Boy Meets World alumni talk about their experiences with actor Brian Peck… who would be convicted of sexual abuse of a child

Boy Meets World alumni Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong and Will Friedle spoke on their podcast Pod Meets World Monday about “the difficult topics of grooming, childhood sexual abuse and their effects on victims,” ​​according to a description on the site for the iHeart podcast.

The episode focused on their personal relationships with actor Brian Peck, 63, a guest star in two episodes of the series' fifth season in 1999, who would subsequently be convicted four years later of sex crimes involving a minor.

Fishel, 42, Strong, 44, and Friedle, 47, played the respective roles of Topanga Lawrence, Shawn Hunter and Eric Matthews on the ABC sitcom during its seven seasons from 1993-2000.

The three actors were joined on the podcast by marriage and family therapist Kati Morton as they navigated the uncomfortable topics of grooming minors and the devastating impact of sexual abuse on children.

Peck was charged with eight counts of child molestation in 2003, and the following year he entered a plea to committing a lewd act against a child and oral copulation with a person under 16 years of age.

The episode focused on their personal relationships with actor Brian Peck, 63, a guest star in two episodes of the series' fifth season in 1999, who would subsequently be convicted four years later of sex crimes involving a minor. Peck pictured in 2014 in LA

Peck would serve a 16-month prison sentence in connection with his plea, and was ordered to register as a sex offender.

Peck is also attached to an upcoming ID docuseries titled Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which will explore the problematic culture on the sets of Nickelodeon shows some 25 years ago.

Strong and Friedle said on the podcast that they were asked for comments about Peck, and explained to listeners their past relationships with him while forming friendships with him.

“I was working a lot after Boy Meets World, and this guy had so embedded himself in my life that I took him to three shows after Boy Meets World,” Friedle said. “It was the kind of thing where the person he was presenting was a great, funny guy who was really good at his job, and who you wanted to hang out with.”

Strong said he and Peck hung out “all the time” when they weren't working.

Peck is openly gay, and Fishel noted that some of the child actors' parents probably didn't want to offend by voicing their concerns about him and his behavior.

“There was probably a portion of them that didn't say it because they were afraid it would be perceived as homophobia,” Fishel said. 'Instead of, “This is a border, gay or not. This is a border between adults and children.”

She added, “And so I think that's also important in Rider and Will's story, about why he became so close to the two of you. And I had lunch with him a few times, but only because someone else would invite me.

'He didn't really bother to get to know me. He didn't really mind himself in my life. After the show I never heard from him again.'

Peck was charged with eight counts of child abuse in 2003, and the following year he entered a plea to committing a lewd act against a child and oral copulation with a person under 16. Pictured in 2012 in Burbank

Peck would serve a 16-month prison sentence in connection with his plea, and was mandated to register as a sex offender

In their conversation, Fishel, Strong and Friedle said Peck was a skilled manipulator who was able to convince them to stand behind him when he faced legal troubles more than twenty years ago, and even support him by attending court hearings and write letters in support of him. to be submitted to the court.

Friedle said, “My instinct at first was, 'My friend, this can't be happening. It must be the other person's fault.' The story is absolutely correct as he tells it.'

Friedle said the mother of the victim in the 2003 case — an unknown child actor — cited the presence of the sitcom stars in a statement to the court.

The mother said to Peck, “Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesn't change what you did to my child,” Friedle said. 'I just sat there wanting to die. It was like, “What the hell am I doing here?” It was horrific all around.”

Friedle said he deeply regretted supporting Peck because there was “a real victim” involved, but Peck had twisted things to make him look like the victim.

“He turned us against the victim so we're now on his team,” Friedle said. “That's the point that, for me, I look back on as my ever-loving shame for this whole issue.

He added: “Because I was taken by someone who is a good actor and a manipulator, I could put that down to being young and that's the way it is. It's terrible.'

At the end of the episode, Fishel, Strong and Friedle said they hoped to introduce people to the tactics of grooming and how to recognize if it's happening to them or a loved one.