Live, Loud, and Nerdy: Behind the Mic with Distance Nerding | Interview

In this exciting episode, Frank Lourence welcomes the hilarious and passionate hosts of Distance Nerding, Phil and James, to celebrate their show joining the Geek Freaks Network! The trio dives into the origins of Distance Nerding, their journey from pandemic podcasting to hosting live shows and conventions, and how they built a welcoming community for fans of all fandoms. They share behind-the-scenes stories, favorite moments from interviews, and their mission to make nerdiness a verb, not just an identity. Plus, they tease upcoming convention appearances, big-name interviews, and plans for their growing YouTube channel!

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⏱️ Timestamps and Topics:

00:00 – Welcome to Phil and James of Distance Nerding
00:40 – How Distance Nerding started and the meaning behind the name
02:06 – Switching to live podcasting and the perks of real-time chaos
04:13 – Lessons learned from Hardly Heroes and their positive nerdy approach
05:48 – The four pillars of Distance Nerding: Nerdy, Positive, Funny, Energetic
07:56 – Favorite past topics and interviews, "Growing Up Geeky" segment
09:13 – Making every guest relatable, from indie creators to celebrities
12:08 – Creating a safe space for fandoms and avoiding toxicity
13:07 – The importance of fostering fandoms for future generations
14:46 – Appreciating Star Wars across generations and respecting all fandoms
16:26 – Con life! Hosting panels, interacting with fans, and building experiences
18:47 – Being fans first: The heart of every Distance Nerding interview
20:19 – Interviewing high-profile guests and bucket-list moments
21:08 – Expanding their podcast with The Download and Comic Conversation
22:48 – YouTube goals: Long-form interviews, Lego builds, and lively debates
24:42 – Building a nerdy community and engaging listeners worldwide
26:35 – Nationwide community and the importance of sharing opinions
27:25 – The podcast as a modern-day recess for fandom discussions
28:42 – Upcoming interviews, conventions, and special guests like Sean Gunn
31:49 – Where to find Distance Nerding online (with plenty of humor!)

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🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Distance Nerding began as a passion project during the pandemic and has grown into a lively, community-driven show.

• Their motto is clear: Be Nerdy, Be Positive, Be Funny, Be Energetic.

• Phil and James embrace live recordings to capture the spontaneity and fun of real conversations.

• Their popular segment "Growing Up Geeky" reveals how every guest's nerd journey began, making them relatable.

• The team is committed to creating a safe, anti-gatekeeping space for all fandoms.

• Distance Nerding hosts multiple cons, including main stages and fan-focused panels across the West Coast.

• The show continues to grow with new formats like The Download (news and rumors) and Comic Conversation (convention interviews).

• Upcoming plans include expanding their YouTube channel with long-form interviews, interactive debates, and more fan-focused content.

• They're heading to major cons soon, like Gem State Comic Con and will be talking with guests like Bonnie Wright and Sean Gunn!

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🗣️ Memorable Quotes:

"The chaos is what draws people in—but it’s the outline that makes it work." — James, Distance Nerding

"We want to recreate the term nerdy. Not just an adjective, but a verb: to be passionate about something." — Phil, Distance Nerding

"We’re fans before we are content creators. And it shows in every conversation." — Phil, Distance Nerding

"The goal is to build a community. We want your takes. We want you to be part of the show." — James, Distance Nerding

"If you troll us, oh, I'm going to mess with you so much. I’m a troll's troll!" — Phil, Distance Nerding

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📢 Call to Action:

If you loved this episode, don’t forget to:

• Subscribe to the Geek Freaks Podcast and Distance Nerding wherever you get your podcasts!

• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help new listeners discover the show.

• Share this episode with your fellow nerds using #DistanceNerdingOnGFN!

• Visit GeekFreaksPodcast.com for all the latest news and updates from the Geek Freaks Network.

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🔗 Links and Resources:

• 🌐 Visit: GeekFreaksPodcast.com — Source of all news discussed in this episode!

• 🎥 Subscribe to Distance Nerding on YouTube for interviews, builds, and more!

• 🗨️ Join the conversation with Distance Nerding on all social platforms:

  • Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (never calling it X!), Twitch, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Discord, and more!

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🙋‍♂️ Listener Questions:

We want to hear from you!
Send us your geeky questions, future topic ideas, or share what fandoms you’d love us to explore in upcoming episodes. Reach out through our socials or at [email protected] (yes, really!).

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🏷️ Apple Podcast Tags:

Distance Nerding, live podcasting, geek culture, nerd community, comic conventions, fan interviews, pop culture podcast, podcast interviews, Geek Freaks Network, Star Wars fandom, building community, safe space for fans, podcast hosts, con experiences, nerdy humor, creative interviews