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This sitcom was “Boy Meets World” created by April Kelly and Michael Jacobs. The show aired for seven seasons on ABC between September 1993 and May 2000. The series focuses on Cory Matthews and his family and friends, all the while he grows into an adult from a child. One of the actors was Trina Mcgee, a Black woman who worked set as a child 22 years ago. McGee explains her absence from the finale.
She explains how she did not understand why she was not on the finale. The show’s episode aired, knowing the ratings would be at their peak because of the emotional ending. She had family members who had tuned in to watch the final episode. Her family reached out by calling McGee asking why she wasn’t in the final episode. She acknowledged how it hurt her for a very long time not to be included in the finale episode. Adding she thought about it for the past 20 years.
Will Friedle did not agree with the statement. He stated that wasn’t the case and how it never happened that way. Friedle used words like “competitiveness” and “sociopathy” to describe her and the situation. He added that he was very upset about what she said. McGee replied in a kinder way to Friedle, saying that she believes him and that she just felt that way for so long. She added that maybe it wasn’t intentional.
Friedle went as far as to say that they were being manipulated on the show. He believes that some were being told one thing and others were being told another. Mr. Strong disagreed saying that it was possible they were creating tension but not going as far as being manipulated. McGee stated that in one episode of “Boy Meets World” there was a relationship between the two characters Shawn and Angela and how they were an interracial couple, but this was never really addressed in the show.
She was told to write an article about it by her publicist and husband, who then posted the article with her name on it without her consent, which she stated in a podcast. McGee wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk about it, as it could jeopardize her job, but felt it conflicted with her morals and beliefs. Daily News also posted an article about how she should have written and told that story, causing her to feel she needed to rewrite her article about how she really felt about it.
Before being on the “Boy Meets World” cast, McGee also starred in other sitcoms with Black castings like “Martin,” “Family Matters,” and “A Different World.” She discussed how when she transitioned from the Black sitcoms to the set of “Boy Meets World,” she always had to have a “Black Meter.” Adding she had to stay at a level two, anything higher was unacceptable.
During the filming of one episode, “Angela’s Ashes,” she was told too much of her Black was coming out. They said she was at a level 9 on her “Black Meter.”
Jacobs who was a producer on the show gave her feedback stating how she needed to bring it down to level two. “‘Hey Trina, just turn down the Telma Hopkins about eight notches,” she knew he was referring to the “Family Matters” Black actor and she immediately agreed with what he was saying.
A few years ago McGee shared an interaction with Friedle on the set of “Boy Meets World” where she came out of the dressing room with a red headscarf. Friedle didn’t know of the cultural significance of the headscarf and made a racial remark thinking it was only a joke in his mind, he planned to make a joke about it because he says that he makes fun of everyone in the cast just to tease them. He stated how he loved “her syrup” referring to Aunt Jemima’s syrup. McGee had told him that she was offended by his remark and did not appreciate it at all.
She then proceeded to educate him and explain the history behind his words and the cultural significance behind the Aunt Jemima character and her headscarf. They then hugged it out, he stated how life-changing it was, how he can’t just talk or joke about someone or something he has no education on, and how what he says can really hurt and offend someone. On her last day of the “Boy Meets World” set, she had gotten a cold goodbye from the show which made her feel like a stranger; as if they didn’t know her after being together for over 60 episodes.
By: Zaylah De La Torre
Sources:
Variety: Trina McGee Was Told the ‘Boy Meets World’ Cast Didn’t Want Her in Series Finale, Recalls Being Asked to ‘Turn Down’ Her ‘Black Meter’ By Emily Longeretta
TVFANATIC: Trina McGee Was Told Her Boy Meets World Co-Stars Didn’t Want Her in Series Finale By Paul Dailly
BET: ‘Boy Meets World’ Actress Trina McGee Reveals Why She Was Excluded From Show Finale ‘That was really hurtful to me for a long time,’ the actress told fellow cast members. By Nigel Roberts
Featured Image Courtesy of Steve Jurvetson of Flickr – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Gage Skidmore of Flickr – Creative Commons Licence
