Olbermann's ultimate Harry Potter spoiler

Okay, just to come clean, I've been sitting out most of the Pottermania of the last several years. It was a battle I lost a little bit at a time.

After the first couple of books attracted a lot of attention, I thought about reading them, but then the movies started coming out. Much easier, I thought, and it's not like I was specifically interested in soaking up Rowlings' prose stylings.

But then I didn't get around to seeing the first movie, and pretty soon they were getting released on DVD, so I figured I'd just watch them on DVD. Much easier, much more convenient, much cheaper.

But having the freedom to watch them whenever I wanted meant I never had to make myself watch them at all. Convenience is a killer sometimes.

So that's where things stood until last night. I had a dim idea of what the stories were all about, from the relentless hype, odd bits of entertainment news, and the occasional SNL parody.

But last night on Countdown, Keith Olbermann--after outing himself as a serious Potterphile--laid out his theory for what happens in the newest and final book. And he did so in sufficient detail and apparent analytic rigor that I'm convinced.

Watch it--if you dare!

Of course, now I'm not sure I'll ever need even to rent the DVDs. Ah well.

Maybe some day I'll be channel surfing and hear the answer, in the form of a question, on Jeopardy! before I can switch channels.