← Earsay: The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club
Earsay: The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Full Cast Edition)" with Rhianna Dhillon
00:35:29
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- [00:03]
A
Welcome to Earsay, the iHeart and Audible audiobook Club, where each episode we dive into a different Audible title with your favorite podcast hosts and special guests. I'm Ed Helms, host of snafu.
- [00:16]
B
And I'm Cal Penn, host of Here We Go Again.
- [00:20]
A
Cal, I'm sad this is the last episode of the season. I mean, we've just been cranking these out. It's been so fun, like time flies.
- [00:28]
B
Can I second that and just say this has been not just the most? Are you allowed to say that a job is easy when it's fun?
- [00:36]
A
No, no. We have to maintain the illusion that this is very hard work.
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C
Like if you.
- [00:40]
B
I mean, yeah, I guess that's true. No, it's easy. We get to listen to great audiobooks and then talk to a lot of the people behind them. So it's been a real treat to do this together.
- [00:48]
A
I agree. And it's been fun to a hang out with my buddy Cal. But also, yeah, just meet these fascinating, interesting people that I never would have connected to otherwise.
- [00:59]
B
Yeah, and I do like that I get to see your face regularly. I know it is a. It is a cool thing.
- [01:13]
C
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human
- [01:18]
D
boring is out. Explore what fascinates you on Audible. Saucy Romantasy Series Edge youe Seat Adventures, Eerie Horror Exclusive Comedy Podcasts. Or maybe you want to hear the book before it hits the screen. Whatever you're into, Audible has you covered. New to Audible, start listening with a 30 day free trial. Whether you're commuting, cooking or just escaping the noise of everyday life, Audible keeps you fascinated so you can be just as fascinating. To start your free trial, head to audible.comearsay that's audible.comearsay
- [01:53]
A
all right, well today we're discussing the brand new full cast audio edition of one of the most beloved fantasy stories ever written. I'm of course talking about the iconic Harry Potter series or Aripo as they say. With the first two titles out now on Audible, this spectacular adaptation is narrated by Kush Jumbo and it features a huge star studded cast including Hugh Laurie as albus Dumbledore, Matthew McFaddy and as Voldemort and Riz Ahmed as Severus Snape. Brought to life with sound design and a stunning new score, these new additions offer a truly immersive listening experience. The story of course follows Harry Potter who lives an unhappy non magical life under the stairs with his non magical relatives, the Dursleys. This is of course until his 11th birthday at which point he is swept into the wizarding world by a half giant named Hagrid. He learns that he's famous for being the boy who Lived and he finds himself pitted against the most feared dark wizard in the world, the evil Voldemort. Or he who Shall Not Be Named. Obviously. This is a hugely, culturally significant work with seven novels, eight films in the primary storyline, with spin offs and video games and a stage play and everything else you can imagine. I'm sure there's an opera coming soon, so there's a lot to get into.
- [03:27]
B
Yes, that's correct, Sir Lord Helms. And with that, I will leave you to it.
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A
I can't keep up. I just said wait, are you a TA at Hogwarts?
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B
I would love. That's the dream role right there.
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A
Or like an ra, you know, I
- [03:46]
B
was really an RA at ucla, but is that so off topic here? I will leave you to this conversation and I'll see you after.
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A
Fabulous. Thank you, Cal. Joining me today is film and TV critic, radio and podcast host and Harry Potter Potter super fan, Rihanna Dylan. Rihanna Dillon. Welcome to irsay. It's an absolute pleasure to have you on our club today. You're a huge Harry Potter fan. Tell me about your fandom.
- [04:20]
C
Hi, I am a massive fan. I got the books when I was in primary school. So like when I was maybe 10 and my friend was so excited to show me there's a line in the first book which has the word bogeys in it. And she was just so excited to show me this line because it was like a naughty word. Bogeys. Disgusting. We were disgusting little kids. So from then on it just kind of.
- [04:51]
A
Sorry, as an American, I have to ask, is bogey the same thing as like booger in American English?
- [04:58]
C
It's not. Yeah.
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A
Okay. I was like, hold on, what is a vogue? Why is that a naughty word?
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C
There used to be like these two sort of children's entertainers in the UK who used to go into really quiet places and dare each other to shout bogeys as loud as possible and like get louder and louder and they had to keep getting louder and louder to win the game. And so that was like a game that we played as kids. So yeah, bogey's got me into Harry Potter and I've just been obsessed with it ever since. And I am unfortunately a 36 year old Harry Potter nerd, which isn't as sexy as I think it should be.
- [05:34]
A
You're right in the right age pocket though. Like that's. You're like the perfect age to be a Harry Potter obsessed person. And I respect it. I'll be honest with you. My Harry Potter fandom has been, like, very tangential. I just have enjoyed the occasional movie. I never read the books as a kid. They didn't exist when I was a kid. But getting into it for this podcast, I'm like, ooh, oh, oh, I get it. This is really fun. And we'll get into the details of the world building in a minute, but I just think it's an incredible universe. All right, so let's step back in time for a minute. The story introduces Harry and the reader to the hidden wizarding world. A massive universe of new experiences. We're talking Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, Quidditch, et cetera, et cetera. Now, thinking back to your first time experiencing this story, what elements of the wizarding world or of magic in general just immediately captured your imagination?
- [06:30]
C
Oh, my God, all of it. I mean, it was so immersive. It is so immersive. Like, the idea of using spells to just make everything more exciting. And, you know, like, you always had that thing of, like, oh, would you rather fly or would you rather be invisible? And all of those questions that you used to ask each other as, like, I don't know, Icebreakers when you're a kid, whatever. Like, they can do all of that in Harry Potter. And that was so co. And I was also such a fan of Enid Blyton growing up, so I was obsessed with the Famous Five and.
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A
Wait, hold on, back up. You were obsessed with what exactly?
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C
Oh, sorry, Enid Blyton, who was a British author who wrote children's stories. The Famous Five were like a group of four children and their dog Timmy. And it was just them going on adventures, right? They were always finding treasure and getting kidnapped, that sort of thing.
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A
Fabulous.
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C
And, like, there was such a lack of adventure where I grew up in the south of England in, like, the suburbs. And so I was always obsessed with. With children having adventures. And Harry Potter just immediately launched me into this whole new world of adventure. And I was so gripped by, like, the school. And like, I loved school anyway. Cause I was a nerd. And so Hogwarts just being an enhanced
- [07:40]
A
version of that, of course. And. And I think also for any of us who didn't grow up like the popular kid in school, which is 98% of us, the idea that you could be, like, marginalized in your school, even in your family, but then that there's, like, this secret way that you're actually incredibly special is so intoxicating, right?
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C
Yeah. I mean, it really was.
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A
That is so, so cool. And then, of course, to be special in a special world and in a whole entire special universe that, like regular people can't even see and comprehend, it's such an exciting and precise amount of world building that is. It's truly incredible. We also have to shout out the narrator of this particular production, Kush Jumbo, because she really brings the prose of this book to life in such an incredible way that I think welcomes us into that world. We have a clip of Kush Jumbo. Let's listen.
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C
Out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry Malfoy and Fang stood transfigured. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn. It lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side and began to drink its blood.
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A
Whoa.
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C
So atmospheric
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A
to your point. There's unicorns here. Their blood has magical powers. Of course it does.
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C
Of course it does.
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A
Of course it does.
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C
There's a unicorn.
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A
They're amazing. What moments in this audiobook capture the feeling of the magical world best for you or just stood out the most?
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C
I always loved reading about the Quidditch matches, and I think the audio really gets it because it just plunges you right into the stands. You have the crowd sounds, like, all around you. It is surround sound, especially if you're listening in headphones. So you're almost, like, hearing, like, individual conversations and comments, which obviously aren't in the book. That's not dialogue lifted from the book, but it is just. It's such a clever way of making us feel like we're really there and kind of hear the snitch whooshing past our heads. And it is brilliant. I think that's so clever to make us feel like we're part of a crowd.
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A
Yeah.
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C
You get, like, the enthusiasm for it. Right. It's like just being at a sports match. Like a football match for me or. I don't know.
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A
I think you're. Exactly. That's such a great example of how this particular audiobook production elevates the text with so much sound design. I have to say, I love the just from a magical world building standpoint, the hidden train platform, platform nine and three quarters that you can only get to by running straight at the wall, basically. It's so simple, but it's so cool. It's like it takes a little bit of bravery or something to enter the magical wizarding world. And of course, again, in this production, the sound design of the train Platform, you know, it's so immersive. And he's just been dropped off by his wretched aunt and uncle and now he's like, in this, he's feeling very panicky and scared. It's just a really riveting moment. So the full cast nature of this production brings the characters really to life. Check out this clip of Riz Ahmed as Snape in Harry's first Potions class. You can really feel why Harry feels Snape does not like him.
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C
Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register. And like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.
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A
Ah, yes.
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C
Harry Potter, our new celebrity.
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A
Oof. It's just a little. It's just a little bite, right?
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C
Yeah. I love that performance, particularly because everybody thinks of Snape. They think of Alan Rickman, right? Like, that is the first thing. And that incredible. He's so well known for his voice and I really how Riz Ahmed makes it completely his own. He goes for a completely different direction. And actually, like in real life, like, Riz is so, like, he's quite petite, he's very gentle, like, he's quite smiley. And so this is like really playing against type. And I love how sinister he is. And I keep walking around being like
- [12:09]
A
Potter, you know, it's just, yeah, Alan Rickman is like. Is just an inherently sinister energy. But Riz Ahmed, it's like a little bit more of a misdirect. I agree with you 100% and it's very cool. He does an incredible job. Any other performances really stand out to you?
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C
Well, first of all, I think Mark Addy as Hagrid. I mean, I love the west country accent anyway. Like, it's a really gorgeous, fun voice. And Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall, because I used to watch this British TV show called Greenwing where she plays this really eccentric off the wall character. And so hearing her play a really, no nonsense, very Scottish professor is pure joy. And then who else is there? I mean, Adil Akhtar playing Filch, which we only sort of hear a little bit of in the Philosopher's Stone. He's just so funny. He's such a naturally comic actor. And you can hear like, even the way that he does the dialogue in this, the way that he's moving. Like, you picture him hunched over. He's so physical with his voice, which is amazing. And also Hermione, played by Arabella Stanton, who is going to be in the TV series. And she's a perfect Hermione and I am a Bit of a Hermione. I mean, I've got Hermione hair. It's, like, basically sentient. And so I've always had, like, an affinity with her, and I think she absolutely nails it.
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A
You've picked out some of the just truly extraordinary performances. But how can we leave out the great Hugh Laurie as Dumbledore? I mean, that he's just, like, so perfect.
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C
Yeah. What do you know Hugh Laurie from, like. What is your. Like, go to Hugh Laurie role?
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A
I have two. There's two things. My first Hugh Laurie fandom is when I was a comedy nerd in college and I was trying. I was just digging up old comedy stuff. And Fry and Laurie was, like, formative for me, you know? Cause I was deep into Monty Python, as most comedy nerds were in my age. That's sort of like doing your homework. It's like you're studying the masters by getting deep into Monty Python. But then it was like, okay, what other British masters were out there? And Fry and Laurie just blew my mind. I truly loved them. And, of course, Stephen Fry narrated the other audiobook and his incredible voice. So it's cool to see Hugh Laurie kind of coming in this way then. House. House is a show that was such a huge hit here in the United States, and he's incredible on that show. What about you? What's your Hugh Laurie origin story?
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C
Blackadder. It's Blackadder.
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A
Oh, great.
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C
Okay. Which is. I mean, you have to watch it every Christmas. You have to watch the Christmas special every year, but just all of it. He's so innately funny and dry, and he, like, for d. He brings, like, a real warmth and humor. And I was. God, this makes me sound so nerdy. But I was watching a video of the behind the Scenes of the Making of the Audiobook, and Hugh Laurie is one of the actors who didn't really know Harry Potter. Again, like, why would he? It's not his generation.
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A
Sure.
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C
And so he's sort of almost coming to it for the first time. And he just. Watching him be like, I really enjoyed it. It's really good. And we're like, yeah, welcome along. Join the club. Welcome aboard.
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A
You, Laurie.
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C
And just him appreciating Dumbledore, like, for the first and asking questions about him, I thought was really interesting. Because I guess if you're a fan, you. You take it so much for granted.
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A
Sure.
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C
Like, we've had all of the conversations, we've talked about, like, the sort of fan ideas and everything, but for somebody coming at it new, I think that's what's so exciting about this audiobook is that it is gonna reach loads of new listeners.
- [15:44]
A
That's me you're talking to. Me too. I mean, I was, again, just sort of like a casual, like. Yeah, I'm aware. I think I saw the first movie or two, but. But I was not deep into it. And this is like, really changed my entire relationship with the whole concept of Harry Potter. All right, so Harry's entire life changes on his 11th birthday. He goes from living in a tiny room. A cupboard, basically. A cupboard. Then to a room under the stairs. Yeah, yeah. With people who really don't like him to learning he has an inheritance and he has this incredible destiny ahead of him. Turns out he's famous in ways that he just had no idea. There's this burden of fate that lands on him and tests of character. What do you make of Harry's journey?
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C
Do you know what I find really interesting is to think about what kind of kid Harry might have been without all of the trauma, without this start in life. Because he's not really lacking in confidence even from the beginning. He's quite cheeky and he's very clever. And I don't think he would have reached Draco Malfoy heights of arrogance. Of course, I think he might have been a bit unbearable. Like rich and popular, good at Quidditch. He might have just mirrored his dad, who, I know you don't know this yet but in the later books we find out was a bit of a prat at school. But then he sort of grew up, matured, and I think Harry might have followed that trajectory. But then with all of this added, as you say, the burden, the fate, the destiny, the prophecy that we find out later on of what he's destined to do. He has to grow up so fast. Yes, he doesn't. He kind of has lost his childhood in those first 11 years because the Dursleys are so horrible to him. Don't let him have one. And then he loses his sort of second childhood because he is forced to confront this monstrous being who wants to kill him. And that is a huge thing to
- [17:43]
A
put on a child, this role that he didn't choose to be a hero, essentially. It's such classic kind of myth building in a beautiful way. I mean, there's a great tradition of heroes coming from a very broken background or often being orphaned. Luke Skywalker comes to mind and that's so true in this case, and you mentioned it at the beginning of what you were just saying. I really love that you pointed out how that childhood that he did have with the horrible Dursleys, how that may have shaped how he then handled all of these incredible obstacles and challenges that did come his way. And I like to think that that that childhood gave him a sense of humility and a sense of kind of like a very keen radar for right and wrong and justice. Right. The way he was so mistreated by the Dursleys, it's like he just was so keyed in on, this is not fair, I am not being treated well and this is not the right way to be. And so then when he's foisted into this universe where he is famous and has all of this expectation on him, he brings humility to it and he's truly uncomfortable with fame. But to your point, he has that sort of cheeky sensibility of always knowing, I'm better than my background, I'm better than my childhood, I'm better than what I came from. And when Hagrid gives him that sort of crash course on this is who you are and this is where you came from, it's validation. It's like, yes, that is who I am. I knew it. I knew there was something better, like
- [19:23]
C
being seen, I guess, after 11 years of just being ignored or a nuisance or.
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A
Exactly.
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C
And he kind of has this survival instinct as well. Like he is a survivor from, you know, being 1 years old and surviving Voldemort's attack. And every year with the Dursleys, he has to survive. He has to get through every year. Then at Hogwarts, he has to survive in a much more literal sense. So he is a survivor. I think the fact that he comes to terms with his own mortality so young, before kids are even thinking about that, before their kids, perhaps even their grandparents have passed away, so they've never had to face what death is. Harry in the Philosopher's Stone says, like, I'm ready to die. If that's what needs to happen to stop Voldemort, I'm ready to die. I mean, an 11 year old. So, yeah, he's a very inspiring character.
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A
Yeah, absolutely. I want to jump into one of the great sort of magical ideas of the story, the mirror of Erised, which shows the viewer, quote, nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.
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C
So did you know that Erised is desire backwards? Like, not.
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A
No, no, I didn't know that till you just said that.
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C
Yes.
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A
Amazing. Which. Cause it's a mirror, it's backwards. Oh, that's incred. Love it. So yeah, that's, you're, that's, that's the privilege of being a Harry Potter fan. You know these things.
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C
I'm also getting to tell first timers, which is also lovely.
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A
I do love it. So Harry sees his family in the mirror because of course that's his deepest desires, to know his parents. And Ron sees himself as, as basically the popular kid, which is his deepest desire. If you, Rihanna, stood before the mirror right now, what do you think? What deepest desire would be reflected back at you?
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C
Such a deep question.
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A
I know.
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C
I, I think it is love. I think ultimately it is just being loved and not alone and I think that is something that I hold very dear and always have and always will. I'm not sure by who it's not, you know.
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A
Are you sure it's not just to go hang out with the cast of Harry Potter?
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C
I mean I, I have done with the films through my job because I actually interviewed all of them quite a lot. But yeah, I would. Yeah. I mean, yes.
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A
Also your answer is. You're honestly, your answer was beautiful and we should stop there because it was. I don't mean to turn it into a joke. That was very thoughtful.
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C
No, it's fine.
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A
So the, the end of the year sees Gryffindor ultimately win the house cup. Of course, and this is largely thanks to Harry and Ron and Hermione and Neville Longbottom. Neville receives 10 points because, quote, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. What does this moment reveal about the core values of Gryffindor house?
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C
I've always found it H that Ron gets 50 points for basically playing a great game of chess and Neville gets 10 points for his courage. You know, so maybe they value chess, but I feel like Gryffindor clearly values growth. Cause Neville is like the epitome of potential, right? He sort of, he becomes the ultimate Gryffindor by the end of the saga. So I love that the Sorting Hat sees that potential in here, the bravery within him.
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A
Yeah, I totally agree. I think it speaks to the, I like that they can sort of remove context and just say, hey, this is courage. It's like this is courage. Whether even though you were obstructing what was ultimately a heroic journey for them, what you did took courage and that, that is growth and you will be rewarded for that. It's not context dependent. It's like you don't have to like absolutely be in sync with the people doing the Right thing. You just have do the right thing. So if you were given a chance to attend Hogwarts, which I know would be your greatest dream, get me excited. This is what would be in the mirror of Erised for you is like you in your Gryffindor. Yeah, all right.
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C
I actually do have Gryffindor robes by the way.
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A
Oh, I'm sure you do. But news flash, Rihanna, they're not real. Just so you know. Even your Hogwarts, they're real to me.
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C
And that's all that matters is all
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A
right, that is all the matter. If you were given a chance to attend Hogwarts, which core subject, Charms, transfiguration potions or Defense against the dark oughts would you be most interested in? And which do you think you would be best at?
- [24:22]
C
Ooh, I. I'm quite lazy so I think I would choose charms because I think it just makes your life easier. It's like learning all the little tricks that just make your life so much easier. Like, like I. I had like. I can't remember, I was ill or something. I just basically had a Harry Potter marathon where I was listening to your audiobooks. I had the, the films on and I genuinely tried to axio my remote control like to summon it towards me. Like I reached out my hand and then I was like, what am I doing?
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A
Like that's so funny or something.
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C
I was like, that really sums me up. It was like that was what I would use the most.
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A
Wow, that's a good answer. Yeah, you would. Basically you would use your entire Hogwarts education just to like summon the remote control. Oh my God, yes, I would. That's a good answer. I like, it's honest.
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C
What about you?
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A
Maybe transfiguration. I'm just obsessed with like the. How cool it would be to be a bird. I always. I'm a little bit of a bird nerd. I like bird watching. And I think they're so beautiful and cool and it just the idea of like soaring around and zooming between trees and they're so agile. Like when they can fly between branches and land on specific little twigs and branches. It's like they're so cool. And then of course that's just the little chickadees. But if then you're like a raptor. Yeah. Like a falcon or an eagle, then you're really soaring around. Now, now their lives are ultimately kind of violent. Like I don't want that part because they have to fight each other. They have to kill other things.
- [26:08]
C
But you'd be an Animagus, if that was you. So you would still be a human in that form. So you wouldn't have to partake in the hunting. You could just, you know, go and flit about and, I don't know, bathe on clifftops or whatever you want to do.
- [26:23]
A
Yes, yes, thank you. Yeah. So I think that would be not just birds. Like, I think it'd be cool to be a shark or something, too.
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C
You are choosing quite violent animals, I will say.
- [26:33]
A
Well, they're just cool. They do. Like, the sharks are really fast that. The violence that attracts me. It's just how, like, these are very strong and agile animals.
- [26:42]
C
A dolphin would be awesome.
- [26:44]
A
There you go. You know what? That's a better. That's better. Thank you.
- [26:47]
C
That's faster.
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A
Because not only that, but they surf. They love to play in the waves, which I like. So there you go.
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C
Oh, cute.
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A
All right. So the book centers around this powerful sorcerer's stone, or as you put it, the philosopher's stone.
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C
Yeah, come on. The Philosopher's stone.
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A
I mean, it depends. Depends on where you are geographically. This can turn any metal into gold and it grants eternal life. Why do you think the pursuit of immortality holds such a deep and powerful allure across history and fiction? And would you, Rihanna, want to live forever?
- [27:23]
C
I don't think anyone would want me to live forever, Least of all me. It's a deep question. It is all about power, isn't it? It's about not achieving what you think you want to achieve in your life and sort of wanting to continue that and just keep achieving. But that feels quite like a selfish motivation.
- [27:43]
A
I'll hold on. Oh, very much.
- [27:45]
C
I don't think I would want to live forever, like, getting older and older. So, like in the Fantastic Beasts films, which are obviously spinoffs of the Harry Potter franchise, we see Nicolas Flamel, we meet him, and he's really like. Like papery and fragile. And that's not really a life. Like, you'd want to be young and healthy and robust and still have, like, you know, all your facilities. So I sort of think, I don't know, stick with. I wouldn't mind going back to different ages that I've already had. Sure. With the knowledge that I have now. But I don't think I'd want to just keep living and living and living and living just for the sake of it. Because why, like, what am I gonna.
- [28:25]
A
Yeah, it's so interesting. Cause you went to the selfishness of wanting to live forever, which I think is a very insightful take on it. I also think there's another very primal emotion at play here, which is fear, because we're so afraid of death culturally, which I think is the wrong take, frankly. Like, there are cultures throughout history that have viewed death very differently. And I think we could learn a lot from that and have a much more philosophical view of death as a part of the life cycle and as part of our destiny. And if you can remove that fear of death and fear of disappearance, which is also a fear of irrelevancy in a way, because we all move into total irrelevancy over time after we die. I think that fear drives so much of the kind of intoxicating allure of eternal life.
- [29:23]
C
I think that's such a good point. And it's something like Dumbledore. There's a quote that Dumbledore says, which is death is but the next great adventure, and that is Dumbledore and Voldemort are on the opposite ends of that spectrum that you're talking about. One is afraid of death and one is quite happy to face it when it comes.
- [29:39]
A
Amen. Newsflash, the good guy is the one who has the right point of view on that shocker. All right, so we're gonna take take a quick break, but we'll be right back with more Earsay.
- [30:01]
D
Boring is out. Feed your mind with audiobooks, plus binge worthy podcasts on Audible. Explore what fascinates you. Saucy, romantasy, edgier seat adventure, eerie horror, and maybe comedy. Or the latest book to screen adaptation. Whatever it is, Audible has you covered. A great listen can spark your imagination, keep you in the know, start conversations, maybe even change your life. In one easy app, you'll find blockbuster bestsellers, the hottest new releases, and exclusive podcasts you won't find anywhere else. New to Audible. Start listening with a 30 day free trial. Whether you're commuting, cooking, or just escaping the noise of everyday life, Audible keeps you fascinated. So you can be just as fascinated. Dive into over 1 million audiobooks and podcasts and find you're fascinating. Interesting. Looks good on you. To start your free trial, head to audible.comearsay that's audible.comearsay
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A
we're back and we're going to do a few quick fire questions now in a segment we're calling Plot Twist. Are you ready? Ready.
- [31:10]
C
I'm ready.
- [31:11]
A
All right, we're talking Harry Potter. So I have to ask, what house would the Sorting Hat put you in?
- [31:18]
C
Don't hate me, but probably Slytherin.
- [31:20]
A
Ooh, no, I think it's Cool.
- [31:23]
C
Great.
- [31:23]
A
You're cunning.
- [31:24]
C
I am.
- [31:25]
A
That's. Oh, I love how you just own that.
- [31:29]
C
And I love snakes. I really love snakes. Oh, that's cool.
- [31:32]
A
All right.
- [31:32]
C
Yeah.
- [31:33]
A
Now, don't hate me, but I think I'm more of a Hufflepuff. Yeah.
- [31:37]
C
That doesn't. That is absolutely perfect for you.
- [31:39]
A
The nerdy, loyal, like, hardworking.
- [31:43]
C
The world would not go round if Hufflepuffs didn't exist.
- [31:46]
A
Thank you. And same with Slytherin. All right, let's keep moving. If you had the invisibility cloak, what's the first thing you would do with it?
- [31:54]
C
I think I'd probably go into the writer's room of the TV series of Harry Potter and just a. Like, find out everything they're gonna do. And also, like, whisper subliminal ideas into the ears of the writers.
- [32:04]
D
Oh, that's funny.
- [32:05]
C
And be like, I think you should cast this person. They'd be like, oh, who said. I've just had a great idea like that. I think just to manipulate this world a little bit more because I love it so much.
- [32:15]
A
I think I would, like, sneak into high levels of. Of political power, like. Like the White House or Parliament for you. Or, you know, like, I would not
- [32:25]
C
want to go to bloody Parliament.
- [32:27]
A
Yeah. But I'm, like, a history nerd, and I would just be so fascinated to hear, like, what's really going on.
- [32:35]
C
Also, just to listen. Not to, like, mess things up or, like, steal secrets.
- [32:39]
B
No.
- [32:40]
A
If I could rewrite a few things, like, like, sneak into the. And start retyping some of the documents just the way that I think they should be. Why not? All right, if you could choose one spell from this story to be able to use in your life, what would it be?
- [32:57]
C
I always find it really difficult to open doors. Like, I'm really bad with locks, so I feel like alohomora would be so useful for me. Also, just the use of gillyweed, which helps you breathe underwater, which isn't a spell, it's a herp. It's like a. But, yeah, those two breathing underwater would be.
- [33:14]
A
Yeah, that's mine for sure. I think that's because I love scuba diving, which is, like. It's fake breathing underwater, but if you can really breathe underwater, it gives you
- [33:23]
C
gills, like you would be able. And, like, webbed feet.
- [33:25]
A
You would love it. I would. Much of the tension in the book revolves around Harry's fear of Professor Snape, which turns out to be misplaced. Have you ever been in a situation where your strong first impression of a person turned out to be completely, spectacularly wrong.
- [33:41]
C
I'm usually a very good judge of character. Like, I judge people very quickly. And I'm usually right, not always. Like my best friend, when I first met her, I thought she was incredibly annoying. And she's now basically not my sister. Also, and I'm sorry for this, Kevin Bacon. I really sort of hated Kevin Bacon.
- [34:02]
A
That's so arbitrary. Why did you hate Kevin Bacon so much?
- [34:05]
C
It's like inexplicably, I don't know. I think just the roles he played. I don't know. I love him now. I absolutely love him. I was so wrong about Kevin Bacon.
- [34:13]
A
I sat next to him at an event not long ago, and I can tell you, he is an absolute delight. Not surprised, just a fantastic guy. I was very charmed and delighted by him.
- [34:24]
C
Good. Did he dance? I feel like Kevin Bacon dancing is just.
- [34:29]
A
That is. That is solid gold. I did not get to see him dance, unfortunately. All right, last question before we go. What are you listening to or reading right now? And what's next on your list?
- [34:41]
C
So much? Actually, I'm reading the new Philip Pullman, the Rose Field because I love Philip Pullman's work so much. Also Percy Jackson, because I'm interviewing Rick Riordan very soon. And I'm also about to start a book called Monsters what Do we do with Great Art by Bad People by Claire Dederer. Because as a critic and a commentator, I sort of have these conversations all the time about separating art from artist. And I thought, I'm just going to. I want to read something. Someone who has more intelligent comments to make about this than me. So that's next on my list.
- [35:17]
A
Very cool. Rhiannon Dillon, you interview people for a living and I have to say, you're also quite a delightful interview subject yourself. Thank you so much. Well done. I'm so grateful to have you on. It was really great to have you on Earsay, the iHeart Audible audiobook club. And thanks for being a member.
- [35:37]
C
Member.
- [35:37]
A
Cheers.
- [35:38]
C
Thank you for having me. It's been so joyful.
- [35:41]
A
You got it. Well, I hope you enjoyed that fascinating conversation about a much beloved story. And I have to say, this audiobook really breathes new life into it. You can find the brand new full cast audio edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on Audible.
- [36:04]
B
And for everyone listening, thank you for tuning in to this episode and this season of Irsay, the Audible and Iheart Audiobook Club.
- [36:15]
A
Hearsay. The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club is a production of iHeart's RWBY Studio.
- [36:21]
B
We are your hosts Ed Helms and Cal Penn. Our Executive producer is Matt Schultz with theme music and post production by Marcus for Ruby Studio.
- [36:30]
A
Our managing EP is Matt Romano, Our EP of post production is Matt Stillo and our Production coordinator is Abby Aguilar.
- [36:37]
B
And of course a big thank you to our friends at Audible. Don't forget you can listen to what we're listening to on the Audible app or@audible.com Sign up for a free 30 day Audible trial and your first audiobook is free. Visit audible.comearsay and thanks for for tuning in.
- [37:06]
D
Boring is out. Explore what fascinates you on Audible Saucy Romantasy Series Edge youe Seat Adventures, Eerie Horror Exclusive Comedy Podcasts. Or maybe you want to hear the book before it hits the screen. Whatever you're into, Audible has you covered. New to Audible Start listening with a 30 day free trial. Whether you're commuting, cooking, or just escaping the noise of everyday life, Audible keeps you fascinated so you can be just as fascinating. To start your free trial, head to audible.comearsay that's audible.comearsay this is an iHeart podcast.
- [37:41]
C
Guaranteed human.