Rider Strong Says 'Boy Meets World' Was 'Irresponsible' with How the Show Handled Talking About Sex

Mar. 15, 2025

Rider Strongis sharing his feelings aboutBoy Meets World’s prom episode.

On the podcast episode, the co-hosts were answering questions from listeners and were asked about episodes that were allegedly “banned” from airing on the Disney Channel.

“I remember being very upset during that entire week,” Strong recalled, referencing filming of the show’s prom episode. “I was very upset with the adults on our set — the way that they were approaching this, specifically because we were not discussing safe sex.”

“The fact that we would not bring up Cory and Topanga using condoms or having a discussion about birth control at all, and yet the entire episode was about whether ‘will they’ or ‘will they not’ … I just remember being so upset, and I brought it up. I remember talking to [creator]Michael [Jacobs]about it, saying, ‘Can we talk about this?’ "

Jacobs was the show’s co-creator and spearheaded the production of its spinoff,Girl Meets World, along with April Kelly.

According to Strong, Jacobs did not listen to his concerns. “We were growing up in the era of AIDS, this is something that we have to talk about. When you are discussing losing your virginity, you discuss how you’re going to do it and how to be safe about it,” Strong said. “And he completely blew me off.”

During the podcast, he said that Jacobs told him it was “a ridiculous thing to worry about” and that it did not need to be discussed. “I felt, at the time, that that was incredibly irresponsible,” Strong said.

Fishel expressed that she also felt “uncomfortable” during the episode’s creation, saying, “I don’t have specific memories other than just, kind of, ickiness about the week.”

Representatives for Jacobs did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Boy Meets Worldpremiered in 1993 on ABC and ran for seven seasons until 2000.

source: people.com