Harry Potter to the rescue
Geeks have hearts of gold.
I wrote some time ago about an effort to aid Haiti relief, spearheaded by an organization called the Harry Potter Alliance, which has long inspired Harry Potter fans to take action on real-world social issues like global warming and Darfur. Recently, it launched its largest fandom action, called Help Haiti Heal, to raise money for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Of course, the point was to raise a bunch of money in a time of need. But, on the sly, I think the effort helped show that so-called escapist pursuits like reading fantasy novels like Harry Potter, watching fantasy movies like Lord of the Rings, or participating in role-playing games can actually connect to the real world, too.
Heroic acts and derring-do involving wielding wands and swords and smiting evil-doers are all well and good in a book or movie. What makes this success so sweet is that the forces of gaming and fantasy and fandom can be wielded, too. And fans and gamers can be a powerful body indeed.
The effort is also a reminder that one reason we need fantasy is to remind us how to act in the real world. Perhaps society’s lack of a coming-of-age ritual explains the appeal. We have a driver’s license, and a drinking age, and we get married. But not much else. Fantasy genre fills this void, framing the hero’s journey in right and wrong, good and evil.
Moreover, books give hope in hopeless times --- like when calamity strikes. Fantasy is a genre people can read and retreat to and gather strength to face the real world. Refuge from oppression, personal or political, or wars or natural disasters like earthquakes all lay in the fairy world and the possibility of imagination. Fantasy keeps the spirit alive and kicking, and provides a blueprint for good behavior.
So thank you! Fans of all kinds have come together and raised over $110,000 for Partners In Health in Haiti... We’re chartering three cargo planes packed with 75,000 pounds of critical, life-saving supplies to thousands of people in Haiti.
The planes are going to be named Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
You can still donate here: http://www.thehpalliance.org/haiti/
Thank you!
Ethan Gilsdorf is the author of the travel memoir-pop culture investigation Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms.
Harry and the Potters in a cave
If you happen to be in the Boston area, come help celebrate the July 15 release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with "A FREE SHOW in a CAVE!" Well, Harry and the Potters say, "Actually, not a cave, but a chasm. CLOSE ENOUGH! How cool is that? You gotta come!" This is an unplugged concert/hike/sing-a-long in a place called Purgatory Chasm (which, coincidentally, I wrote about ages ago for the Boston Globe). Anyway, their event info is here:
07.14.09 | Sutton, MA | Purgatory Chasm | ALL AGES | 8:15pm | FREE!!! | Facebook
Here’s the plan: Meet at 8:15pm in the parking lot of Purgatory Chasm. Bring a flashlight! At 8:30, we will hike up into the chasm (it is a very short hike - <10min). Once we're in the chasm, Harry and the Potters will play a bunch of unamplified songs. Sing-alongs galore! Bring your voice! After we've done a bunch of singing and stuff, we will go to the movies together! We're planning on attending the 12:05am screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the Blackstone Valley 14 in Millbury, MA which is only about 10 minutes from the Chasm. Follow this link to buy tickets to the 12:05am screening!
--- Ethan Gilsdorf, author of Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks
Harry and Potters video
here's the direct link, in case you missed it
--- Ethan Gilsdorf, author of Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks
Harry and the Potters 500th show
If you haven't seen Harry and the Potters, here's a good introduction. Two brothers -- Paul and Joe DeGeorge -- who are the sweetest guys you'll ever meet. And they can rock. Here's them playing their 500th show in their own hometown of Norwood, Massachusetts. As their website puts it: "mere blocks from our boyhood home, in the very elementary school that we attended so long ago, in the same cafetorium where Paul sang the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” theme song in the 5th grade musical and where Joe witnessed Ellen Greely throw up through her recorder (@vomitwords) during the 3rd grade recital."
I profile them in my book (chapter 9, in fact).
Lyrics to "Dumbledore"
You were the best we ever had
You were the best we ever had (you were the best)
I wish that we could go down to the Room of Requirement
And we could go bowling just like you used to
Back when Hogwarts Bowling Club was cool
You were the best we ever had
You were the best we ever had (you were the best)
Dumbledore
We're here with you tonight
We'll carry on the fight
Everything will be alright
And everyone is fine
You were the best we ever had (you were the best)
I wish we could have shared more together
But now you're off on your next adventure
Dumbledore
We'll fight for you tonight
Dumbledore
We all fight for you tonight
In our hearts we'll never let you die
Your love is keeping us alive
You'll never be gone as long as we're here
You'll never be gone as long as we're here
You'll never be gone as long as we're here
We'll carry on 'cause there's nothing to fear
Dumbledore
We'll fight for you tonight
Dumbledore
We all fight for you tonight
In our hearts we'll never let you die
Your love is keeping us alive
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
You'll never be gone as long as we're here
You'll never be gone as long as we're here
You'll never be gone as long as we're here
We'll carry on 'cause there's nothing to fear
Dumbledore
We'll fight for you tonight
Dumbledore
We all fight for you tonight
In our hearts we'll never let you die
Your love is keeping us alive
Dumbledore
We'll fight for you tonight
--- Ethan Gilsdorf, author of Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks
This is the direct URL for the Harry and the Potters movie I shot -- apparently amazon.com does not allow you to embed videos ...