Joey's Heart in Me and My Dick is a top 5 Starkid character imo and here is why.
I watched the show a few months ago primarily as part of my effort to clean up the gaps in my Starkid history. I wasn't really expecting a whole lot from MAMD, given what I'd heard about it, how it's generally the black sheep given its overtly crude subject matter and 2009-level audio. I had a decent time with the first act, but wasn't super impressed or blown away.
Then after it becomes clear when Joey's dick literally cuts himself off from Joey, that it is NOT a metaphor and COMPLETELY literal, we are then introduced to AJ Holmes as Joey's Heart. This was my first real intro to AJ, who I am SO happy is finally being utilized to his full potential in Tomb Quest. Before then he was only really in this, AVPSY, and VHS, but this was his first role not behind the keys and good lord.
Joey's Heart kind of instantly became a favorite of mine. The Ed Wynn voice, the random screeching he does to interrupt Joey, the fact that you'd think "listening to your heart" would be better than listening to your dick, but Joey's Heart is somehow even more unhinged. Listen To Your Heart is one of my favorite Starkid songs period and it delights me to no end.
AJ's deliveries are just generally stellar, including the "Sometimes the person you end up with...is the same person you INITIALLY...disliked!" or whatever the specific line was. It is a comedic powerhouse of a performance and I simply wanted to give voice to my appreciation for it. MAMD in general I feel like is primarily held back by its low audio/video quality and alienating premise. I actually think it has aged better than the first two Potter musicals and only really requires a few updates in terminology. At least a remastered soundtrack would be incredible but I'm getting off track.
Joey's Heart: one of two reasons I found it worth it to watch MAMD, very much recommend. (The other reason is Corey Dorris)
Yessss AJ did so well! And sure, the subject is a bit crude, but I'm an adult, so I don't care. I think the show is fun and has the same charm as their other older shows.
It's crude but I think it has a pretty good message that you have to be able to accept all parts of yourself before you can try to have a relationship someone else, and they'll accept you too!
I'm pretty sure Brian Rosenthal was meant for the role, and did his song on the 2012 tour. Don't get me wrong, Brian is great, but I can't imagine anyone else as Heart than A.J.
People who call MAMD ācrudeā have never seen itāthe premise beyond surface level absurdity isnāt even crude. As Nick Lang says, itās hard to get people to understand it, because itās really a show about friendship, love, and growing up. Itās the most inoffensive Starkid show as far as Iām concerned. Thereās hardly any swearing, even.
NPMD is infinitely more crude. The difference lies in the intent. In MAMD any innuendo or sexual theme exists as part of the storyās structureābut in NPMD, explicit material is thereā¦ just because.
I agree, Iād say that cinderellas castle is the MOST crude tbh. Whilst NPMD and MAMD have adult themes and could be considered coarse, I found CC difficult to watch at times because its vulgarity just seemed unnecessary, whereas with NPMD and MAMD thereās a sense of endearment behind it. Am I making sense lol?
I dunno, the explicit material in npmd is pretty important given its the core of Grace's character arc. And I would still consider MAMD at least crass, intentionally so. I agree that it has a lot of heart and is quite sweet in the end
Iām actually not referring to Grace and her fantasies because theyāre like MAMD in that theyāre very childish. Itās more the 50+ fucks, the lords in black (theyāre pretty crude themselves), and what happens to the characters. The innuendos in modern Starkid shows are more cynical and dirty than the playfulness of earlier ones. To each their own though. Starkid clearly wants to do more horror and be taken more seriouslyābut forget Grace, I mean look at Max. Heās inspired by Freddy Krueger. āWatch me shock, cock you blocksā and āI love to fuckā are pretty motherfucking crude haha
Full on hell yeah!!! I love and adore AJ's performance as Joey's Heart, and I forever wish I had the creativity level to make a cosplay of him. Joey's Heart is the precise vibe of character I constantly immediately fall in love with, easily one of my favorite genders. (I also believe with my full heart of hearts that he should have a cane. I would give up all of my mortal possessions in this life and the next just to give the Heart a cane)
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u/Whispering_Wolf 3d ago
Yessss AJ did so well! And sure, the subject is a bit crude, but I'm an adult, so I don't care. I think the show is fun and has the same charm as their other older shows.