Thomas Vollum Jr. was the last cast member of King of the Nerds that I had the pleasure of learning more about. If you didn't already know, he was the brony on Season 3...

Hey Thomas, everyone on the show considers themselves a nerd. When did you first identify with being a nerd?

"I started calling myself a nerd around grade school. I always loved sci-fi video games/books and enjoyed them every chance I got! All through my life, I've been a huge reader of Star Wars books and video games like SWG, and I played those all through grade school, and it was just who I am."

I love Star Wars! I can't wait until the next movie later this year! When I first saw King of the Nerds, I thought it was an entertaining show with a great concept. What interested you about TBS’s King of the Nerds television show, and how did you get cast?

"Well, my story for getting on KotN was kind of unique. I have never heard of the show or seen a single episode. When I went to Long Beach Comic Expo, they had the casting guys there at a booth looking for nerds. I was in my vault suit cosplay that you could see in my promo shots, and once the casting guy saw it and liked it so much, he started talking to me. We were just talking; I was just being my nerdy self, and he asked me to fill out some info and such. This whole thing seemed fun and interesting, so I just did what they wanted, as it would be cool to be on a nerdy TV show. To be honest, I never thought anything would come of it; it would just be a fun thing. A few days later, I got a call and was asked to make a video. I make a video and a few Skype calls later, I am shipped off to Nerdvana! (This also answers question 4)"

I guess you were in the right place at the right time. It was fate that got you to Nerdvana. Why did you want to be on King of the Nerds?

"The reason I wanted to be on this show was to get out of my comfort zone, which a lot of people, nerdy or otherwise, are in, and try a new experience to grow as a person. I think it worked, and I am 100% more outgoing and confident for sure."

That's great! What was your favorite moment on the show?

"First of all, meeting all these amazing nerds who I can now call my friends. And if you don't like that cheesy answer, having Tara Strong as a judge was freaking awesome!"

Either answer will suffice (laughing). Who was your favorite person to work with on the show?

"On my team, the person with whom I bonded the most was Todd. We worked well together and an awesome friends. On the other team, I helped Ori in prepping for his nerd-off, cause I see a lot of myself in him, an awkward, honorable, friendly guy, my Boy Scout to his knight. I also looked up to Colby a lot, and he was kind of a mentor to me. I respected his cool demeanor, and he was the biggest help to prepping my nerd off, which was a huge weak zone for me. "

Todd and Ori were two of my interviewees. Are you still in contact with them, or was that just while on the show?

"I am still in contact with all my nerdy friends and hang out with them when I can, but everyone is all over the Country. I just spent Comic Con with a bunch of the guys and had Amanda and her family over for the Fourth of July!"

Awesome! Amanda was my first interview for an anti-bullying campaign. Thomas, you were part of Season 3, King of the Nerds, but unfortunately, you were on the losing end. If you could give it another go, would you change your approach?

"I would not change who I am as a person, but I would be a much more confident guy vs. my awkward, shy self, and that would probably make things go way farther." 

I bet! Confidence is key, or so I heard. Let's switch gears a bit. A brony is a male fan of My Little Pony. How did you become a Brony?

"Two of my friends were bronies before me, and they showed me the show while hanging out together, and I got hooked instantly. It is like a drug. It just reminds me of my childhood with Powerpuff Girls and stuff." 

Like a drug, you say? Interesting. Thomas, who is your role model?

"A big role model for me when I was young was my cousin Robert. He was the coolest guy I knew and one of the smartest. He was a physicist, gamer, and fighter. He is one of the reasons I am such a huge gamer.

Robert sounds like a great guy. I'm sure he appreciates your shout-out. Can you share something about yourself that people might not already know?

"I am not sure what to say here, umm, interesting story... I was on the Disney Cruise in International waters, the day of 9/11, so that was a very weird place to experience that at my young age." 

That is crazy timing. Let's talk about your education.... Where are you going to school and what are you studying?

"Currently, I am attending Cal State Fullerton to become a Civil Engineer."

What is the coolest thing about your hometown of Huntington Beach, California?

"The US Open of surfing is here every year, and every Fourth of July we host the largest parade west of the Mississippi."

I had no idea about all that. I'm from the East Coast. At age 21, you are one of the youngest cast members on the show. Did that make it harder to build connections with the other nerds?

"I don't think age matters on the show because everyone there is a nerd in one way or another, and I bonded well with Ori, who is just a little older than me and Colby, who was the oldest one."

Age is just a number anyways. Let's talk about your gaming. What are your favorite games to play?

"I love a lot of PC games like Gary's Mod, H1Z1, Heroes of the Storm, Starcraft 2, SWTOR, and Xbox games like Battlefield, Halo, etc."

That brings back memories of playing Halo in college with my buddies. Do you have a specific type of game you enjoy?

"Sci-Fi and shooters seem like my go-to stuff or anything Star Wars." 

I was at the E3 conference viewing event. Is there a game that you are looking forward to?

"Fallout 4 is the biggest one for me, following Battlefront and Halo 5, and Legacy of the Void."

I think those are going to be big sellers over the holidays. What are some of your favorite TV shows?

"Walking Dead, Star Wars Rebels, Steven Universe, so many!"

Don't answer Star Wars for this next question, ha-ha. How can people connect with you?

"Message me on Twitter @tvollum or if you see me at a convention, say hi, I don't bite!"

Thanks for your time, Thomas. It was a pleasure learning more about you.