The Nerdist School

The Nerdist School was a Los Angeles-based comedy training program founded in 2015 by Chris Hardwick, the comedian, podcast host, and media personality behind the Nerdist brand. The school opened at 7518 West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood with a celebratory '1st Annual School Assembly' — a 12-hour comedy showcase held on March 28, 2015 — positioning itself as a unique comedy training destination that embraced nerd culture, pop culture, and fandom as creative fuel for improv and sketch comedy. Hardwick's vision was to create a school where comedy enthusiasts who loved gaming, technology, comic books, science fiction, and genre entertainment could train alongside traditional improv students in an environment that celebrated rather than marginalized niche interests. The school offered classes in improv, sketch writing, and storytelling, taught by instructors including Derek Miller, Rebekka Johnson, and Monika Smith, and quickly built a loyal community of students drawn to its unique cultural positioning. However, the Nerdist School's life under that name was brief — in February 2018, Hardwick's contract with Legendary Entertainment (which had acquired the Nerdist brand) ended, and in June 2018, abuse allegations against Hardwick by his ex-partner Chloe Dykstra led to further distancing from the brand. The teaching staff, led by Jen Curran, Lindsey Barrow, and Randy Thompson, chose to rebrand the school as The Ruby LA in April 2018.

The Nerdist School existed for approximately three years (2015 to 2018) before its transformation into The Ruby LA, which continues to operate from the same Sunset Boulevard location with much of the same teaching staff but a fundamentally different mission and identity. The rebranding was not simply a name change but a deliberate reinvention — where the Nerdist School defined itself through pop-culture enthusiasm and celebrity association, The Ruby LA was built on principles of intersectional feminism, inclusion, and artistic independence, explicitly positioned as a response to the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. The physical space, the teaching methodology (an acting-based, emotionally driven approach to improv), and many of the instructors carried over from the Nerdist School era, but the cultural framing shifted dramatically. For students who trained at the Nerdist School, their experience and skills remain fully valid — the quality of instruction was high, and the training methodology that became The Ruby's signature approach was already being developed during the Nerdist era. The school's brief existence means it produced a relatively small number of alumni, and listing 'Nerdist School' on a resume today is more likely to prompt questions about the controversies that led to the rebrand than to impress industry gatekeepers.

Since the Nerdist School no longer exists, prospective students should look to The Ruby LA as its direct successor — the same location, similar teaching approach, and many of the same instructors now operate under The Ruby banner with an updated mission focused on inclusion and emotional authenticity. The Ruby LA's training program consists of five improv levels (0 through 4) plus specialty courses, with classes running eight weekly sessions per level at approximately $350 per level. For students who are specifically seeking the pop-culture-friendly, fandom-embracing community that the Nerdist School uniquely offered, The Pack Theater in Hollywood is the closest current alternative — The Pack's inclusive culture and diverse programming welcome performers who bring niche interests and unconventional perspectives to their comedy. UCB Los Angeles and the Groundlings also offer comprehensive improv training in welcoming environments, though neither specifically caters to the nerd culture niche that defined the Nerdist School. Students interested in comedy that intersects with gaming, technology, and pop culture should also explore independent shows and podcasts in the LA comedy scene, where genre-focused comedy thrives outside of any single institution.

The Nerdist School's training methodology, while branded around pop culture during its operation, was substantively similar to what The Ruby LA now offers — an acting-based approach to improv that emphasizes emotional truth, genuine listening, and authentic character work rather than joke-first or game-first comedy. Classes were structured in progressive levels, with students building skills from fundamentals through advanced long-form performance over the course of several months. Instructors were working LA comedians and writers who brought industry experience and genuine passion for teaching, and the small class sizes created intimate learning environments where students received significant personal attention. The pop-culture angle was more about community culture than curriculum content — the Nerdist School did not teach 'nerd improv' per se, but rather attracted a student body that shared fandom interests and created a social community around those shared passions. For this reason, the actual improv skills students developed at the Nerdist School are fully transferable to any other improv context — the training was solid, regardless of the cultural branding.

The Nerdist School attracted a distinctive student body — performers and comedy enthusiasts who identified with nerd culture, fandom communities, gaming, technology, and genre entertainment, and who wanted to train alongside like-minded people rather than in the more general-interest environments of UCB, Groundlings, or Second City. This cultural specificity was both the school's greatest draw and its most significant limitation — it created a tight-knit, passionate community but also a somewhat narrow demographic that did not represent the full breadth of LA's comedy landscape. The school's association with Chris Hardwick, who at the time was one of the most visible figures in nerd culture through his podcast, TV hosting career, and media brand, provided significant publicity and attracted students who might not otherwise have considered improv training. The relatively small number of students who trained at the Nerdist School during its three-year existence have largely been absorbed into the broader LA improv community, continuing to perform and train at The Ruby LA, The Pack Theater, UCB, and other venues. The school did not produce nationally famous alumni in its brief existence, though several graduates have gone on to active careers in LA comedy and entertainment.

During its operation, the Nerdist School charged approximately $300 per level, placing it in the mid-range of LA improv training options. The pricing was comparable to what UCB and The Pack Theater charged at the time, and slightly below the Groundlings. Since the school no longer exists, this pricing is historical reference only. The Ruby LA, which succeeded the Nerdist School in the same location, currently charges approximately $350 per level for its five-level curriculum — a modest increase that reflects both inflation and the evolution of the program. Students considering where to train in LA should evaluate current pricing at The Ruby LA ($350/level), The Pack Theater ($275 to $325/level), UCB (varies, approximately $400 to $500/level), and the Groundlings ($475+/level) to find the best fit for their budget and goals. The Ruby LA's Whole Gem intensive, which compresses the entire curriculum into eight weeks for $350, represents an especially strong value for students who trained at the Nerdist School level of pricing.

Since the Nerdist School is no longer operating, the recommendation for prospective students is straightforward: if you would have been drawn to the Nerdist School's community and training approach, The Ruby LA is its direct successor and offers the same acting-based methodology in the same Hollywood location with an updated, inclusion-focused mission. If the pop-culture and fandom community aspect was the primary draw, The Pack Theater offers the most culturally welcoming alternative in LA, with a diverse community that embraces performers from all backgrounds and interests. For the broadest and most industry-connected improv training in LA, UCB and the Groundlings remain the top choices, though neither specifically caters to the nerd culture niche. Students interested in combining comedy with nerd culture should also explore the thriving world of comedy podcasts, web series, and independent shows in LA where genre-focused comedy continues to flourish outside of any single school. The Nerdist School's legacy lives on in the performers it trained, the community it built, and the institution (The Ruby LA) that rose from its ashes.

If you trained at the Nerdist School and want to continue your education, The Ruby LA offers the most natural continuation — the teaching methodology and many of the instructors are the same, and your previous training will be recognized and built upon. Do not be discouraged by the school's closure — the improv skills you developed at the Nerdist School are fully valid and transferable to any other comedy context, regardless of the institution's fate. If you are updating your resume, consider listing your training as 'The Ruby LA' if you continued there, or simply noting your improv training level and skills without specific institutional attribution. For performers who loved the fandom-meets-comedy community that the Nerdist School created, seek out that community in other contexts — LA has a thriving intersection of comedy, gaming, and pop culture through podcasts, live shows, and independent venues. The lesson of the Nerdist School is that improv training is about skills, community, and creative growth, not about the brand name on the door — those things persist regardless of institutional changes.