Hello!! Welcome back to another Brooke blog, but this blog isn’t like my normal blogs that happen at the end of my projects this one is at the middle.

We started a new project called “Cray Cray Yay Yay” where we study crazy people! This project has been quite fun so far and I’ve really enjoyed it. In humanities our job was to choose a “crazy” person who has influenced Vancouver. I chose someone named Nardwuar!

”Why does it take a crazy person to change the world”

This question is what my project centres around, and it should be answered through my essay. In my writing I talked about Nardwuar, who he is, and what he’s done. By learning about him and what he has accomplished in his life time so far I hope you can find my answer to that question.

My process of writing:

While most of my class was away on a trip to Seattle me and 6 other people stayed here. This week together was very fun! I got closer with Kira and Susan, and we became the dream team! We wrote our essays together and helped each other reading our essays over and giving advice. We started this process by putting together an outline of what we planned to write. To make this outline we had to do lots of research, and to do research we had to choose a person! I found many people who have lived in Vancouver and then impacted it with their “crazy” lifestyle, but when I read Nardwuar’s name I knew I had to choose him. I had no idea who he was but his name really drew me in. I

then ended up researching a lot about him and I became really interested in learning about him. I had never heard of this random guy named Nardwuar in the past but now I feel like I know everything about him! I started quite slow on my essay because I didn’t know exactly what I was going to write, and how I was going to structure it, but then I got on a roll! Once I started really understanding how to do this I had a lot of fun. I had all my ideas written down and planned out then all I had to do was fill in all the information. Filling in all the interesting juicy information was the fun part, and adding links just took a long time. But in the end once it was finished I was very proud of what I made. I really like my essay because I think it is clear and easy to follow, while also being interesting and eye catching.

Here is my final essay draft:

The History of Nardwuar in Vancouver

Throughout history people have been confined to social norms, fearful of being even slightly different. Because of this fear, people have hidden what defines them as individuals from society. The so-called “normal” binding that people are wrapped in so tightly is what has broken down the human sense of creativity, personality, and individuality. People are traditionally forced into a box that shapes everyone into the same form, but what if we had someone who broke through these barriers? What if there were someone who was unapologetically and proudly their weird out-of-the-box self? What if this person inspired others to be weird, go wild, or even… crazy? Luckily for us, there is a man named Nardwuar The Human Serviette. Nardwuar is a wacky, out-of-the-box thinker who has influenced Vancouver with his show on a wide variety of music, interviews, and commentary. He has been seen as crazy because of his bizarre sense of humour and quirky interviews. Nardwuar has brought people together many times, which in the end created a vibrant community inside of Vancouver, while also celebrating its diverse culture. 

Vancouver’s culture has been displayed in Nardwuar’s videos for years. With his eccentric interviews and further knowledge of music, he has put Vancouver on the map in the music and entertainment world. Nardwuar has showcased our local references, artists, and landmarks many times in his videos. He has referenced local slang (such as K-Tel a record store), mentioned local music venues (which include The Cobalt and Commodore Ballroom), and brought up local landmarks (like Stanley Park, Granville Island, and Lions Gate Bridge). During these videos, he most commonly interviews local artists like Jello Biafra from the Dead Kennedys, and Bryan Adams. The publicity spotlight that was shone onto Vancouver because of Nardwuar has helped bring lots of positive attention to our city. 

Vancouver has not only been impacted by Nardwuar because of his exposure but also because of his community engagement. His involvement in events and festivals has brought people together, which created a bright and vibrant atmosphere. One of the events that he’s been to is the SXSW also called the South by Southwest. In Nardwuar’s own words “SXSW has taught me so much about Music, Culture and even Technology! Every time I go, I learn something new! Plus, people come from all over the world, so this ain’t your regular Festival” (source). He has also been to the Canadian Music Week festival, Juno Awards, and International film festivals. Eventually, after Nardwuar researched popular musicians for years, interviewed famous people in Vancouver, and went to so many events gawking at the talent on stage, he got his very own star on BC’s Walk of Fame. 

The unique persona that Nardwuar possesses has contributed very positively to his community. One of the ways his “weirdness” has brought us together is his celebration of quirkiness. Many people try to hide their quirks and real disposition but Nardwuar expresses it openly and encourages others to do so as well. In his interviews, he has been known to ask people “weird” questions to shed light on his own as well as other’s eccentricities. Some of these questions include: “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever found in your pocket?”, “Do you have any secret talents you’d like to share”, “Do you prefer crunchy or smooth peanut butter?” and “What’s your favourite kind of toothpaste?”. These questions have helped create a sort of interview that’s more of a friendly conversation than a formal questioning. He has also tended to give unique gifts to his interviewees. One time while interviewing Snoop Dog Nardwuar gave him the gift of his very first record Snoop Dog ever published. This record which was published with his high school band brought up many memories from Snoop Dog’s childhood. Old memories are what Nardwuar tries to get out of people, he does this by bringing up little-known facts, forgotten photos, and obscure records (like Snoop Dog’s). 

Overall Nardwuar’s ability to embrace his craziness and celebrate other people’s unique personalities has impacted Vancouver as a whole greatly. I am proud to be living in a place where I am not afraid to express myself however I feel. I can look around and see other people expressing themselves as well, which I love to see. Different forms of expression can be seen all around Vancouver, in the way we dress, act, talk, and even our artwork. A reason people aren’t afraid to make these things public is because we feel comfortable in our own skin and trust each other to not make judgemental comments or actions against us. As a community, we have to work together to build a safe and comfortable environment, with the help of Nardwuar guiding us along on a better path. We are fortunate to have Nardwuar locally to bring us a refreshingly unique approach to life in Vancouver. He has brought the right people together at the right time, to create a peaceful and prosperous atmosphere for all Vancouverites! 

After learning so much about this guy I really do think Vancouver is lucky to have him. He has shown us so much, on how to stay happy and carefree. I hope you enjoyed reading my essay and I would love to get any feedback you have on it. Thank you so much, and feel free to leave your feedback in a comment below!