In the UK people of a certain age remember Joey being an insult.
This is because Blue Peter, a popular kids show, had a segment on a heavily disabled man called Joey Deacon. Between him and his friends at the care home, they had written a small book, at a few words a day. This, they thought, would endear the disabled to the nation’s children, who would see that just because somebody cannot speak or move, they could still achieve something.
The next day, every playground was awash with kids calling each other Joey and grunting at each other.