The Leaky Cauldron
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The Leaky Cauldron, aka TLC: Popular Harry Potter fan site run by Melissa Anelli. (Melissa, along with Emerson Spartz of Mugglenet, did THE INTERVIEW with JK Rowling.)
Alas, The Leaky Cauldron has occasionally appeared on Fandom Wank, usually for its certainty that Rowling is desperately in need of defenders.
Contents |
TLC vs Terry Pratchett
July 31, 2005: Time Magazine interviews JK Rowling and makes several inaccurate statements about fantasy writing in general. Discworld author Terry Pratchett writes a letter to the Times poking fun at the article, the reporter, and at Rowling. The portion of the the letter mentioning Rowling is excerpted and posted on the Leaky Cauldron with the following introductory text:
- Author Terry Pratchett has written an unfavorable note published in a newspaper complaining about J.K. Rowling. His complaint is that the status of the Harry Potter author is being elevated "at the expense of other writers".[1]
True Harry Potter fans know Terry is just jealous. Also, many apparently believe he's female.
TLC vs Jane Yolen
August 22, 2005: Jane Yolen comments on many similar features between her 1991 book Wizard's Hall and Rowling's Harry Potter novels in an MSNBC interview, and makes a comment that "if Ms. Rowling would like to cut me a very large check, I would cash it." Apparently, the Leaky Cauldron takes this as a serious plagiarism accusation:
- We remind those with successful publishing careers that making an accusation of plagiarism is extremely serious and they should be prepared to back it up with proof.[2]
Yolen also notes that she has only read the first three books, and comments that she doesn't find them to be well-written.
True Harry Potter fans know Yolen is just jealous.
TLC vs Stanford Daily
February 22, 2006: Christopher Lin, a columnist at The Stanford Daily, posts a satirical piece suggesting methods for terrorists to spark outrage, including gay marriage, bombing Disneyland, and:
- Just when international tension is running at fever pitch, the terrorists should move in with their piece de resistance — kidnap J.K. Rowling and hold her hostage. It’s the perfect climax for this unfortunate series of events. The world has gradually nursed a cancerous addiction to Harry Potter over the last decade, and tension is running high as the entire world awaits the seventh chronicle with bated breath. When the terrorists release footage of Rowling gagged and tied to a chair, surrounded by vaguely Middle Eastern-looking men carrying large firearms, blood will run in the streets as Potter fans accidentally stab each other while waving plastic wands in an attempt to curse the terrorists to death. Meanwhile, soldiers at the front, terrified that they’ll die before Ron gets a chance to pork Hermione, will lay down their arms, and fighting will come to a standstill until Rowling is safely recovered. Angry citizens throughout the United States and the United Kingdom will rally at their capitals, demanding concessions to all terrorist demands.[3]
True Harry Potter fans know this isn't funny, and thus the author of the article owes apologies to Rowling, Rowling's husband and children, all children, all adults, parents, Stanford students, victims of terrorism, and basically everyone in the world.[4]
Quotes
- Rowling says that she didn't realise that the first Potter book was fantasy until after it was published. I'm not the world's greatest expert, but I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, hidden worlds, jumping chocolate frogs, owl mail, magic food, ghosts, broomsticks and spells would have given her a clue? -- Terry Pratchett[5]
- If there's an accusation on the table that in 1991 Ms. Rowling wasn't, as so widely reported and so often asserted by her, actually writing these drafts - that she only did so after she was able to get a copy of Wizard's Hall - then we enter a level of accusation in which we here at Leaky do not have the time or energy to participate. -- Melissa Anelli [6]
- Once home and settled, I discovered that the Newsweek online interview had been posted. A several hours interview cut down to two short pages. And of course, all that was important to readers was what I said about Harry Potter! I got a barrage of "You are a bitter old fart" emails from kids who swore never to read my books again. (Though I wonder if any of them ever had read any.) -- Jane Yolen [7]
- Actually what I said in the interview (and not all of it got posted) was that Rowling is a strong storyteller, but her prose style is not really very good. -- ibid
- But to use such a love, such an example of fun and goodness in literature, a worldwide community who are rarely anything but understanding and loving, and the figure who means the most to them, as a reason to will violence, is horrendous. -- Melissa Anelli [8]
- For now, I will repeat that I do not apologize for writing the article, and that the response has been ironic precisely because everyone seized upon the aspect of the article that related to Harry Potter rather than criticizing the piece for its much more offensive slants at Muslims, people of the Middle East, homosexuals, Republicans, immigrants, and the Chinese. This sort of unbalanced response tells something about our cultural priorities and values, as well as demonstrating how numb we are to mainstream current events issues.
I now have to go to my social dance class. Please do not send an assassin to dispatch me while I'm there. - Christopher Lin [9] - Instead of sending you an email, I sent one to John L. Hennessy. Know who he is? You should. He's the President of Stanford University. I hope he gives you a call; tells you that your services at The Stanford Daily...no, your ENROLLMENT at the university...is no longer needed or appreciated. Heads have rolled in the past for lesser offenses. You see, with your so-called satire, you brought down the house in which you reside...the great and honorable Stanford University. That alone should bring shame to you. - hearttugger [10]
- Like Melissa, I've spent quite a bit of time, even sleepless hours last night, thinking about what you wrote in your article. - ibid
Links
- See also JKR vs. The U.S. Army, which TLC didn't officially endorse, but featured the same mob of TLC readers defending the honour of JKR.
- The shocking truth behind The Leaky Cauldron revealed in Allthat_jas And The Very Cunning Grudgewank - February 13, 2008
