The Rest of the Foursome

JLynne
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PJ, Chris, Dean, and Bertie is a fabulous combination - that show is going to be hilarious. PJ's filmmaking sensibilities and aesthetic matched with Chris's comedic genius is a combination that speaks to me. I reallllly hope he considers filming the show if he's not going to take it to the states.
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flarequake
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fancybum
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So PJ said on his patreon (I'm not a patron of his, I just saw some screenshots) that the idea for this video was to basically just film a dream that he'd had, without changing too much about it. The dream in his words:
"Chris comes in asks for coffee then PJ is some kind of genie and Chris wishes for cake then to be a cake then the video changes and PJ is eating Chris"
-
The writing process was pretty simple. I wrote it pretty much exactly how I dreamt it. I think the only thing I really changed was the idea that when Chris first walks in, he was eating cake, and talking about cake. I really liked the idea that Chris' character was entirely focused on cake, everything he said or did revolved around cake.
So first of all. Dreams. Everything/everybody in your dream is yourself, obviously, since it's happening in your own mind with your own thoughts. So in his dream, Chris (but really PJ, since this is PJ's dream) first expresses a normal, boring desire (coffee), but when given endless possibilities to choose from (by a "magical, mythical being"), he asks.. for cake. Cake is as easily attainable as coffee, something he could just get himself if he wanted to, so why does he only feel free to ask for it, to admit that he wants it, at a time when he could ask for literally anything he could possibly imagine? Why cake? And then, when he has it, it's not enough to just eat it- he needs to become it. An entire cake for himself to eat isn't enough, he wants to be cake, and - as could only logically follow - be consumed as cake.

Let's switch from the bare-bones dream to the realized video: unlike the original dream, Chris doesn't come in asking for coffee (the thing that he didn't truly want anyway); he comes in already eating cake. I take this to mean that PJ sees Chris as somebody comfortable with cake, with eating it and talking about it in front of others. Chris doesn't need permission like PJ does. He comes into the scene to expressly tell PJ that he (he being PJ, as they're at his house) has no cake left (..maybe the cake was only there because Chris was there?).

So here we are again: Chris (but really PJ) is offered anything and everything, and he chooses cake, and then to be cake. But in the video, when given what he clearly so desperately wants ("fucking do it"), he is terrified. Him and Chris (but really just PJ) become terrified by the unknown, and they panic. PJ is cake (like he wants) but is too afraid to allow himself to be consumed (like he.. wants?) and instead of dealing with that, examining it, accepting or rejecting it, anything, he has to give himself a hard out. Rather than come to any conclusion about what it might mean for PJ to be cake, the video goes meta and rejects the entire premise of itself.

Cut to: now it's a challenge video in front of a live audience to eat as much cake as he can in 2 minutes. To gorge on cake and maybe be gorged on as cake (is the cake still Chris/himself? according to bare-bones version of the dream: it is) while people watch and laugh. PJ is only there to entertain- being the cake/eating the cake is done as a performative action only, and under (self-imposed!) duress, what with the sobbing and all. He had to reject the premise of the dream, the premise that he could have and do what he wants (I Am Become (And Eat) Cake), for this. His desires don't matter to the audience, and while they're watching (as long as they're watching, he can only perform), his desires don't matter to him either. He's just there to do a challenge, so whether the challenge (or some form of it) is something he would want and choose to do is irrelevant, because there are no stakes in simply performing. Cake doesn't mean anything, it's just a prop for a video, just entertainment for others to consume. Is that why he's sobbing?(And him wearing a sweater with the words Happy Alone on it as he breaks down is honestly just the cherry on top of the whole thing).

The conclusion seems to be that PJ is too afraid to allow himself to truly experience (and maybe enjoy) both being eaten and eating the cake at once. He can only allow himself to do it artificially in front of an unsympathetic audience- his deepest desire (CAKE) whittled down to a 2min challenge done for the benefit of an audience, not for himself. And because he can't get past the fear of actually having what it is that he wants, of giving himself permission to have it, he'll just go back to having coffee instead, and denying his desire for cake while watching Chris chow down. Anyway, dark video, I liked it. :lol:
No idea what cake represents. A Mystery. :sparkle:
I don't know what happened there, the word 'cake' has lost all meaning. Anyway. I'm so happy Chris is part of PJ's show! wow actually being excited for a tour and the instagram stories that will (hopefully!) accompany it, what a weird feeling. If Chris doesn't post anything (because. it's Chris.), I hope PJ/Dean/Bertie get plenty of pics and videos to make up for his enduring absence online. He'll just disappear again come October, but it's fine.
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smartcookie
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Ngl, Chris is one of my top three both youtubers and actors, all categories. So naturally, I’m over the moon given the slightest sign of life from him. As for the video.

Loved the premise and “meaning”. Just the kind of dark twisted content veiled as something sweet. Nothing but sugary sweet connotations to neither, cake nor genies with wishes. You are set up for something pleasant, maybe weird but ultimately pleasant. Which is why when Chris is turned into a cake you, or at least I, I'm generalising, goes, ’Hmm, that's odd, where is this going?’. You are still not really set on it going dark; so when then Chris asks pj to change the ”preview” (I think he says, at least) of the video you fully expect Chris to become normal again. Which wow, guess what? He doesn't. Because the next scene is Pj doing ”the cake challenge”, which is where I start having questions. Or rather one very important. Did Chris get out of the cake? The cake is silent which would imply just that; but as a cake Chris is clearly fearing his own life, even expressing how he can't feel his legs nor breathe. Nor are we ever in the video again shown forage of Chris, or hearing his voice for that matter. Which leads me to the conclusion that Pj is eating the tasty new carcass of his friend. All for a video. He is clearly displaying both discomfort and distress. But all the while just gorging away at the cake in front of a live audience. The implications of the cake’s true nature and the way he's eating it gives me chills. Actually, the way they both eat it gives me chills. Such uncontrollable animalistic hunger, and in Pj’s case also distress. It makes me never want to eat cake again.
I don't really know how to put it eloquently, but I feel like in a way the ending isn't really sending the same message as the previous parts. It almost feels as though the ending is a commentary on Internet culture today, just how willing people are to do about anything to please and gain clicks/views; even eat their friend. He doesn't want to but yet he puts on this overtly happy façade and just gorges away, all the while on the verge of tears, it seems. It is really twisted and the deeper you think about it ~almost~ edging on psychological horror and/or social commentary. Just so so so my cup of tea.

Then to the part I didn't like. The execution. First and foremost Chris but to some degree Pj, too. It feels as though they are told to play themselves but ends up feeling like they are simply acting out a caricature of themselves. Chris is so over the top Chris, and Pj the same, it feels as though they are live acting, trying to convey their character even to the people on the very back row. To the front row I.e. The camera it comes of as annoying and too much. A bit like how aeroplane food is extra seasoned in order to taste something at all when flying. But we're eating it on the ground. Perhaps it is supposed to be like that and adds a part to the story. Or perhaps they are really trying to act themselves and failing. Though that doesn't really make sense to me considering they done it before numerous times with excellent results. So I feel like it is perhaps more so the former.

That's just my hot take on it, but +1 to what fancybum said. And +1 to Pj for excellently painted nails.
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fancybum
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smartcookie wrote: Sun Sep 02, 2018 8:05 am I don't really know how to put it eloquently, but I feel like in a way the ending isn't really sending the same message as the previous parts. It almost feels as though the ending is a commentary on Internet culture today, just how willing people are to do about anything to please and gain clicks/views; even eat their friend. He doesn't want to but yet he puts on this overtly happy façade and just gorges away, all the while on the verge of tears, it seems. It is really twisted and the deeper you think about it ~almost~ edging on psychological horror and/or social commentary. Just so so so my cup of tea.
:thanks:
I would love if he used Chris in another Halloween video this year and dialed up the horror a bit while dialing down the ~zany. Just a bit. I know ~zany is his brand or whatever, but I think going a bit darker would be more interesting, and clearly he has it in him.
smartcookie wrote: Sun Sep 02, 2018 8:05 am Then to the part I didn't like. The execution. First and foremost Chris but to some degree Pj, too. It feels as though they are told to play themselves but ends up feeling like they are simply acting out a caricature of themselves. Chris is so over the top Chris, and Pj the same, it feels as though they are live acting, trying to convey their character even to the people on the very back row. To the front row I.e. The camera it comes of as annoying and too much. A bit like how aeroplane food is extra seasoned in order to taste something at all when flying. But we're eating it on the ground. Perhaps it is supposed to be like that and adds a part to the story. Or perhaps they are really trying to act themselves and failing. Though that doesn't really make sense to me considering they done it before numerous times with excellent results. So I feel like it is perhaps more so the former.
The acting is very sitcom-y, but I think it ends up being pretty fitting once the laugh track comes in at the end. I think it just adds to the wtf of it all :lol:

You guys, the last time Chris and PJ did an extended project together, Chris did daily-ish vlogs, which were really flipping great, annnd the upcoming tour will last for about 2 weeks, so.... Okay, no, expectations already too high. But a few months ago he said he did plan on posting to crabstickz again (in fact he said "series of videos" but that was probably too ambitious), while "moving away from the more social aspects of the internet", and he's.. certainly committed to at least one of those things. Maybe being around people who are still creating and putting stuff out might reinvigorate(..?) him? Creatively? If he needs or wants that?

I hope PJ considers filming the show so us plebs can see it at some point too (though when I say "it", I really just mean Chris. PJ: film lots of Chris. Thank you.)
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fancybum
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AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES
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rizzo
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fancybum wrote: Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:49 am AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES
oh my god, they were ROOMMATES.

no, but actually if we don't get vlog footage out of this, i will RAGE.
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fancybum
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Fuck how did I miss this yesterday???
Maybe next time we'll see more than a third of his face but it's HAPPENING :happytears: :happytears:
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alittledizzy
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I've never been happier to see a third of someone's face before.
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fancybum
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First show is done!

Okay, at the very least (still hoping for more, but this is the absolute least) I hope PJ is filming some bts stuff of the whole thing, rehearsals/road trip/whatever, that he'll post once it's over. All we've got so far is like glimpses of Chris in the other guys instagrams- lol I think he's only actually spoken once in PJ's. But I want to hear him babbling his nonsense at length :(
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alittledizzy
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Wow it's like you summoned him to instagram? Focus your powers in harder on a video of some kind next. (Insta story is fine, I'm not picky.)

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fancybum
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alittledizzy wrote: Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:55 am Wow it's like you summoned him to instagram? Focus your powers in harder on a video of some kind next. (Insta story is fine, I'm not picky.)
Ok I focused my powers pretty hard and he posted another pic:

Appreciating all the face but yes, a video would be preferable. I’ll try upping my carb intake, for science, and see if that helps.
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lefthandedism
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fancybum wrote: Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:35 pm Appreciating all the face but yes, a video would be preferable. I’ll try upping my carb intake, for science, and see if that helps.
Because carb is an anagram of crab? :cakescene:
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"Why am I left-handed?"
"Everybody makes mistakes."
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fancybum
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lefthandedism wrote: Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:56 pm
fancybum wrote: Sun Sep 16, 2018 2:35 pm Appreciating all the face but yes, a video would be preferable. I’ll try upping my carb intake, for science, and see if that helps.
Because carb is an anagram of crab? :cakescene:
Well as the old saying goes: carb powers lead to crab powers 🦀

#pastaforcrabstickz
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fancybum
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:lol: I love Dean's updates
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Lilla
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I love Dean's updates
I actually don't follow any of the others (Not sure why) only Dean, but I'm very much enjoying all he posts about this. It seems like a great show and he's pretty active on Twitter about this.
I hope all of them are having an awesome time
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kavat
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Lots of great content of Chris and PJ being goofy in a field today over on PJ's insta <3

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flarequake
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#pastaforcrabstickz :rofl: funnily enough I’m having pasta for dinner tonight. Glad to help the cause.

I’m going to their London show which I guess is at the end cos it’s not until 5th October. I’ll see if I can report back on the show. I follow Chris, but hadn’t seen any of these new photos pop up, good to see them, he looks cute as usual.
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fancybum
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PJ basically gave us little ditl's of the aforementioned field silliness and then mini golfing yesterday :love2:
flarequake wrote: Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:43 pm #pastaforcrabstickz :rofl: funnily enough I’m having pasta for dinner tonight. Glad to help the cause.

I’m going to their London show which I guess is at the end cos it’s not until 5th October. I’ll see if I can report back on the show. I follow Chris, but hadn’t seen any of these new photos pop up, good to see them, he looks cute as usual.
Pleeease report back so I can live vicariously through you. Are you m&g-ing too?
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flarequake
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Sadly not doing a meetup as I’d met them all before, except Chris who I didn’t know was involved when I booked. How do you have equal thighs to say to 4 different people? Gah. I’d love to meet Chris one day, though.
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Dean (and Sophie I think) posted on insta a video of Chris juggling oranges. (I had to put it on YouTube as I didn't know how else to upload it)

Sorry Phil, I think Chris might have you slightly beaten in the juggling department. (Also, sorry that it's a link, I don't know how to add a video.)
Last edited by lefthandedism on Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: fixed youtube embed
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amberblogslife
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I'm at the Manchester show right now (in the queue) and will report back tonight :)
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amberblogslife
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Hiya!

So, I went to Space trip in Manchester (I'm actually from Belgium so I traveled a lot to get there!) and I can only say that it was so worth it!

It's very PJ-esque, of course, and the show in itself is constantly breaking the fourth wall, referencing the budget and telling people to "use their imagination" as scenes switch. The jokes range from things like "so with the brexit, how NEW are we talking?" (as an answer to PJ being new on planet Kazaam) to jokes about poo.
There is some audience participation, you may be handed something or they might gesture at you or mention your sweater and at one point we were very subtly (lol, not at all) asked to put up our phone torches, but that's it!

I'll put some details I remembered under a little spoiler tag for y'all:
So the show's main premise is PJ crash landing on planet Kazaam (which, as has been mentioned about a trillion times, references an obscure 90s movie) with only a very annoying computer to help him, and proceeding to meet many characters while he tries to get back to earth.

A few characters:
Bogg: a monster living in a swamp that's only a day old but has a weird fascination with the word daddy. Doesn't like to be called Dobby, played by Dean.
Grimm Bogg: a monster living in the swamp, but a grimm one, who tries to boil PJ alive after rescuing him from drowning. Lives with a 47 year old onion. Played by Chris, I believe.
Penumbra: The evil monster at the centre of the issue, who does loads of things which I'll put under another spoiler:
switches bodies with PJ, turns out to be a human with an unfortunate poo incident in his past
, played by Chris
Gloom: a monster that can't handle light, played by Bertie! Also has stockings for arms.
Lux: a beautiful, sad christmas tree like monster with the power of light and dance. He travels trhough time and space with PJ by dancing. Played by Bertie.
Anime guy from Yuri on Ice: I really tried, but I just remember he was played by Dean and had an obsession with crisps. Also, protector of a battery.

I believe that's about it?
Here are some memorable moments for me personally:
Dean rolling his eyes at being called Dobby.
PJ making Bertie improv a sentence using the word "latex"
Bertie and Dean constantly breaking character and laughing because they are just having so much fun
*BETRAYAL* being portrayed with interpretative dancing
Sophie running across stage as a meteor
Chris getting the most applause out of everyone bcs GOD DAMNIT WE MISS HIM
*use your imagination* whenever they had to change scenes
Having everyone talk to me after the show because I did wait backstage.

They were lovely, I have pictures with all of them and they were all so impressed with the fact that I actually flew in to see them. Definitely recommend going!

P.S.: a little dnp related thing here under another tag because it's not that positive:
A girl had dnp as her background on her phone, which Chris noticed, and he rolled his eyes and told her (and all of us) that "it's time for a new background". Yikes, v awkward, as half of us were wearing dnp merch as well as space trip merch. The girl felt like she needed to apologise but I was of the opinion that she can watch whoever she wants, even if there may be some history there.
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fancybum
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Yay thanks for the write up! Sounds like a good time :thanks:
amberblogslife wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:56 am Sophie running across stage as a meteor
Chris getting the most applause out of everyone bcs GOD DAMNIT WE MISS HIM
aw x2 <3
amberblogslife wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:56 am P.S.: a little dnp related thing here under another tag because it's not that positive:
A girl had dnp as her background on her phone, which Chris noticed, and he rolled his eyes and told her (and all of us) that "it's time for a new background". Yikes, v awkward, as half of us were wearing dnp merch as well as space trip merch. The girl felt like she needed to apologise but I was of the opinion that she can watch whoever she wants, even if there may be some history there.
lmao. I have to take that with a huge grain of salt, I'm thinking some humour didn't come across properly.
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fancybum
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PJ rebranding as a crabstickz fan account with constant updates is really the only thing getting me through the day lately. it's. too. adorable.

Really showing off his expert ball handling skills.

And it's nice he got to spend his birthday with friends; if PJ and Sophie could just adopt him forever, that'd be great. Seriously though, I wonder if he quit his job for this, or if he's just taking a leave of absence or something. What's he doing after Space Trip, just going back to real life? (I mean, if that's what he wants to do, then cool.. :napsta: )
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