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March 22, 2011
The Ten Sexiest Web Geeks
In honor of SXSW Interactive, the ten hottest nerds in cyberspace.
By Julia Allison
10. Lauren Leto, founder of TextsFromLastNight.com
There's nothing like turning the asshole texts your boyfriend sent you into a massively successful, slightly disturbing but undeniably entertaining website — called TextsFromLastNight, of course. Yeah, it’s a multimillion-dollar company, with a book that came out in January and a production deal for a sitcom in the works, but, as the texters would say, NBD. Lauren isn’t fazed by the accolades, the bras, panties, and occasionally dildos thrown in her direction (okay, fine, that only happens on her website) — she just sold her next book, Judging a Book by Its Lover. I can't wait.
9. Mallory Blair & Bianca Caampued, founders of Small Girls PR
Mallory and Bianca are small girls. At 5’3” and 5’‘0’, respectively, Mallory and Bianca named their less-than-a-year-old social-media PR agency literally: Small Girls PR. “Small girls,” they like to say, “big business!” Teeny but packed with personality, these two ladies dominate the geek boys in everything they do: they can out-Tweet, out-Tumblr, out-digitally-strategize any Y chromosome — and they do it with charm and Colgate-white smiles. This month, they’re actually wearing prom dresses every day for a month on TakeMeToTheProm.com to promote their new client, pageant/gown designer Sherri Hill. Adorable technophiles donning giant poofy gowns and live-blogging the whole thing? I'm smitten. When someone finally throws Prom 2.0 — I know who you'll want your dates to be.
8. Greg Ferenstein, contributing writer, Fast Company
What's better than a mensch-y tech writer with a master's in mathematical behavioral sciences? How about a mensch-y tech writer with a master’s in mathematical behavior sciences... who also practices Capoeira, an “acrobatic Brazilian martial art”? That’s a geek's geek right there. This one can banter, whine, and trade dorky insults like Woody Allen 2.0 in tight white tennis shorts. Your mother will love him, and your kids will be inducted to Mensa upon fertilization. They will also be legally blind. But, if that's the price one pays for bifocaled brilliance, I say it's worth it.
7. Andy Howell, Brand Director of Zazzle, Founder/GM of Artsprojekt
Andy is almost too cool to be a real geek — he surfs, skateboards, paints, makes ‘zines, calls them ‘zines, loves punk and hip-hop, and knows his way around a spray-can. Oh, and have I mentioned his abs? I haven’t? I should. They are bodacious, and I mean that in the most ironically hip of ways. Andy’s all kinds of badass, and loves making an artistic statement, and there’s nothing a girl likes more than her name tagged all across the city — or, you know, on the back of an iPhone case designed specially for her.
6. Rachel Sklar, founder of ChangeTheRatio and Charitini.
She's bouncing, bubbly, grinning, and ridding the world of snark and bigotry one Canadian compliment at a time — if you haven’t yet made the acquaintance of Miss Rachel Sklar, power-lawyer turned New York media goddess, you, my dear, are missing out on a world of happiness. Effusive, effervescent, with a propensity towards prolific parentheticals (exclamation mark!), Rachel is the Editor-at-Large of Mediaite.com, founded ChangeTheRatio to help educate women entrepreneurs, and launched the online charity site Charitini, making her arguably the world’s cuddliest feminist reporter and entrepreneurial philanthropist.
Tags
sxsw
Commentarium (80 Comments)
FTW! beautiful.
Blake is the only actual "HOT" one on this list...
Pretty much no amount of geek could make me want to sleep with another lawyer, or sext one.
Word. Also agree with the other Sklar comments below on her being so combative. Once a lawyer, always a lawyer. I have to laugh at Allison calling her a "power-lawyer." She didn't even have her own office back then, going in on weekends to work at her lawyer friend's desk and get whatever part-time legal jobs done. Allison sure knows how to exaggerate the hell out of people's credentials, while kissing major ass in the process. Well done, Jules.
Just came back to check for something and saw this. This may be combative but - you're an idiot. No clue where you got that random story about how I practiced law but I graduated with honors from the top law school in Canada as valedictorian and worked at two law firms, White & Case and Torys, before leaving law. Did a little temping after that (Shearman & Sterling, Sullivan & Cromwell, Skadden Arps) but that's pretty much it. Well done on those facts though.
this list must have Pete Cashmore in number 1
What, no Marissa Mayer?
Rachel is smoking
I LOVE Lauren Leto!! Her new company Bnter (bnter.com) is soo fun.
I would describe Blake Mycoskie's face as highly asymmetrical myself.
http://hairstyles.thehairstyler.com/hairstyle_views/front_view_images/10...
I think you're referring to his hair, dearest.
HAHAHA CLEVR
I don't see Sklar listed anywhere on the Hashable site. Is she really a founder? Also, this photo makes her look a bit desperate. I find the hotter women on this list (Lauren and Jesse) don't find it necessary to flash any cleavage.
She's only on this list because she's good friends with Allison. If you see her in person without the hair in her face, you'll find plenty of hotter babes in the tech community to choose from.
Harsh! But maybe... true.
That's totally out of line. Rachel is GORGEOUS, both in person - and in spirit.
Keep spirits out of this. Your list needs some revision. I mean, c'mon, Andrew Mason #4?
You are correct - I am not a co-founder of Hashable; I am indeed desperate, which is why I posted a photoset of shots taken in November 2009 on my Flickr, front and center as the 16th most recent photoset on said Flickr; when you pull the hair back from my face I am hideous and grotesque, best to stay far far away; there are indeed plenty of hotter babes in the tech community, with or without their cleavage, and I am lucky to ogle them frequently for both their brains and their beauty; Andrew Mason could definitely be considered a controversial choice; looking at comments is never a good idea. But thank you Julia for the nice thing you wrote. And thank you Nikla Tamindzic for taking those pictures a year and a half ago at that Fleshbot party, where, by comparison, I was actually pretty damn demure. And speaking of demure, I am very sorry to have offended the gentle readers of Nerve - clearly you expected more from a post entitled "The Ten Sexiest Web Geeks."
Great response Rachel. While I realize you have to be humble, I can assure you that you are very sexy. I saw you at SXSW and I feel brave enough in the shroud of commenterdom that I would be one lucky guy to get a date with you.
Yes, Tracy. It's TOTALLY OUT OF LINE to comment on the appearance of a woman who's appearance is the focal point of an article about appearance! How dare you! Bully!
^well put, sara...seriously.
and nothing screams "desperate" or "defensive" like an unnecessarily long paragraph filled with run-on sentences. what a disgrace for the very notion of a sarcastic response...
I agree with Darren. I would count myself privileged to be dating Rachel Sklar even though I didn't go to SXSW and remained here in NYC! ;-)
Someone explain to me how PR reps, writers, and a shoe company founder are "web geeks"? Using the internet to do business does not make one a tech professional.
It's based off SXSW Interactive, which I think demonstrates an idea of "Web professional" that's much wider than just Google programmers.
We were gonna call it "Ten Nerds Who the Digerati Totally Sweat" but that was annoying...
*eye roll* I'm surprised the author didn't put herself on the list.
When will she go away?
You mean bully! The cyber police are on their way! hahahaha.....
it's like my mother wrote this list.
Your mother sucks!
Isn't this the woman who spoke at SXSW about her body being objectified by her "bullies"? And a week later she writes a column about the "sexiest" geeks, talking about their hair, teeth, and abs?
She lacks logic. Her entire "mission" has been against anonymous online participants; then she praises 4chan. And as a fan and friend of Gary V, I find it totally offensive that she suggested at her seminar that he doesn't get "bullied" because he's a man. No, he doesn't get bullied because he isn't an ego blogger who posts endless photos of herself and violates the privacy of her mother, her boyfriends, dates, etc. He posts well-informed content.
This dame is clueless.
ooh, Julia I think you may just need to defend yourself here.
Penny, don't hold your breath. She's just go on and on about "defamation" which she clearly knows NOTHING about, and spread her own lies about how her "haters" are constantly trying to get her fired, etc. In reality, we just call her on her bullshit. Like the fact that this article is sycophantic, juvenile, and poorly written.
"They are bodacious, and I mean that in the most ironically hip of ways." What the hell does this sentence even MEAN? God, what a crap writer.
'irony' does not mean what she thinks it means.
Natalie Tran needs to be on this list.
This article lists the author as the "Founder of Nonsociety" but when I went there, I just saw a bunch of personal blogs. What gives?
It's just the author's hobby. She's not the founder of a business. Nerve must have used an old bio. Julia Allison has said countless times that it is not a business, and that she is not a tech founder. She set out trying to make it as a business lady, but the business never took off. She wanted to be a reality star for so long, but that never took off either.
Uh... #1 is a dude who makes shoes. How is he is in tech again besides owning a computer and having a twitter account.
Good point, actually. I don't really get this piece. Even nonsocial.com (author's website) is not a geeky endeavour; it's just a personal website. So sad that people don't recognise true creativity anymore. I am writing a comment on a website; am I a geek?! ;)
It's "Nonsociety" and it is INDEED just a bunch of personal tumblrs. How does that make her a "founder?"
Nerve, you should vet your writers a bit more carefully.
I would like to nominate Mark Zuckerberg. He founded a little site called Facebook that was, indeed, represented at SXSW!
But he just looks like an uglier moot.
Can't stand Rachel Sklar and her many affectations. This will no doubt piss off the writer of the article (I read that they're personal friends) but Rachel has a bad case of horse-face and does not belong on anyone's "hottest" list. I'm sure she's good at what she does, but she is certainly not hot in the looks department.
Rachel's looks are just normal, but her personality is always so combatative.
This list smacks more of someone currying favours or paying people back for something or other. This Julia chick must be gay because all the men on this list are fug.
Prom 2.0. Woody Allen 2.0. Hack 2.0.
What a random mess -- must have taken all of 2.0 minutes to write.
Yeah, it's as if she didn't even take the time to proofread it.
"Effusive, effervescent, with a propensity towards prolific parentheticals (exclamation mark!)..." Using big words does NOT make you sound smart, Exhibit A - Julia Allison.
pro·lif·ic/prəˈlifik/Adjective
1. (of a plant, animal, or person) Producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring.
2. (of an artist, author, or composer) Producing many works.
So a parenthetical can produce many works. Got that everyone? Makes sense, right? Right?!!?!
waitafukinminit... textsfromlastnight.com is a multi-million dollar company??? How the fuck is that possible???
so she doesn't like when people comment on the internet anonymously but she is ok with moot, purveyor of all things anonymous? stick to a script, lady.
Where is iJustine???
Where the eff is Kevin Rose?
"Everyone from MC Hammer to Eric Schmidt has sat on her vaunted pink couch — but how can the rest of us get her digits?"
This sounds saucy, non?
is "mench-y" code for jewish?
Where is Nixie Pixel on this list?
What about Violet Blue? She ran a panel at SXSWi on sex for geeks, covering everything from how to flirt with a geek to the basics of safer con sex to the etiquette of social media.
I think she's 36. So she doesn't qualify for the list.
Uh, Sklar is pushing 40, if not already. Age shouldn't really matter, just the sheer amount of hotness - which is sadly lacking in this list altogether.
The 2 Imps from Small Girls just make you smile every time you look at them. Being yourself is the magic of these two is what make them so successful !!!!!!! Keep up with them....they keep moving and will become a house hold word. They love everybody and will make their clients business boom. Follow these 2 funny, magical powerhouses. Different is the word of their day.
can you say advertisement/awkwardly worded plug...sheesh
what until someone tells this author that moot isn't into girls.
#Internet research fail
I met this guy this year @ SKSW that owns an interactive company in Dallas that is way better looking than any of the guys on this list. Kevin Ulrich at Achilles is super sexy.
I would date everyone on this this.
This 'sexy geek' concept just exasperates me. As a girly chick who works in a male-dominated geek world, I still haven't figured out whether it's better to play up the attractiveness or play it down. Obviously earning the respect and confidence of your clients and peers is the top priority, but hiding your assets under glasses and a hoodie makes very little impression at all in mass networking situations (like SXSW). What you've shown here is that there are women who can be both "hot" and respected leaders in this world, but their pictures are being judged much more superficially than the guys (and really, aside from the shoe guy, these men are only attractive because we presume they're smart). I would really love to what the 'sexy geeks' have to say about this issue.
I second Kevin Rose and wondering why Felicia Day (a true web geek) is missing. Andrew Mason? Really?
Yeah, Felicia Day not on this list shows the writer knows nothing about hot internet geeks.
Umm... what about Alice Walker Wright? I think she's hot.
But she's a bully!
As a straight woman, I have to say, the ladies in this piece are much, much more fuckable than the gentlemen.
What about David Karp the inventor of Tumblr?! He's gorgeous!
But he pissed of Julia Allison because he wouldn't remove the original baugher tumbler that made fun of her. I think she sent David a C&D letter.
Felicia Day isn't on here because Julia's not hip enough to have heard of her. Instead you get a couple of PR androids and some people who've kicked freebies to Ms. Allison.
"his impassioned speeches about discovering children in Argentina with no shoes just stoke the flames of our geek-hippie (gippie?) loving hearts"---oy. seriously?
i was on board till this full-on racist comment. come on.
i also noticed that with a single exception everyone here is w-h-it-e. back to the drawing board, nerve.com and @juliaallison. lazy, lazy. bring me something more representative of our workplaces.
and careful, since you're dating the son of a senator from az. we're latino out here. ;-)
Lots of angry geeks posting here, why the hostility?
Moot is gay. I doubt any "geekette" will receive anything more than an awkward smile from him.
Hank Green Belongs on this list...
I happen to be a straight male (not that there's anything wrong with that) but jeez-o-Pete, the guys on this list aren't any human definition of hot and a couple are like...hideous. The women are quite lovely, some of them more than "quite."
Who wrote this rubbish?
What a load of jerks.
Just saying moot should be higher up on the list. MOOTS A GODDAM BABE! THAT BONE STRUCTURE IS DIVINE!