Bust out those Bunsen burners. Bill Nye the Science Guy — in case you get him confused with other Bill Nyes — is returning to Seattle, the city where his career began.
Bill will be doing a presentation at McCaw Hall on Tuesday, May 16, about fighting climate change.
Sure, the world may recognize Bill from his acclaimed 90s kids show and tireless environmental advocacy — he was even the subject of a 2017 Netflix documentary. But, not to brag — we knew him way back when.
Almost famous
In the late 70s, Bill came to Seattle from Washington, DC to work at Boeing as a mechanical engineer. But he had even higher aspirations for himself: to be a stand-up comedian.
While working the local club circuit, Bill won a “Steve Martin look alike contest” — yes, really — and caught the attention of John Keister, host of the homegrown sketch show on KING 5, “Almost Live!”
Bill was brought on as a writer on “Almost Live!” and soon found himself in front of the camera by performing experiments and fighting crime as a speedwalking superhero. His wacky, bow-tied Science Guy persona was a hit — even if some demonstrations appeared like they could burn down the set at any second.
Still blowing up
Looking to branch out, Bill pitched a “Bill Nye the Science Guy” spinoff show to Seattle’s PBS affiliate. It aired for the first time in 1993, got nationally syndicated, won 19 Emmy Awards, and helped teach a whole generation of kids about complex topics in a fun, approachable way.
Despite moving back to his original roots in the other Washington, he’s returned to the PNW in recent years to talk about outdoor education as a board member at the Mount St. Helens Institute. Yep, he’s Bill Nye the Volcano Guy, too.
