The Normie and the Nerd gives their two cents on pop culture, particularly movies, TV shows, games, anime, and manga. Hosted by the couple Joshua “Jap” Von Drake and Pau Medina, the two either examine the latest trends in media, or share more of what they think of past shows, like Back to the Future and Star Wars—usually stuff that the couple deems canonical for them.
The Normie and the Nerd
So which one is which? That is to say, who’s the normie and who’s the nerd between the two of them? In our exchange over email, Jap himself told us that the podcast is about sharing each of the host’s reasons for liking something, narrated from the perspective of a “Normie”—Pau—and a “Nerd”—Jap. Pau assumes the normie role since she doesn’t really dig into the media both she and Jap subscribe to. It’s now clear why Jap is the nerd as he fills in the role of having to inform Pau of the technicalities and specifics behind a show.
Jap has a background in working as a DJ for a radio station, and in streaming video games, both of which have proven to be quite useful in running the podcast. Pau, on the other hand, teaches in a kindergarten, which may be the reason behind her knack for storytelling, and as well as the ideal conversationalist that complements Jap. He is awed by how much Pau always has a lot to say whenever the couple indulges in a show. He also added that Pau loves running the show as she gets to ask ALL the questions in each of the couple’s episodes.
The podcast started out when Jap thought he would love to share the after-show rambles he had with Pau. The couple also thought of seizing the opportunity to be more engaged in the growing podcast industry in the Philippines, which for them is also a chance to grow along with the industry more than just investing in the podcast.
The bantering one can see in the couple’s podcast and Youtube channel is the natural way of them discussing the fuzz of what they just watched. How they’re like on the show is actually a toned-down version of how the couple is like off-air. The things they say are all extemporaneous, unscripted, and raw. It’s really the dynamic and genuine impressions of the couple that defines who the normie and the nerd are in each episode. Casual criticism would be the best way to describe how the duo carries the show as they dabble on the various media that they patronize.
The Show
It’s entertaining to see how a couple can switch from a healthy debate to constructive commentary in their episodes. That’s the beauty of witnessing the Normie and the Nerd in action, where you see opinions turn into passion, especially with such material when a lot of people consume it.
It’s an avenue for listeners to challenge their perceptions towards a specific cultural product, or a chance for them to listen to what they love. Nonetheless, Jap and Pau assure their audience that they’ll learn something from the dialogue. A better way to put it is how the couple portrays the perfect example of ordinary movie-goers or geeks trying to make out the meaning of the movie, and how it could be applied to real life.
To date, the past 5 episodes (arranged by order) have talked about Star Wars, How I Met Your Mother, Your Name (君の名は), Back to The Future, and Adam Sandler’s Click.
At the end of the day, what really enlivens the hosts are the feedback they get from their audience. Stay tuned and look forward to the trends or other movies the couple will be talking about!
You can tune into the couple on a number of platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, their Facebook page, and their Youtube channel.
Written by Ervin Delas Peñas