I stumbled across this video today. Coincidence? You decide.

Warning: there is some explicit language, so don’t watch if that’s a concern.

In this week’s episode we started our discussion on the prevailing theme in Prisoner of Azkaban: Emotions. Between the Aunt Marge debacle, the werewolf in his midst, the various animals and animaguses (I never learned how to pluralize that) in the book, and time travel, Harry was forced to learn the importance of keeping his emotions in check.

We plan on interviewing Dr. Jeffrey Rudski this week to talk about Harry Potter Addiction and we hope to have that on the next episode.

We got some great listener comments from Rosie and Victoria. We now have a number for you to call in the US if you want to send us voicemails. You can call 206-337-0357and in the UK, please call 07092 899490. As always, please leave your comments as close to one minute as possible.

It is a new month so don’t forget to vote for us on Podcast Alley(the link makes it *really* easy for you)!

Finally, if you downloaded this episode before Monday morning March 3- 9am EST, you downloaded the unedited version which we put up on iTunes by mistake. There aren’t any good bloopers in it or anything, just a bunch of ums, you knows and throat clears. Also, the mp3 comments are not inserted. So go ahead and re-download the episode. We apologize for the inconvenience.

In the news:

• Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson made EW’s 30 under 30 list. In a related story, we made EW’s Over 30 and Overweight list.
• It turns out that JK Rowling doesn’t *really* use Myspace. Shoot, now I have to figure out who I have been trying to get to read my fanfiction.
• Update on JKR/WB lawsuit against SVA/RDR. ROFL. Not really but I wanted to feel part of the whole *initials* thing.

You can listen to the episode using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

In our first episode of Patterns in Potter for Book 1, we take a look at the circumstances of Harry’s childhood and how that shaped him into the young man we meet right before being plunged into the wizarding world.  The rush of power, along with a less-than-clear message on the nature of right and wrong make up Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. 

It is a new month, so please help us out by voting for us on Podcast Alley. Much appreciated.

In the news:

• JK Rowling to be the guest speaker at Harvard commencement ceremonies. If you are in Harvard, we would love to be part of your extended family at this special time.
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie won a Golden Tomato Award.
• Alan Rickman does not talk about the character of Severus Snape.
• Filming for HBP has started in Gloucester.
• Ace of Cakes premeired last week with a cake that was used at the LA Premiere of OoTP. Duff Goldman, if you googled your name and are reading this- we want you to come on our show. We are in Baltimore. You rawk!!!!!!!!!!!!
• It doesn’t look like Del Toro will be directing Deathly Hallows.
• JK Rowling has received a South Bank Award. She spoke of her split from Harry being more painful than any relationship ending.
• Lord Richard Attenborough feels left out of all the Potter-hoopla.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.

It’s finally time.  It’s been several months since Deathly Hallows came out, we’ve discussed most of what there is to discuss relating to the characters, the themes, the news that came out after the book was released.  It’s time to move on.  But don’t worry, by move on, we don’t mean stop talking about Harry Potter!  No, it’s time to go back, back to the beginning…where it all…began.  It’s time to start talking about, what I humbly have dubbed (and have been hinting at for a while): Patterns in Potter (can you hear the echo of ominousness?).  In this episode, we introduce the Patterns in Potter theory, and give some examples.  For the next few weeks we’re going to be discussing the books, in order, using the Patterns in Potter pattern.  So make sure to listen, because this stuff will be on the final exam. 

If you want to cheat (or can’t listen to the show), check out the original blog post.

And: we want your help!  For each episode, we want your thoughts, comments and ideas.  Either email them to us (harrypotterprogs AT yahoo DOT com) or record your thoughts on an mp3 and email them to us.  We’ll incorporate them into the show.

In the News:

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix nominated for 2 BAFTA awards.
• Will Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie be split into 2?
• JK Rowling and WB have filed a full injunction against RDR Publishers and Steve Vander Ark to stop the HP-Lexicon from being published.
• First set of all seven signed Harry Potter books was auctioned off in Scotland to support a rugby club.
• The Vatican is stirring up the anti-Potter waters again.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

What makes a leader?  For centuries, philosophers have debated the essential qualities of a leader (the differences in what a culture values in it’s leaders is often a good indication of the values of said culture).  When looking at Harry Potter, what are the qualities that J.K. Rowling seems to show as making a good leader?  How do the characters in leadership roles respond to the power and authority they are given?  In this podcast, we discuss all these issues.  Many thanks to Greg from Toronto for joining us for this discussion.

Referenced in our discussion is the book Forty Ways to Look at Winston Chuchhill: A Breif Account of a Long Life.

In the News:

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has been nominated for four awards from the Visual Effects Socity.
• Guillermo Del Toro hopes to direct Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie Drama
• Raincoast Books is shutting down its publishing division.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

There comes a time in a person’s life when they realize, for the first time, that the world is not actually the way they thought it was.  That the picture they had in their mind about how the world works, the rules of the game, are suddenly gone.  It is the end of innocence.  When does this end of innocence occur for Harry, and for the series?  In this week’s show, we discuss when Harry Potter first comes face to face with a picture of the wizarding world that is not what he thought he knew.

In the news:

• Amazon.com bought “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”. Awesome reviews on their website .
• As mentioned before on HP Progs, JK Rowling came in 3rd for Time’s Person of the Year. Better luck next time you finish writing the world’s most popular book series that turned a generation back on to reading and inspired millions of people, Jo.
• JK Rowling gave her Fan Site Award to the Harry Potter Alliance. Next year, HP Progs (assuming that Greg ever writes his thank-you letter).
• New actors announced for minor roles in HBP movie.  Phew. I haven’t been sleeping at night wondering about who would play Marcus Belby.
• Stephen Colbert bested JK Rowling in the AP’s “Celebrity of the Year” .  As a member of “Colbert Nation”, I am happy for Stephen but think this is ridiculous.
• JK Rowling types REALLY fast.  You can see a video of her finishing Deathly Hallows. Thanks, ITV.

We are happy to announce that we will be attending Portus 2008, the Harry Potter symposium which will be held in Dallas, TX from July 10-13, 2008.  We will also be taking part in the Portus Podcast Palooza while we are there.  You may remember what a fantastic time we had at Prophecy 2007-  we hope you can join us this year!!

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Late last night, via BlogTalkRadio, we had the first ever HPProgs live call-in show.  We were really nervous on a number of accounts: that no one would be listening, that no one would call in, and that it would be difficult.  But, in the end, thanks to all you guys, it went really well!  There was some great discussion, great ideas and we really hope to do it again soon.  Thank you so much to everyone who called in, listened or joined us in the chat room (except for those two guys at the end…whatever).

You can listen to the call-in show with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

The top bidder in the auction for the seventh handwritten copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard has been announced.  It’s Amazon.com!  Amazon has always been one of my favorite companies and web sites (I do all my online shopping there, if I can help it), but this makes them even more awesome.  Not only are they going to take the book on tour so that everyone can get a chance to see it, they are posting copious amounts of information on their web site.  It’s so amazing that Amazon has chosen to share this with so many Potter fans.  Thanks Amazon.

Check out the Amazon page for The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and make sure to check back, as Amazon is promising to post additional information, pictures and more.

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has reinvigorated a generation and turned them on to reading. But what to read when the battle against Lord Voldemort is at an end? One of the more popular answers is Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy; the first installment, The Golden Compass, has been adapted to film and hits theaters this month. In this week’s episode, we take a closer look at Pullman’s series, and how it compares to Rowling’s novels, as well as other novels geared towards youths and placed in a fantastic setting.

Joining us on this week’s episode is Travis Prinzi, proprietor of SwordOfGryffindor.com. Travis’ background in philosophy and literature were especially enlightening in this discussion.

Here is a link to the interview that Travis mentioned on the show: Phillip Pullman and Peter Chataway, an award-winning Christian film critic.
In the news:

• JK Rowling talked about Multiple Sclerosis on “Your Total Health”.
• The Potter actors (not Chris Rankin) are on ANOTHER Forbes list.

You can listen to this podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.

Was it just us, or was Draco’s finale just a bit disappointing?  By the end of Book 6, it looked like Draco was prime for some kind of glorious and game-changing redemption.  His failure to off Dumbledore left him in a bad place, but it was clear that there was still some good left in him.  Along with the hints that, in order to prevail, Hogwarts would have to unite against a common threat, we had all the signs that Draco was going to turn coats at a crucial moment, a la Darth Vader, and help Harry save the day.  But alas, all we get is a mopey blond kid, more scared than anything else.  What happened?  How did Draco lose his mojo?

For fun, take a look back at an old, old Draco prognostication, circa Goblet of Fire.

Make sure to tune in next week for what looks to be a really great show.  Travis Prinzi from Sword of Gryffindor will be our guest on the show.

In the news:

• JK Rowling is Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainer of The Year.
• Good Morning America previewed “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”.
• Harry Potter, the character, makes it onto Details Magazines “50 Most Influential Men Under 45″.
• JK Rowling received a 2007 Writers’ Guild Award.

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download an mp3 directly.

The more interviews J.K. Rowling gives, the more show topics we get. This time, J.K. Rowling spoke with the Dutch newspaper Volksrant (not to be confused with Volkswagon or Voltron) and discussed many topics. Amongst them were the issues of life after death in the Harry Potter books, as well as more details on Nazi parallels and her religious background. In this week’s episode, we explore and plumb the depths opened by these recent comments.

Happy Thanksgiving! Instead of going shopping with everyone else in the world, why not order yourself (or a loved one) a copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on DVD? Or get them one of our original Harry Potter t-shirts?

In the news:

• Vote for JK Rowling to win Time’s Person of the year.
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is up for a People’s Choice award.
• Casting complete for HBP. Lavender not being kept brown.
• JK Rowling has updated the Rubbish Bin on her website as well as offered more information on the Lexicon Lawsuit.
• WB giving fans the opportunity to win a trip to the HBP set.
• News on James Potter and the Elder’s Crossing.
• Spanish translations of DH coming out in February.
• JK Rowling is one rich lady.
• Beetle the Bard will be on display at Sotheby’s.

UPDATE: We appreciate everyone’s patience with this week’s podcast. Unfortunately the podcast hosting service we were using was a bit messed up so the podcast wasn’t working- but we think it is fixed now. Please let us know if you have any more difficulty with it!

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

You can now Pre Order Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! Just in time for the holidays, and it goes great with an HPProgs original Always T-shirt!!)

Last week we discussed love, and focused on the distinctly maternal focus taken by J.K. Rowling.  This week, we examine the father figures in Harry’s life.  From his actual, albeit ephermeral father James, to surrogates in Lupin, Sirius and even, to some extent Snape, we take a look at Harry’s bevy or male role models, how they shaped his character and how they contributed to his being what appears to be, for all that we can tell, a good father to his children as well.

Make sure to vote for HPProgs for Best Podcast in the 2007 Weblog Awards!  We’re hanging tough in 4th place!  Thanks to everyone who’s voted!

There’s news this week, but we’re on the road, so we can’t provide links.  Suffice it to say, Penny, at least, will be traveling to New York when Equus comes to town.

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

Although in English we have one basic term for love, there’s really all different kinds of love: brotherly love, selfless love, erotic love, and all make some kind of appearance in the Harry Potter novels. In this week’s show, we take a look at love in Harry Potter and how the various relationships are expressed, and what the nature of those loves might be. Are all loves good? Can love in fact be bad?

Plus: the Top 5 tear-jerker moments from Deathly Hallows. Vote for yours below.

Also: HPProgs is a finalist in the category of Best Podcast in the 2007 Weblog Awards! Thanks for all your nomination votes! Voting for the final winner begins next week, you can vote once a day. We’ll post a link when the voting begins, we appreciate your help!

UPDATE: Voting is up, you can vote for us once a day!

In the news:

• JK Rowling clarified the timing of her announcement of Dumbledore’s sexuality and stated that she always knew that he was gay.
• David Thewlis thought HIS character was gay.
• Filming as started for HBP and pictures are online.Check out Michael Gambon’s beard sock.
• Rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone sold at Christie’s for £19,700.
• Guillermo Del Toro would be willing to direct HP and the Deathly Hallows: on his own terms.
• The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix DVD has been released in some Latin American countries.
• JK Rowling on “Living Geniuses” list. If you look closely enough, you will see where Greg penciled his name on the list.
• The French and German versions of HP and the Deathly Hallows were released last week with record sales.
• JK Rowling has updated her website.
• JK Rowling and Warner Brothers are suing Stever Vander Ark over a Harry Potter companion book set to be released at the end of the month.

This week’s poll:

What is most tear-jerking moment in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.

At the New York City stop on J.K. Rowling’s Open Book Tour, J.K. Rowling announced (in response to a question from the audience) that Dumbledore was gay.  For various reasons, this has caused quite a stir.  How does this change, if at all, how we perceive Dumbledore, how we view his childhood pursuit of power?  Does this change the nature of the books, their appropriateness for children, or their religious character?  All these questions, and a few others, are discussed in this week’s episode.

A few relevant links:

• Report from an eye-witness.
• Wikipedia article on “Death of the Author.”
• Wikipedia article on “Reader response theory.”
• Blogdigger blog search for dumbledore gay.

Vote for HPProgs in the 2007 Weblog Awards for Best Podcast!

This week’s poll:

How do you feel about Dumbledore being gay?

Survey by Quibblo

You can listen to the podcast with the player below, or download it directly as an mp3.