Brian Peck

 

Actors from Boy Meets World reminisce about previously defending Brian Peck

On February 19th, Rider Strong, Will Friedle, and Danielle Fishel dedicated an entire episode of Pod Meets World to delve into their experiences with Brian Peck, a former guest star on Boy Meets World who later faced charges of sexual abuse. Accompanied by family therapist Kati Morton, they aimed to unravel Friedle's feelings of being "on the wrong side of everything." Peck, who appeared in two episodes during Boy Meets World's fifth season, had developed friendships with Friedle and Strong. The urgency to address Peck's involvement stemmed from the imminent airing of his episodes on the podcast, known for its focus on episode recaps. Furthermore, Peck's narrative was set to be spotlighted in an upcoming docuseries titled Quiet on Set, which explores allegations of abuse on various Nickelodeon sets.


Friedle shared how Peck became integrated into his life post-Boy Meets World, attending events and portraying himself as a charismatic and competent individual. Despite their significant age gap, Strong admitted to frequently socializing with Peck.


Fishel suggested that some adults on the Boy Meets World set refrained from questioning the relationship due to fear of being labeled as homophobic. She emphasized the importance of recognizing boundaries between adults and minors, regardless of sexual orientation.


In 2003, Peck was convicted of lewd acts against a child and oral copulation of a minor. Friedle recounted Peck's attempts to shift blame onto his victim and downplay the severity of his offenses. The lack of readily available information about Peck's charges at the time contributed to their ignorance regarding the extent of his crimes.


Both Friedle and Strong wrote letters supporting Peck to the judge and attended his sentencing, only to be confronted by the victim's mother, who pointed out the presence of famous individuals in the courtroom and emphasized the irreversibility of Peck's actions.


Reflecting on their involvement, Friedle expressed difficulty articulating his emotions, acknowledging their lack of awareness of the full extent of Peck's actions but accepting responsibility for their support.


In summary, the podcast episode shed light on the complexities surrounding Peck's case, highlighting the importance of accountability and the need to address boundaries in professional environments.