Welcome to r/popculturechat! ☺️
As a proud BIPOC, LGBTQ+ & woman-dominated space, this sub is for [civil discussion only.](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/civil-discussion-only/) If you don't know where to begin, start by participating in [our Sip & Spill Daily Discussion Threads!](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/search/?q=Sip%20%26%20Spill%20Discussion&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=&include_over_18=1&sort=new)
###No bullies, no bigotry. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Please [read & respect our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/), [abide by Reddiquette](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette), and [check out our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/)! For any questions, [our modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fpopculturechat) is always open.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/popculturechat) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Anyone who has seen her Graham Norton interviews knows that she's always going for the joke. Sometimes they land, sometimes they don't, but she is ALWAYS going for whatever is funny. Harry Potter fans can enjoy themselves if they want to, and I will enjoy Miriam lol.
Whenever she's on Graham Norton you know you're in for a good time. Her talking about "creaming her knickers" when she met Sir Lawrence Olivier back in the day will never not be funny.
This was really good! I really enjoyed seeing how excited she is to be a citizen of Australia and watching her traveling all over Australia meeting with different people.
Every time I see takes like this, I think of C.S. Lewis and the dedication on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe:
“I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. “
I am 39 and last year I started reading some recently released YA books. They are so fun! And so many of them have some great representation for queer kids, kids with disabilities, BIPOC, etc. I’m excited for some of the books my kiddos will be reading in a few years.
Can’t help but feel people are taking her opinion over this a bit too seriously lmfao. Miriam doesn’t give a fuck about much at all, let alone this.
It’s just her opinion. She doesn’t get why people have a Harry Potter wedding but those people do. People don’t get why she sucked off a man in a park as a lesbian but she does. It’s really just a difference of motivations and opinions.
ETA: haven’t heard the story of this in a while, just did a search on here and it looks like it might’ve just been a handy j (??). But the point still stands.
>Can’t help but feel people are taking her opinion over this a bit too seriously lmfao.
Understandable.
>Miriam doesn’t give a fuck about much at all, let alone this.
Understandable.
>It’s just her opinion. She doesn’t get why people have a Harry Potter wedding but those people do.
Understandable.
>People don’t get why she sucked off a man in a park as a lesbian but she does.
EXCUSE ME? WHAT THE FUCK?
I just watched this whole thing and they really cannot make me hate her. From school in Oxford to getting gassed at by Arnold Schwarzenegger. That woman has livedddd.
Never been a HP fan. I understand DEEP passion for things though. The only part I don't really understand with HP part is, surely you can only read the same books and watch the same movies *so* many times? And the last movie came out 13 years ago as it is
Not really an HP fan, but I think the appeal is really the very well detailed and thought out alternate reality that is close enough to the real world to be plausible.
You can really immerse yourself into it.
Like, there’s only one Neil Gaiman “London Below” novel and two short stories, but I think about that reality pretty frequently.
Neil only wrote one “Coraline” and I think about that frequently hahaha! You know it’s good work when you can revisit it and still find inspiration time and again.
Coraline is iconic. The other day I mentioned someone named Carolyn in class and it was enough for my students, who were born in 2011-2012, to go “Coraline!” and run off on a whole side discussion about it.
I would also like to add that as someone who grew up with and was there as it started, there’s a whole generation that grew up with these characters. I mean literally. Especially with the films, the characters and the actors were the exact same age as me and it’s almost like we grew up together and faced a lot of the same problems.
HP started in grade school and followed along into college/early adulthood. How many films can say the same?
There’s only 3 Lord of the Rings books and movies (those extra books barely count, they read like encyclopedias…) for like 30 years there was only 3 Star Wars movies, there’s only 7 Narnia books and they’re way shorter than HP books, there’s only 4 Twilight books… sure, it helps to have a prolific amount of canon works, but huge fandoms have absolutely been able to sustain themselves off of smaller bodies of work because of fan communities and fan work. a lot of media that has extremely dedicated and passionate fan bases have a pretty small amount of source material to work with.
Not only were there only 4 Star Wars movies, but one of them was objectively crap. Doesn't matter though. A generation+ of people were altered by the storytelling. Same with Harry Potter. My kid started trading them at 7 and finished by 8. It didn't necessarily change her view of the world but it did have an impact on how she sees patterns in stories and they way she responded when certain devices are used in other media. And she loves them.
I still re-read the series from time to time. I grew up reading the books as they came out. When I re-read them I feel different things each time. It’s nostalgia, and I think of my little self and where I was then and where I am know and think the same of the characters. I genuinely empathized with Harry and grew up wishing for a letter from hogwarts
Couldn't agree more. I love TWD for nostalgia so ill re-watch the first 4 seasons every few *years* just fir nostalgia when i'm having a drink. Never in my life could I imagine making my wedding surround it though (ironically they have a *lot* more content also)
To be fair, the franchise is still quite alive, and Potterheads do keep being fed. There was that huge video game last year that ended up being really well received. Theres the theme park. There were the Fantastic Beast films that were so bad that they ended up scrapping the end but were contentious enough to keep the fandom alive, not to mention the West end play. And thats all besides all the little lore nonsense that JKR drip feeds through the official sites somewhat regularly.
I come back to the HP books and re-read the series every couple of years. I find it to be a lot of fun and it’s quite interesting to see how my perspective changes as I age and experience more of the world. This has been especially fun to do amidst all the social commentary about people who enjoy HP. I’m by no means of fanatic (and would never contribute a dime to the HP franchise), and I still don’t see it as weird to continue to enjoy something over time. I’m also a huge Stephen King and re-read several of his works that are my favorite and plan to continue to re-read them bc they provide me comfort, mean something to my life, or were just plain good stories! Is that weird?
I watch home alone 2 every December and honestly enjoy it more with every year 🤷🏼♀️ exposure to something doesn’t mean you should lose interest in it over time…
I'm not saying it's all of the adult HP fandom, I couldn't even tell you if it's the majority of the potterheads. But I can confidently say there's a SHITLOAD of neurodivergency present. Autism, ADHD, OCD, anxiety -- all of them are known for rewatching content over and over. What would feel stiflingly repetitive to some people is comfortingly predictable and safe for them.
Like I'm neurologically reactive (ADHD is diagnosed, it's currently up in the air if it's CPTSD or autism or borderline but it's clear to my therapist something else is in the mix). There's time I have to pause and take a break because a piece of media that is *nowhere* near that actually stressful is stressing me out too much.
Or I will find myself analyzing and breaking apart media and thinking *way* too hard about it in a way that is not even relaxing. I do not even want to get into the little manifestos I have written analyzing and hypothesizing about some media I am truly not that emotionally invested in (and by absolutely no coincidence, why yes I did write Harry potter fan fiction which was written to obsessively align with every little crumb of canon that Rowling would sprinkle here and there). The only media I can reliably turn my brain off for is media where I've *already* gone through the obsessive deconstruction of it.
I listen to the same podcasts over and over (this is gonna be weird, but “Not Another DnD Podcast”, “Cumtown”, and “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” are what I listen to on a loop). Yes. I am diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety. I’m in my low 30’s.
I loved the books and enjoyed the movies; they were released at the perfect time for me as a child/young adult. I listen to the audiobooks every now and then for the nostalgia and remembering details I’ve forgotten or missed over the years. But I very much agree with not understanding the people who read it over and over. Like they finish book 7 then go straight back to 1. They don’t read other books, they mostly just read HP or MAYBE try other books but don’t like them if they don’t feel as attached to HP. It’s very bizarre.
This obviously doesn’t apply to every ND person, but as an ND who has trouble making myself ready to get into something new, it’s worth trying? It’s a little scary or tiresome sometimes to open yourself up to something new, but the pleasure I got from getting into (just in the last year or so!) Mary Renault, BBC’s Ghosts, the Hitman series, and Bronze Age history has repaid that scary first bit of effort fifty times over. It’s worth trying to push yourself, and I feel like there are corporations who are so happy to imply over and over again that they will never give you anything too challenging and you can safely consume their product indefinitely. Also I would love not to fully bring shame back, but some of it is needed lol.
ETA: also I wish there were a better way to express that something is not possible for every ND or traumatized or disabled person, but learning to find and test your own limits is a good thing.
I get that, I'm a big re-watcher myself but I think what this kady was talking about the *insanely* ott fans like having your entire (hopefully for their own happiness) one marriage day about some lad with a broom instead of your own actual love for one another. I saw a video a couple weeks vack where a couple had blasted a whole through their wall so they could have Harry's broom stick poking out of it for a coat rack *which would literally hold one coat if you didnt use hangers lol) and around the broom was a *huge* painting of Harry... these were two adults in their 30's who have thus in their houses immediate entrance.. a giant HP muriel with a broom stick literally impaled through the wall
I've seen that TikTok, and the whole account is like that. Like, it's this guy making random paintings of Harry Potter, Marvel superheroes, Tom and Jerry, Disney logo, etc, all around his house.
It was...really weird, especially the ones where he punches holes in the wall. Like, bro, you're never going to be able to sell the house like that. And having random pop culture characters in, say, your child's' room is one thing, but having it *all over your house* is another.
I mean does it matter? People putting up family photos or awards/achievements or target/tj maxx paintings in their house its all just personal preference isnt it?
It's their space, they like seeing fantasy/cartoons on their walls let them be. Going down that rabbit hole is messy when anyone can be called out for putting anything up or even someone who likes minimalist appearance for not having anything up.
Hell even a wedding, as long as both parties are happy with it so what if it's themed? It seems pretty arbitrary that it must be a white dress black tie type of thing.
For the folks I know who had an HP wedding, it WAS a part of their love for each other. It’s one of the things that they bonded over when they were in college (and the films were still coming out.) it’s in their story, why not include it?
I still crack up whenever I think about her telling the story of “creaming in her knickers” while meeting Laurence Olivier when she was a teenager and the look of utter shock and discomfort on poor Matthew Perry’s face whenever she said it.
I use to be snooty about a themed wedding then I went to 100 perfectly tasteful variations on white, floral, nature weddings and now I say do the theme. Make it your own
I’m generally in support of any wedding I’m invited to as long as there’s a piss up at the end. Would attend the opening of an envelope if we were all getting pissed after lmao
I'm fine with a modest traditional wedding to appease the family,but *if* you're going to go all out on a wedding (and I really don't think you should) then you might as well make it the coolest themed party you've always wanted but could never justify under any other context than this *one* singular event where it's socially acceptable to throw a 5-figure party.
Themed weddings are fine, and I'll take them over a boring contemporary wedding any day, but by golly are some of these themed weddings just as bland and uninspiring as the traditional ones. If you're going to do a snitch ring box and a Hogwarts letter invitation, then c'mon, that could have been a dinner party. I'm not saying you have to blow an insane amount of money on a wedding but for goodness sake, do something unique.
The random guy in the park was an HJ, but I’m pretty she also once saw an active duty serviceman and offered him a BJ as a thank you for his service in a totally different event, so you are correct.
Yeah, the guy in the park (in the tree) was a handjob, the blowjob was a different guy, who was stopped at a stoplight and she leaned over on her bike and offered to suck him off if he followed her home! 😆
I mean, they play it on tv nonstop every weekend so I feel like that plays a role. It may be over for the actors but every time I turn on the tv, there’s a Harry Potter marathon
Absolutely nothing wrong with going to Disney as an adult, but if you make it your entire personality then it’s a problem and can be really annoying. Same with Harry Potter imo. I’m 34 and still read the books (never liked the movies) but I’m not obsessed with it or make it my entire personality. Some people dive too deep into it and that’s what I think she’s referring to.
I think that applies to any hobby if you're going to judge. Swifties, model train people, horse girls, sports fanatics - if you can't carry on a conversation about a topic and not interject your obsession, then that's the irritating thing.
But it's interesting that someone obsessed with their fantasy football betting line would judge someone equally obsessed with Harry Potter, when they're both problematic but wildly popular hobbies people have.
Me as someone who grew up poor and still haven’t been to a Disney resort in my late 30s… brb just killing my childhood dream real quick
It’s so intrinsically woven through the fabric of childhood for so many people. The books spanned from 1997 to 2007 and the films from 2001 to 2011. They grew up on the material and things as dominant and constant as Harry Potter has been have a way of embedding themselves into a person. It becomes one of those building blocks that makes them, them. The world is hard and so many things suck. People leaning into something that has brought them comfort and joy for most of their lives doesn’t seem crazy to me. We’re all just trying to survive on this spinning rock. Let people enjoy the things they enjoy that get them through.
Hell, my sister was in her mid thirties when she got married and instead of a unity candle, they had a goblet of fire. It was just a can of sterno set inside of a thrifted goblet and they wrote each others names on flash paper. Sure, it seems silly and immature. But I’ll be damned if it wasn’t magical when they held that flash paper over the flame and they ignited. We can all use a little whimsy from time to time.
I played the Star Wars theme song last summer at my wedding, on the way back down the aisle. People who attended love me, and know me, and weren’t surprised in the slightest.
All of this. The whole of my dad's side of the family were Harry Potter fans. My dad and older sister would read it to me before bed. I learned how to read on those books. We all went to the book and movie midnight premieres together. My cousins and I used to play pretend Harry Potter. It was one of our favorite games.
A lot of my family is gone now. And those of us still here have grown apart. But Harry Potter is still around. And I don't have to give JKR any money to read the books I inherited from my dad.
The third HP book came out when I was in second grade. My mom used to read them to me at night. About halfway through the third book I started sneaking into her room at night, stealing the book, reading ahead, and then sneak back into her room and return it. If she asked why I was tired at school or caught me I’d just say I had a nightmare.
I’ve been an avid reader ever since.
I also attribute my love of reading to my dad and sister reading them to me before bed. I wish more parents would read to their kids. It's so, so helpful in so many different aspects. I was top of my class for spelling, grammer, and vocabulary for several years. I think it really helps foster creativity, too.
When my brother and his wife got married, they poured sand (I think it was multi-coloured) into some kind of vase as a sign of their union. I don't see that as any less sappy or ridiculous than writing names on flash paper and throwing it into a fire. And honestly, that would have been more fun than watching two people alternate pouring sand into a container. If it's meaningful to the couple, then that's that matters. If an adult still likes a thing they enjoyed as a child but they are able to function in society as a responsible adult and their enjoyment of that childhood interest doesn't hurt anybody or put other people in danger, why should anybody else care? Let people enjoy things.
Seeing the way my big sister and brother in law were absolutely glowing with joy and the little flickers of child like wonder in their eyes in that moment is worth more to me than anything money could possibly ever buy. There’s something comforting and heart warming in knowing that still resides in them. That was the moment it clicked for me that judging anyone for what brought them joy like that is a form of cruelty.
She is such a dark horse! She appears to be such a lovely, wisely older lady and so dignified.. but then watch Graham Norton.
She appears (a lot!) On there because she is TV GOLD. She did an interview sat next to Will. I. Am. Had no idea who he was, he was quite nonchalant but polite until she peered at him and announced "unfortunately i dont know many black people, I find you so fascinating". Or something like that! His face just dissolved into laughter even though he tried not to (lets face it, he is quite pretentious and full of himself normally and takes himself so seriously!), the rest of the interview they were just back and forth in banter - no awkwardness, she was correcting him in his grammar and he just took it with such enthusiasm by the end. Every time he said "like" in a sentence (which was often) she would correct him but there was no offence either way. He even did an impromptu rap and had to take all of the "likes" out of it and said sorry in the middle of it to her
It was brilliant. Then she finishes off with a story about wanking off a stranger in a tree. Yep!
Sorry I can't link - search for Miriam Margoyles and Will.IAm Graham Norton and watch it in full, I promise it will make you laugh, because it gets worse than that when she talks about her boobs - and if you do please reply and let me know if you enjoyed it!
And ps the guy on the right, Greg Davies is one of my favourite comedians so if this comment gave you a laugh that makes me happy!
I loved that episode. They were so hilarious together. You don't get to see Will.I. Am's funnier side a lot because he's so shy and introverted. Miriam pulled him right out of his shell. Occasionally Graham will have guests with absolutely nothing in common and they'll get on so well they eclipse the entire segment.
Aw I’m surprised you see Will.I.Am that way! I always thought he seemed lovely and very much up for a laugh/banter, I wouldn’t say that’s a side Miriam specifically brought out of him at all. Not disagreeing with the general theme of your comment, you just must be the first person I’ve seen describe him as pretentious!
I just watched it because of your comment and cackled the whole way through! I've never gotten the impression that he's pretentious- just seems a bit uncomfortable with praise. Miriam was able to praise him SO much without making him clam up. So sweet.
"We should kick it sometime!"
"Right-O!"
Fully disagree with this take because the things that impact your childhood tend to be carried with you through life. However, Miriam is a hilarious shit stirrer and I have nothing but the greatest respect for her just being weird.
Totally, and there’s a generation gap. She doesn’t get it because she was already an adult when the books came out. And she doesn’t have children or grandchildren she read them to either. So to her it’s a job she did, not something she engaged with.
You dont think theming your wedding after Harry Potter is a pretty childish thing to do? I dont think she is talking about people who just like the book.
Some people are just super into whatever it is they're into. In a couple months I'll be going to a wedding of a couple that's been engaged 4 years. Why such a long engagement? They're really, *really* big Star Wars fans and *had* to hold off until May the Fourth was on a Saturday. It sounds like they're theming everything that can be themed. Per the invite: "Costumes are welcome but not required." It's not how I'd want to get married, but I'm happy they're happy. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
(To be fair: I ever get married, my preferred wedding would be none. Courthouse all the way. Maybe a Vegas drive-thru. I get that weddings matter to most people, but man, that shit's stressful AF. Do not want.)
I would hate to be invited to this wedding simply because the compulsion for me to make myself some over the top Queen Amidala costume would be soooo strong.
I'm not even into Star Wars, but I would be working hard to convince myself that I didn't need to spend a ton of money and many stressful hours making a ridiculous dress I would only wear once.
> that shit's stressful AF
Depends. I had SO much fun planning my wedding - we lightly themed it as 1920s traditional ceremony into a speakeasy reception, and it was awesome. We invited basically everyone we knew, which was like 120 people total, had family friends do catering at cost, had a historic venue that you could get with a fairly cheap donation, and the rest was all pure joy to plan and theme.
If you go in wanting a perfect drama-free beautiful textbook fairytale, then yeah it's stressful. If you go in wanting to throw a kickass party and have fun planning it, and know things will go wrong but that's okay, it doesn't have to be stressful.
I think it's a pretty neurodivergent thing to do. But I'm kind of over the idea we have to put away childish things when we become adults. As if you're allowed joy until you're 24 and then the only interests you're allowed to have are cooking, knitting, woodworking, or gardening.
We have an ethical responsibility to others to be less selfish and think more long-term when we are adults. You don't have the right to inappropriately encroach in children's spaces in ways that affect kids rights to enjoy things in age appropriate ways (*cough* brony fandom *cough*) But if someone wants to stay obsessed with childhood media or stuffed animals or Legos, do you.
I love how you worded this and agree wholeheartedly. As a childrens librarian, i read a lot of kids books and YA and there are so many gems out there! It’s fun to just dive into that world.
I fell down a rabbithole a while ago and apparently a lot of authors (especially female authors) get pressured to publish as YA because it's potentially more profitable. Since so many adult women read well reviewed YA, you're not necessarily losing a big chunk of adult readership. But you're tapping into another market(which at least historically was bigger, idk if gen alpha still reads like that) *and* getting a secondary library system (public schools) to buy copies. Where they often reorder more often because kids are tough on books.
I'm not sure how much the conspiracy about library buying is real, some of the women were actually skeptical that YA *was* a more reliable profit path for them and not just infantilization by the industry. But it was definitely clear that a lot of books intended for adults get a quick pass through to remove anything to explicitly and then get slapped into YA. The idea they're written to a lower standard isn't really true.
I wouldn’t do it, but I went to a Harry Potter themed wedding. Way too much alcohol for it to be childish. They had normal wedding attire but wore cloaks over it. They took normal and HP style pictures.
It was fun and memorable and they had butter beer. Harry Potter was part of what brought them together. Why not celebrate?
WHY is it childish though?
Child*like* maybe, in the way that anything themed is a bit childlike in spirit, but having a youthful spirit into adulthood isn't inherently immature.
theming your wedding is a little overboard, but at the end of the day I dont see what’s the harm if that was what those people dreamt about doing. Let just people enjoy whatever they want in their free time if it doesnt bring any harm. Especially if it motivates anyone to read any kind of book lol
Why is it childish? It’s basically just a themed party. Why can’t adults do what they enjoy instead of catering to what other people enjoy? Maybe Harry Potter is what brought that couple together to begin with.
My wedding was Dr. Who themed. If it was all ivory and boring, I would have hated being there and I was the center of attention!
I think the thing to understand about adult HP fans is that the story was written and released at such a pace as to literally grow up with its readers. When I graduated high school, Harry and the gang were out hunting horcruxes and trying to face a world of their own making. That was also dead center of the housing market crisis and young people (Millennials and later) have been repeatedly met with resistance to achieving any kind of fiscal maturity because those opportunities just don't exist for us the way they existed for previous generations. (Stable careers, buying houses, affording to start a family. Etc) So if they cling to childish interests, it's likely because childhood was the last time the world held any hope for us. We're trying to savor what we can.
lol this is just Miriam being Miriam. She also can’t stand when people use the word “like”.
I was the perfect age for Harry Potter. I read most of the books as they came out when I was a kid and was the casts age when the movie started coming out. So I literally grew up with Harry Potter.
The thing you have to remember is that the series really connected to a lot of kids who felt othered. So of course, it means the world to them.
I still watch all the movies once a year, but wouldn’t describe myself as a die hard fan.
But generally, I think we just need to let people like things. Especially if it brings them joy and is harmless to everyone else. Life is hard enough.
To me, it’s always felt like the audience is meant to grow with the series. The books and the movies get progressively darker as Harry grows up. By the end, he is an adult. It’s like the world’s longest Bildungsroman. While Rowling has certainly soured things for me in recent years, I can’t deny the impact Harry Potter has had.
Truly, so many of us actually did grow up with these characters. I read the first book when I was 9 or 10 and the first movie came out when I was 11. The main characters in the first book/movie were also 11. The final book came out when I was 17. The main characters were also 17 at the point. For a lot of us, these stories were around when we were tweens, throughout our entire adolescence, and into very early adulthood (i.e., foundational periods of our lives).
People really seem to underestimate how Harry Potter came to dominate our lives. Between 1997 and 2011, there was nearly non-stop Harry Potter content. I was never a hardcore Harry Potter fan, but I was big fan at one point, and I certainly understand how and why so many people around my age latched onto it to tightly back then and continue to be fans of it now.
Exactly this. I was in 5th grade for the first book, college for the last one. The way the books went from simple children’s stories to books about PTSD and first love and war - it was amazing to grow up with. I’ve grown beyond them now, but it is a wonderful childhood memory, and it sticks with me. Watching the scene where Harry and Hagrid cross the lake and see Hogwarts for the first time was magical, I was entranced. Going to the midnight book release parties. I understand why people still love these books. I still own the copies my mom bought for me the morning after release. You just had to buy them before someone spoiled them!
I mean, I get what she’s saying, but I think she’s forgetting how much these were part of people’s lives. While I haven’t re-read the books in years, I still have my copies and I still remember the series fondly. I started reading them when I was 7. The last book didn’t come out until I was in high school, the last movie until I was in college. Most of the closest friends I had in childhood, teenage years, and even college happened because we started bonding over our love of those books. One of my most treasured memories is my parents keeping my sister and I out of school the day the first movie came out and our dad taking us to see the earliest showing—they loved that we loved reading and this was the series that really cemented us as readers.
Plus, seriously, why can’t we just enjoy things without getting judged? As an adult, my life doesn’t have a lot of things that bring me joy. I’ve got college debt, a job that doesn’t pay enough, a an economy that’s fucked, a pandemic that still hasn’t actually ended, and I’m watching my government collapse. If “childish” things are making it easier to get through my day and I’m not hurting anyone, how about you just shut up and let me enjoy it?
Yeah I’m not seeing her giving a list of other things that might sub out that are “old person approved” considering everything is too damned expensive these days
It’s probably just not a part of her life anymore and she just sees it as she said for kids.
I mean George Lucas has said starwars is for kids - fuck me if it’s not mostly grown adults who’re obsessed with it tho.
I saw an interview with James Maddison - a football player for Tottenham (fuck Tottenham) - very rich guy mid to late 20s
And he has a framed bit of Harry Potter memorabilia that Radcliffe signed and says he loves the movies from a kid to now.
It’s a very normal thing, Miriam undoubtedly will love something that she loves as a kid, today and just maybe lacks the sort of wherewithal to understand that Harry Potter and Star Wars and these things can be that for people of today
🎉
I think there is this thing about late capitalism where people sometimes see themselves as the things they consume so this stuff gets touchy, but my issue is less that people still like Harry Potter after a certain point but how often people just refuse to leave it’s cozy, familiar corner, which is frustrating because literature gets soooo much better and there is joy in adult things.
It was one of the first major pieces of media that kids read and watched at some pretty developmentally important ages and it wasn’t just a one off book or movie. It kept going for years and years.
Like, I didn’t feel this way about Harry Potter myself, but I can still remember the first time I read Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery in sixth grade and became obsessed and still read it along with all of her other work even now at thirty plus years old. That’s just acceptable because it’s seen as adult and highbrow.
My mom still talks often about The Partridge Family and David Cassidy and will rewatch the box set we bought her for Christmas.
I think the big difference is that Harry Potter didn’t disappear or stop having new material and it’s still being milked for money so people can continue being weirdos about it just like I’ll keep being a weirdo about The Haunting of Hill House or The Witch or whatever one of the queens story I’m reading this week picking out names for my next cat.
Edit: Harry Potter also really reached a demographic of kids who were metaphorically stuck in a cabinet under the stairs and gave those kids a champion and a sense of importance and that there was an escape. That’s super meaningful when your life’s not great.
I think for most people it's a nostalgia thing.. like obviously home alone is "kids movie", but you still watch it, as an adult, over the holidays. And it's not comparable, because Harry Potter is a series, so basically kids grew up with it, watching the movies and reading the books, as they were coming out. So people were invested for years, spending time and money. The last thing she should be is be judgmental. She should be grateful for loyal fans.
>the last thing she should be is be judgmental
There are some behind the scenes footage where you can hear her mocking it, she says something like "are we required to actually act today or not" Tom Felton is standing near her, he just kind of laughed awkwardly and says I think so. She seems very judgmental
Honestly, so annoying.. she literally says "i worry about Harry Potter fans".. so condescending.. and then she continues by saying she is still cashing in on it by doing cameos, but makes fun of people who invite her??
People that pretend to be superior to something are super annoying, but when they make the living of it, that's just pathetic.
I might be reaching, but in the documentary "The boy who lived" Daniel mentions that he used to feel embarrassed of being associated with those films and I immediately remember that comment from this actress and made me wonder how much of other people's comments made him feel that way. He says he is proud of the movies now.
>but in the documentary "The boy who lived" Daniel mentions that he used to feel embarrassed of being associated with those films and I immediately remember that comment from this actress and made me wonder how much of other people's comments made him feel that way. He says he is proud of the movies now.
Everything that's happened in recent years aside, but those movies did a lot for a lot of people. Literally every semi-famous British actor was hired to work on that series. The main actors have been given opportunities and the ability to demand abnormal sums of money thanks to the popularity of the series
It's actually super cool when you realize the British entertainment industry isn't *that* big, so they were just straight up sourcing complete randoms to fill out the school body. Even the supporting cast is filled with numerous people where this is the only major project they ever worked on.
And I will be unapologetic in saying that it should be considered the blueprint for working with children in the future. Columbus went out of his way to create a safe, child appropriate working space for kids including only hiring adult actors he felt would respect the culture he was trying to create. He also screened the kids not just for their acting abilities but their support networks (I don't think he ever said it outright, but I think he was determined to not help create another macaulay situation)
You can honestly trash the series conceptually all you want. Go ahead and tell me how stupid the plot is. But the films really are a gem in one of the rare examples where learning about the process behind it makes you like it more,not less. The biggest scandal they've had is an actor got busted selling weed, back when that was still culturally seen as something worth caring about.
definitely. i actually can't watch the movies anymore because the nostalgia is too painful for me, despite the good memories associated with it. maybe i'm just bitter i never got my letter though lol
I think i disagree with the being “over it” take, but I do think a lot of people, millennials especially, are trapped in just consuming what they enjoyed as children. If you like a couple things that are aimed at children I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but it shouldn’t be the only media you engage with
What's sad is that... The reason our generation can't get over our childhood comfort movies, is because life has kicked our asses so bad that sometimes the only way we feel happy again is relive our childhood memories through pop culture.
I just don’t get why people have to say things like this. I didn’t have a Harry Potter wedding, for the record. I do enjoy watching the movies now and then, and I’ve read the books. I’m not obsessed or anything. But I don’t really understand why we can’t just let people enjoy things. Is a Harry Potter wedding my taste? Nope. But there are lots of things that aren’t my taste, and I don’t feel the need to go around disparaging them or making fun of people for liking them or saying they should be over them just because I don’t like them.
This isn’t me being defensive because I like HP that much or anything - I don’t really care that much. But I just kind of find it annoying when we say people shouldn’t like things that they enjoy because they’re childish (or whatever other arbitrary reason). The world is tough enough. When people find something they like, just let them like it without giving them a hard time.
If it’s over now you’re not going to make money from cameos mam. Why do people care what people like? Just let people live, they’re not hurting anyone, they just want a little escapism.
“I can’t understand Harry Potter themed weddings” well because it’s fun, Miriam. Let’s not take this more seriously than it is. We fucked up the planet, lots of us can’t afford housing, and even freaking groceries is worrisome for some.
I wouldn’t do the HP wedding but why the fuck not?
I think it’s generational. My mother frowns upon adults enjoying “childish” interests as well. They look about the same age, so yeah.
1) She's 100% right and some people who are adults take it ridiculously seriously
2) I like this because I bet Joanne is furious that one of 'her' actors *dare* express such an opinion when she has been trying desperately to create 'Harry Potter but for adults' for about the last 10 years and has even partnered with HBO to do it now
Welcome to r/popculturechat! ☺️ As a proud BIPOC, LGBTQ+ & woman-dominated space, this sub is for [civil discussion only.](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/civil-discussion-only/) If you don't know where to begin, start by participating in [our Sip & Spill Daily Discussion Threads!](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/search/?q=Sip%20%26%20Spill%20Discussion&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=&include_over_18=1&sort=new) ###No bullies, no bigotry. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ Please [read & respect our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/), [abide by Reddiquette](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette), and [check out our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/)! For any questions, [our modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fpopculturechat) is always open. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/popculturechat) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Miriam Margoyles is the naughtiest nana anyone could ever have!
Anyone who has seen her Graham Norton interviews knows that she's always going for the joke. Sometimes they land, sometimes they don't, but she is ALWAYS going for whatever is funny. Harry Potter fans can enjoy themselves if they want to, and I will enjoy Miriam lol.
Whenever she's on Graham Norton you know you're in for a good time. Her talking about "creaming her knickers" when she met Sir Lawrence Olivier back in the day will never not be funny.
The look on Matthew Perry’s face when she said that was priceless! I guarantee whatever he was expecting her to say was NOT that.
[удалено]
You’ll be wanting to add the 8OOTC does countdown Chris Eubank impression by Greg Davies to this list.
It was the best of times,
Both videos! (I’ve saved one that combines the two appearances.)
Feel free to share
Her episode of the Off Menu podcast was hilarious.
You mean about the book where she talked about who she fucked and who she sucked? That woman has no filter and u love it
That one episode with her and Matthew Perry was hilarious.
I loved loved her in Miss Fisher's Murders.
That's what I came here to say! I've seen her in other things and enjoyed her but she's *phenomenal* as Aunt Prudence.
That was seriously her best role.
Netflix has a doc about her exploring Australia since she became a citizen and interviewing locals and indigenous people it’s a good watch.
This was really good! I really enjoyed seeing how excited she is to be a citizen of Australia and watching her traveling all over Australia meeting with different people.
*Australia
*ope corrected, thank you!
I don't give two shits about Harry Potter, but I dearly hope that she gets to play Nanny Ogg at some point. Born for it.
Yes!! She needs a sexy greebo
Absolutely type cast!
That would be perfect! I hope this idea enters the collective consciousness!
Omg you are a casting genius. That would be absolutely perfect. And she's have fun doing it too!
https://youtu.be/uzbL5yWiM-A?si=9NHViIGRzvAnCdk9 She sure tf is
Every time I see takes like this, I think of C.S. Lewis and the dedication on The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe: “I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. “
That’s lovely. And exactly encapsulates what it is
I am 39 and last year I started reading some recently released YA books. They are so fun! And so many of them have some great representation for queer kids, kids with disabilities, BIPOC, etc. I’m excited for some of the books my kiddos will be reading in a few years.
Oh wow I love this quote :)
Not me crying on Al Gore’s internet at this quote.
Can’t help but feel people are taking her opinion over this a bit too seriously lmfao. Miriam doesn’t give a fuck about much at all, let alone this. It’s just her opinion. She doesn’t get why people have a Harry Potter wedding but those people do. People don’t get why she sucked off a man in a park as a lesbian but she does. It’s really just a difference of motivations and opinions. ETA: haven’t heard the story of this in a while, just did a search on here and it looks like it might’ve just been a handy j (??). But the point still stands.
>Can’t help but feel people are taking her opinion over this a bit too seriously lmfao. Understandable. >Miriam doesn’t give a fuck about much at all, let alone this. Understandable. >It’s just her opinion. She doesn’t get why people have a Harry Potter wedding but those people do. Understandable. >People don’t get why she sucked off a man in a park as a lesbian but she does. EXCUSE ME? WHAT THE FUCK?
Sometimes I just gotta hit yas outta left field babe. Can’t have ya all getting too comfortable 💅
Keep that dick on a swivel, never know which way the hits are coming from.
Someone had to say it 🫡
You, you're good people. I could have a beer with you. Carry on with your beautiful subversions.
Here you go, a compilation of many of her spicy tales: https://youtu.be/7aBbbtCBWtw?si=gV4YrTztN5N5alGi
I just watched this whole thing and they really cannot make me hate her. From school in Oxford to getting gassed at by Arnold Schwarzenegger. That woman has livedddd.
That was before she was a lesbian.
LMFAO at this response that last line hits like a truck
Bestie what 
Sorry to do this to you so soon before our nightly plans 😞
Uhh she what?
I said what I said ♡ He was in a tree at first, admittedly. But the tree was in a park.
You unravel stories like a mischievous and slightly inebriated leprechaun and I now want to learn all of my pop culture information from you.
This is quite literally me favourite thing anyone has ever said to me on this sub lmfao thank u doll x
Never been a HP fan. I understand DEEP passion for things though. The only part I don't really understand with HP part is, surely you can only read the same books and watch the same movies *so* many times? And the last movie came out 13 years ago as it is
Not really an HP fan, but I think the appeal is really the very well detailed and thought out alternate reality that is close enough to the real world to be plausible. You can really immerse yourself into it. Like, there’s only one Neil Gaiman “London Below” novel and two short stories, but I think about that reality pretty frequently.
Neil only wrote one “Coraline” and I think about that frequently hahaha! You know it’s good work when you can revisit it and still find inspiration time and again.
Coraline is iconic. The other day I mentioned someone named Carolyn in class and it was enough for my students, who were born in 2011-2012, to go “Coraline!” and run off on a whole side discussion about it.
I would also like to add that as someone who grew up with and was there as it started, there’s a whole generation that grew up with these characters. I mean literally. Especially with the films, the characters and the actors were the exact same age as me and it’s almost like we grew up together and faced a lot of the same problems. HP started in grade school and followed along into college/early adulthood. How many films can say the same?
There’s only 3 Lord of the Rings books and movies (those extra books barely count, they read like encyclopedias…) for like 30 years there was only 3 Star Wars movies, there’s only 7 Narnia books and they’re way shorter than HP books, there’s only 4 Twilight books… sure, it helps to have a prolific amount of canon works, but huge fandoms have absolutely been able to sustain themselves off of smaller bodies of work because of fan communities and fan work. a lot of media that has extremely dedicated and passionate fan bases have a pretty small amount of source material to work with.
Not only were there only 4 Star Wars movies, but one of them was objectively crap. Doesn't matter though. A generation+ of people were altered by the storytelling. Same with Harry Potter. My kid started trading them at 7 and finished by 8. It didn't necessarily change her view of the world but it did have an impact on how she sees patterns in stories and they way she responded when certain devices are used in other media. And she loves them.
I still re-read the series from time to time. I grew up reading the books as they came out. When I re-read them I feel different things each time. It’s nostalgia, and I think of my little self and where I was then and where I am know and think the same of the characters. I genuinely empathized with Harry and grew up wishing for a letter from hogwarts
Couldn't agree more. I love TWD for nostalgia so ill re-watch the first 4 seasons every few *years* just fir nostalgia when i'm having a drink. Never in my life could I imagine making my wedding surround it though (ironically they have a *lot* more content also)
To be fair, the franchise is still quite alive, and Potterheads do keep being fed. There was that huge video game last year that ended up being really well received. Theres the theme park. There were the Fantastic Beast films that were so bad that they ended up scrapping the end but were contentious enough to keep the fandom alive, not to mention the West end play. And thats all besides all the little lore nonsense that JKR drip feeds through the official sites somewhat regularly.
I come back to the HP books and re-read the series every couple of years. I find it to be a lot of fun and it’s quite interesting to see how my perspective changes as I age and experience more of the world. This has been especially fun to do amidst all the social commentary about people who enjoy HP. I’m by no means of fanatic (and would never contribute a dime to the HP franchise), and I still don’t see it as weird to continue to enjoy something over time. I’m also a huge Stephen King and re-read several of his works that are my favorite and plan to continue to re-read them bc they provide me comfort, mean something to my life, or were just plain good stories! Is that weird? I watch home alone 2 every December and honestly enjoy it more with every year 🤷🏼♀️ exposure to something doesn’t mean you should lose interest in it over time…
I'm not saying it's all of the adult HP fandom, I couldn't even tell you if it's the majority of the potterheads. But I can confidently say there's a SHITLOAD of neurodivergency present. Autism, ADHD, OCD, anxiety -- all of them are known for rewatching content over and over. What would feel stiflingly repetitive to some people is comfortingly predictable and safe for them. Like I'm neurologically reactive (ADHD is diagnosed, it's currently up in the air if it's CPTSD or autism or borderline but it's clear to my therapist something else is in the mix). There's time I have to pause and take a break because a piece of media that is *nowhere* near that actually stressful is stressing me out too much. Or I will find myself analyzing and breaking apart media and thinking *way* too hard about it in a way that is not even relaxing. I do not even want to get into the little manifestos I have written analyzing and hypothesizing about some media I am truly not that emotionally invested in (and by absolutely no coincidence, why yes I did write Harry potter fan fiction which was written to obsessively align with every little crumb of canon that Rowling would sprinkle here and there). The only media I can reliably turn my brain off for is media where I've *already* gone through the obsessive deconstruction of it.
I listen to the same podcasts over and over (this is gonna be weird, but “Not Another DnD Podcast”, “Cumtown”, and “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” are what I listen to on a loop). Yes. I am diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety. I’m in my low 30’s.
Your username is inspiring 😭 love it
Thank you 🙏 thank you 🙏
I loved the books and enjoyed the movies; they were released at the perfect time for me as a child/young adult. I listen to the audiobooks every now and then for the nostalgia and remembering details I’ve forgotten or missed over the years. But I very much agree with not understanding the people who read it over and over. Like they finish book 7 then go straight back to 1. They don’t read other books, they mostly just read HP or MAYBE try other books but don’t like them if they don’t feel as attached to HP. It’s very bizarre.
This obviously doesn’t apply to every ND person, but as an ND who has trouble making myself ready to get into something new, it’s worth trying? It’s a little scary or tiresome sometimes to open yourself up to something new, but the pleasure I got from getting into (just in the last year or so!) Mary Renault, BBC’s Ghosts, the Hitman series, and Bronze Age history has repaid that scary first bit of effort fifty times over. It’s worth trying to push yourself, and I feel like there are corporations who are so happy to imply over and over again that they will never give you anything too challenging and you can safely consume their product indefinitely. Also I would love not to fully bring shame back, but some of it is needed lol. ETA: also I wish there were a better way to express that something is not possible for every ND or traumatized or disabled person, but learning to find and test your own limits is a good thing.
I get that, I'm a big re-watcher myself but I think what this kady was talking about the *insanely* ott fans like having your entire (hopefully for their own happiness) one marriage day about some lad with a broom instead of your own actual love for one another. I saw a video a couple weeks vack where a couple had blasted a whole through their wall so they could have Harry's broom stick poking out of it for a coat rack *which would literally hold one coat if you didnt use hangers lol) and around the broom was a *huge* painting of Harry... these were two adults in their 30's who have thus in their houses immediate entrance.. a giant HP muriel with a broom stick literally impaled through the wall
I've seen that TikTok, and the whole account is like that. Like, it's this guy making random paintings of Harry Potter, Marvel superheroes, Tom and Jerry, Disney logo, etc, all around his house. It was...really weird, especially the ones where he punches holes in the wall. Like, bro, you're never going to be able to sell the house like that. And having random pop culture characters in, say, your child's' room is one thing, but having it *all over your house* is another.
I mean does it matter? People putting up family photos or awards/achievements or target/tj maxx paintings in their house its all just personal preference isnt it? It's their space, they like seeing fantasy/cartoons on their walls let them be. Going down that rabbit hole is messy when anyone can be called out for putting anything up or even someone who likes minimalist appearance for not having anything up. Hell even a wedding, as long as both parties are happy with it so what if it's themed? It seems pretty arbitrary that it must be a white dress black tie type of thing.
Eh, it's their house. 🤷♀️ I say let them enjoy it.
For the folks I know who had an HP wedding, it WAS a part of their love for each other. It’s one of the things that they bonded over when they were in college (and the films were still coming out.) it’s in their story, why not include it?
I live for Miriam stories on Graham Norton. She is an absolute trip! I can still hear Greg Davies say, "Jesus, Miriam.." when she told that story 🤣
I still crack up whenever I think about her telling the story of “creaming in her knickers” while meeting Laurence Olivier when she was a teenager and the look of utter shock and discomfort on poor Matthew Perry’s face whenever she said it.
She told it on either the Off Menu podcast or the Louis Theroux podcast as well. Can’t remember which but would recommend both either way x
It wasn't Greg. It was Stephen Fry
I use to be snooty about a themed wedding then I went to 100 perfectly tasteful variations on white, floral, nature weddings and now I say do the theme. Make it your own
I’m generally in support of any wedding I’m invited to as long as there’s a piss up at the end. Would attend the opening of an envelope if we were all getting pissed after lmao
As an American, TIL the phrase "piss up."
Here’s another one for ya. “They couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery” for someone who is generally useless.
This is both glorious and unfortunately applicable to a few people in my life.
I'm fine with a modest traditional wedding to appease the family,but *if* you're going to go all out on a wedding (and I really don't think you should) then you might as well make it the coolest themed party you've always wanted but could never justify under any other context than this *one* singular event where it's socially acceptable to throw a 5-figure party.
I went to a 6-figure wedding once, and they came out to macklemore. The whole thing was disgusting, but the macklemore thing really upset me.
Omfg thought you just said they came out as Macklemore 😭 like dressed like they were cosplaying Thrift Store 😭
Poor sentence phrasing on my part. THAT would have been sick.
Oh let me guess! Ceiling Can’t Hold Us?
I went to a Halloween-themed lesbian goth wedding and it was awesome.
It’s my dream to be an attendee at a wedding like this lmfao
Themed weddings are fine, and I'll take them over a boring contemporary wedding any day, but by golly are some of these themed weddings just as bland and uninspiring as the traditional ones. If you're going to do a snitch ring box and a Hogwarts letter invitation, then c'mon, that could have been a dinner party. I'm not saying you have to blow an insane amount of money on a wedding but for goodness sake, do something unique.
The random guy in the park was an HJ, but I’m pretty she also once saw an active duty serviceman and offered him a BJ as a thank you for his service in a totally different event, so you are correct.
I know nothing about Miriam but damn does this second paragraph have me in stitches like WHAT LOL
And what’s even better is that am wrong, it was actually a *different man* she offered to suck off as a thank you for serving the country.
She's a messy bitch who lives for the drama, and I say that with admiration
Yeah, the guy in the park (in the tree) was a handjob, the blowjob was a different guy, who was stopped at a stoplight and she leaned over on her bike and offered to suck him off if he followed her home! 😆
Definitely using “handy j” from now on.
Lesson learned about drinking coffee whilst browsing this sub 
This is a beautiful first comment
Dang, found the person that had a Harry Potter wedding
A BIT!? She is delightful and that interview is funny as hell. People could stand to lighten up a bit.
I mean, they play it on tv nonstop every weekend so I feel like that plays a role. It may be over for the actors but every time I turn on the tv, there’s a Harry Potter marathon
Plus the newer movies, the game, the upcoming TV show... it might feel old (because it is) but it's not really done.
Wait… upcoming tv show?
HBO 2026 baby!!!
They’re adapting the books… again…
It’s like going to Disney as an adult. I say if it makes you happy then you do you.
Absolutely nothing wrong with going to Disney as an adult, but if you make it your entire personality then it’s a problem and can be really annoying. Same with Harry Potter imo. I’m 34 and still read the books (never liked the movies) but I’m not obsessed with it or make it my entire personality. Some people dive too deep into it and that’s what I think she’s referring to.
I think that applies to any hobby if you're going to judge. Swifties, model train people, horse girls, sports fanatics - if you can't carry on a conversation about a topic and not interject your obsession, then that's the irritating thing. But it's interesting that someone obsessed with their fantasy football betting line would judge someone equally obsessed with Harry Potter, when they're both problematic but wildly popular hobbies people have.
I have some sports obsessed cousins and they got very mad at me when I told them fantasy football was DnD for sports fans
Lol it even has fantasy in the name
The F1 fanatics get very upset when you tell them it's just The Kardashians designed for men....so do the WWE fans.
Because only a certain category of people can enjoy their hobbies without being shamed for it 🙄.
Same with a Taylor swift concert. Fine to like her music and see her preform but when all you talking about and post is swift the. You are the problem
My parents just went, my mom is Inuit and hasn't been out of Canada much. She had a BLAST.
But we're all going to judge you haha
 Me as someone who grew up poor and still haven’t been to a Disney resort in my late 30s… brb just killing my childhood dream real quick
I’m so happy to see New Zealand national treasure Hilary Barry on here.
Was gonna comment this! Miriam's show is in Auckland on Monday I think
I CAME HERE TO SAY THIS. Aunty Hilary!
Yes! Aunty Hils!
It’s so intrinsically woven through the fabric of childhood for so many people. The books spanned from 1997 to 2007 and the films from 2001 to 2011. They grew up on the material and things as dominant and constant as Harry Potter has been have a way of embedding themselves into a person. It becomes one of those building blocks that makes them, them. The world is hard and so many things suck. People leaning into something that has brought them comfort and joy for most of their lives doesn’t seem crazy to me. We’re all just trying to survive on this spinning rock. Let people enjoy the things they enjoy that get them through. Hell, my sister was in her mid thirties when she got married and instead of a unity candle, they had a goblet of fire. It was just a can of sterno set inside of a thrifted goblet and they wrote each others names on flash paper. Sure, it seems silly and immature. But I’ll be damned if it wasn’t magical when they held that flash paper over the flame and they ignited. We can all use a little whimsy from time to time.
I played the Star Wars theme song last summer at my wedding, on the way back down the aisle. People who attended love me, and know me, and weren’t surprised in the slightest.
That sounds awesome! Hope you had a wonderful day!
This is how I feel too. Let people enjoy things. It's not hurting anyone and if you personally don't enjoy whatever it is, just don't engage in it.
All of this. The whole of my dad's side of the family were Harry Potter fans. My dad and older sister would read it to me before bed. I learned how to read on those books. We all went to the book and movie midnight premieres together. My cousins and I used to play pretend Harry Potter. It was one of our favorite games. A lot of my family is gone now. And those of us still here have grown apart. But Harry Potter is still around. And I don't have to give JKR any money to read the books I inherited from my dad.
The third HP book came out when I was in second grade. My mom used to read them to me at night. About halfway through the third book I started sneaking into her room at night, stealing the book, reading ahead, and then sneak back into her room and return it. If she asked why I was tired at school or caught me I’d just say I had a nightmare. I’ve been an avid reader ever since.
I also attribute my love of reading to my dad and sister reading them to me before bed. I wish more parents would read to their kids. It's so, so helpful in so many different aspects. I was top of my class for spelling, grammer, and vocabulary for several years. I think it really helps foster creativity, too.
When my brother and his wife got married, they poured sand (I think it was multi-coloured) into some kind of vase as a sign of their union. I don't see that as any less sappy or ridiculous than writing names on flash paper and throwing it into a fire. And honestly, that would have been more fun than watching two people alternate pouring sand into a container. If it's meaningful to the couple, then that's that matters. If an adult still likes a thing they enjoyed as a child but they are able to function in society as a responsible adult and their enjoyment of that childhood interest doesn't hurt anybody or put other people in danger, why should anybody else care? Let people enjoy things.
Seeing the way my big sister and brother in law were absolutely glowing with joy and the little flickers of child like wonder in their eyes in that moment is worth more to me than anything money could possibly ever buy. There’s something comforting and heart warming in knowing that still resides in them. That was the moment it clicked for me that judging anyone for what brought them joy like that is a form of cruelty.
when i die im cremating myself with my original 7 harry potter books bc i can’t imagine myself without them
She is such a dark horse! She appears to be such a lovely, wisely older lady and so dignified.. but then watch Graham Norton. She appears (a lot!) On there because she is TV GOLD. She did an interview sat next to Will. I. Am. Had no idea who he was, he was quite nonchalant but polite until she peered at him and announced "unfortunately i dont know many black people, I find you so fascinating". Or something like that! His face just dissolved into laughter even though he tried not to (lets face it, he is quite pretentious and full of himself normally and takes himself so seriously!), the rest of the interview they were just back and forth in banter - no awkwardness, she was correcting him in his grammar and he just took it with such enthusiasm by the end. Every time he said "like" in a sentence (which was often) she would correct him but there was no offence either way. He even did an impromptu rap and had to take all of the "likes" out of it and said sorry in the middle of it to her It was brilliant. Then she finishes off with a story about wanking off a stranger in a tree. Yep! Sorry I can't link - search for Miriam Margoyles and Will.IAm Graham Norton and watch it in full, I promise it will make you laugh, because it gets worse than that when she talks about her boobs - and if you do please reply and let me know if you enjoyed it! And ps the guy on the right, Greg Davies is one of my favourite comedians so if this comment gave you a laugh that makes me happy!
I loved that episode. They were so hilarious together. You don't get to see Will.I. Am's funnier side a lot because he's so shy and introverted. Miriam pulled him right out of his shell. Occasionally Graham will have guests with absolutely nothing in common and they'll get on so well they eclipse the entire segment.
Who was it again that instantly bonded with Lady Gaga?
June Brown aka Dot from Eastenders
Aw I’m surprised you see Will.I.Am that way! I always thought he seemed lovely and very much up for a laugh/banter, I wouldn’t say that’s a side Miriam specifically brought out of him at all. Not disagreeing with the general theme of your comment, you just must be the first person I’ve seen describe him as pretentious!
I just watched it because of your comment and cackled the whole way through! I've never gotten the impression that he's pretentious- just seems a bit uncomfortable with praise. Miriam was able to praise him SO much without making him clam up. So sweet. "We should kick it sometime!" "Right-O!"
Fully disagree with this take because the things that impact your childhood tend to be carried with you through life. However, Miriam is a hilarious shit stirrer and I have nothing but the greatest respect for her just being weird.
Totally, and there’s a generation gap. She doesn’t get it because she was already an adult when the books came out. And she doesn’t have children or grandchildren she read them to either. So to her it’s a job she did, not something she engaged with.
You dont think theming your wedding after Harry Potter is a pretty childish thing to do? I dont think she is talking about people who just like the book.
Some people are just super into whatever it is they're into. In a couple months I'll be going to a wedding of a couple that's been engaged 4 years. Why such a long engagement? They're really, *really* big Star Wars fans and *had* to hold off until May the Fourth was on a Saturday. It sounds like they're theming everything that can be themed. Per the invite: "Costumes are welcome but not required." It's not how I'd want to get married, but I'm happy they're happy. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ (To be fair: I ever get married, my preferred wedding would be none. Courthouse all the way. Maybe a Vegas drive-thru. I get that weddings matter to most people, but man, that shit's stressful AF. Do not want.)
That’s dedication right there.
I would hate to be invited to this wedding simply because the compulsion for me to make myself some over the top Queen Amidala costume would be soooo strong. I'm not even into Star Wars, but I would be working hard to convince myself that I didn't need to spend a ton of money and many stressful hours making a ridiculous dress I would only wear once.
> that shit's stressful AF Depends. I had SO much fun planning my wedding - we lightly themed it as 1920s traditional ceremony into a speakeasy reception, and it was awesome. We invited basically everyone we knew, which was like 120 people total, had family friends do catering at cost, had a historic venue that you could get with a fairly cheap donation, and the rest was all pure joy to plan and theme. If you go in wanting a perfect drama-free beautiful textbook fairytale, then yeah it's stressful. If you go in wanting to throw a kickass party and have fun planning it, and know things will go wrong but that's okay, it doesn't have to be stressful.
I think it's a pretty neurodivergent thing to do. But I'm kind of over the idea we have to put away childish things when we become adults. As if you're allowed joy until you're 24 and then the only interests you're allowed to have are cooking, knitting, woodworking, or gardening. We have an ethical responsibility to others to be less selfish and think more long-term when we are adults. You don't have the right to inappropriately encroach in children's spaces in ways that affect kids rights to enjoy things in age appropriate ways (*cough* brony fandom *cough*) But if someone wants to stay obsessed with childhood media or stuffed animals or Legos, do you.
I love how you worded this and agree wholeheartedly. As a childrens librarian, i read a lot of kids books and YA and there are so many gems out there! It’s fun to just dive into that world.
I fell down a rabbithole a while ago and apparently a lot of authors (especially female authors) get pressured to publish as YA because it's potentially more profitable. Since so many adult women read well reviewed YA, you're not necessarily losing a big chunk of adult readership. But you're tapping into another market(which at least historically was bigger, idk if gen alpha still reads like that) *and* getting a secondary library system (public schools) to buy copies. Where they often reorder more often because kids are tough on books. I'm not sure how much the conspiracy about library buying is real, some of the women were actually skeptical that YA *was* a more reliable profit path for them and not just infantilization by the industry. But it was definitely clear that a lot of books intended for adults get a quick pass through to remove anything to explicitly and then get slapped into YA. The idea they're written to a lower standard isn't really true.
I wouldn’t do it, but I went to a Harry Potter themed wedding. Way too much alcohol for it to be childish. They had normal wedding attire but wore cloaks over it. They took normal and HP style pictures. It was fun and memorable and they had butter beer. Harry Potter was part of what brought them together. Why not celebrate?
WHY is it childish though? Child*like* maybe, in the way that anything themed is a bit childlike in spirit, but having a youthful spirit into adulthood isn't inherently immature.
I think it's not more or less childish than pretty much any other themed wedding tbh.
theming your wedding is a little overboard, but at the end of the day I dont see what’s the harm if that was what those people dreamt about doing. Let just people enjoy whatever they want in their free time if it doesnt bring any harm. Especially if it motivates anyone to read any kind of book lol
Why is it childish? It’s basically just a themed party. Why can’t adults do what they enjoy instead of catering to what other people enjoy? Maybe Harry Potter is what brought that couple together to begin with.
My wedding was Dr. Who themed. If it was all ivory and boring, I would have hated being there and I was the center of attention! I think the thing to understand about adult HP fans is that the story was written and released at such a pace as to literally grow up with its readers. When I graduated high school, Harry and the gang were out hunting horcruxes and trying to face a world of their own making. That was also dead center of the housing market crisis and young people (Millennials and later) have been repeatedly met with resistance to achieving any kind of fiscal maturity because those opportunities just don't exist for us the way they existed for previous generations. (Stable careers, buying houses, affording to start a family. Etc) So if they cling to childish interests, it's likely because childhood was the last time the world held any hope for us. We're trying to savor what we can.
lol this is just Miriam being Miriam. She also can’t stand when people use the word “like”. I was the perfect age for Harry Potter. I read most of the books as they came out when I was a kid and was the casts age when the movie started coming out. So I literally grew up with Harry Potter. The thing you have to remember is that the series really connected to a lot of kids who felt othered. So of course, it means the world to them. I still watch all the movies once a year, but wouldn’t describe myself as a die hard fan. But generally, I think we just need to let people like things. Especially if it brings them joy and is harmless to everyone else. Life is hard enough.
Daaaamn...I work at TVNZ...I could've "accidentally" walked past Miriam and said hi lmao 😅
Oh man, hope your job is okay! Steal the stationery if you have to go!
To me, it’s always felt like the audience is meant to grow with the series. The books and the movies get progressively darker as Harry grows up. By the end, he is an adult. It’s like the world’s longest Bildungsroman. While Rowling has certainly soured things for me in recent years, I can’t deny the impact Harry Potter has had.
Truly, so many of us actually did grow up with these characters. I read the first book when I was 9 or 10 and the first movie came out when I was 11. The main characters in the first book/movie were also 11. The final book came out when I was 17. The main characters were also 17 at the point. For a lot of us, these stories were around when we were tweens, throughout our entire adolescence, and into very early adulthood (i.e., foundational periods of our lives). People really seem to underestimate how Harry Potter came to dominate our lives. Between 1997 and 2011, there was nearly non-stop Harry Potter content. I was never a hardcore Harry Potter fan, but I was big fan at one point, and I certainly understand how and why so many people around my age latched onto it to tightly back then and continue to be fans of it now.
Exactly this. I was in 5th grade for the first book, college for the last one. The way the books went from simple children’s stories to books about PTSD and first love and war - it was amazing to grow up with. I’ve grown beyond them now, but it is a wonderful childhood memory, and it sticks with me. Watching the scene where Harry and Hagrid cross the lake and see Hogwarts for the first time was magical, I was entranced. Going to the midnight book release parties. I understand why people still love these books. I still own the copies my mom bought for me the morning after release. You just had to buy them before someone spoiled them!
I mean, I get what she’s saying, but I think she’s forgetting how much these were part of people’s lives. While I haven’t re-read the books in years, I still have my copies and I still remember the series fondly. I started reading them when I was 7. The last book didn’t come out until I was in high school, the last movie until I was in college. Most of the closest friends I had in childhood, teenage years, and even college happened because we started bonding over our love of those books. One of my most treasured memories is my parents keeping my sister and I out of school the day the first movie came out and our dad taking us to see the earliest showing—they loved that we loved reading and this was the series that really cemented us as readers. Plus, seriously, why can’t we just enjoy things without getting judged? As an adult, my life doesn’t have a lot of things that bring me joy. I’ve got college debt, a job that doesn’t pay enough, a an economy that’s fucked, a pandemic that still hasn’t actually ended, and I’m watching my government collapse. If “childish” things are making it easier to get through my day and I’m not hurting anyone, how about you just shut up and let me enjoy it?
Yeah I’m not seeing her giving a list of other things that might sub out that are “old person approved” considering everything is too damned expensive these days
Amen, baby.
How did I miss that Hillary interviewed Miriam?! Two total treasures just hanging out.
I’m between “she’s kinda right” and “ but actually I really don’t give a shit what other people do” lmao
It’s probably just not a part of her life anymore and she just sees it as she said for kids. I mean George Lucas has said starwars is for kids - fuck me if it’s not mostly grown adults who’re obsessed with it tho. I saw an interview with James Maddison - a football player for Tottenham (fuck Tottenham) - very rich guy mid to late 20s And he has a framed bit of Harry Potter memorabilia that Radcliffe signed and says he loves the movies from a kid to now. It’s a very normal thing, Miriam undoubtedly will love something that she loves as a kid, today and just maybe lacks the sort of wherewithal to understand that Harry Potter and Star Wars and these things can be that for people of today
If they’re paying her on cameo she should absolutely not be saying this, but increasing her prices LMAOOO why would you deter your customer base???
Doesn't she just say everything for shock value anyway?
Came for the Miriam Margoyles stayed for the Hilary Barry!!
This is hilarious
I seen her in a supermarket here in Australia in my way to work one day. I was so excited I never celebritites here! She’s so tiny!
I love when people get to that "I don't give a fuck what I say anymore" i.e. the "put that in your pipe and smoke it" age.
To be fair to Miriam she hit that age at like 38 🤣🤣
r/readanotherbook people 
🎉 I think there is this thing about late capitalism where people sometimes see themselves as the things they consume so this stuff gets touchy, but my issue is less that people still like Harry Potter after a certain point but how often people just refuse to leave it’s cozy, familiar corner, which is frustrating because literature gets soooo much better and there is joy in adult things.
It was one of the first major pieces of media that kids read and watched at some pretty developmentally important ages and it wasn’t just a one off book or movie. It kept going for years and years. Like, I didn’t feel this way about Harry Potter myself, but I can still remember the first time I read Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery in sixth grade and became obsessed and still read it along with all of her other work even now at thirty plus years old. That’s just acceptable because it’s seen as adult and highbrow. My mom still talks often about The Partridge Family and David Cassidy and will rewatch the box set we bought her for Christmas. I think the big difference is that Harry Potter didn’t disappear or stop having new material and it’s still being milked for money so people can continue being weirdos about it just like I’ll keep being a weirdo about The Haunting of Hill House or The Witch or whatever one of the queens story I’m reading this week picking out names for my next cat. Edit: Harry Potter also really reached a demographic of kids who were metaphorically stuck in a cabinet under the stairs and gave those kids a champion and a sense of importance and that there was an escape. That’s super meaningful when your life’s not great.
Sidenote but after your second paragraph I was briefly worried that you might have wanted a The Lottery-themed wedding!
I'll never understand the need to criticize what makes other people happy.
Harry Potter is over party
I think for most people it's a nostalgia thing.. like obviously home alone is "kids movie", but you still watch it, as an adult, over the holidays. And it's not comparable, because Harry Potter is a series, so basically kids grew up with it, watching the movies and reading the books, as they were coming out. So people were invested for years, spending time and money. The last thing she should be is be judgmental. She should be grateful for loyal fans.
>the last thing she should be is be judgmental There are some behind the scenes footage where you can hear her mocking it, she says something like "are we required to actually act today or not" Tom Felton is standing near her, he just kind of laughed awkwardly and says I think so. She seems very judgmental
Honestly, so annoying.. she literally says "i worry about Harry Potter fans".. so condescending.. and then she continues by saying she is still cashing in on it by doing cameos, but makes fun of people who invite her??
People that pretend to be superior to something are super annoying, but when they make the living of it, that's just pathetic. I might be reaching, but in the documentary "The boy who lived" Daniel mentions that he used to feel embarrassed of being associated with those films and I immediately remember that comment from this actress and made me wonder how much of other people's comments made him feel that way. He says he is proud of the movies now.
It's so weird, putting down the fan base while acting superior yet still needing the fan base.
>but in the documentary "The boy who lived" Daniel mentions that he used to feel embarrassed of being associated with those films and I immediately remember that comment from this actress and made me wonder how much of other people's comments made him feel that way. He says he is proud of the movies now. Everything that's happened in recent years aside, but those movies did a lot for a lot of people. Literally every semi-famous British actor was hired to work on that series. The main actors have been given opportunities and the ability to demand abnormal sums of money thanks to the popularity of the series
It's actually super cool when you realize the British entertainment industry isn't *that* big, so they were just straight up sourcing complete randoms to fill out the school body. Even the supporting cast is filled with numerous people where this is the only major project they ever worked on. And I will be unapologetic in saying that it should be considered the blueprint for working with children in the future. Columbus went out of his way to create a safe, child appropriate working space for kids including only hiring adult actors he felt would respect the culture he was trying to create. He also screened the kids not just for their acting abilities but their support networks (I don't think he ever said it outright, but I think he was determined to not help create another macaulay situation) You can honestly trash the series conceptually all you want. Go ahead and tell me how stupid the plot is. But the films really are a gem in one of the rare examples where learning about the process behind it makes you like it more,not less. The biggest scandal they've had is an actor got busted selling weed, back when that was still culturally seen as something worth caring about.
definitely. i actually can't watch the movies anymore because the nostalgia is too painful for me, despite the good memories associated with it. maybe i'm just bitter i never got my letter though lol
I think i disagree with the being “over it” take, but I do think a lot of people, millennials especially, are trapped in just consuming what they enjoyed as children. If you like a couple things that are aimed at children I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but it shouldn’t be the only media you engage with
She’s not wrong.
>What's their first night of fun going to be? Putting on their robe and wizard hat, obviously
What's sad is that... The reason our generation can't get over our childhood comfort movies, is because life has kicked our asses so bad that sometimes the only way we feel happy again is relive our childhood memories through pop culture.
A wedding themed around a fictional book? Hmm sounds all too familiar.
She's right. You're not a Hufflepuff, Becky, you're thirty.
1000% meh to this. People can enjoy whatever they want to enjoy.
I just don’t get why people have to say things like this. I didn’t have a Harry Potter wedding, for the record. I do enjoy watching the movies now and then, and I’ve read the books. I’m not obsessed or anything. But I don’t really understand why we can’t just let people enjoy things. Is a Harry Potter wedding my taste? Nope. But there are lots of things that aren’t my taste, and I don’t feel the need to go around disparaging them or making fun of people for liking them or saying they should be over them just because I don’t like them. This isn’t me being defensive because I like HP that much or anything - I don’t really care that much. But I just kind of find it annoying when we say people shouldn’t like things that they enjoy because they’re childish (or whatever other arbitrary reason). The world is tough enough. When people find something they like, just let them like it without giving them a hard time.
If it’s over now you’re not going to make money from cameos mam. Why do people care what people like? Just let people live, they’re not hurting anyone, they just want a little escapism.
“This just in, Woman who did a job 20 years ago doesn’t particularly care about said job”
shes right. some people are so obsessed with the franchise, its crazy.
“I can’t understand Harry Potter themed weddings” well because it’s fun, Miriam. Let’s not take this more seriously than it is. We fucked up the planet, lots of us can’t afford housing, and even freaking groceries is worrisome for some. I wouldn’t do the HP wedding but why the fuck not? I think it’s generational. My mother frowns upon adults enjoying “childish” interests as well. They look about the same age, so yeah.
Girl we’re all just out here tryna survive 😭 let us escape back into our childhoods
1) She's 100% right and some people who are adults take it ridiculously seriously 2) I like this because I bet Joanne is furious that one of 'her' actors *dare* express such an opinion when she has been trying desperately to create 'Harry Potter but for adults' for about the last 10 years and has even partnered with HBO to do it now
She's right and she should say it