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JULY 1, 2004 at 1:51 AM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: HPANA
After making international headlines and enduring the wrath
of Harry Potter author JK Rowling herself, the person responsible for releasing a false title -- Harry Potter and the Pillar of Storgé -- for the series' sixth book offers an apology and explanation in an interview with HPANA.
The real title of book 6 -- Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince -- popped up on Rowling's official site just days after the hoax (perhaps because of the hoax?). It has since been confirmed by the author.
The prankster, a 19-year-old male student at the University of Florida, speaks:
Firstly I would like to offer two apologies. I owe an apology to all of the Harry Potter fans that I lied to; I never thought my hoax would go so far and I felt awful when some of you got so excited about knowing the title. I am sorry. I also would like to apologize to J.K. Rowling, as I did an awful thing by impersonating her. I consider her a literary genius.
In the end, the hoax was all in good fun. I thought the title was rather funny and had hoped that at least some people would get a good chuckle out of it.
And now, explained in full, here's what happened -- straight from the horse's mouth:
Do you have any official connection to JKR, Warner Bros., or the book publishers?
No, I have no connection to them whatsoever.
What made you think of doing this, and specifically, the timing of it?
I had recently finished a re-reading of Order of the Phoenix and it got me excited about the Harry Potter series again. As a result of that excitement, I stumbled upon JKR's website for the first time and was fascinated by the unopenable door. I also thought it was great that she was dispelling some of the rumors about the series. Somehow I put two and two together and the hoax clicked in my mind.
The timing of the event was never planned; it was simple dumb luck on my part that I released the hoax at the start of a weekend so that it [became] more effective.
How did you do it?
A hobby of mine is computer graphics/video editing, so I knew I could produce a realistic video. I realized that this was exactly what I needed to make the hoax believable.
I used two programs: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects. In Photoshop I edited and manipulated pictures from JKR's site, and in After Effects I animated them into the finished video. I did not use [Macromedia] Flash at all. The blue bars (see image) at the bottom and top are a result of me changing the aspect ratio of the video without distorting it so that I could compress it into an MPEG file. I whipped the video up in about two hours.
As far as the "message" was concerned, I just tried to mimic JKR's style as much as possible. I came up with the title Pillar of Storgé, trying to formulate something with a hidden meaning that people would be able to figure out. It's an ugly title, but I'm quite fond of it.
What did you expect as a result of the hoax? Did you think it would receive the worldwide press it garnered?
I NEVER expected this much attention. I even wondered if anyone would believe it at all. My original goal of the hoax was that a rumor about the title would slowly creep through the Harry Potter community (much like the Green Flame Torch rumor), and that JKR would eventually dispel it as a myth (perhaps releasing some real information while doing so) on her site.
I never wanted the attention of all the Harry Potter fans; there was a clear and specific reason for the hoax and it involved the attention of only one woman. I was highly amused by the fervent guessing of the meaning of the title by eager fans and by the international press that it received.
Finally, a closing thought from the anonymous mountebank: "If I had not started the hoax, would we all know the real title to book 6 right now?" Read The Leaky Cauldron's analysis of that question. In the meantime, consider what an astute reader over there observed: Rowling said on her site that "as a little bonus, and compensation for having been messed around by Mr. or Ms. Storgé, I shall tell you one thing without making you shift any bricks at all: the HBP [half blood prince] is neither Harry nor Voldemort."
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Points: 8
4evacheerin says:
Hey i just went to the Leaky Couldron.com and it says that JKR says that she would of given the title ne way. Even if there wasn't a hoax. She says that it was completley planned and that the hoax wasn't.
Posted Jul 30, 2004 at 5:36 PM EST
Points: 896
Jeremy X says:
Wow there's a lot of writing here! Who cares? I didn't even hear about this until it was all over. Here's something for you: Is the half-blood prince a fake title? Maybe the whole jkrowling site is fake!!!
Posted Jul 31, 2004 at 12:21 AM EST
Squib
Points: 146
beccagreen says:
I realy dont think it is jeremy. i dont agree with what this guy did but well done for having the guts to admit to it.
Blessed be
Becca
xXx
Posted Jul 31, 2004 at 8:51 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 3
Cristina says:
I think that this hoaxer is a creep. 'Oh, he said he was sorry, let's forgive him!' Those people who congratulated him and/or wanted to forgive him obviously have no respect for J.K. Rowling. Imagine all the trouble she had to go through! And he thought it was just a joke?! The creep!
Posted Jul 31, 2004 at 5:01 PM EST
Points: 2203
Disillusioned78 says:
Let me just say that it takes alot to come forward even when you will face the wrath of the entire Harry Potter Fandom. So, yeah you were wrong but at least you sorta made up for it.
Posted Aug 1, 2004 at 5:42 PM EST
Witch
Points: 617
S.Black13 says:
I was suprprized that some people actually believed that. I mean, come on. Pillar of Storgé? I thought it was funny...
Posted Aug 1, 2004 at 8:53 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 3
grintgirl2488 says:
As Hagrid would say, he shouldn't have done that. He should have thought about it. I mean, it sounds as though he's a wiz with that computer stuff and to be able to do that stuff, he should have known people would believe it.
Posted Aug 2, 2004 at 11:54 PM EST
Witch
Points: 741
Auror Tonks says:
Why is everyone so hyped up about it... i mean he said he was sorry. Just have him pay a fine or something and get over it.
Posted Aug 4, 2004 at 10:39 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
(Moderator)
Points: 1217
shadowlife says:
I was fortunate enough to have missed out on that hoax, but I can understand how peopl would get so mad.
Posted Aug 5, 2004 at 10:49 PM EST
Witch
Points: 532
Obsessed-Harry-N-Dan-Fan says:
Ugh. I don't know why anyone would do that and think it's funny. although I guess we do have this whole hoax to thank for Jo telling us information on the book.
Posted Aug 6, 2004 at 5:21 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 5
Windrider~ says:
I agree with CowsOJMilkSoil. This guy had to have been really bored in order to think up a fake name for HP6.
Posted Aug 7, 2004 at 1:53 AM EST
Student
Points: 267
silver_potter says:
Wow, hes immature. I, however, was just like shadowlife, and was fortunate enough to have missed that hoax. However, that doesnt mean Im not upset and offended. First, he insulted JKR by making some horrendous title (pillar of storge? come on!!) and insulted all HP fans by misleading them for his own entertainment. Also, if he hadnt done the hoax, we still would have found out the title anyway! So for him to do this and then have the nerve to take credit for title being released, is utterly despicable.
Posted Aug 7, 2004 at 8:10 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 457
fawkes17 says:
Some people are crazy. Why do they do stuff like that???? It had most of the Potter community excited for a while. She did give out the correct title though, whether it was because of this or not - I don't know. So maybe we got a little important info out of this. Oh well. It was still a really stupid thing for him to do.
Posted Aug 22, 2004 at 2:33 PM EST
St. Mungo's Mental Patient
Points: 41815
Phil_ says:
I think it wasa relaly funny idea, ust badly timed and a bit misjdged, but it was impressive, so well done, but please don't do it again.....
Posted Aug 27, 2004 at 7:01 PM EST
Student
Points: 212
TomFeltonsLady005 says:
I have never heard the hoax on the news. I saw it on some website that actually believed the hoax. Now for all the people who think it is called the pillar of storge, i feel sorry for them.
Posted Aug 28, 2004 at 5:37 PM EST
Mad Cow Breeder
Points: 8481
Lord Of The Cows says:
Yeah, well you see, oyu never sould believe what you cant see, since we couldnt access it, how could we know, also i do have ot say, the hoaxer was very clever to make htousands, even millions of fans wondering..
Posted Sep 1, 2004 at 1:31 AM EST
Squib
Points: 111
Lord Riddle says:
This guy has got everyone seriously angry, the stupid hoaxing deatheater!
Posted Sep 2, 2004 at 4:52 AM EST
Squib
Points: 179
14hf says:
It was a hoax, not the end of the world. And besides, there are going to be a lot more before the series is through so the hoaxer taught us a lesson, to be more careful about what we believe and to wait for JK to confirm things in the future! And we got the extra info that neither Voldemort nor Harry was the HBP. Really, people complain too much.
Posted Sep 4, 2004 at 12:31 PM EST
Hogwarts Psychologist
Points: 4236
Patronus Wiz says:
How did he come up with Pillar of Storge? What is it supposed to mean?
Posted Sep 4, 2004 at 4:53 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1247
Matt12 says:
That was so clever!! Im third year university dealing with computers everyday and i could never have done anything half as clever as that. Sure it was a pretty awlful trick to play, but then again, it did lead to the true title of the 6th book. I guess i just wish that this guy had his priorities in the right place.
Posted Sep 6, 2004 at 12:52 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1345
Weasleytwin says:
Hey, the more power to you being able to get so many people to go crazy about knowing the title. It's amazing what us HP fans go bonkers over.
Posted Sep 10, 2004 at 8:14 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 8
malfoy_slytherin says:
I didn't find out about the hoax until after JK announced the real title. Too bad. But thanx Mr. Storge, cause you got us the 6th book title!
Posted Sep 14, 2004 at 9:39 AM EST
Witch
Points: 935
fizzingwhizbees says:
I think it was really funny like how he could get all these people to believe him you have to be clever to do that.
Posted Sep 17, 2004 at 6:21 PM EST
Points: 10
TomRiddle68 says:
Wow, everyone here needs to stop bashing this guy. I mean he did disappoint and enrage millions of fans of Harry Potter not to mention anger JKR, but as he said he didn't mean for it to get that far. Lots of people post rumors every day on Harry Potter fan sites and it wasn't all his fault that it had gotten that far. If he hadn't created the video, he would've have been nearly innocent, but the fact that he pushed it that far is grounds for some type of pu ishment. As suggested before, I don't think, however, that he should eget a fine or imprisonment or whatever because he wasn't breaking or infringing any rules or laws. An apology should just suffice.
Anyway I remember JKR saying a while ago that something small and insignifigant in the second will be huge in the 6th, and I have a couple of ideas. I am constantly reviewing all of the books and taking out "unsolved" comments or puzzle pieces. I won't say anymore here until I gather more proof.
Posted Sep 20, 2004 at 6:48 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1247
Matt12 says:
I agree. What he did was basically just start another rumour. I could start dozens. He just went a bit far by making the movie thingy. Im going to re-read CoS and see if i can find anything that isnt quite explained fully.
P.S. Read comments 150-175 of the previous "Faith" article.
Posted Sep 20, 2004 at 6:56 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 2
peppermint says:
Wow! I admire ur computer graphics work but hoaxing the future title of the book 6 was not good. Anyway because of that rowling gave us the real title of book6. So.....
Posted Sep 23, 2004 at 2:40 AM EST
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