Cover of “Autopsy (of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob)” The Xavierite
On Feb. 11, 2025, Avan Jogia released his second poetry book, “Autopsy (of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob).” The work provides new insight into the fame he gained as just a teenager, demonstrating the complexity of his emotions and the dangers of the industry.
In the book’s first poem, Jogia notes the disorientation he experienced from “too much vanity, fame, love, lust, anger, sadness, shame, rage, fear, and booze.”
Some of these ideas might be commonly shared by the everyday individual, but Jogia’s fame led him to feel the emotions in unique ways.
It all began in 2010. Jogia was casted to play “Beck Oliver” on the Nickelodeon sitcom “Victorious,” which would be his ultimate breakthrough.
The show attracted a primary audience of children and teenagers, directed by none other than Dan Schnieder.
Schnieder was behind many hit Nickelodeon shows at the time, including, but not limited to, “iCarly” and “Drake and Josh.”
Yet there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Schnieder’s behavior around the actors, some being underage, and what really happened on set.
Starring in “Victorious” led Jogia down a scary road. According to Glamour, “He posted a TikTok in which he wrote that he had no memory of the series thanks to alcohol.” This unfortunately rings true for several of his co-stars, many who were not of legal drinking age at the time of production.
While Jogia has spoken out on a few occasions about events like this on set, his experiences only shed light on some issues. The young actors were not only victims to LA partying, but allegedly found themselves submerging to sexual acts for their bosses.
“Autopsy (of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob)” does not call out “Victorious,” by name, but the ways in which “The Show” impacted his life are laced through various poems throughout the 225 pages. We get a glimpse into a young child’s dream: starring in a famous show, living in California, living the “perfect” life.
But we also get a glimpse of the sexualization of the young actor, the outwardly glamorous lifestyle, the sprouting of self-confusion, and so much more.
Jogia’s words are meant to be his own autopsy in a way – the back cover explains it as a “self-dissection.” He not only dives deeper into the emotions and objects expressed in the beginning, but considers it a collection of pieces that can bring him and his fans closer together.
Going into reading the book, I was pretty excited. Being a fan of “Victorious” growing up, I was interested to learn more about Jogia’s life and learn more about him.
With the excitement came some doubts. When celebrity figures turn to writing and publishing, the product is not always the best quality. They can face some harsh criticism in being compared to those who have adopted writing as their main art form.
I looked at Goodreads reviews to see what other people were saying. The book currently only has an average of a little over 3.5 stars, with many readers considering it “mid” and commenting on the themes Jogia covers.
It can come off a little strange at first hearing a celebrity talk about the negative side of the experience. Yet I do see this work as more of an honest and raw reflection than Jogia complaining about his expensive lifestyle.
I have been a fan of poetry for a long time, writing some myself and reading every piece I can find in my free time. Poetry is something I feel everyone can find a voice within; it can also bring people worlds apart together.
That is what Jogia has done; he is bringing his fans and readers a little closer to his world and the way he views it.
It is also worth noting that the format of the poetry captures Jogia’s unique voice and experiences. He uses free-verse storytelling and incorporates specific details to embellish what he is explaining.
Contrary to a lot of poetry I have read in the past, this was not as relatable. I do not think it was meant to be, as most of us have not experienced the fame Jogia details.
Another thing to note before reading is that this book is not meant to call out Jogia’s experience working with Schnieder. It is not meant to capture the controversy that surrounds his shows in the way that other actors have done with their own released works (such as Jennette McCurdy’s “I’m Glad My Mom Died”).
The “Autopsy” is instead intended to provide insight into a life readers have only heard of. We see so many glances into the luxury in the media, yet we are unaware of the hidden issues beneath it.
If you are typically a fan of poetry, this book might not be your cup of tea.
However, it is one I would recommend to anyone who wants something to think deeply about. Something with meaning. Something that provides us insight into the unknown.
After all, that is what poetry is all about.