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CNN Live Event/Special
London Fans Snap up Harry Potter Books
Aired June 20, 2003 - 19:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: In London tonight, it's now just a minute after zero hour. Zero hour being the moment of the release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
And fans of the series have started scooping up the first of millions of copies ordered in the first printing.
Now, the book itself weighs in at a hefty 2.8 pounds with 896 pages.
CNN's Richard Quest has been stalking the Piccadilly Circus bookstore, looking for his own copy. Richard, the book's been on sale, I think, for about 10 minutes. How is it? Do you have one?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence, over the large square houses on Privet Drive."
That is what is on page one. I'm not telling you what's on page 896. Mainly because I haven't got that far and I'm certainly not telling you who may be the character that does not survive to make Harry Potter book number six.
This is the book! "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
Do you mind, sir? And these are some of the readers who are going to be getting it. It's lovely, isn't it?
And your name is?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allister (ph).
QUEST: Hello, Natalie and Allister (ph). Well, you've got your copies of the book. When are you going to start reading it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tonight. Tonight.
QUEST: And how long is it going to take you to read it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five days.
QUEST: You think you'll going to read that in five days?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
QUEST: Why do you want to read it so badly? Why is it so good?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because all of the others have been good.
QUEST: You think that one's going to be good, as well?
All right. Off you go, start reading. You've got five days. Go on. Don't let me stop you.
So there you are. Anderson, the book has been published. Everybody -- are you happy to have your copy of the book now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
QUEST: How are you? How long is it going to take you to read it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About a month.
QUEST: You better get...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A week! A week!
QUEST: A week?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
QUEST: It's 896 pages long.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it? Still a week.
QUEST: That's what you call a cry of enthusiasm over that. And we've got lots of people here who are all looking -- These are the first books because what has happened, Anderson, is that
midnight London time has been the launch for the whole world. So in Australia, in South Africa, in New Zealand where it's already well into Saturday, the book has only just gone on sale. I'm afraid your viewers across the United States, you've got a few more hours to wait.
Richard Quest, CNN, reporting live with "Harry and the Order the Phoenix."
COOPER: Richard, first of all, I think you're scaring the children.
And number two, I want to know how many kids you had to push out of the way to get your hot little hands on that first copy.
But my real question to you, I know this is a huge story in England right now, the release of this book, but it's also Prince William's 21st birthday. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of attention on that. What's he going to be doing to celebrate?
QUEST: All right. So Prince William. The heir to the throne turns 21, and in celebration of that there will be a party, a party at Windsor Castle for Prince William. It's a private party, well as much as a party for 300 people is. We won't get any shots of them actually at the castle. What is interesting is, though, earlier today we did get some pictures of Prince William playing polo along with his brother, Prince Harry, nothing to do with this Harry.
Prince Harry, who actually incidentally was photographed in the papers absolutely rolling drunk pouring out of a nightclub about 3:30 in the morning.
Also we will be hearing, of course, from Prince Charles.
So that's what's happening with Prince William, the heir to the throne.
For Harry Potter, perhaps whose kingdom is even larger, as you can see. Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore, lots of people here all anxious to get their hands on the book.
COOPER: Richard Quest. You've done a marvelous job. Go read the book and give us a full book report by, say, 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. Thanks very much.
We're going to have more on Prince William in the next hour and Richard will update us on Potter's progress, as well. That should be quite entertaining. See how many kids he scares this time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 20, 2003 - 19:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: In London tonight, it's now just a minute after zero hour. Zero hour being the moment of the release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
And fans of the series have started scooping up the first of millions of copies ordered in the first printing.
Now, the book itself weighs in at a hefty 2.8 pounds with 896 pages.
CNN's Richard Quest has been stalking the Piccadilly Circus bookstore, looking for his own copy. Richard, the book's been on sale, I think, for about 10 minutes. How is it? Do you have one?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence, over the large square houses on Privet Drive."
That is what is on page one. I'm not telling you what's on page 896. Mainly because I haven't got that far and I'm certainly not telling you who may be the character that does not survive to make Harry Potter book number six.
This is the book! "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
Do you mind, sir? And these are some of the readers who are going to be getting it. It's lovely, isn't it?
And your name is?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Allister (ph).
QUEST: Hello, Natalie and Allister (ph). Well, you've got your copies of the book. When are you going to start reading it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tonight. Tonight.
QUEST: And how long is it going to take you to read it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five days.
QUEST: You think you'll going to read that in five days?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
QUEST: Why do you want to read it so badly? Why is it so good?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because all of the others have been good.
QUEST: You think that one's going to be good, as well?
All right. Off you go, start reading. You've got five days. Go on. Don't let me stop you.
So there you are. Anderson, the book has been published. Everybody -- are you happy to have your copy of the book now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
QUEST: How are you? How long is it going to take you to read it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About a month.
QUEST: You better get...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A week! A week!
QUEST: A week?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
QUEST: It's 896 pages long.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it? Still a week.
QUEST: That's what you call a cry of enthusiasm over that. And we've got lots of people here who are all looking -- These are the first books because what has happened, Anderson, is that
midnight London time has been the launch for the whole world. So in Australia, in South Africa, in New Zealand where it's already well into Saturday, the book has only just gone on sale. I'm afraid your viewers across the United States, you've got a few more hours to wait.
Richard Quest, CNN, reporting live with "Harry and the Order the Phoenix."
COOPER: Richard, first of all, I think you're scaring the children.
And number two, I want to know how many kids you had to push out of the way to get your hot little hands on that first copy.
But my real question to you, I know this is a huge story in England right now, the release of this book, but it's also Prince William's 21st birthday. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of attention on that. What's he going to be doing to celebrate?
QUEST: All right. So Prince William. The heir to the throne turns 21, and in celebration of that there will be a party, a party at Windsor Castle for Prince William. It's a private party, well as much as a party for 300 people is. We won't get any shots of them actually at the castle. What is interesting is, though, earlier today we did get some pictures of Prince William playing polo along with his brother, Prince Harry, nothing to do with this Harry.
Prince Harry, who actually incidentally was photographed in the papers absolutely rolling drunk pouring out of a nightclub about 3:30 in the morning.
Also we will be hearing, of course, from Prince Charles.
So that's what's happening with Prince William, the heir to the throne.
For Harry Potter, perhaps whose kingdom is even larger, as you can see. Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore, lots of people here all anxious to get their hands on the book.
COOPER: Richard Quest. You've done a marvelous job. Go read the book and give us a full book report by, say, 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. Thanks very much.
We're going to have more on Prince William in the next hour and Richard will update us on Potter's progress, as well. That should be quite entertaining. See how many kids he scares this time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
