Celebrity Nooz: Bill Nye

Bill Nye (Actor) - Bill Nye, The Science Guy

Updated: 9/7/12

Name: Bill Nye

Birth Name: William Sanford "Bill" Nye

Born: November 27, 1955, Washington, D.C.

Claim To Fame: He is best known as the host of the Disney/PBS children's science show Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993?1998).

Family Life: He was briefly married to author Blair Tindall in 2006.

Info: Nye's science career began as an egineer at Boeing in Seattle, and his work in entertainment began when he appeared on a local sketch comedy television show in Seattle, Almost Live! When he corrected the host's pronunciation of "gigawatt" as "jigowatt," the host responded, "Who do you think you are?Bill Nye the Science Guy?"

He appeared on educational segments of Back to the Future: The Animated Series from 1991 to 1993 in the nonspeaking role of assistant to Dr. Emmett Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd). Nye would demonstrate while Lloyd explained.

The national popularity of these segments led to Nye becoming host of an educational television program, Bill Nye the Science Guy, from 1993 to 1998. The shows aimed to teach science topics to a preteen audience, and became popular as a teaching aid in schools.

Trivia: Enjoys baseball and occasionally does experiments involving the physics of the game.

Holds several United States patents, including one for ballet pointe shoes and another for an educational magnifying glass created by filling a clear plastic bag with water.

Assisted in the development of a small sundial that was included in the Mars Exploration Rover missions.

Has appeared numerous times on the talk show Larry King Live, speaking about topics such as global warming and UFOs.

Worked as an engineer at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, and appeared in at least 3 training films, some of which are still popular among the workers there.

Enjoys 30s/40s style swing dancing and attended dances at the most recent Camp Hollywood.

Has written several books as The Science Guy.

His Science Guy persona has appeared alongside Ellen DeGeneres and Alex Trebek in a video at Ellen's Energy Adventure, an attraction that has played since 1996 at the Universe of Energy pavilion inside Epcot at Walt Disney World.

His voice is heard in the DINOSAUR attraction in Disney's Animal Kingdom park.

Appears in video form in the "Design Lab" of CyberSpace Mountain, inside DisneyQuest at Walt Disney World.

Recorded a short YouTube video (as himself) advocating clean energy climate change legislation on behalf of Al Gore's Repower America campaign in October 2009.

Where Are They Now: Since July 2007, Nye and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. have engaged in a friendly competition "to see who could have the lowest carbon footprint." The pair are neighbors in Los Angeles, and Nye often appears on Begley's Planet Green reality show Living with Ed.

In 2010, Nye appeared in Palmdale's video "Here Comes the Summer". The band's lead singer Kay Hanley is his neighbor.

Nye is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, a U.S. non-profit scientific and educational organization whose aim is to promote scientific inquiry, critical investigation, and the use of reason in examining controversial and extraordinary claims.

Nye became the face of a new permanent exhibition at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, CA., in November 2010. Bill Nye?s Climate Lab features Nye as commander of the Clean Energy Space Station, and invites visitors on an urgent mission to thwart climate change.

After the 2012 Mars Rover Landing, Nye conducted a Q&A session. He also made an appearance on The Dr. Oz Show as his TV persona.

Write To Bill Nye:
Nye Labs, LLC
Bill Nye The Science Guy
4742 42nd Avenue SW, #143
Seattle, WA 98116

Official Website: http://www.billnye.com/

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