[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hey_joel.jpg]]

''Hey Joel'' was an animated sitcom that aired on Creator/VH1 in 2003. The plot revolved around Joel Stein, a talk show host who was only interested in talking about himself. Supporting characters included his producer Michele and production assistant, Kevin. Celebrities often appear in the show, and often play important roles in the plots, but never actually have their voice provided by the actual person. That includes Stein himself, a real-life music columnist for ''The Los Angeles Times'' and ''Time'' magazine and a talking head on [=VH1=]'s ILoveTheExties series of shows. While he created the show, Stein's character is instead voiced by Creator/JonCryer.
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!!Tropes found in this show:

* AllAnimeIsNaughtyTentacles: In one episode [=VH1=] wants to run an English dubbed anime series. The series stars a pink seal who looks like a giant penis, constantly surrounded by violence and naked school girls.
%%* AttentionWhore: Joel.
%%* AttractiveBentGender: Joel, according to Bill Wyman.
%%* AuthorAppeal: Classic rock stars.
* BadBoss: Z, who oversees Joel's show and Hugo, head of [=VH1=].
%%* BoyBand
%%%* BlackBossLady: Z
%%* BlackBeadEyes: Every character except Michele, Leif and a few celebrities.
* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Kevin: Blonde, Joel: Brunette, Michele: Redhead.
%%* BitchInSheepsClothing: Sandra.
%%* BerserkButton:
%%** Don't try to change Joel's show.
%%** For Z and Hugo, making the network look bad. Whatever they decide the definition of "bad" is.
* BitingTheHandHumor: [=VH1=] is ''constantly'' mocked and lampooned as a low-rated channel overshadowed by MTV.
%%* ButtMonkey: Lenny Kravitz.
%%* CostumeTestMontage: In the first episode.
%%* ComicTrio: Joel, Kevin and Michele.
%%* CensorSteam
%%* DeadpanSnarker: Michele
%%* CovertPervert: Lenny Kravitz.
%%* TheDitz: Joel.
%%* DirtyOldMan: Bill Wyman.
%%* DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale
%%* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: Not exactly rape, but I get the feeling they wouldn't have a joke about a FEMALE character who's too nice to say no (ever) being taken advantage of sexualy by young MALE co-workers.
%%* DumbAndDrummer: What Michele thinks of Charlie Watts.
%%* ExtremeDoormat: Kevin.
%%* ExecutiveMeddling: Happens in universe fairly often.
* FreudianTrio: Joel: Id, Michele: Ego, Kevin: Superego.
** This trope is really only present in moralistic episodes, like "Joel Sells Out" and "Hockey".
%%* FriendlessBackground: Joel.
* FunctionalAddict: Michele, who is on meth of all things.
* FullNameBasis: Most of the celebrity characters such as Music/LennyKravitz, Debbie Gibson and Bill Wyman.
* GroinAttack
-->Joel: "How's your crotch, that I made sore?...With my violence ballet I mean."
%%* GirlOfTheWeek: Debbie Gibson and Sandra.
%%* HeavySleeper: Michele.
* KindheartedCatLover: Ryan Adams, who goes on Joel's show to talk about his new album "Whispers of Wiskers".
%%* LadyDrunk
%%* LoserProtagonist
* MotorMouth: Leif, even if you can understand him it doesn't make much sense anyways.
%%* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Michele to Joel and Kevin.
* NotAMorningPerson: Michele, , who was moved from the morning block because she never showed up before the show ended.
%%* NiceGuy: Kevin.
%%* {{Narcissist}}: Joel, Leif and Michele, to a lesser extent.
* NerdGlasses: Michele says Joel's old glasses were geek glasses.
%%* {{Otaku}}: Kevin
* OneThingLedToAnother: How Michele tells the story of her one night stance with Leif.
%%* PluckyOfficeGirl: J-Lo's niece.
%%* PrisonRape:
%%* ProfessionalButtKisser: There's a song about it in one episode.
* ProfessionalsDoItOnDesks: In "Business Affair" Kevin admits he had sex with sevral interns on Joel's desk. Not that he wanted to though, he was just too polite to say "no".
* PopStarComposer: The band Music/FountainsOfWayne wrote and performed the theme song, as well as two original songs each episode.
%%* ReallyGetsAround: Michele.
* RecurringExtra: Wendy.
** Also the blonde in the tube top appears on posters and magazine covers, talk shows, crowds of celebrities, porno movies, and as the stripper who steals Leif's wallet.
%%* RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear
%%* SmallNameBigEgo: Joel.
* SensitivityTraining: Joel and the rest of the people working at [=VH1=] are forced to undergo this because, as Z puts it, [[HypocriticalHumor if they don't stop with all of the sexually-suggestive talk, "we'll be screwed."]]
* StealingFromTheTill: Michele steals some money from a donation envelope and is caught by Kevin. Later he tries to return the money from her purse to the envelope but is caught by Hugo, who yells at him for not stealing more money from her.
* SleepsWithEveryoneButYou:
-->Michele: "Oh god, why do I always sleep with my friends?"
-->Joel:"Maybe you just want to take your friendship to the next level."
-->Michele:"Some friendships are already at the perfect level."
%%* ShowWithinAShow: "3 Minutes With Joel".
%%* SplitScreenPhoneCall: In episode 2.
* TheTease: Michele sometimes uses Joel's crush on her to manipulate him. A perfect example would be when she wanted to prove she could book a Rolling Stone, she told Joel the breasts he'd grown as a side effect from a bulk up powder, were sexy, because Bill Wyman would do the show if he thought Joel was a young girl.
%%* ThoseTwoGuys: The mail room guys.
* VanityIsFeminine: Joel. He has a pink hand mirror and is once described by Debbie Gibson as "someone who seems gay, but isn't."
* MyEyesAreUpHere: A bulk up powder causes Joel to grow a pair of breasts in one episode. During his show Bill Wyman won't stop staring at his chest, prompting him to say this. Theres also a song about it earlier in the episode.
-->When none of the guys/Will look you in the eyes/thats when you realize/Your chest has grown in size
-->When all your friends suggest/A wet T-shirt contest/It's not that hard to guess/They just wanna see your breasts
-->When you become the dude/Who's mammaries protrude/Men can be so rude/Cause they're all picturing you nude
-->They'll never let you be/Once you're a double D/What's a busty lad supposed to do?
%%* WorkCom
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