Rider Strong, Will Friedle, and Danielle Fishel dedicated an entire episode of their podcast, Pod Meets World, to discuss their experiences with Brian Peck, a guest star from Boy Meets World who was later convicted of sexual abuse. Peck had appeared in two season 5 episodes of Boy Meets World and had developed a friendship with both Friedle and Strong. The trio felt the need to address Peck because his episodes were slated to be featured on the podcast, and because Peck’s story is set to be highlighted in an upcoming docuseries about past alleged abuse on multiple Nickelodeon sets. Furthermore, both Strong and Friedle were contacted for statements for this docuseries, called Quiet on Set, which made it important for them to speak out.
During the podcast, Friedle expressed how Peck had ingratiated himself into his post-Boy Meets World life, taking him to multiple shows and presenting himself as a great and trustworthy friend. Strong also mentioned spending time with Peck, despite a significant age gap between them.
Fishel speculated that many adults on the set of Boy Meets World may have avoided questioning the relationship between Peck and the younger cast members due to a fear of being perceived as homophobic. This hesitation to address the situation highlights the difficulties in recognizing boundaries between adults and children on set.
In 2003, Peck was charged and convicted of a lewd act against a child and oral copulation of a person under 16. Friedle mentioned that Peck immediately attempted to shift the blame of his actions onto his victim, downplaying the severity and number of offenses committed. Both Friedle and Strong wrote letters to the judge in support of Peck and even appeared in court at his sentencing.
Friedle expressed how they were on the “wrong side of everything” and deeply regretted their support for Peck, especially after witnessing the impact of his actions on the victim and their family. Despite not knowing the full extent of Peck’s crimes at the time, they acknowledged that their support was misplaced.
Vulture reached out to Peck for comment, but he has yet to respond.
Overall, the podcast episode shed light on the complexities and challenges of recognizing and addressing abusive behavior, as well as the importance of reflecting on past decisions in light of new information.
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