“Pod Meets World” Tackles the Difficult Topic of Brian Peck and Child Abuse

In the latest “Pod Meets World” episode, things took a serious turn from their usual “Boy Meets World” recaps.

Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Friedle sat down with family therapist Kati Morton to address the unsettling topic of Brian Peck, a guest actor from the show’s fifth season.

The podcast’s description hinted at a deep dive into the troubling issues of grooming and the lasting impact of childhood sexual abuse.

Fishel kicked off the discussion by emphasizing their commitment to honesty, even when the topics get tough. She touched on recent inquiries Friedle and Strong received for comments on Peck, likely tied to his involvement in the “Quiet on Set” docuseries, which investigates historical allegations of abuse on Nickelodeon sets.

Rather than issuing a joint statement, the co-hosts chose to share their experiences in-depth on the podcast. They felt it was important, especially since they would soon be discussing Season 5 episodes in which Peck appeared.

Brian Peck’s disturbing past came to light in 2004 when he was convicted of sexually abusing a Nickelodeon child actor, resulting in a 16-month prison sentence for eight counts of sexual abuse.

Friedle recounted how he and Peck had grown close during their time on “Boy Meets World.” Despite not being one for parties, Friedle brought Peck to other shows he worked on after their stint together.

He described Peck as a seemingly great guy who was easy to befriend, sharing everyday interactions with him.

“The person he presented was this great, funny guy who was really good at his job, and you wanted to hang out with … I saw him every day, hung out with him every day, talked to him every day.”

Strong also hung out with Peck, despite the considerable age gap. The hosts discussed how he, unlike other stand-ins, didn’t observe the usual boundaries and was often included in social activities with the cast, thanks to his charm and industry connections.

“All the years of having stand-ins, no one ever, do I remember, regularly went to lunch with the cast members,” Fishel said. “But this person did and part of that’s because, when they arrived on set, they were extremely charming. They were very personable. They had a lot of jokes.”

Fishel also pointed out that Brian Peck’s sexuality wasn’t an issue for the young actors, but it may have influenced the adults on set to overlook certain inappropriate behaviors, fearing accusations of homophobia rather than enforcing adult-child boundaries.

Fishel shared that while she had lunch with Peck a few times, it was never at his initiative. She said,

“He didn’t really make an effort to get to know me. He didn’t ingratiate himself as much into my life. I never heard from him again after the show ended.”

When the allegations against the “Boy Meets World” guest star surfaced in 2003, Will Friedle initially sided with him, swayed by his emotional plea and claims of being manipulated.

Friedle, who had just completed a film role Brian Peck helped him secure, felt a sense of obligation.

“My instinct initially was, ‘My friend, this can’t be. It’s gotta be the other person’s fault.’ The story makes complete sense the way that he’s saying it.”

The gravity of the situation wasn’t fully understood by Friedle and Strong until much later. Peck had only admitted to one charge, leaving them unaware of the full extent of his crimes.

In a show of support, they attended court on Peck’s behalf, an action they later regretted as they realized the true nature of his offenses.

Friedle vividly remembers the victim’s mother’s words in court directed at Peck, “Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesn’t change what you did to my kid”. He also recalled just sitting there and “wanting to die.”

Both actors expressed remorse for writing letters to the judge in support of Brian Peck, acknowledging their ignorance of the full story but recognizing the weight of their actions nonetheless.

This episode of “Pod Meets World”, released on Monday, Feb 19, aims to raise awareness about the dangers of manipulation and grooming, and to offer support to anyone who might be going through such a situation.