Joel seems the most normal to me. Aside from his strong interest in politics which I suppose might be a bit unusual for somebody so young, he seems very normal apart from that. (I'm Irish and have no interest or knowledge about his politics really).
Nick is slightly less normal if he comes from a very wealthy family and was expelled from both private and public schools. No mention of him ever having had a job either as he seemingly walked out of mcdonalds after 30 minutes. By no means crazily weird but less normal than a lot of people.
Joel seems like a parent's dream child, very cute, respectable demeanour, intelligent and able to argue his case but at the same time open-minded to other peoples views (both Visage and posters here who met him in auditions described his as openminded or interested in their story or views - I read it in his fan thread), hardworking and ambitious, president of his student union a real "go getter" essentially and just a generally nice chap.
Nick seems the complete opposite on paper at least. Expelled from 2 schools, never held down a job as saw himself as "better" than McDonalds and walked out in 30 mins. On paper he would seem like somebody I would dislike as I would see him as a useless lazy snob who thought he was too good to work but I must say his vt really interested me.
When he started describing himself as "loathsome" I thought it was an interesting choice of word. Usually as part of their VT 'acts' housemates say ****e such as "oh I'm a mega bitch" or "I'm a ladies man" or "I'll be your worst nightmare" and it's usually just all talk.
When Nick said that he really had no friends and that he was under no illusion that his friends were real, that he knew they were just using him because of his wealth/status that really peaked my interest, then describing himself as loathsome I felt that more than being just an act he might really believes he's a terrible person in some way that nobody come possibly
really like. Then when Emma was beside him he was just a giant bag of nerves and you could see all that "bad schoolboy" persona just gone completely. His hands and voice were shaking.
On entering the house, there's a bit where Jack asks him "what do you do?", Nick does an incredibly awkward laugh says "erm I do nothing" before very swiftly turning the same question to Jack. I imagine him as somebody who underneath the bravado possibly feels like a complete failure at life so far and who has very low confidence in himself now because of mistakes he made in school.
So yes, on the surface I find Joel a bit more 'normal' really.
Joel and Nick are complete polar opposites but both were my launch night favourites.
(Jack is pretty normal too except that he seems a bit immature for someone in their early twenties and comes across much younger.)
Aaron,
Normal Nick?
mg:
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