Comments on: Entertainment Weekly Wouldn’t Know Cool If It Bit Them In The Ass

By: Furious

Furious — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:24:55 +0000

I can see how the violent nature of some of these characters could turn someone off. Or James Bond’s womanizing or Robin Hood’s tights. But I just can’t do it Terri! My conscience won’t allow me to say that Harry Potter is cool!

I do appreciate your attempts to convince me. Obviously, you’re pretty passionate about HP.

By: Terri

Terri — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:34:39 +0000

I suppose it’s one’s definition of cool, as you’ve said. Han Solo was a mercenary so the gunfighting was already right up his alley. He just happened to fall in love with a princess who was fighting with the underground forces. James Bond was cool, but again he was specially trained to kill. It was his job. (As a female here, I’m going to state I disliked some of his ways with women -don’t laugh!). It wasn’t always cool nor the fact that he killed so much. Indiana Jones was after treasure. Harry isn’t after money or attention. All these guys are also older whereas Harry was just so young. He could have walked away or just said no, but in the end, he offers himself up again and again. That is cool.

By: Furious

Furious — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:48:19 +0000

There’s no shortage of people who think highly of Harry Potter, and despite all the obstacles in his life he turned out a well-adjusted, honorable person. But cool? Really?

By: Terri

Terri — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:10:39 +0000

People feared and were in awe of Harry more than he was ever teased. He had pretty much a non-fun life (abused growing up in his aunt and uncle’s house) and was attacked frequently in his school years by deadly, and older forces. While he had some help and was lucky, he invariably had to get through the big battles by himself (i was going to say final battles but there’s more than that in each book). Throughout it all and by the end, he remains a decent and sane human being. In my book, he should have been number 1.

By: Furious

Furious — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:25:25 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Terri.

I’ll concede that Harry Potter fits the definition of cool as in something that is popular, but popularity wasn’t what EW was going for, or they wouldn’t have included the likes of Sydney Bristow.

Personally, I’d think someone acting like Harry Potter would be teased way more than any other character on the list. I just don’t think Harry Potter is cool the same way James Dean was. But heck, my sister would probably say I’m about as far away from cool as you can get, so everybody sees cool a little different.

By: Terri

Terri — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:43:05 +0000

You obviously haven’t read the Harry Potter books. It was predicted before his birth that the one person who could defeat the most evil wizard living at the time would be born soon and Harry was one of 2 babies born that fit the criteria. His family was targeted and his parents died trying to protect him. He was a “chosen one” and THAT is cool. Being able to do magic and fly? Very cool. Considering how many people want to be him or joining that world (and we’re talking people running into walls at that railway station lol) , I think he fits the criteria!