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So Planet Nerd (which is now also ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
planetnerd) went to one of the launches of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Saturday. It wasn't the biggest one; indeed, it was possibly the smallest one. But it was the one with a real Ford Anglia, and Cath Jamison (magician), and lovable mayor John So presiding over the opening of the first box of books, accompanied by "Acting Minister for Magic" John Thwaites (Victoria's deputy Premier).
Now, this is an extraordinary event: hundreds of people (thousands across Melbourne, very probably) coming out on a cold morning to line up to be the first to buy a book. Not to see a movie, or get concert tickets, or buy a new game console - to buy, and then read, a book. There were kids as young as eight there, all dressed up and excited, and some of them had read at least four of the books - not bad considering they hadn't been born when the first one was published. No doubt many of them were there because they knew that if they didn't get their hands on a copy and read it in the next week or so, all the unresolved mysteries - who died, who was evil, who found redemption - would be spoilt in the over-abundance of information that flows into our lives via the media.
So imagine my horror when I realised that the first thing John So did, on getting a copy, was to flick to the last page and read the final paragraph. Aloud. There was a kid standing right next to him who had won the honour of opening the box in a competition; there were at least thirty people within earshot. We got this on camera, though thankfully So wasn't on mic at the time and so I couldn't hear him and you'd have to be listening on purpose to make it out on the recording. This kind of stuff isn't supposed to happy in real life, where there's no spoiler space.
Lovable Lord Mayor John So is, therefore, clearly an evil mastermind, and we intend to expose him for the nasty man he is on this week's edition of Planet Nerd. 10pm Thursday, Channel 31, or via the usual electronic methods. (Don't worry - we'll protect you from all spoilers.)
planetnerd) went to one of the launches of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Saturday. It wasn't the biggest one; indeed, it was possibly the smallest one. But it was the one with a real Ford Anglia, and Cath Jamison (magician), and lovable mayor John So presiding over the opening of the first box of books, accompanied by "Acting Minister for Magic" John Thwaites (Victoria's deputy Premier).Now, this is an extraordinary event: hundreds of people (thousands across Melbourne, very probably) coming out on a cold morning to line up to be the first to buy a book. Not to see a movie, or get concert tickets, or buy a new game console - to buy, and then read, a book. There were kids as young as eight there, all dressed up and excited, and some of them had read at least four of the books - not bad considering they hadn't been born when the first one was published. No doubt many of them were there because they knew that if they didn't get their hands on a copy and read it in the next week or so, all the unresolved mysteries - who died, who was evil, who found redemption - would be spoilt in the over-abundance of information that flows into our lives via the media.
So imagine my horror when I realised that the first thing John So did, on getting a copy, was to flick to the last page and read the final paragraph. Aloud. There was a kid standing right next to him who had won the honour of opening the box in a competition; there were at least thirty people within earshot. We got this on camera, though thankfully So wasn't on mic at the time and so I couldn't hear him and you'd have to be listening on purpose to make it out on the recording. This kind of stuff isn't supposed to happy in real life, where there's no spoiler space.
Lovable Lord Mayor John So is, therefore, clearly an evil mastermind, and we intend to expose him for the nasty man he is on this week's edition of Planet Nerd. 10pm Thursday, Channel 31, or via the usual electronic methods. (Don't worry - we'll protect you from all spoilers.)
