MuggleCast is an online podcast about the Harry Potter series. Started in 2005, the show has since spanned more than 200 episodes and is the most popular Harry Potter podcast online. The show has won numerous awards and is widely known in the podcasting community.
MuggleCast episodes are usually released every Sunday, with 3-5 hosts on each show. They talk about recent news and anything interesting going on lately. Each week, they have a main discussion where the talk about a certain topic, character or event. They're are also a variety of other segments, such as: Chapter By Chapter, Make The Music Connection, Voicemails, The Sorting Hat and more. The hosts also respond to feedback on the show.
Their website can be found here
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The hosts:
- Andrew Sims, the main host.
- Eric Scull, known for going into long spiels.
- Micah Tannenbaum, MuggleCast news anchorman.
Previous hosts:
- Kevin Steck, the Geek.
- Ben Schoen, one of the original hosts.
- Jamie Lawrence, resident Brit.
- Laura Thompson, known for being (for a long time) the only female host.
- Mikey B., a film major who was one of the more recent hosts.
- Matt Britton.
- Elysa Montfort, she and Laura have interchangable brains.
Guest hosts:
- Greg Porter of Xaler Studios.
- The PotterCast trio Melissa Anelli, John Noe and Sue Upton.
- Andy McCray of HP Fanzone.
- Jess, former MuggleNet staff member.
- Also, others.
Many of the hosts used to host another podcast called Smart Mouths, which is more "mature" than MuggleCast and they discuss a more widespread selection of topics, such as general news and politics.
While Andrew, Matt, and Elysa headed up Imprint, a podcast dedicated to the Twilight Series. The podcast tends to fall a bit on the Twihard side of the uberfan-uberhater spectrum, but still manages to sneak in a few moments of snark (the podcast even managed to score an interview with the rather publicity-shy Stephenie Meyers herself).
Andrew and Laura are now hosting another more "mature" show called #Millennial which started in 2015.
- Ambiguously Gay - Matt Britton defines this trope. Though, we're not sure how ambiguous it is anymore. He may have disolved into Camp Gay , which is still fine.
- April Fools' Day - In 2007, the hosts claimed to have received copies of the seventh book and revealed multiple "spoilers" on air.
- Brief Accent Imitation - Many co-hosts have imitated Jamie's British accent. He has also imitated their American accents.
- Brutal Honesty - Micah.
- But Wait, There's More!
- Buttmonkey - Andrew, when he's not there.
- Call on Me - "Mikey B! Mikey B! Mikey B!"
- Catchphrase - "Pickles!", also "It's tough being Ben Schoen" and "Yeah! Yeah! Alright!"
- Children Are Innocent - Ryan Sims, Andrew's brother.
- Christmas Episode - One every year. They also do New Year's episodes.
- Clark Kenting - Rubeus Hagrid and Albus Dumbledore.
- Fun with Acronyms SAVegasMONEY (Save Gas Money), an acronym for "Super Awesome Vegas Magical Outing (At) Night (With) Eric (And) You!".
- Innocent InnuendoLaura: You say, "Oh I don't mind" and then it EXPLODES.Eric: And it's wet and sticky and all over your face.
- Intentionally Awkward Title - "Laura's Pants"
- Kent Brockman News - Micah's news segment.
- Last-Second Word Swap - "Bitch" -> "Witch"
- Live Episode - Many.
- Episode 16: Right after the Goblet of Fire primere, with guest hosts Emerson Spartz (MuggleNet webmast) and PotterCast trio Melissa, John and Sue.
- Episode 49: Right On Time: A live show done over UStream.
- Episode 81: Live In England: A test show held by Jamie and Andrew.
- Episode 86: Cover Call-Ins: A live call-in show where they discuss the covers.
- Episode 89: In the Middle of the Night: A live call-in show where the discuss the fifth movie.
- Episdoe 98-99: These were both live shows from the Enlightening 2007 convention.
- Episdoe 100: The Big One: A live show in England just before the Deathly Hallows release, with special guest hosts.
- Episode 101: Streaming Spoilers: Done right after they read the book, this show was the hosts' initial thoughts on the final installment of Harry Potter.
- Episodes 102-106: These were live shows held in various book stores throughout the US.
- Episodes 108-113: These episodes were split parts of the 12 hour live show they did over UStream.
- Episode 119: Quack: Another UStream episode.
- Episode 136: Happily Split: Yet again done over UStream, they discussed the movie 7 split announcement for two hours.
- Naïve Newcomer - Matt.Name outtrosMatt: And I'm Matt Briton, I guess?
- Once an Episode - Recently, Micah's made a reference to goats almost every episode.
- Sound-Effect Bleep - Parodied on Episode 134: What The Bleep?
- Stage Names - After J.K. Rowling mentioned a wizard radio host named Toots in passing on her website, Andrew tried to get his fellow hosts to call him by that name. See Who's Laughing Now? below.
- Special Guest - Rubeus Hagrid. But really, Jim Dale, Mary Grand Pre and Patrick Doyle.
- Trademark Favorite Food - Lucky Charms for Jamie and Subway for Ben.
- Vaudeville Hook - The cowbell serves basically this purpose. If an, "I'm serious!" "No, you're not, if you were you'd be dead," joke goes on too long, it's drowned out with the cowbell.
- Who's Laughing Now? Episode #80: Toots:Laura: How about from now on we just randomly call you every - like we call you a name of a random radio personality. Like right now, I'll go ahead and call you Rush Limbaugh. How do you like that?[Everyone laughs]Eric: I'll call him Howard.Jamie: See, Andrew? You see how these ideas can backfire on you so quickly when you don't think them through?
- In #234, the live show after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released, the commentators and Evanna Lynch play Dueling Club. As a joke, Andrew says his team's choice is Gandalf before quickly retracting it as a joke. Eric forces Andrew's team to defend him anyway. They lose.
