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Harry Potter has been parodied hundreds of times throughout pop culture since the first book was released in 1997. Fans of the Wizarding World have their favorite parodies and jokes about the books and films, but what about Daniel Radcliffe? As the leading man in the Harry Potter movies, does he have a favorite spoof, joke, or skit? It turns out the actor enjoys many Harry Potter parodies, but he has a clear favorite and it comes from the adult cartoon South Park. 

'Harry Potter' star Daniel Radcliffe, who's favorite joke about the films comes from 'South Park'
Daniel Radcliffe at the ‘Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 1’ premiere in 2010 | Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Daniel Radcliffe enjoys the ‘Harry Potter’ jokes in ‘Potter Puppet Pals’ 

In a Reddit AMA from 2014, one fan asked Radcliffe about the many Harry Potter spoofs and parodies like “Potter Puppet Pals” and “Dear Reader Wizard People,” wondering which were his favorites. Radcliffe couldn’t choose just one. 

“The ‘Potter Puppet Pals’ were always, I thought, very, very funny,” the actor admitted. The videos feature puppet versions of the Harry Potter characters recreating iconic moments from the series in an over-the-top, exaggerated manner. 

The Potter Puppet Pals during the 10th Annual Yule Ball at the Middle East
Potter Puppet Pals | Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Radcliffe continued: “It is hard to make really good Harry Potter jokes, though, because a lot of them have been done, but I thought ‘Puppet Pals’ were very funny.” 

‘South Park’ delivered Daniel Radcliffe’s favorite ‘Harry Potter’ joke 

Radcliffe’s favorite Harry Potter joke comes from South Park. He cited the episode “The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring” from season 6 of the adult cartoon comedy in his Reddit response.

In the episode, Cartman, Kyle, and company walk the streets dressed in Lord of the Rings garb. They pass another group of kids dressed as Harry Potter characters who are roleplaying. “I shall put a magic spell on you!” the one dressed like Snape says. “I have blocked your spell, wizard!” When asked what they’re doing, they exclaim: “We’re playing Harry Potter!” 

Cartman, dressed as the Grand Wizard King, erupts in laughter. Then, he delivers what Radcliffe admitted was not a politically correct joke, calling them “f***.” 

“It’s not a very PC joke, but it really made me laugh,” Radcliffe said at the time. South Park co-creator Matt Stone also loves this line from the episode. “I love when Cartman calls the kids playing Harry Potter’ f***’,” he said (via South Park Wiki). “Like THAT’S stupid, but Lord of the Rings is cool.”

Bill Hader’s Snape from ‘Saturday Night Live’ is another favorite for Daniel Radcliffe

Saturday Night Live produced another one of Radcliffe’s favorite Harry Potter parodies. “The best ‘Alan Rickman as Snape’ impression was 100% Bill Hader when I did Saturday Night Live,” Radcliffe added in his Reddit response. 

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In the 2013 skit, Radcliffe reprises his role as “the boy who lived. However, he’s now more so “the boy who never left Hogwarts School.” He welcomes a new group of students to the castle and is greeted by several old classmates and teachers who have moved on with their lives. 

Ron (Taran Killam) and Hermione (Noël Wells) are now teachers at the school so “it’s not weird” for them to linger in the halls. Hagrid (Bobby Moynihan) also appears to have moved on, unlike the parody version of Potter. He’s now married to Luna Lovegood (Vanessa Bayer). 

Professor Snape (Hader) also appears in the skit as a painting visiting Potter from beyond the grave. “Harry you turned out magnificently,” Hader says in his best Alan Rickman voice. “Definitely worth sacrificing my life.” 

What’s your favorite Harry Potter parody? Stream all of the Harry Potter films on HBO Max.

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