Podcast - State of the Geek

This week, Joe and Kelley explore LGBTQ+ representation in geek culture. Have we truely evolved passed the villainous gender coding of our childhood cartoon villains and what does representation look like going forward?

This week, Joe and Kelley dive into an article entitled Staircases in Space: Why Are Places in Science Fiction Not Wheelchair-Accessible? How does our non-disabled privilege manifest in the media we consume? And how can we work harder to make sure we aren't part of the problem?

Is Comic-Con just about studios and swag, or can it work on repairing the real world? This month, Joe is reporting out on Comic-Con and some of the positive and diverse panels he attended while there! And of course, Joe and Kelley do their usually geeking out, table flipping, and shouting angrily out into the universe!

After a little bit of an unplanned hiatus (Joe's fault), Joe and Kelley jump back into the latest news and try and fine some positives spins on what has been a rough couple of months!

Joe and Kelley put on the ranty pants again as they try and sort through all the various stories that make them cringe. From Russia to Roseanne, it's hard to even know where to begin. And who would have thought Generation Z would be the ones to fix it all?

Joe and Kelley tackle gun control and applaud the students behind the #NeverAgain movement. Is it just about taking away guns versus mental health checks, or are there other solutions? And, really... would you arm Joe?

Joe and Kelley put on their ranty-pants to vent about a year of craziness. How to you avoid political burnout? We're not sure, but we certainly released some pressure in this episode!

Joe and Kelley close 2017 by discussing The Last Jedi. Not only was it an incredible movie, but it's drummed up controversy, started Alt-Right movements and did this all by being a diverse film that commented on the state of today's world, without really trying to be political.

This month, Joe and Kelley actually got to meet in person for the very first time! This meeting resulted in a panle at Palm Springs Comic Con with their friend Katie from Tea Time with Katie and Chelsea! In the panel, they discuss why geeks should care about politics and be involved.

They are not dead! They are also not locked away in a Russian gulag. Joe and Kelley return after a few months off to talk about the fall out from Harvey Weinstein and the hashtag movements that followed. They give their reactions to #metoo and #howIwillchange and talk about a problem that's always been there but no one ever talks about.

This week, Joe and Kelley talk about the fine line between maintaining a safe space and allowing freedom of speech. They discuss how this is particularly troubling on college campuses and how it may be resulting in a world where people are unable to deal with challenges to their ideas or beliefs in a constructive way. Plus...our first listener feedback!

This week, Joe and Kelley look at new stories where artistic expression goes too far or maybe not far enough. We talk about Kathy Griffin, Julius Caesar as well as our usual musings on the geeky things we did this week and we also talk vaccinations. Seriously, people... just do it.

This week, Joe and Kelley discuss the uptick in racist activity caught and published online. We realize two white people talking about racism is a tricky thing, but we feel it is important to get the conversation going. Join us in the conversation!

This week, Joe and Kelley Do some catching up. They then explore some of the recent geek news including video games causing unemployment instead of violence, and whether Captain America is a Nazi!

In this episode, Joe and Kelley are joined by Kenny Rotter of the Dumbbells and Dragons Podcast to talk about activism and what we can actually do to make a difference. The audio quality is a little rough this episode (Joe apologizes) but we think you'll find the content strong! #Resist!

All the music in this episode is by Bensound and is being used under a Creative Commons license. You can find more muisc by Bensound at www.bensound.com You can currently find us at stateofthegeek.com as well as iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay and most other podcatchers out there. Please leave us a review and tell others about us! You can also follow the show on twitter at @StateoftheGeek! Remember to use the hashtag #Geeks4Change to promote positive change in our community.

Recorded on Inauguration Day, Joe and Kelley are joined by Raven from Girls Gone WoW to talk about how #GamerGate paralleled current politics. Also, we add a new segment, "WTF Komrade!" where we briefly look at the latest tragedies and controversies caused by the new administration.

Joe and Kelley talk about the fallout of the election and what we can do to fight against intolerance, ignorance and oppression.All the music in this episode is by Bensound and is being used under a Creative Commons license. You can find more muisc by Bensound at www.bensound.comYou can currently find us at stateofthegeek.com as well as iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay and most other podcatchers out there. Please leave us a review and tell others about us!You can also follow the show on twitter at @StateoftheGeek! Remember to use the hashtag #Geeks4Change to promote positive change in our community.Joe: geektitude, joehogan@geektitude.com or @EpicGraysKelley: Mating Habits of the Modern

In this episode, Joe and Kelley talk with Ray Vargas about the current state of geek culture. Discussion points include the inherent discontent of the geek culture community and they way that is expressed in social media.Nerd Culture Is Fighting A Losing Battle Against RealityGeek culture is dominant, so why are so many of its fans still so angry?All the music in this episode is by Bensound and is being used under a Creative Commons license. You can find more muisc by Bensound at www.bensound.comYou can currently find us at stateofthegeek.com as well as iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay and most other podcatchers out there. Please leave us a review and tell others about us!You can also follow the show on twitter at @StateoftheGeek! Remember to use the hashtag #Geeks4Change to promote positive change in our community.Joe: geektitude, joehogan@geektitude.com or @EpicGraysKelley: Mating Habits of the Modern Geek, moderngeekcast@gmail.com or @KelleyDisagreesRay: Website, @rayvargas3

In this episode, your hosts Joe Hogan and Kelley Hightower introduce themselves, explain their backgrounds, interests and views, talk about what the podcast is and is not, and discuss the first 2016 Presidential Debate. Buckle in, folks... it's going to be a wild ride!