Nerdist YouTube Channel Launches with Bowling, Puppet Apes, and Weird Al

As of April 2nd, inquiring fans of Nerdist Industries can finally find an answer to the age-old question, “Are Chris Hardwick and his motley group of teammates associated with things geek any good at bowling?”

The Nerdist Channel on YouTube (which is part of the video sharing site’s $100 million Original Channels initiative) officially launched this week with a handful of the no less than 24 original web series announced as part of the programming slate at WonderCon. The shows to debut include bowling, simians, exploding puppies and a five-year-old boy that just happens to be the America’s number one action hero.

First up, Chris Hardwick’s All Star Celebrity Bowling features the famous podcaster teaming up with Alex Albrecht (Diggnation), Kyle Clark (Nerdterns) and Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Program) for a celebrity bowling battle royale where the winning team gets $10K for a charity of its choice. The first opponent for Team Nerdist is a group of equally (so and not-so) adept bowlers from YouTube network and new media studio Machinima.

One of the more unique shows premiering as part of YouTube’s nine-figure spending spree, Dr. Tran revolves around a five-year-old boy that just happens to be America’s greatest action hero since Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 90s…according to an announcer that constantly interrupts the kid’s life. Created in 2003 by Breehn Burns and Jason Johnson, Dr. Tran became a cult sensation after premiering at Spike & Mike’s Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation

and is an odd, engrossing show. The constant back and forth between Tran and the Narrator becomes escalates in its absurdity and comedy the longer the episode lasts.

Among the other shows premiering this week are Cute Things Exploding, S.U.D.S. (Simian Undercover Detective Squad), and Face to Face with Weird Al Yankovic. Cute Things Exploding is exactly what it sounds like (but don’t worry, no puppies were harmed in the making of these videos). S.U.D.S. features two Simian (aka ape puppet) police officers that put bad guys away. And Face to Face is the latest addition to the web series genre of faux celebrity interviews (this time, accomplished by way of well-timed edits).

There’s still a helluva lot of programming yet to come from the the Nerdist channel. Until then, check out All Star Celebrity Bowling and other aforementioned programs at YouTube.com/Nerdist.