Episode 142 of PotterCast, our Harry Potter podcast, is now online
with the latest Harry Potter news and discussion along with return of Canon Conundrums. Melissa, Sue, and Frak are at the helm this week discussing Jo’s latest site updates, Helen McCrory filming for “Half-Blood Prince,” Ralph Fiennes not returning as Voldemort in HPB, and tabloid rumors on the internet. Bit-by-Bit is next and takes a closer look at the events after Bill and Fleur’s wedding. Then, Canon Conundrums makes its return asking the question: What house was Umbridge in? After that, our Scribby5 girls let you in on a new essay online about Horcruxes. Melissa, Sue and Frak then talk about the honor two Jingle Spells songs received from the Wizrocklopedia Awards, a OotP Costume Showcase, and Melissa’s participation in the Avon Walk for a Cure for breast cancer. For more information about the walk and sponsorship, you can click here. To listen, just hit the "Play" button on the right side of the page (->), or use iTunes, or direct download.
“British Dogs and Fuzzy Hats!”
- Dan’s dog security woes!
- Hermione shows just how prepared she is for this moment.
-What house was Umbridge in?
- The trio escapes to a café.
- Discussing the Issue 22 essay “The Peasant, the Tramp and Hepzibah Smith: A Horcrux Case Study”
- “Friends” show trivia.
- Melissa is participating in the Avon Walk for a Cure for breast cancer. For sponsorship information can be found at:leakynews.com/melissawalk
RT: 1:09:14
Editors: Jeff Gregory, Samantha McManus, Liz Turney and Andrew Garner
Remember you don't need an iPod to listen. Listen easily on iTunes, which you can download and install here, by clicking here to listen, or you can just use the streaming Flash player at PotterCast.com or just on the right side of this page. Discussion of the PotterCast is right here. Enjoy!
“Friends” trivia??! OMG!!!!!!!!!! I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS ONE!!!! next you should do “Lost” trivia!! :D (I love Friends, Lost, and of course HARRY POTTER!)
Lovin it! BUT I want to express that the reason we all love PC is the unscripted-ness of it. Scribby 5ers: IT IS PAINFULLY OBVIOUS YOU ARE READING OFF SCRIPTS! PLEASE STOP AND GO UNSCRIPTED! It is really annoying and I have decided to stop listening to Scribby5 because of it.
Anyways, PC 4 LIFE!
In response to the discussion about Umbridge’s house.
I think we forget sometimes that the Slytherin House itself was not evil. Those in the house are defined by ambition, cunning, craftiness, quickness of mind, etc. I think it’s very easy for Slytherins to “go bad” because these attributes are bad qualities if exaggerated. In my opinion, that’s probably why so many of the “bad guys” come from the Slytherin house. I don’t think that Umbridge came from that house because she is not sly enough. Her motives, in my opinion, do not seem to be ambitious but rather law abiding. Her overall demeanor is straitbacked and rigid. She does not change herself or the rules she lives by in order to gain something, but rather stands strong by those in power, believing those in power to be right.
I agree with the assumption that Umbridge is a Ravenclaw; however, my first impression upon thinking about this matter was that she was a Hufflepuff gone bad. She has a certain sweetness about her; even though it’s false, it’s still there. She has pictures of cats and she loves the color pink. It was very easy for me to see her starting out in the Hufflepuff house as a young lady and through a series of circumstances (Voldemort’s reign and what not) morphing into something twisted.
Upon further reflection, I am more likely to agree with Frak. She is very much rule-oriented, even while following Voldemort. Note that she is placed in a manager’s position over other peolpe, ensuring that the rules are followed. She uses the eye to keep watch for rulebreaking as well. Ravenclaws are by-the-book, smart, intelligent, quickminded, apt, people who are concerned with correctness. I can understand Umbridge’s thinking that she was correct in following the rules, no matter who made them. If anything can be said of Umbridge, it’s that she is a good servant to her employer and to the “law”.
I need a show with John AND Frak. I think by brain would explode from the awesomeness. By the way, good luck with all your school work and stuff John, I miss ya!!
Great show guys, really interesting discussion about Umbridge’s house, and as funny as ever! :)
I agree, Frak is awesome, and I think that the whole “Sorting Series” of Canon Conundrums will be awesome. However, I’m also definitely with Ian in that the Scribby people need to drop the script. I, too, skip their segment because of how awful it is.
As for Umbridge, she is so a Slytherin. I just ran her character through the best sorting site (http://www.personalitylab.org/tests/ccq_hogwarts.htm), and she came through as Slytherin dominant with a score of 97, second place as Gryffindor with a score of 80, third place with Ravenclaw at 44, and last place Hufflepuff with a score of 12.
Ian, I couldn’t agree more. Scribby5 really, really, really needs to lose the scripts. It greatly detracts from what otherwise could be an excellent segment. However, in its current form, I just skip over that section and move on to the drums.
I agree with most of the above—and I thought I was alone on that one!
I’m sorry to the Scribby girls, because I know that they certainly mean well and they have good discussions, but I too have to skip over them.
Some people just aren’t meant for radio/podcasts . . . I appreciate their efforts, but they need people who are more listener-friendly.
omg, i’ve been arguing vehmently since well before DH that Umbridge wasn’t a slytherin. i’ve been saying she’s a hufflepuff due to her unrelenting loyalty to the ministry. i kinda backed down on my possition after DH but i still don’t think she’s a Slytherin. my main argument was that if that’s what she thinks qualifies as Slytherin cunning and being underhanded… well quite frankly we don’t want her.
She was an idiot! everyone could see right through her! no one fell for her sugar sweet persona like Lockheart could pull off, her attempt to get Harry to drink veritiserum was truely hufflepuff worthy. we never truely see her make a play for power or try to manipulate or pull strings, she wants to be working for those in power at the ministry and she has her own agenda against non pure bloods but the fact that she wasn’t a death eater i think says alot about her bid for power… which is more to be a follower in the winning camp rather then be someone who actually whields any.
to me, it really does just seem like Slytherin prejudice comming through. i don’t see her as ambitious, i see her as having a passion for her beliefs. i don’t see her as power hungry, i see her as siding with those presently in power. i don’t see her as cunning, i think even Draco could teach her a thing or two about subterfuge.
anyways, all in all, what ever house she’s in… it ain’t Slytherin
Umbridge’s definite desire to manipulate and have her way, not to mention her obvious push for all things pure puts her right with the Slytherin ways. She is a Slytherin, no doubt in my mind.
who did she manipulate? sending out flyers on the evils of half breeds isn’t manipulation, it’s flyering… like you do when protesting house elf enslavement coughhufflepuffcough
and last i checked, just because slytherin doesn’t accept muggleborns, i don’t recall hating them being on the check list the hat sings about.
yay….........first to comment…......!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE POTTERCAST!!!!