Billboard Synergy

Hey—look what Debbie noticed—a Vivienne Tam billboard imagine "reaching" into an HP billboard! By way of partial explanation: Click here. And I suspect the Harry Potter font must connect the tech "HP" with the wizard franchise.

The magic angle is on a line with the front of the Palace Theatre, so the image greets alert audience members leaving West Side Story who aren't too distracted talking about the show. Also visible from Duffy Square, it's a conversation piece for discount-seekers lined up for TKTS.


























Photo: Debbie Glasserman

ROWLING OUTS DUMBLEDORE

On Friday night, J. K. Rowling spoke about Harry Potter to a select audience at Carnegie Hall. I happened to walk by the building around 5:30 pm and see heavily armed police officers outside, by the subway entrance.

By now you probably know that, during her talk, Rowling revealed that she "always thought of Dumbledore as gay." (The transcript is being finessed at The Leaky Cauldron.) This will probably provide fodder for discussion for many years, including lots of jokes for late night comics. I myself would like to make some joke about trolling for Larry Craig in a Hogwarts bathroom, but it's getting late. I will note that, although there has already been some criticism of Dumbledore as representing something of a negative gay stereotype, I think his character is more of a well-rounded gay stereotype.

And this (approximate) statement from Rowling shouldn't be ignored:

The Potter books in general are a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry, and I think it's one of the reasons that some people don't like the books, but I think that it's a very healthy message to pass on to younger people that you should question authority and you should not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth.

You can find some commentary at Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch Blog.

Photo (from July 21, 2007): David Marc Fischer

AFTER MIDNIGHT











































































































































Photos: David Marc Fischer

THE NEW YORK TIMES REVIEWS THE NEW POTTER BOOK

The date for Michiko Kakutani's review is July 19, but it's already online around 9 pm on July 18.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN HARRY POTTER?

I worry about young Harry. After six books of adventures and many warnings from those around him, the boy still doesn't seem prepared to defeat Voldemort and his wicked minions--unless the battle happens to be a Quidditch match. And even then...you must admit...Potter's record is a bit...spotty.

But here's Sasha's very thoughtful take on it (with possible spoilers near the end) and a follow-up (with a spoiler about Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials) at Heading Home Again. Look out, Professor Trelawney!

And here's some strange video from Ellen featuring Emma "Trelawney" Thompson.



Source (2:02)