So I was trying to fall asleep last night when it suddenly hit me that a character in an 80's sitcom's name was Boner.
I was sure it was "Charles in Charge", but then I remembered Charles' best friend's name was Buddy. I also thought that "CinC" was way too classy to pull that kind of stunt, because I think Scott Baio would have called red light on that.
I figured it out. Mike Seaver's best friend's name was Boner. So that's "Growing Pains" for you. Remember Boner?
So my question to you is: how did that go down in the meeting? Was some big shot like, "Ok, guys, and then we've got Mike's best friend. I was thinking we could name him Boner?" as if that were totally normal. And then everybody else stifled laughter out of respect, maybe somebody else laughed but then pretended it was a cough, and then the name was just sort of approved? Because I'm just trying to wrap my head around how that name could ever get the thumbs up from the show's writers. What made them think that was a good idea?
Of course, I watched the show for years before I found the name at all strange. In fact, it didn't hit me until September 15, 2005... probably almost a decade after the show got cancelled.
Not to mention he had a friend named "Stinky" as well. Mike had weird friends.
Although I admit, I too watched Growing Pains, and I never found it weird either. And considering it stopped in 92, I would have been 11/12 when it ended, surely old enough to know what a boner was. Hmm.
Yeah, I remember when I started to giggle everytime Boner was on the show. He probably got the nickname at a junior high dance when he was dancin' a little too close to some cute 7th grader.
Oh, and on a side note, my dad went to high school prom with the mom on Growing Pains.