Potterless Podcast
Hosted by Harry Potter
A grown man reads the Harry Potter series for the first time, joined by die-hard fans to critique plot holes and celebrate the story.
This is a 'first-time reader's journey' through a cultural touchstone, framed as a comedic book club. Initially a chapter-by-chapter analysis, the show has evolved to focus on live recordings with creative, game-show-like formats such as character brackets, fanfiction readings, and crossovers with shows like 'The Bachelor'. While the original read-through is complete, the feed remains active with these live show recordings and tour vlogs.
“Unlike lore-heavy podcasts hosted by lifelong experts, Potterless's core appeal is the host's genuine ignorance, leading to hilariously wrong predictions and fresh critiques. Its current iteration as a live-show-focused podcast with inventive, game-like segments also sets it apart.”
Who hosts this show
Potterless follows host Mike Schubert, who began reading the Harry Potter series for the first time as a 24-year-old. He documents his journey chapter-by-chapter, inviting various fanatics and experts on to discuss plot holes, make predictions, and analyze the story with a fresh, comedic perspective. The podcast started in 2016 and concluded its regular weekly run in 2021, but continues to release new episodes from live shows and special events.
Credentials & credits
- Full-time podcaster and independent producer
- Studied Mechanical Engineering at Rice University
- Creator of multiple podcasts
- Voice actor in audio dramas
Other ventures
- The Newest Olympian (Percy Jackson podcast)
- HORSE (basketball podcast)
- Meddling Adults (charity game show podcast)
- Modern Muckraker (comedic investigative journalism podcast)
- The Last and the Curio (podcast)
- Professional Talkers (podcast)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Potterless July & August 2022 Tour Vlog (ver. 2.0)Jul 2, 2025 · 24 min
- 02Potterless June 2022 Live Shows Vlog (Midwest USA Tour)Jun 15, 2025 · 35 min
- 03
- 04Potterless April & May 2022 Tour VlogJun 5, 2025 · 28 min
- 05
- 06Ep 211 Wizard on! Bachelor Winter Games w Kelly Schubert Live in PDXMay 30, 2025 · 34 min
- 07Ep 210 The Top 10 Ludo Bagman Fanfictions w Kim Harris Live in Salt Lake City!May 30, 2025 · 1h 28m
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Ep. 213 - Durmstrang & the Other Wizarding Schools w/ Stanislav Yanevski AKA Viktor Krum!
A live episode featuring an interview with one of the actors from the Harry Potter films, delving into lore and behind-the-scenes stories.
- 02Ep 211 Wizard on! Bachelor Winter Games w Kelly Schubert Live in PDX
Exemplifies the show's current live format, blending Harry Potter characters with a parody of a popular reality TV show, 'The Bachelor'.
- 03Ep 208 What's the Funniest Moment in the Harry Potter Books w Johnny Frohlichstein Live in Stl
Showcases the bracket-style game format used in live shows to debate and rank moments from the series.
- 04Potterless June 2022 Live Shows Vlog (Midwest USA Tour)
A behind-the-scenes look at the host's life on tour, showing the logistics and personality of the live show circuit.
What you'll be asked on this show
In interviews, the host presents research from sources like fan wikis and then asks the guest for their personal perspective or insider knowledge. [_jI4jN4jdcI] He often gamifies the conversation, for example, by challenging himself to ask unique questions to avoid a penalty. The style is lighthearted and conversational, aiming to uncover behind-the-scenes details about process, production, and the guest's personal experiences. [_jI4jN4jdcI] He uses questions to verify cultural or linguistic details and to dig into the specifics of a performance or production. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
The host, Mike Schubert, has an energetic, self-deprecating, and comedic style. The show began as a structured, chapter-by-chapter read-through but now primarily consists of audio from live stage shows, which often have unique, self-contained formats. The host also produces behind-the-scenes tour vlogs for YouTube.
Questions Harry Potter keeps coming back to
8 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Harry Potter reaches for it.
personal
3- Q.01
“What are your general thoughts on [topic] and do you feel a kinship to it?”
He asks this to establish a guest's personal connection to a specific part of the lore. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
- Q.02
“How has your experience at [convention/event] been so far?”
This is a standard opening question to build rapport with a guest during a live recording. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
- Q.03
“How did you feel about [activity/meal]?”
In more informal vlog settings, he asks this to check in with his travel companions. [t0ErdxGNKDU]
craft
2- Q.01
“Does this name sound authentic to you as a native speaker?”
When a character's name has a specific cultural origin, he asks guests from that culture to verify its authenticity. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
- Q.02
“From your perspective, was [character A]'s favoritism obvious, or was [character B] just that good?”
He poses this to get an actor's dual perspective, both from within the character and as an observer on set. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
process
3- Q.01
“Did you film any scenes related to [event from the book]?”
This question is used to uncover details about deleted scenes or moments that didn't make the final film cut. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
- Q.02
“How much training did you need for [action sequence]?”
He asks this to understand the physical preparation and skills required for an actor's role. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
- Q.03
“What was the set for [specific scene] actually like?”
This question probes for more granular, behind-the-scenes details about set design and production. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
Signature segments
- · Wizard On!
- · Making stage entrances with a money gun
- · Live show game formats (e.g., brackets, 'Bachelor' parody)
- · Tour Vlogs with 'Hotel Tour' and 'Green Room Tour' segments
- · The 'Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean Challenge' interview format
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically Harry Potter fanatics, including other podcasters, comedians, and the host's family members (wife, sister, niece). Occasionally, actors from the Harry Potter films, such as Stanislav Ianevski (Viktor Krum), are featured. [_jI4jN4jdcI]
- Stanislav Ianevskion Ep. 213 - Durmstrang & the Other Wizarding Schools w/ Stanislav Yanevski AKA Viktor Krum!
- Meghan & Aurora Fruehaufon Ep 212 The Top 10 LEGO Harry Potter Characters w Meghan & Aurora Fruehauf Live in Dallas
- Kelly Schuberton Ep 211 Wizard on! Bachelor Winter Games w Kelly Schubert Live in PDX
- Kim Harrison Ep 210 The Top 10 Ludo Bagman Fanfictions w Kim Harris Live in Salt Lake City!
- Johnny Frohlichsteinon Ep 208 What's the Funniest Moment in the Harry Potter Books w Johnny Frohlichstein Live in Stl
- Eric Scullon Potterless June 2022 Live Shows Vlog (Midwest USA Tour)
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is supported directly by its audience through Patreon and merchandise sales. It also serves as a promotional platform for the host's other podcasts and live tour dates.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Harry Potter
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People also ask
- Who is the host of Potterless?
- The host is Mike Schubert, who was a first-time reader of the Harry Potter series when he started the podcast at age 24.
- Is the Potterless podcast still making new episodes?
- The original weekly, chapter-by-chapter format concluded in 2021. However, the podcast feed is still active, regularly posting audio from live shows and other special recordings.
- What is the format of the show now?
- Currently, most new episodes are recordings of live shows. These often feature game-show style formats, such as character brackets, top-ten lists, or parodies of reality TV shows.
- What is 'The Newest Olympian'?
- The Newest Olympian is Mike Schubert's follow-up podcast, which uses the same 'adult reads for the first time' concept for Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- Potterless is available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and episodes are also posted to YouTube.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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