Nerdist Industries, LLC is part of the digital division of Legendary Entertainment. Nerdist Industries was founded as a sole podcast (The Nerdist Podcast) created by Chris Hardwick, but later spread to include a network of podcasts, a premium content YouTube channel, a news division (Nerdist News), and a television version of the original podcast produced by and aired on BBC America.
Nerdist Industries was formed in February 2012 after Hardwick and Peter Levin (GeekChicDaily) merged their separate entertainment projects into Nerdist Industries, after which GeekChicDaily was rebranded Nerdist News. The newly formed company began to produce additional podcasts under the Nerdist Industries banner as well as producing content and webshows for its Nerdist YouTube channel. In July 2012, Nerdist Industries was acquired by Legendary Entertainment. It was announced that Nerdist Industries would operate independently with Hardwick and Levin as its co-presidents.
Peter Levin left Nerdist Industries in 2013 and now heads Lionsgate's Interactive Ventures and Games. Hardwick then took over, and continues to serve, as chief executive officer.
Nerdist News (founded February 2012; formerly GeekChicDaily) is the Nerdist branded pop culture newsletter, founded and originally operated by former Nerdist Industries CEO Peter Levin. The cross-platform publisher currently has two newsletter publications, Nerdist News and TOKYOPOP. GeekChicDaily became Nerdist News after it merged with Nerdist to form Nerdist Industries in February 2012. In late 2013 Nerdist News transitioned to a web series on YouTube channel "Nerdist", hosted by previous IGN Daily Fix presenter Jessica Chobot that airs five days a week to bring the latest news in nerdy pop culture.
The Nerdist Podcast, the flagship podcast of Nerdist Industries, is a weekly interview show launched February 8, 2010 "about what it really means to be a nerd" hosted by Web Soup and Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick, who is usually accompanied by Jonah Ray and Matt Mira. The audio podcasts are typically an hour in length and include conversations with notable comedians or entertainers, sometimes at their own home. Guests are varied, though typically relate to either stand-up comedy, nerd culture, or both, and have included CM Punk, Rob Zombie, Stan Lee, Ozzy Osbourne, Jeri Ryan, Drew Carey and several cast and crew of Community, Doctor Who, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
During 2011, Nerdist began releasing various other podcasts. As of January 2016 the full range includes:
Bizarre States, hosted by Jessica Chobot and Andrew Bowser
Cashing In with T. J. Miller, hosted by Cash Levy with only guest T. J. Miller
Cash Withdrawal, spinoff of Cashing In hosted by Cash Levy
Chewin' It With Kevin and Steve, hosted by Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme
Comic Book Club, hosted by Justin Tyler, Pete LePage, and Alex Zalben
Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction, hosted by Bryan Cook
Ding-Donger with Matt Braunger
Dining with Doug & Karen, hosted by Karen Anderson and Doug Benson
Half Hour Happy Hour, hosted by Alison Haislip and Alex Albrecht
Hound Tall Discussion Series, hosted by Moshe Kasher
The Jackie and Laurie Show, hosted by Jackie Kashian and Laurie Kilmartin
James Bonding, a James Bond podcast hosted by Matt Gourley and Matt Mira
The Jonah Keri Podcast, sports based podcast hosted by Jonah Keri
Jonah Raydio, a music-based podcast hosted by Jonah Ray
The JV Club, hosted by Janet Varney
The K-Ohle, a multi-format podcast hosted by Kurt Braunohler
Kicking and Screaming, hosted by Jenna Elfman and Bodhi Elfman
The Legacy Music Hour, hosted by Brent Weinbach and Rob F.
Love, Alexi, hosted by Alexi Wasser
Mike and Tom Eat Snacks, hosted by Michael Ian Black and Tom Cavanagh
The Mutant Season, hosted by 13-year-old Gil
Nerdist Comics Panel, hosted by Len Wein, Ben Blacker, Heath Corson, and Adam Beechen
The Nerdist Podcast, flagship podcast
Pop My Culture, hosted by Cole Stratton and Vanessa Ragland
Pro You: Because You're Worth It, hosted by Tom J. Deters
Puck Soup, hosted by Greg Wyshynski and Dave Lozo
Terrified, hosted by Dave Ross
Today We Learned, hosted by Dan Casey and Razzle Dangerously
The Todd Glass Show, hosted by Todd Glass
Will You Accept This Rose?, Bachelor themed podcast hosted by Arden Myrin, Erin Foley and Eddie Pepitone
The Writers Panel, moderated by Ben Blacker
You Made It Weird, hosted by Pete Holmes
The Alton Browncast, a food and food personality based podcast hosted by Food Network star Alton Brown (active but no longer affiliated with Nerdist)
Big Pop Fun, hosted by Tom Wilson
FEaB ("Four Eyes and Beard"), hosted by Matt Mira and Scott Mosier; a co-production with the SModcast Podcast Network
Humans From Earth, hosted by Geoff Boucher
The Indoor Kids, a video game-centred podcast hosted by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon
Making It, hosted by Riki Lindhome
Nerdist Writers Panel, moderated by Ben Blacker
Sex Nerd Sandra, hosted by Sandra Daugherty
Thrilling Adventure Hour, scripted show based on old timey radio shows
Watkins Family Hour, led by Sean Watkins and Sara Watkins at Largo
We're Alive, A Story of Survival
The Wrestling Compadres Slamcast
The Nerdist Showroom, also known as NerdMelt or the NerdMelt Showroom, is a performance space operated in collaboration with, and located inside, Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles, California. The showroom opened in April 2011 and features the Nerdist logo near the entrance, plush chairs, dark walls, and a far off green room. Performances include live stand-up comedy, storytelling shows, sketch comedy, movie screenings, writer's panels and podcast recordings. It is also the home of the Comedy Central television series The Meltdown with Jonah & Kumail. Past performers include Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan, Dan Harmon, Kumail Nanjiani, Jonah Ray, and Robin Williams.
Content featured on Nerdist's YouTube channel as of June 2014 includes:
4 Points – interview show hosted by Alex Albrecht and Alison Haislip
Ain't It Cool with Harry Knowles – a video version of Harry Knowles website Ain't It Cool News, a TV and film news, rumour and review site
Awkward Family Photos
Blood and Guts with Scott Ian
Breaking Belding
Chris Hardwick's All-Star Celebrity Bowling – a celebrity bowling competition where teams compete for the charities of their choice
Comic Book Club – a video version of the podcast of the same name
COPS: Skyrim – a voice-over Cops-style parody of the game Skyrim
DIY Dammit
Double Jump
DVK: Daniel Van Kirk
Dr. Tran – animated shorts featuring Dr. Tran
Face To Face: With Weird Al Yankovic – a celebrity interview show with "Weird Al" Yankovic
Fangoria's Blood and Guts – a show about monster makeup and gore effects hosted by Scott Ian
Game Off
Grammar Slam – presented by former professional wrestler CM Punk
Hero Complex – interview show hosted by Geoff Boucher of Hero Complex magazine and website, featuring interviews with prominent film and TV personnel
The Indoor Kids – a video version of the popular podcast, a video-game-based show hosted by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon
Info Minute
Just Cos – a series based around cosplay and conventions
Justice League of America
Justin Willman's Magic Meltdown – series featuring magician Justin Willman performing magic
Math Bites
Neil's Puppet Dreams – Neil Patrick Harris stars as himself and has dreams featuring puppets
Nerd Down & 10 – the Sklar brothers break down nerd and pop culture topics as if they were sports
Nerdist Comedy Shorts
Nerdist News – a video version of the Nerdist News
NerdTerns
Nerdy Jobs with Matt Bennett
Reasons to be scared of the Future
Realm of LARP – a series about the world of live action role-playing
Set List: Stand-Up Without A Net – stand-up comedy performances
Sifl & Olly
Simian Undercover Detective Squad (S.U.D.S.) – odd couple ape detectives Skreet and Yeager are forced to partner up and solve crime
Skyrim at the Movies
Star Talk – a video version of the StarTalk Radio podcast, a science-based show hosted by Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Superego
The Thrilling Adventure Hour – a video version of The Thrilling Adventure Hour podcast
They Call Me Baba Booey – Gary Dell'Abate (aka Baba Booey), producer of the Howard Stern Show and tech and audio enthusiast, explores the latest products and pop culture
Try This At Home! with Crabcat Industries
Tournament of Nerds – a show featuring nerds debating each other about their favorite pop culture characters
UCB Presents: Between the Scenes
Weird Sh*t From Japan – Jukka Hilden explores aspects of Japanese culture under the watchful eye of Japanophile and comedian Chad Mullane
What You Missed By Not Playing
Write Now! With Jimmy Pardo – Pardo hosts this show where a team of writers write jokes on the fly about a guest stand-up comedian
@midnight - Produced for Comedy Central
