Beetlejuice "B.J." Jrammah (he/him) is a character played by Jules (they/them) in
Big Trouble in Little City. He is a
Harengon College of Eloquence
Bard with the
Urchin background.
Description
B.J. is a harengon of medium build and lithe frame. He moves with an uncanny mixture of grace and grit. His signature look is a shirt and tie underneath a black leather jacket with black slacks and the occasional pair of shades. He has light brown -verging on blonde - fur and a well-kept mess of brown hair in between his large ears. His eyebrows are pierced.
B.J. is a mischievous prankster who uses his agility, charm and creativity to pull off some of the rarest and most irksome practical jokes in the history of Kauvet, or so he likes to think. Many consider his activities and existence criminal due to his background and antics. But under the surface, there is no malice to this bunny buddy. He enjoys honest work, making friends, and feeling like he belongs. He doesn't like to see a task unfinished, and he works hard to perfect his performances.
Backstory
With no connection to his parents, whoever they were, B.J. grew up in the streets of
Little City. He was fortunate enough to be able to attend school, which was unfortunate for many others as that is where he honed his skills as a prankster. After a while, few in the town would associate with him. It's said a council member once personally chased him through the streets. No one, least of all B.J. himself, thought he had any kind of a future until one day when a mysterious traveler came to town and exposed B.J. to the art of performance. B.J quickly excelled at music, learning to play trumpet, trombone, and percussion with ease. But more than that, B.J. discovered a talent and passion for dance. This freedom of expression through movement and music opened up new possibilities for B.J. as he ingratiated himself to the townsfolk at large and became somewhat of a local celebrity. While he's still a menacing prankster, the traveler's teachings gave B.J. the means to open up to others in a way that allowed them to see the kind heart and good nature that lived under the surface.
Trivia
Jules has made a hero forge of B.J., seen here.
B.J. is based on the character Tommy Djilas as he is portrayed by Timmy Everett in the 1962 film version of The Music Man by Meredith Willson
B.J's full name is Beetlejuice Jrammah which is meant to poke fun at the situation that occurred when news broke that the popular Beetlejuice musical would be closed and evicted from the Winter Garden Theatre in NYC in order to make room for a 2020 Broadway revival of The Music Man
Aside from references to The Music Man and Beetlejuice, there are other musicals to which this character pays homage. The umbrella and pose in his hero forge are a nod to Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain, his signature leather jacket is a nod to Grease, and two of the magic items he carries - the wand of smiles and the medal of the meat pie - are nods to Annie and Sweeney Todd respectively.
Other inspirations for this character include B.J. Hunnicutt (M*A*S*H), Fonzie (Happy Days) and Sera (Dragon Age: Inquisition).
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