‘Boy Meets World’ Star Says She Was Told To ‘Tone Down’ Her Blackness While Filming The Show
McGee joined former co-stars Danielle Fishel (Topanga), Rider Strong (Shawn), and Will Friedle (Eric) on their podcast, “Pod Meets World,” to talk about her complicated time on the show.
Strong, whose character played McGee’s love interest on the show, recalled questioning why “Boy Meets World” never addressed McGee’s Blackness and even joked that the 53-year-old had to basically perform in white face throughout her tenure on the show. McGee agreeing, explaining that coming from Black ’90s sitcoms — she appeared on shows like “A Different World,” “The Sinbad Show,” “Martin” and “Family Matters” prior to “Boy Meets World”— she had what she refers to a Black Meter, which she would turn up or down depending on direction. While at “Boy Meets World“, she turned her Black Meter down very low, and even changed the way she spoke to come off less Black.