Seems like everyone’s confessing to being a nerd or a geek nowadays. It just seems like a cool thing to do. No one is really ashamed anymore that their extensive video collection has spread from the shelves in the living room, to the cupboards in the kitchen, or that they had to move into a bigger place because their growing action figure army insisted that they do so. Hell, it’s even cool to admit that you were a dungeon master back in the 80s, however, admitting that you’re still a dungeon master today is not cool. There are limits to this whole nerd thing after all. This society of nerds fresh out of the closet needs a leader and I nominate Toby Radloff. This guy was doing the nerd thing when being a nerd ran the risk of a serious beat down.
Toby Radloff appeared in the public eye when he was featured in several comedy segments on MTV. He went on to star in Wayne Alan Harold’s “Killer Nerd” and “Bride of Killer Nerd” films, as well as Townies. But most recently, Toby appears as himself in the Sundance 2003 favorite, American Splendor.
Toby met American Splendor creator Harvey Pekar at the VA Hospital where they worked together. Harvey found Toby to be an interesting person and decided to put him in the comic. Now, with the recent film, Toby is finding himself appearing in the American Splendor world once again.
Just back from Sundance himself and taking a break from the VA Hospital that he still works at, Toby spoke with us about the Sundance Film Festival, MTV and what it’s like to be one of the world’s most notorious nerds.
Get the interview in part two of TOBY RADLOFF: A REAL AMERICAN NERD>>>
