Ahoyt
| “ | I invented Ahoyt. So essentially I wear a captain's hat, I go to Hoyt-Schermerhorn station, and I say Ahoyt. So essentially, captains say "Ahoy", but I'm wearing a captain's hat at Hoyt-Schermerhorn station. | ” |
| — Josh's explanation behind Ahoyt, 2024[1] | ||
"Ahoyt" is a term coined by Joshua Block. The word is a blend of "Hoyt," referring to the Hoyt–Schermerhorn Street subway station in New York City, and "Ahoy," a nautical greeting in reference to Josh being known as the "Captain".
Background
Joshua's obsession with Hoyt-Schermerhorn likely has to do with him creating a video in reference to Michael Jackson's "Bad" music video, which was filmed at the station. In the video, Josh donned a black wig and leather jacket, and filmed himself dancing around the station, lip syncing the song.[2]
TikTok
Josh regularly posts videos captioned "Ahoyt", always starting with a view of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn subway platform, switching to a selfie view of himself inside the station. Then, having moved outside, Josh flips the camera to show him walking down Hoyt Street or the otherwise surrounding area of the station.
Josh regularly posts selfies of him at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn St. subway station, captioned "Ahoyt". The community has used these photos as an aid to compare Josh's constantly deteriorating state at different points in time. This has been ongoing since 2021.[3]
Ahoyts by Year
Below is a year by year progression of the "Ahoyt" photos, with descriptions detailing the physical changes and deteriorations.
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Circa 2021. One of Josh's first Ahoyts. As you can see, he looks happy, healthy and carefree, probably because this was taken during the Coffee and Boba Era before the alcoholism began. -
Circa 2023. In this photo, major changes are noticeable. Josh has lost the ability to smile properly, and the life has faded from his eyes. His skin has changed colour and his face is slanted to the side. He is also wearing his trademark Captains Hat. -
Circa 2022. In this Ahoyt, taken a year later, you can see that Josh is unshaven and has aged a bit, although he still looks relatively healthy and happy. -
Circa 2024. This Ahoyt was taken only a year later, but the changes to Josh are severe. His smile is tortured and bent, and his cheeks are swollen. He has begun to go cross eyed, and his ears are at half-mast. Any life in his eyes has vanished. -
Circa 2025. In this Ahoyt, Josh's ears are still at half-mast, and his skin is paler. His eyes have become more beady, and his nose has turned red and grown, resulting in a bird-like appearance.
Tattoo
Josh got an "Ahoyt" tattoo in October 2024.[4]