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Exclusive: Harry Potter book 6 title hoaxer speaks 
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.
Screenshots from hoax video
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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Student
Points: 294
Moaning.Myrtle says:
Aughhhh
IDIOT!!!!
Serves you right. I hope JK taught you a good lesson. That was not nice... what was he thinking anyway... did he really think he would get away with it. He's getting way more attention than he desirves.!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 1:58 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1908
Opera Ghost says:
Sure, we all hate him, because we were dumb enough to believe it. Next time we will know better! Go to the source, which is JKR herself!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:09 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1079
Petronilla says:
I agree with him:
"If I had not started the hoax, would we all know the real title to book 6 right now?"
I am happy that he has done it, and thanks to this joke, we now have the real title !!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:29 AM EST
Points: 51
Wolffootball45 says:
oh common, the kid was just having a little fun! I mean seriousley dont say you wouldnt have done the same thing if you had the chance. and he said sorry! most people dont even apalogize. Hes a good kid who wanted to have some fun and made a mestake.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:33 AM EST
Witch
Points: 675
Quidditchgirl says:
I would love to call this kid plenty of horrid things right now, but do to the moderators I will settle by calling him a repulsive jerk. How could anyone be so lame! I mean really! Then trying to take credit at the end, saying that if he didn*t do this would we know the title. Well buddy, you got your 15 minutes of fame...what are you going for now 17? Pathetic. I am just so digusted that this person thought it would just be a chuckle....that*s a lot of work on the computer for a chuckle....Lame, pathetic, repulsive, immature, jerk...that is all he is....
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:33 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1333
Madame Crouton says:
haha! thats funny! it drove me ABSOLUTLEY INSANE but when i look back...it is pretty funny! i don't hate him! but i do!!! but i dont! but it was very mean to get us all excited but HEY at least now we know the real one!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:33 AM EST
Squib
Points: 177
loony luna look-a-like says:
Well i'd just like to say that this has wasted alot of peoples's time and energy
Sorry that was rather bitter....i guess the dude was just having fun.....man alive though...too much spare time..that's all h iave to say
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:34 AM EST
Mad Cow Breeder
Points: 8481
Lord Of The Cows says:
Wow, damn clever at computers, but tehn agin he is the BIGGEST EDIOT i have ever met, half the world found out, well i will never believe naything unless i can see it
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:43 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 12
thisgirliknow says:
I really admire this guy-- Look what he got everyone to believe so much. I mean, he was a jerk for doing it, but congratulations to him!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:46 AM EST
Points: 3950
CowsOJMilkSoil says:
I'm quite impressed with this person actually. I mean at least he was a fan of the series, and he only did it as a little joke, not to intentionally hurt anyone's feelings. I'm suprised he actually came out and told us exactly how he did it.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:56 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2229
Ms.MikhailBlack says:
You Know what if anyonever does this again, i swear i will hunt them down and beat their computer to a plup., just for Jo. Then i would simply whip out my wand and Avda Kedavra Him. Absolutly under no circumstances should anyone play with someone else life and play as them. Also No one should be aloud to cause this much chaos and get awy with it. I really don't care about knowing the reall title now, i't s been in the patent office for over a year....And do apperciate people Hoaxing us out of fun. Because it's not fun. Jk's work loud probaly double as to clear up the romour making it take even longer for the book to come...NEVER AGAIN!!!!!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:56 AM EST
Student
Points: 246
DanAndEmmaFan says:
I think he's just SAYING he didn't mean it NOW that everyone's mad at him. It's obvious he meant for innocent fans to believe his dirty trick. I hope Rowling sues him. He sort-of ruined the whole name release thing for her. Not very nice.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 2:58 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2229
Ms.MikhailBlack says:
No kidding PLus Do you know how much crap she had to go through. How many people called asking her if it was true.....Can you imagine for a second how many hours that tookaway from her Job. JK job is to write not to have to sot out idiots like this kid....
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 3:01 AM EST
Witch
Points: 788
lynnith says:
It was pretty funny to watch everyone go nuts over an obviously fake title, so good on him I guess!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 3:04 AM EST
Quidditch Captain
Points: 6149
Alex Seeker says:
Okay in hind sight now I think this was a funny prank to pull! I really don't think he set out to cause any distress - and I really think that is a good question - would we know the real title if it wasn't for him? I'm going to go with no.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 3:53 AM EST
Crookshanks Caretaker
Points: 3815
hermionefan1 says:
He deserves what ever punishment he gets, but he does have a good point. As he quoted, "If I had not started the hoax, would we all know the real title to book 6 right now?", and this is very true, so he desrves credit too. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't know the title of book 6, but it was still wrong to hoax people.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 4:48 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1845
LunaLovegood says:
It was not nice at all, i didn't like this man.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 5:17 AM EST
Weird Sisters Lead Singer
Points: 5747
Annie Potter says:
Never mind whats done is done. I didn't believe that title anyway as I don't believe anything anyone says unless it comes straight from JK herself. But I don't know if she would have released the true title if it hadn't had been for the hoaxer.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 5:29 AM EST
Blink182's New Member
Points: 2876
Da_BombWiz says:
WEll that was a really good hoax. I mean nearly everyone beleived him. Unlucky for him though that JKR decided to release the title at the same time!!!!!!!!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 6:14 AM EST
The Girl Who Lived
Points: 4215
Tacha says:
What goes around comes around! Glad to know that he realises the consequences of fooling around with bogus information. All that fuss just to impress one woman? P-L-E-A-S-E! There are other ways to get a woman's attention.
JK has made me really nervous now. Neither Harry or Voldemort... Hmmmm, Neville maybe or maybe that's too obvious. This is gonna bug me for a long time!
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 6:26 AM EST
Points: 128
Professor Utonium says:
For those who "hate" the hoaxer:
How about Fred and George?
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 6:28 AM EST
The Girl Who Lived
Points: 4215
Tacha says:
Oops! Sorry for the double post but I just noticed a typo. It should say curious in stead off nervous.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 6:29 AM EST
Witch
Points: 959
Alcestis1 says:
What this thoughtless ("I didn't think...) person did was wrong and foolish. He never even thought about the fans, which is unkind and the opposite of what we try to do here in HPANA which is to be thoughtful and courteous to each other. He only had one goal and that was to manipulate JKR into revealing something he wanted to know when he wanted to know it. His apology was hollow. He goes on to describe his actions proudly. I don't mind pranks, and I laugh even when they are on me if they're good ones but
hoaxes that are designed to manipulate and result in time, effort and emotional upset are just mean.
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 6:41 AM EST
Pixie Liaison
Points: 11796
carina says:
Well I never believed it in the 1st place but I'm really glad he confessed and even gave an interview. So the only reason JKR released the title was because of the hoax.. in a way we should be thanking him!! :)
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 6:58 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1140
dan's girl says:
Wow at least the guy is famous now...who would ever work that hard just for a hoax......it wasnt very funny but he is a computer genius th have done that and to have made half the people om HPANA believe him......
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 7:02 AM EST
Witch
Points: 629
Leila Krum says:
I don't hate him! He was pretty creative with the video and all; he made me laugh a bit. You guys should not be taking these things too seriously; it was a little innocent prank, Fred & George style :) . So thank you Mr. Storgé, for making me a little paranoid.
*usagi*
Posted Jul 1, 2004 at 7:11 AM EST
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