Pat Harkin - Pratchett Super Fan (Quack)

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Pat Harkin - Pratchett Super Fan (Quack)

Postby poohcarrot » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:17 pm

From today's Guardian. :D

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... -celebrity

The Terry Pratchett fan
'I hesitate to say we've become friends'
'My son said that when I die, all this is going on eBay.' "I am a hoarder, not a collector," says Dr Patrick Harkin, a tutor of medical students at Leeds University, without a trace of shame. The truth of this is on display around us. One could inventory the shelves and surfaces and cabinets that fill his house in Leeds and never quite be certain there was method in them.

Examples: a souvenir potato shrivelled with desiccating gel; a fibreglass facsimile of a medieval trunk; a box of fake teeth; a real and rather sharp scythe (with a blunt replacement "party blade", part of a Death costume, which had to be imported from America); a murky jar reputedly containing an onion grown and pickled by Sir Terry Pratchett; a photograph of Sir Terry, shirtless, signing books; a shell casing fired by Sir Terry; a knighthood certificate bestowed by Sir Terry; a convention lanyard worn by Sir Terry… Ah yes. A theme is beginning to emerge.

"He said that when I die, all this is going on eBay," Harkin says, indicating his 22-year-old son, Patrick Jnr, who is our lugubrious companion on the tour. "I had absolutely no chance being normal growing up," Junior shoots back. "I think I have been immunised, so I'm not – sorry Dad – as mental as you are."

His father thought the first Discworld book was "hilarious" when he borrowed it from a friend 25 years ago. Swiftly, he bought more. Queueing to have them signed by the author came next. And within two years, he was spending the weekend of his birthday at the second British Discworld convention, not having known about the first. "Then," he says, "it sort of grew."

What it grew into was a life inside one of the world's most active fan communities. Now Harkin visits multiple conventions, in many countries, several times a year, often acting as their compere and auctioneer. Like many other fans, he often appears as an extra when Pratchett's books are filmed. In between events, he and the others keep in touch on thronging online message boards. For a man of his stature, Pratchett is unusually approachable, too. So, having got to know him, Harkin has visited the author's home – and still occasionally receives phone calls to research, for instance, "how much force it would take to rip a man's head from his shoulders". "I hesitate to say we've become friends over the years," he cautions me. Yet it will clearly be a heavy blow when the great man does eventually succumb to Alzheimer's disease. Harkin expects to cope, he says wearily, "by a process of denial".
"Disliking Carrot would be like kicking a puppy."
"You kicked a puppy," Lobsang said accusingly.
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Postby Jan Van Quirm » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:25 pm

I had a very nice chat with him about gorillas in Rotterdam on Sunday morning before we went and worked on the script for Going Postal ~ Second Class Delivery :P

He's a v. nice chap and geeky as hell about Terry. :lol:
"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” George Bernard Shaw
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Postby poohcarrot » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:28 pm

"It's just a jump widdershins". :lol:
"Disliking Carrot would be like kicking a puppy."
"You kicked a puppy," Lobsang said accusingly.
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Postby The Mad Collector » Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:36 pm

I like Pat, actually it's difficult not to :wink:, I first met him years ago and he is unfailing polite and a joy to spend time in a bar with :)
One of those? Oh I'm sure I have one somewhere..

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Postby Tonyblack » Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:44 pm

Yeah, he's a real nice guy. :D
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Postby The Mad Collector » Sat Jun 25, 2011 3:10 pm

and oh yes QUACK ! :lol:
One of those? Oh I'm sure I have one somewhere..

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Postby spideyGirl » Sat Jun 25, 2011 3:47 pm

Is this the outcome of that post by a journalist no long back about fan...atics? :D
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Postby Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit » Sat Jun 25, 2011 4:04 pm

I just looked at the link and all I saw was that he is planning it out. Please, someone tell me that he is not going immediately.
Aha! So, Bob's yer uncle... very clever.
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Postby Tonyblack » Sat Jun 25, 2011 4:15 pm

spideyGirl wrote:Is this the outcome of that post by a journalist no long back about fan...atics? :D
Yes, that's the one. We all (I think) were suspicious and sent him/her to the CA board. :lol:
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Postby Jan Van Quirm » Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:19 pm

Tina a.k.a.SusanSto.Helit wrote:I just looked at the link and all I saw was that he is planning it out. Please, someone tell me that he is not going immediately.

Tina - did you think that refers to Terry when they quote Pat as saying "Yet it will clearly be a heavy blow when the great man does eventually succumb to Alzheimer's disease. Harkin expects to cope, he says wearily, "by a process of denial". ?" :shock:

Pat did talk a little about Terry's Alzheimers in Rotterdam and I think his remark in that interview refers to his own reaction to the illness, not that Terry's getting worse or preparing to arrange his demise. :( What he did say was that it's lucky that the illness isn't effecting his ability to write at present and is more a case of hand-eye co-ordination and practical abilities like tying a tie or unbuttoning shirts that cause the problems and that he has help with all that when he's away from home so for the time being isn't a huge problem. :)
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Postby The Mad Collector » Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:38 pm

Tonyblack wrote:
spideyGirl wrote:Is this the outcome of that post by a journalist no long back about fan...atics? :D
Yes, that's the one. We all (I think) were suspicious and sent him/her to the CA board. :lol:


I did contact the journalist but apparently I'm not mad enough :roll: :roll: mind you Pat is far far madder than me :lol:
One of those? Oh I'm sure I have one somewhere..

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Postby Tonyblack » Sat Jun 25, 2011 6:27 pm

The Mad Collector wrote:
Tonyblack wrote:
spideyGirl wrote:Is this the outcome of that post by a journalist no long back about fan...atics? :D
Yes, that's the one. We all (I think) were suspicious and sent him/her to the CA board. :lol:


I did contact the journalist but apparently I'm not mad enough :roll: :roll: mind you Pat is far far madder than me :lol:
Well you should change your username then. How about Not As Mad As Pat But Pretty Mad Mad Collector?

Or failing that - Chris? :lol:
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Postby Who's Wee Dug » Sat Jun 25, 2011 6:39 pm

What Chris,Oh! the mad one. who has a town named after him in Winconsin. Staying in the Madtown a bit longer? taken from the Discworld NADWCon newsletter. :lol:
He willnae tak' a drink! I think he's deid! , on the other hand though A Midgie in yir hand is worth twa up yir kilt.
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Postby spideyGirl » Sat Jun 25, 2011 6:58 pm

Tonyblack wrote:
The Mad Collector wrote:
Tonyblack wrote:
spideyGirl wrote:Is this the outcome of that post by a journalist no long back about fan...atics? :D
Yes, that's the one. We all (I think) were suspicious and sent him/her to the CA board. :lol:


I did contact the journalist but apparently I'm not mad enough :roll: :roll: mind you Pat is far far madder than me :lol:
Well you should change your username then. How about Not As Mad As Pat But Pretty Mad Mad Collector?

Or failing that - Chris? :lol:


:lol: :lol:
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Postby The Mad Collector » Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:45 pm

Tonyblack wrote:Well you should change your username then. How about Not As Mad As Pat But Pretty Mad Mad Collector?


I'd like to see them get that on my convention badge :lol:
One of those? Oh I'm sure I have one somewhere..

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