The Department of Nerdly Affairs
The Department of Nerdly Affairs is a bi-weekly talk podcast dedicated to exploring different aspects of nerdly arts and culture. Together bringing over 80 years of experience to the table, the hosts, Rob and Don, try to take a seasoned, knowledgeable, and real-world approach to looking at the creation of nerd culture and the forces shaping it. The podcast covers topics ranging from from film and comics to writing and history, and pretty much everything in between. If it's a hobby shared by few or by many, you can expect to hear it talked about by the Department of Nerdly Affairs. New episodes every second Friday!
Come chat with us at obeythedna.com!
- Update frequency
- every 19 days
- Average duration
- 92 minutes
- Episodes
- 141
- Years Active
- 2015 - 2024
DNA Podcast 101 – Werewolves in Popular Culture
In this episode, Rob and Don stalk the werewolf’s place in popular culture, hunting the elusive man who walks like a wolf! Along the way, they explore the history of werewolves in real life and ficti…
Mon 18 Nov 2019
DNA Podcast 100 – Failure
In this, the hundredth episode of the Department of Nerdly Affairs, Rob, Don, and Jack sit down to discuss their greatest creative failures. The trio talk about the challenges they’ve faced, what the…
Sun 03 Nov 2019
DNA Podcast 099 – Trust Us, We’re Lying
In this episode, Don and Rob are joined by Jack Ward to discuss the book Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday and the implications that come with his tell-all book about media manipulation. The three …
Sat 19 Oct 2019
DNA Podcast 098 – Vampires in Popular Culture
In this episode, Don and Rob explore vampires and their place in history and popular culture. The two intrepid stalkers of the night discuss vampire legends, obscure vampire lore, and the history of …
Sat 05 Oct 2019
DNA Podcast 097 – Education in Popular Culture with Jack Ward
In this episode, Rob and Don are joined by their favorite teacher Jack Ward to discuss education and how it’s reflected in popular culture. The three explore the roles education plays in society, and…
Sat 14 Sep 2019
DNA Podcast 096 – Rules Heavy and Lite RPGs
In this episode, Rob and Don are joined by their friend Jack Ward to discuss the difference between Role Playing Games that use detailed rules systems (rules heavy) versus those who use minimalist ru…
Fri 23 Aug 2019
DNA Podcast 095 – Fantasy Tropes People Love with Jack Ward
In this episode, Don and Rob are joined by Jack Ward to discuss a recent Reddit survey on fantasy tropes people love. They discuss how people might be misusing the word and idea of tropes, and then g…
Mon 05 Aug 2019
DNA Podcast 094 – Gaming Tropes
In this episode, Rob and Don dig into the concept of tropes and discuss how they connect with tabletop RPG gaming. Few people think about how Hit Points are actually an artificial idea created by gam…
Sat 20 Jul 2019
DNA Podcast 093 – Death to Evil Overlords!
In this episode, Don listens as Rob goes on a tear about one of his pet peeves- Evil Overlords in Fantasy and Science Fiction. The pair discuss the origins of the Evil Overlord trope, why is exists, …
Mon 08 Jul 2019
DNA Podcast 092 – Police in Popular Culture
In this episode, Don and Rob take a look at the messy history of the police in popular culture. Starting off with a history of the police themselves, the pair explore how police stories are very much…
Mon 17 Jun 2019
DNA Podcast 091 – tReading the Path of Heaven
In this episode, Rob and Don sit down with Jonathan Kinney and Richard Curtissmith from the tReading the Path of Heaven podcast to talk about Asian Light Novels and webnovels. The four of them discus…
Mon 03 Jun 2019
DNA Episode 90 – Crime and Villainy in Popular Culture
In this episode, Rob and Don delve into society’s dark underbelly and explore how popular culture and our image of criminals have become intertwined. Along the way, the pair discuss where our concept…
Fri 17 May 2019
DNA Podcast 089 – Mysticism Continued with Lothar Tuppan and David Towers
Following up on the last episode, Don and Rob continue their exploration into the world of the occult with new guest Lothar Tuppan and returning guest David Towers. The four of them pick up where Dav…
Sat 20 Apr 2019
DNA Podcast 088 – Mysticism with David Towers
In this episode, Don and Rob sit down with Don’s old friend David Towers to discuss mysticism. Dave has had a lifelong interest in the subject, and he shares the fruits of his research with the pair.…
Sun 07 Apr 2019
DNA Podcast 087 – Automating Tabletop Gaming with Brian Welcher
In this episode, Don and Rob sit down with teacher, martial artist, and gamer Brian Welcher to discuss his project to automate some parts of tabletop gaming. The three discuss how Brian first got int…
Sun 24 Mar 2019
DNA Episode 086 – Interview with Lee Gold
In this episode, Don and Rob sit down with the incomparable Lee Gold to discuss her life as an early RPG designer, editor of the long-running APA Alarums and Excursions, and filk songwriter. Along th…
Sat 09 Mar 2019
DNA Podcast 085 – Media and the Law
In this episode, Rob, Don and Jack Ward discuss the relationships between the law and entertainment media. These three gumshoes leave no stone unturned as they delve into the seedy and often antagoni…
Sat 23 Feb 2019
DNA Podcast 084 – Food in Popular Culture
Ronald McDonald 1.0 In this episode, Rob and Don explore the weird relationship between food and popular culture. From C3POs to Mac Tonight, the pair discuss how food is both shunned and adored in po…
Sat 09 Feb 2019
DNA Episode 083 – Warhammer with Professor Otaku
In this episode, Don and Rob are joined again by Professor Otaku to discuss the legendary tabletop miniatures game Warhammer. From the original Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay to the glory that is Warhamm…
Mon 21 Jan 2019
DNA Podcast 082 – Character Progression and Gamerisms in Media
In this episode Don and Rob discuss Don’s view that tabletop RPGs and video games have influenced the way people write and consume stories. Delving deep into the topic, the pair discuss Kung Fu movie…
Mon 07 Jan 2019
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