Morning Wood

So here's a question: how did "Growing Pains" get away with Michael Sever's best friend being named Boner? Was that word not the euphemism in the late '80s and early '90s that it is now? Somehow, I doubt that is the case.

I wonder if it was one of those cases where the writers thought "let's see what the censors say when we name this kid Boner." Then when it made it through, they must have just ran with it. It makes one wonder what uber-Christian Kirk Cameron thought about the whole affair.

On that note, did you know that Cameron married the actress who played Kate on that show and that they are still together? I guess when you are that God-fearing you need to marry someone even if you are only pretending to have sex with them. I'm not knocking Christianity, just Cameron's crazy approach to it.

Anyway, I wonder if Boner was best man at the wedding. I wonder how long he went by the nickname Boner. I also wonder how he got the nickname Boner. It would almost have to have something to do with an erection, wouldn't it? And what self-respecting adult calls a high schooler by his nickname, especially if that nickname is Boner.

So many questions arise due to that name's existence. What an enduring legacy "Growing Pains" has left us. A tribute to the man:

In searching, I remember now that Boner's last name was Stabone, so that is where the nickname came from supposedly. I still think it was an excuse to say "boner" on TV a whole bunch. Honestly, how many Stabone families do you know?

Further research has also reminded me that the actor who played Boner, Andrew Koenig, committed suicide in 2010. There were some tasteless videos on youtube that make me hope this post is not equally tasteless. It was really just a random musing and I am sorry to be reminded that Koenig took his own life.