# You fookin' airhead feck!  You gave away HARRY POTTER! (1 boxed spoiler)

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [July 18, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057 "2005-07-18T22:52:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3

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### Author: ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/41 "2005-07-19T18:26:10Z")

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> [@Absolute](#):
>
> BIG SPOILER IN THE LINK, DO NOT CLICK, ETC.
> 
> [http://pottercrash.ytmnd.com/](http://pottercrash.ytmnd.com/)

Warning: Combined unboxed spoiler for _Half-Blood Prince_ and _Revenge of the Sith_

[spoiler]After Episode III, came out, You The Man Now Dog had a whole series of jokes playing on Darth Vader’s scream of “NOOOOOOOO!” after he learned that Padme had died. I think the sound bite would have been funnier if the Vader scream was added in.

“Hey, Snape kills Dumbledore.”  
“NOOOOOOOOOOO!”[/spoiler]

Added spoiler tags–Veb

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### Author: ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/42 "2005-07-19T18:57:41Z")

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More importantly,

Rosebud is his sled.

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### Author: ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/43 "2005-07-19T19:14:24Z")

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Some folks – live in a “world” where everyone they know, everyone they see, everyone they may hapen to run into, has already read the entire Potter series to date.

Some other folks – live in a “world” where nobody they know, nobody they see, nobody they may hapen to run into, has already read the entire Potter series to date.

* * *

Now, which “world” is more bizzare (no value judgment implied)?

It just flummoxes me that Harry Potter is so pervasive in some places that a total stranger can even have half of a chance to spoil the recent book.

I guess it’s like participation in the blogosphere. Those that read/write blogs think everyone is in on it, and think it’s really huge. Those who don’t participate think it’s like 100 people blogging worldwide, and that it’s just not on their day-to-day radar.

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### Author: ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/44 "2005-07-19T20:33:06Z")

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> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> To me, it’s not the joy of the plot twists but in how the story is told.

See, I don’t understand this. How **can** you appreciate how the story is told if you know what’s going to happen? If you know going in that [blank] does [blank] (and please don’t anyone make a sex joke outta that), you’re not going to have the same reaction to scenes where that action is possible that you otherwise would.

There’s no comparison for reading something for the first time. When I was reading **Two Towers** for the first time, Mr. Rilch ordered me to the bedroom when he saw that I was approaching the end. “You don’t want any distractions when you read that last chapter.” And he was right. And if I’d known how it ended and what happened in ROTK, it just wouldn’t have been the same. Writers, even JKR, the Queen of Typos, go to a lot of trouble **not** to telegraph plot developments, and when someone blurts out a spoiler, it’s as if they’d dropped a birthday cake. Sure, it’s still edible…but it’s just not the same.

* * *

On another tack, however, I should note that the likelihood of having HP spoiled is really pretty slim. There’s just such a mystique built up around it. One of the Onion’s standalone headlines is (as usual) frighteningly accurate: “Unreleased Harry Potter Book More Secure Than U.S. Trains.” Sure, there are a few clueless dolts like the waitress in the OP, but they just stand out in the midst of all the people who keep secrets so well that they might be actual Secret Keepers.

Now if only people would extend the same courtesy to fans of Harry **Turtledove** ’s TL-191 series. There are spoilers in the reviews, FFS, and last year, someone blurted out a character death right here on the boards. **That’s** the book I’m going to have to go into a soundproof chamber for.

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### Author: ![EleventyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@EleventyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EleventyOne)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/45 "2005-07-19T20:42:16Z")

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> [@mobo85](#):
>
> Warning: Combined unboxed spoiler for _Half-Blood Prince_ and _Revenge of the Sith_
> 
> After Episode III, came out, You The Man Now Dog had a whole series of jokes playing on Darth Vader’s scream of “NOOOOOOOO!” after he learned that Padme had died. I think the sound bite would have been funnier if the Vader scream was added in.
> 
> “—SPOILER SNIPPED HERE—”  
> “NOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Uh…mobo…it’s still a little early for that. The warning isn’t enough; I didn’t see it until I opened the reply window. That’s the first time that spoiler has been unboxed so far in this thread, and it’s the biggie, the one Sampiro was griping about in the first place, for pete’s sake.

Fortunately I’d already read the book.

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### Author: ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/46 "2005-07-19T20:44:39Z")

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**Sampiro** , that OP was the funniest damned thing I’ve read in months. Just thought you should know.

And I quite understand what you mean. My sister spoiled _Goblet of Fire_ for me, and it’s been an effort to avoid the gloating of faster readers as each new book has been released.

I am reminded, though, of when I went to see _Titanic_. While standing in line, I was chatting with my brother and talking about the actual historical event. At one point in my conversation, the teenage girl standing in front of me turns around, looks at me in shock, and says “the ship SINKS?”

:smack: Oy.

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### Author: ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/47 "2005-07-19T20:54:24Z")

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The onl;y thing as stupid as an unboxed spoiler, is someone repeating the unboxed spoiler to say how stupid it is. Oh good, this is the pit.

Hey you fucking maroons cut out showing unboxed spoilers, yeah I’m talking to  
shit for brains **mobo85** and the uncurably dim **EleventyOne**.

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### Author: ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/48 "2005-07-19T20:55:41Z")

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> [@EleventyOne](#):
>
> Uh…mobo…it’s still a little early for that. The warning isn’t enough; I didn’t see it until I opened the reply window. That’s the first time that spoiler has been unboxed so far in this thread, and it’s the biggie, the one Sampiro was griping about in the first place, for pete’s sake.
> 
> Fortunately I’d already read the book.

Unfortunately, I haven’t, as I just got a chance to buy the book yesterday. I was hoping it was a joke. Thanks.

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### Author: ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/49 "2005-07-19T20:56:14Z")

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Sorry **EleventyOne** my wrath runneth other and spilled unfairly upon your lap. You Snipped the offending bit, and deserver my appology.

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### Author: ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/50 "2005-07-19T20:58:53Z")

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Maybe I’m missing something but **EleventyOne** doesn’t quote the unboxed spoiler but instead writes “—SPOILER SNIPPED HERE—”. I think you owe an apology.

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### Author: ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/51 "2005-07-19T21:05:52Z")

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> [@Homebrew](#):
>
> Maybe I’m missing something but **EleventyOne** doesn’t quote the unboxed spoiler but instead writes “—SPOILER SNIPPED HERE—”. I think you owe an apology.

Maybe you missed my apology 🙂

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### Author: ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/52 "2005-07-19T21:07:04Z")

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Warning There Is An Unboxed Spoiler On Page 1, Don"t Look At That Page Until A Mod Cleans It Up !!!

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### Author: ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/53 "2005-07-19T21:08:38Z")

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Bah, the best tidbit from the new book is

Trinity dies.

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### Author: ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/54 "2005-07-19T21:17:47Z")

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> [@Rilchiam](#):
>
> See, I don’t understand this. How **can** you appreciate how the story is told if you know what’s going to happen?

I dunno. I mean, sure, you’d appreciate it more if it were a complete surprise to you, but I know the endings of many classic books and movies, and it doesn’t keep me from enjoying reading or watching them. I just don’t care. I don’t go out of my way to find spoilers, but I don’t go out of my way to avoid them. A story told well is a story told well, regardless of whether you know the plot twists or not.

Hell, when I read Potter, I read all the books completely out-of-sequence. I first read the third book, then read the second book, then saw the first movie, then read the fourth and fifth in sequence. Obviously, a lot had already been spoiled for me by starting with the third book. But it just doesn’t bug me.

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### Author: ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/55 "2005-07-19T21:19:23Z")

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Yeah, you beat me to it. Sorry.

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### Author: ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/56 "2005-07-19T21:19:33Z")

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Harrumph. So I guess you’re one of those people who doesn’t care if a collection of **The Chronicles of Narnia** has **Magician’s Nephew** first, eh?

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### Author: ![EleventyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@EleventyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EleventyOne)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/57 "2005-07-19T21:25:48Z")

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> [@Bippy the Beardless](#):
>
> Sorry **EleventyOne** my wrath runneth other and spilled unfairly upon your lap. You Snipped the offending bit, and deserver my appology.

Don’t apologize, as **badbadrubberpiggy** pointed out, what I wrote up confirmed that it was in fact a spoiler and not a joke. :smack: Wiser would have been to just report it and not draw further attention to it.

Of course, an impending removal by mod would also confirm the spoiler, but still…

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### Author: ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/58 "2005-07-19T21:28:24Z")

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> [@EleventyOne](#):
>
> Don’t apologize, as **badbadrubberpiggy** pointed out, what I wrote up confirmed that it was in fact a spoiler and not a joke. :smack: Wiser would have been to just report it and not draw further attention to it.
> 
> Of course, an impending removal by mod would also confirm the spoiler, but still…

I wasn’t really angry at you, as it makes sense in context with the amount I’ve read, I was just hoping I was being wooshed. ☹  
My remark was really directed at the original spoiler.

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### Author: ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/59 "2005-07-19T21:32:09Z")

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> [@Rilchiam](#):
>
> Harrumph. So I guess you’re one of those people who doesn’t care if a collection of **The Chronicles of Narnia** has **Magician’s Nephew** first, eh?

I’ve never read The Chronicles, so unfortunately, the reference is lost on me…

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### Author: ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fookin-airhead-feck-you-gave-away-harry-potter-1-boxed-spoiler/313057/60 "2005-07-19T21:35:59Z")

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> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> I’ve never read The Chronicles, so unfortunately, the reference is lost on me…

Obviously, on the bookshelf they should be kept in order. However, I’m not one of those people who insist on reading a sequence of books in order. If I’m in the middle of an extended series when my interest is piqued, I won’t start at the first book. I’ll start at the latest book. Or whatever is lying around.

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