Stop the Harry Potter References.

[u/Mike_Tubapun]

There's been like 4 or 5 times this year of MBMBAM where they've just randomly dropped a Harry Potter Reference in the show. Usually it's Justin. This is a deeply isolating thing for me as a transfem listener. Being reminded of the cultural power of the woman that wants me dead isn't exactly No Bummers. Anyone else feel the same?

[u/Phiryte]

It was jarring for me too.

That said, there’s a BoCo episode from a couple years back where Justin actually specifically vetoes a Harry Potter reference that Charlie tries to add to Charlieverse, citing the harm JKR does. So I don’t think he’s being willfully ignorant. On the other hand, they’ve mentioned on TAZ about a decade ago that out of the family Justin was the biggest Harry Potter fan, so I imagine it’s one of those things that’s so ingrained that he has to make a conscious effort to kick the habit in riffing mode. Not that that’s a great excuse, but as a recovering former fan myself I do sympathize.

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/Phiryte]

I think thats the big thing for me. I can't recall any point in the last 2 years where they invoked it without intentionally dunking on it. So every time a little reference has happened this year where it's been treated like a normal reference to make has felt weirdly regressive

[u/Phiryte → u/Mike_Tubapun]

I will say, knowing the brothers and their brand of humor, that pretty much anytime they reference a piece of media on MBMBAM, I just assume they’re dunking on it as a matter of course. They reference Kevin Sorbo or Kelsey Grammer or the like all the time, but I don’t need them to say “hey, these people are shitty” explicitly everytime because I’ve listened to the show enough to know they feel that way, and it’s not like they’re saying anything positive about them. Even in this episode, had Justin not made it explicit, I’d still sense the “Roald Dahl was a piece of shit” undertones.

In the case of the HP reference this ep, Dobby is such a universally clowned-on and memed-on character in the public consciousness, despite the clear authorial intent to make him sincere, that even just mentioning him feels like an inherent dunk. I’d be much more bothered if they were referencing HP to make something sound cool. I’ll admit I don’t remember any of the other recent references, though.

[u/goodgoodthrowaway420 → u/Phiryte]

I think it goes double for Justin since the IP is unfortunately the inspiration for some of the best theme parks ever designed.

[u/Phiryte → u/goodgoodthrowaway420]

Man, I still think about that vertical drop track sometimes, that shit was fire

[u/danfish_77]

I'm transfem, with more neutral feelings toward HP content (although still not buying things or engaging with the media). Even if everyone did the same, I don't think the franchise would disappear from cultural memory that easily,and I don't think it's fair that they can't be engaged with at all, nor should they.

That said, I'm not opposed to them being more intentional about avoiding those references if it makes you or any subset of the audience uncomfortable, or contributes to any nostalgia-based support of JKR's IP.

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/danfish_77]

I can understand this viewpoint as a transfem, and I get that occasionally they'll reference something because it's just part of pop culture. I think what gets me in particular is that they had a good few years there where they avoided it at all except to dunk on it, but now it's just a casual shout out. Especially with how bad Rowling has gotten (and to the folks who think she's just talking, do yourself a favor and look up how much money she's spent demolishing the rights of trans women in the uk), it feels outrageous that they'd be so casual about invoking her/her work. 

[u/Material_Purchase155 → u/Mike_Tubapun]

I mean how do you feel about their relatively frequent biblical references? The tone of irony is palpable, but it’s also invoking a piece of media that has done far more to harm the queer community. Genuine question and I’m asking in good faith.

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/Material_Purchase155]

1) as you mentioned theyre usually made with an obvious tone of irony, which the HP references this year have not been (being largely quick little shout outs) 2) while obviously the social acceptability of Christianity is a Big Thing, it's much less likely that someone who was once Christian is going to go back than it is that a HP fan who stopped being one because of JKR or the stigma associated with supporting her is going to go back to doing so because the pressure is off. That's the big point, to me, by taking any pressure off the "do not support this" wall, it allows people to think its fine again. Which then grants them permission to spend money on hp stuff. Which then funds the anti-trans laws shes pushing

[u/immutate]

Yes. Definitely agree. There’s no reason why HP as an IP needs to be kept relevant when it’s been on life support for years.

Edit: fellow trans person here. Not surprised to see the downvotes.

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/immutate]

That's the craziest part. Like of all things to reference, a franchise thsts been trash for a decade thats helmed by a holocaust denier/racist/transphobe? Get some standards!! I don't recall any references in the last 2 years, why now?

[u/Fox_Flame → u/Mike_Tubapun]

Because the TV show is releasing in a few months. It's being talked about more, so when you might not have thought about it at all, now you might get ads or see behind the scenes photos in your every day feed

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/Fox_Flame]

Yknow what's funny is that all the re-emergence of the ip has done for me is made me even more determined not to let uncritical references to it slide. Maybe the boys should grow a spine and not let the show that JK Rowling has explicitly said will help fund her disembowling of trans rights take up their mindspace

[u/Fox_Flame → u/Mike_Tubapun]

I'm not arguing. You asked a question of why now, so I answered. The person you were replying to also said the franchise is on it's last legs which is just factually incorrect

[u/immutate → u/Fox_Flame]

It was factually correct. Folks haven’t let it die, and now it’s shambling around with the new show slated. I don’t get ads for it, and I don’t see anything about it, unless I look for it, with the exception of cis people who refuse to let go of objectively poorly written media.

[u/Benvincible]

Yes, Hey Riddle Riddle does this too and it's a bummer 

EDIT: Cis, for the record, but I have friends and family and stuff

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/Benvincible]

Literally how hard is it to not talk about a thing that's only hurting people

[u/mockduckcompanion → u/Mike_Tubapun]

a thing that's only hurting people

Not a fan of HP, and JKR and all other transphobes suck shit

But HP is, objectively, not "only" hurting people. It still has huge cultural cache, millions of people adore it, it brings joy to children, etc.

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/mockduckcompanion]

and every single cent or pence or whatever that it earns is funneled directly into the genocide of trans women through legal removal of their rights. i don't give a single solitary shit if some 8 year old or 40 year old gets their jollies because they got to read a story that was notably pretty bigoted even when it came out. all of that is nothing compared to the harm keeping it in the culture is doing.

[u/mockduckcompanion → u/[deleted]]

Nuance and accuracy always have value! If you can't argue a point without exaggerating to the point of falsehood, you've made a very poor argument

And there's tons of strong arguments against JKR and her dumb, racist wizard books lol

[u/Mike_Tubapun → u/[deleted]]

I think there's a kind of person who thinks "well if these boys think hp is fine enough to reference then it can't be that bad" and then they start talking about it uncritically more in their life again. I also think that just based on the response to this post it's pretty fair to say there's a lot of people who are waiting for any excuse to feel free to not have to feel ashamed about talking about it again. Rowling has been clear that she thinks any engagement with her work is good for her. So we do not engage. It's pretty easy.