rym served as president of the RIT Anime Club, as well as vice-president of the RIT Kendo Club, and occasionally wrote for intra-campus publications.http://www.hellskitchen.org/gdt/pdf/Volume26/07.Apples.pdf Gracie's Dinnertime Theatre, Retrieved September 5 2007]

The two now live in downstate New York with Rym's girlfriend Emily, producing the show locally with their own equipment. They both maintain day jobs, though neither mentions their current company by name (Rym has previously worked for IBM and has made reference to as much during the podcast).

Format

Opener: Shows are often begun by talk about their day or other recent events.

News: Rym and Scott pick one news item each that they find interesting and provide their opinion. Guest hosts are rarely included in this segment.

Things of the Day: The hosts (guest hosts usually included) pick the most interesting/funny thing they found on the internet that day and discuss it. Main Bit: Where they discuss the topic of the show.

Closer: A prerecorded segment that provides information about the show.

Recently, the format of GeekNights Thursday has become less rigid.

GeekNights Mondays

Mondays are science, technology, and computing nights. While often tech news commentary, they also include an ongoing "How Computers Work" segment.

GeekNights Tuesdays

GeekNights Tuesdays is a gaming podcast, covering videogames, German board games, role playing games, card games, and more. Notable interviews include Luke Crane, the creator of Burning Wheel,http://www.burningwheel.org/wiki/index.php?title=GeekNights Burning Wheel Official Home, Retrieved September 5 2007] and Tarn Adams, the lead developer for Dwarf Fortress.http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/links.html Dwarf Fortress, Retrieved January 26 2008]

Their first live appearance at a gaming convention was at Ubercon VIII, and since they have regularly appeared at Connecticon. More recently, they presented for the first time at the Penny Arcade Expo 2008http://www.pennyarcadeexpo.com/PAX_2008_Descriptions.pdf PAX 2008 Event Descriptions, Retrieved September 22 2008] as Special Guests. This event, entitled "Beyond Dungeons & Dragons", was successful to the point that the majority of the audience followed them afterward to an unscheduled demonstration event which included both Jared Sorensen and Luke Crane as surprise speakers. PAX provided additional staff and a panel room to accommodate the overflow.http://www.frontrowcrew.com/2008/09/16/geeknights-080915-pax-08-part-2/ GeekNights PAX 2008 Coverage, Retrieved September 22 2008]

GeekNights Wednesdays

GeekNights Wednesdays, which covers anime, manga, and comics, was awarded the 2007 Parsec Award for "Best Anime Podcast." It includes fan convention reports, anime reviews, recordings from their live shows, and interviews. Notables include Jeff Tatarek, Michael Terraccianohttp://www.frontrowcrew.com/?p=205 GeekNights Archives, Retrieved September 5 2007] and Jim Vowles, the con chair of Otakon 2006.http://www.frontrowcrew.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=460 Interview with Jim Vowles, Retrieved September 5 2007]

They perform regular live shows at numerous fan conventions, including Connecticon and Otakon They have been guests of Katsuconhttp://forums.katsucon.org/viewtopic.php?t=1552&highlight=geeknights Official Statement from Head of VideoKatsu 2007, Retrieved September 5 2007] , SITA-con,http://www.sitacon.com/?page_id=7 SITA Con 2006 Guest List, Retrieved September 5 2007] the New York Anime Festival,http://www.animecons.com/news/article.shtml/557 Animecons.com, Retrieved September 24 2007] and Katsucon,http://www.frontrowcrew.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=3562&page=1#Item_1 GeekNights Katsucon 2008 Schedule Announcement, Retrieved December 21 2007] where they also perform regular and numerous live shows.http://www.nyanimefestival.com/en-us/animematchgame.cfm New York Anime Festival Events, Retrieved September 16 2007] http://www.nyanimefestival.com/en-us/videogamematchgame.cfm New York Anime Festival Events, Retrieved September 16 2007]

One of the hosts, Rym, covered Otakon 2006 in as an expert on the formation and running of anime fan clubs. "Newtype USA". Nov 2005. Special Report: Otakon 2005 Club Summit. p99.]

In 2007, they created controversy with an 18+ event titled "Gekiga: Putting the 'Man' Back in Manga" presented at Otakon that year.http://board.otakon.com/index.php?showtopic=12034 Otakon 2007 Panel Announcement, Retrieved September 23 2008] The event, which played to a standing-room-only crowd, generated a single complaint due to the subject matter, which led to a minor inquest by the Otakon staffhttp://www.frontrowcrew.com/2007/08/01/geeknights-070801-otakon-2007/ GeekNights Otakon 2007 Coverage, Retrieved September 23 2008] The event was successful, and they were summarily exonerated. Regardless, Rym and Scott, in their own words, "toned down the event" for follow-up performances at New York Anime Festival 2007 and Katsucon 2008, running "Rated PG-13" and "Rated R" versions respectively, before renaming and then retiring the panel. In 2008, owing to the event's popular (if notorious) reputation, the New York Anime Festival asked them to reprise the "Otakon version" one last time. They refused, but agreed to go as far as the "Katsucon version." They have not made any statement as to the event's future.

GeekNights Thursdays

Thursdays are a catchall show for general commentary, including politics, self-described rants, opinion pieces, and so forth. They occasionally have a running series of advice programs entitled "How to Not Suck."

GeekNights Specials

GeekNights Specials Run infrequently, and are recognizable by the lack of Intro Music, as well as a lack of News and Thing of the day segments. Specials have Included Questions week, Convention Coverage, among other things.

Guest Hosts

Guest hosts have included their friends Peter Olsen and Adam aka 'Art Boy', as well as Rym's girlfriend Emily Compton. The hosts of Movies You Should See and Fast Karate for the Gentlemen have also provided guest podcasts when Rym and Scott were out of town.

References

External links

* [http://www.frontrowcrew.com Official GeekNights Website]
* [http://feeds.feedburner.com/GeekNights Official RSS Feed]