S&L Podcast – #72 – Interview with Kristian Nairn (Hodor!)

No book pick this week, but we do have a special interview with the man who plays Hodor in the HBO series Game of Thrones.  We’ll find out what he had to do to get the role and how he thinks Hodor thinks. Plus a look at the Hugos and a new book recommendation engine.

QUICK BURNS

Joe Abercrombie’s next book gets a title

Can 32,000 Data Points Yield The Perfect Book Recommendation?

New China Mieville book gets a title 

Hugo winners, 2011

CALENDAR

8/23/2011 – The Measure of the Magic: Legends of Shannara By Terry Brooks
8/23/2011 – The Power of Six (I Am Number Four) By Pittacus Lore
9/6/2011 – Legacy of Kings by C. S. Friedman
9/6/2011 – Tears of the Sun: A novel of change by S. M. Stirling

TV and Movies

For Croatian ASoIaF and GoT fans

3 new actors for GAME OF THRONES, plus Hellboy wants a part

INTERVIEW

Kristian Nairn plays Hodor on the HBO series Game of Thrones. He’s also a DJ and WoW player!

Did he ever just wish his character was mute so he could stop saying “Hodor!”? Also, did he answer a casting call? If so what was the character description? — Nick

Since this is his first major role, I’d like to know a bit about the casting process. How did he land role? What was the audition like? (a lot of Hodoring one would expect) —  Tero

I’d like to know how much say he had in his dialogue. No, seriously. There was a distinct lack of Hodoring in the show and I’d really like to know if he was involved in any discussions on how much Hodor is too much Hodor. I’m wondering whether they were toning it down to not grate on people, or if they just didn’t have time to explain his backstory and didn’t want people wondering about it until they’d had a chance to. — Been

As a fellow big guy (6’7″” and about 280) did he have problems walking around the castles? I almost knocked myself out walking through a castle in Wales wearing a baseball cap. I walked strait into a stone door frame I could not see b/c the hat bill blocked it. Can only imagine how tough that would be with someone riding piggy back. — Alden

Do you think that Hodor has intense internal thought but is unable to communicate it effectively? He can clearly understand what other people expect of him and can look after himself in other ways. — Michael

ADDENDUMS

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 75,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature, including fiction, non-fiction and periodicals.   For a free audiobook of your choice, go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

Tech News Today 311: Cut Me A Slice Of Cyberloaf

Microsoft steals WebOS developers, then sues Motorola Mobility. Ford and Toyota partner up, and more.

Guest: Becky Worley

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/tnt.

Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

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Running time: 

37:43

Tech News Today 310: All Clear For Sprint

Who’s buying HP? HTC ok with Motoroogle, Intel the new patron of the arts, and more.

Guest: Patrick Beja

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/tnt.

Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

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Running time: 

47:24

Tech News Today 309: HP’s Birthday Surprise

HP bails on the computer, IBM’s brain chip, Windows 8 secrets revealed, and more.

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/tnt.

Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

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Running time: 

41:16

Tech News Today 308: Apple Pokes Hard

Amazon conquers world, secret of fanbois unlocked, Google and Facebook spat gets vicious, and more.

Guest: Lance Ulanoff

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/tnt.

Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

Video URL: 
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Running time: 

41:05

Hodor!

Good news, everyone!

Kristian Nairn, who plays Hodor on the HBO series Game of Thrones, will be joining us on the podcast next week! If you have any questions for him, please let us know over on the Goodreads thread!

In the meantime, make sure to follow him on Twitter!