When Professor John Kessel posted on Facebook about his refusal to see The Hobbit, his comments unintentionally started a philanthropic movement. 

The Hobbit, directed by Peter Jackson and based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkein, is the first installment of a fantasy adventure trilogy. It has already grossed over $800 million since its Dec. 14 release, and serves as a prequel to the critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings films, also directed by Jackson and based on works by Tolkein. 

“Nobody could pay me enough to go see The Hobbit. But nobody is going to pay me,” Kessel, a Creative Writing professor at N.C. State, said on his Facebook.

Sam Montgomery-Blinn, the Editor of Durham-based magazine, Bull Spec, found out about Kessel’s post, and decided to use the publication’s readership to start a lighthearted fundraising opportunity. Montgomery-Blinn set up online donations on the magazine’s website to see if enough people could pay for Kessel to see The Hobbit. Kessel agreed to participate when he learned all funds would be donated to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Emergency Medical Fund. The fundraiser was a success. 

“We are truly living in a science fiction world,” Kessel said. “In just one day we acquired about $300. This is an artifact of the Internet age that all of this was possible from a Facebook post.” 

On Bull Spec magazine’s website, Montgomery-Blinn posted the “menu” of seven activities for Professor Kessel to complete. At $750 in donations, Kessel would eat The Hobbit ring burger at Denny’s. The burger “has more calories than any human being needs to consume,” according to Kessel. At $1500, he would watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy and lastly, at their total goal of $2500, Professor Kessel would dress as Galadriel, the elf queen, while watching the film. 

“I figured what the heck,” Kessel said. “If you’re going to do it, you might as well do it.”

When the $2500 goal was reached, Professor Kessel set out with his friends to find the perfect Galadriel costume. Kessel tried on several gowns until his friends convinced him to purchase a not-so-modest, white, women’s gown.

Prior to seeing the film, Kessel performed 30 seconds of the “Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” in the lobby of the theater, dressed as Galadriel. Kessel, who stands at 6 feed and 5 inches, said he got a lot of stares throughout his experience as the elf queen, but enjoyed himself.

Kessel has read The Hobbit and has used it in previous classes, but has “mixed feelings” about Tolkien. He has also taught the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and has similar feelings towards the films.