This week in nerddom, Mandy Kaplan embarks on a pixelated journey to the 1980s with special guest Zehra Fazal, a renowned voice actor known for her roles in countless animated series and video games. Zehra, a self-proclaimed nerd with a penchant for retro gaming, guides Mandy through the world of Sierra Games' classic "King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella."

As Mandy navigates the text-based commands and dated graphics of this beloved adventure game, she finds herself equal parts frustrated and fascinated. With Zehra's expert guidance (and a little help from Mandy's husband), our intrepid host manages to clean the dwarves' house and acquire a mysterious blue pouch. But the real challenge lies ahead - can Mandy unravel the puzzles and save both Princess Rosella's father and the enigmatic Genesta?

Throughout the episode, Mandy and Zehra bond over their shared love of cooking, baking, and the Bachelor franchise. They even make tentative plans for a future culinary collaboration. But beneath the laughter and nostalgia lies a darker question - is Princess Rosella's quest a charming fairy tale or a thinly-veiled kidnapping scheme? Tune in to find out if Mandy can conquer "King's Quest IV" and emerge victorious in her quest to embrace nerd culture.

Members are in for a treat as Mandy and Zehra dig into their shared love of Iron Chef and it’s many cultural problems over the years, and the notable feminist bent in modern video games. Want to hear it? Easy! Join for $5/month or $55/year today!

Follow Zehra on Instagram and here she is on IMDB!

---
Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

In the latest installment of the podcast "Make Me a Nerd," host Mandy Kaplan ventures into the world of gaming with the help of guest and dear friend, Jonny Lee Jr. This week's mission? Tackling the fan-favorite Nintendo Switch game, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Mandy, a self-proclaimed extrovert and musical theater aficionado, finds herself out of her element as she navigates the vast, often lonely landscape of Hyrule. Armed with a controller and a shirtless avatar named Link (for eye candy purposes, of course), Mandy embarks on a journey filled with puzzling button combinations and the occasional accidental jump instead of a slash.

You might wonder, dear listener, if Mandy will continue her Zelda adventure or retreat to the comfort of her beloved musical theater. One thing is certain: watching a gaming novice navigate the world of Hyrule is an entertaining journey in itself, filled with laughter, frustration, and the occasional longing for the simplicity of an Intellivision controller.

Follow Jonny on Instagram

Go play Zelda

---
Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

In this episode of "Make Me A Nerd," host Mandy Kaplan welcomes a special guest - her husband, Jeremy Klavens. The couple, married for nearly 18 years, takes listeners on a journey into the world of "Game of Thrones,” in which Jeremy delicately introduces Mandy to the complex wordplay of the title of the show vis a vis, well, characters who are trying to sit… you know… on a throne.

Jeremy himself is a reluctant GoT nerd. But it’s hard not to be drawn in by the show's attention to detail and immersive world-building.

The episode takes an unexpected turn when Jeremy reveals his distaste for the show's more fantastical elements. OK, specifically he doesn’t dig on dragons. No, Jeremy is more of a Thrones policy wonk, preferring political intrigue and power struggles to witches and giant fire lizards.

As the conversation winds down, Mandy confesses to using a character guide to keep track of the "unshowered people with beards," while Jeremy shares a FUN FACT about a real dead deer used in filming - a detail that simultaneously impresses and disgusts his animal-loving wife, but introduces a new opportunity for a sound effect, and a producer’s hope for a long-running segment to come.

Even in a world of dragons and white walkers, the real magic lies in the ability of a married couple to find common ground in the fantasy between them.

Not that kind of fantasy, pervs... the other kind.

Whatever.

---
Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.