Patti Carr Meets World

Summary

Pod Meets World: "Patti Carr Meets World" Summary

Release Date: March 17, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of Pod Meets World, hosted by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Ryder Strong, the trio delves deep into the behind-the-scenes magic of the beloved sitcom Boy Meets World. The focal point of this episode is an engaging interview with Patti Carr, a seasoned writer who played a pivotal role in crafting some of the show's most memorable moments. Listeners are treated to an insightful exploration of Patti's experiences, the creative process behind the scenes, and nostalgic anecdotes that bring the 90s classic to life.

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Interview with Patti Carr

Early Career and Entry into Boy Meets World*

Patti Carr begins by reflecting on her journey into Hollywood, highlighting the challenges of balancing multiple roles and fighting for opportunities. She shares:

[16:31] Patti Carr: "We started on Boy Meets World as staff writers, our first network show job. It was an exciting time, navigating a new industry without knowing all the ropes."

Patti and her creative partner, Lara Olson, initially hoped to join a new show called You'd Wish. However, they soon received an offer to write for Boy Meets World, marking their entry into the series.

Writing Process and Writer's Room Dynamics

The discussion transitions to the dynamics of the writer's room in the late 90s compared to today. Patti emphasizes the organic and collaborative nature of their environment:

[27:24] Patti Carr: "We had total ignorance, which meant we weren’t worried about hierarchy. We just found a nice corner office and started contributing without preconceived notions."

She elaborates on the openness and creativity that characterized their sessions, allowing for innovative storylines and character developments.

Memorable Episodes and Creative Challenges

One standout moment Patti recounts is the creation of the "Heartbreak Corey" episode, where Cory cheats on Topanga. She explains the initial concept and the casting challenges involved:

[28:01] Will Friedle: "Is that why you came in specifically thinking, 'I would like to scar an entire generation of younger people who love Cory and Topanga'?"

[28:35] Patti Carr: "We initially pitched a World War II setting, but network restrictions led us to the 80s before settling on the memorable celery joke."

The Celery Joke: A Case Study in Creative Problem-Solving

A highlight of the episode is the backstory of the infamous celery joke. Due to clearance issues with brands, Patti and her team had to pivot their original joke. This led to the organic and now-iconic scene where Corey has a giant poster of celery in his room. Patti shares:

[52:42] Will Friedle: "There's no big celery."

[53:02] Will Friedle: "Great joke."

This anecdote underscores the improvisational creativity that writers often employ to overcome unforeseen challenges.

The Importance of Table Reads

Patti discusses the significance of table reads in the writing process, a practice still valued today:

[65:39] Patti Carr: "Having an opportunity to hear your script aloud is a real growth opportunity for writers. It forces you to think about how dialogue and scenes play out in real-time."

Differences Between 1998 and 2025 Writer's Rooms

When comparing the writer's rooms of the past and present, Patti notes:

[68:57] Patti Carr: "Being in an actual room, not on Zoom, fosters a stronger sense of community and collaboration. Back then, we were all around each other, sharing ideas in person."

She highlights how the shift to virtual environments has altered the dynamics of collaborative writing.

Legacy and Impact of Boy Meets World*

Reflecting on the show's enduring legacy, Patti expresses gratitude and surprise at its lasting impact:

[73:25] Patti Carr: "Back then, we couldn't have imagined that Boy Meets World would still resonate 30 years later. It's incredible to see fans still passionate about the stories and characters."

She underscores the formative experiences gained while working on the show, which have significantly influenced her subsequent career in television writing and production.

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Key Takeaways and Insights

1. Adaptability in Writing: Patti's ability to pivot from a WWII setting to the iconic celery joke exemplifies the creative flexibility essential in television writing.

2. Collaborative Environment: The open and egalitarian writer's room of the 90s fostered a rich environment for creativity and innovation, something Patti believes is less prevalent today.

3. Legacy of Storytelling: Boy Meets World not only entertained but also left a lasting educational and emotional imprint on its audience, a testament to thoughtful and relatable storytelling.

4. Evolution of Writer's Rooms: The move from in-person to virtual writer's rooms has transformed how writers collaborate, impacting the spontaneity and camaraderie once inherent to the process.

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Notable Quotes

• [27:24] Patti Carr: "We just found a really nice corner office and like, this is great."

• [52:42] Will Friedle: "There's no big celery."

• [53:02] Will Friedle: "Great joke."

• [65:39] Patti Carr: "Having an opportunity to hear your script aloud is a real growth opportunity for writers."

• [73:25] Patti Carr: "It's incredible to see fans still passionate about the stories and characters."

---

Conclusion

"Patti Carr Meets World" offers a heartfelt and informative glimpse into the world of Boy Meets World through the eyes of one of its creative minds. Patti Carr's anecdotes and reflections not only celebrate the show's legacy but also provide valuable lessons on creativity, collaboration, and the timeless nature of well-crafted storytelling. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the series, this episode is a treasure trove of insights and nostalgic gems that highlight why Boy Meets World remains a cherished part of television history.

Transcript

[Danielle Fishel]

It's Danielle Fishel, Ryder Strong and Will.

[Will Friedle]

Friedle from Pod Meets World.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Patti Carr]

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And cheering for more.

[Patti Carr]

I was thinking the same thing.

[Will Friedle]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

I think one of the most like the coolest parts about being middle aged being.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh my God.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh God.

[Will Friedle]

Could you let me. I can't hear you.

[Ryder Strong]

Is this like. Turn up your, turn up your hearing aid. It's got.

[Danielle Fishel]

Sorry, my back hurts.

[Patti Carr]

You're going to need to.

[Ryder Strong]

I love these moments where you like just kind of general competency, like you can try new things and like be good at them or like. And the best moments are when there's something that you never thought you would have interest in or be good at. I have really enjoyed cutting my son's hair. I have taught my like, it was just one of those out of necessity things, like I don't wanna have to go pay for a haircut. And Alex didn't like to do it anymore and he just never wanted to get a haircut. So I was like, okay, we're gonna watch a show and you just sit there and I'm gonna figure out how to cut his hair. And now like, I enjoy it.

[Will Friedle]

I'm like, I can do this.

[Patti Carr]

Wow.

[Ryder Strong]

So do you guys have anything that you figured, like if you told yourself that you're kind of good at and you kind of enjoy that, you would tell your 18 year old self that, like if you could go back and say you're one day gonna really enjoy cutting hair, you would've been like, what are you talking about?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, what are you talking about?

[Ryder Strong]

You must have something like that, right?

[Will Friedle]

I do gardening.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, that's great gardening.

[Will Friedle]

I really, I love getting out there, getting my hands in the dirt. Like, I'll look at a patch of land in front of my house and be like, no, I want to move flowers over here. I want to do. And then I put on some headphones and I am in seventh heaven.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So gardening is mine. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Gosh, you know, I did. During the pandemic, I cut both Jensen and Adler's hair. I cut. So I did. And it was kind of fun, but the pressure felt like a lot, especially on Jensen. I was like, you're a grown man. Like, if I really screw this up, this feels. This feels big. But I did like it. And honestly, Ryder, you should go to Laurie's and pay her for, like, a haircutting tutorial. Like. Yeah, yeah. To teach you.

[Will Friedle]

Great idea.

[Danielle Fishel]

You know, like, I mean, I think.

[Ryder Strong]

Part of the thing for me is that, like, you know, Indy has very similar hair to me, like, my hair. So it's also kind of satisfying because, like, I used to get really bad haircuts before professionals, like, laureates. Like, when I was a kid, it was just a disaster. And like, and it's, you know, it's just thick. It's weird. It's. There's a lot of it. So, like, I feel like I got you. I got you, kid. Like, that's part of being a good dad is like, him and I can take care of this.

[Patti Carr]

So.

[Ryder Strong]

But it's just so satisfying. So I don't know if I. I would be. Get the same thing from doing anybody else's hair, for instance, you know, But I think it's a very specific skill that maybe I've mastered. But yeah, sure, I could expand it because it is like, it's a just like you're saying will, it's like this fun challenge of like, I think I know how I want this to look and should look, and I'm gonna figure this out, how to do that and getting through that and like, you know, being very scared the first time I did it. Because of course you're like, if I mess this up, you know, it could be bad.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, it'll grow out. But still you have a couple months of not looking great. Yeah, that's a big one.

[Ryder Strong]

But I just love. I don't know, to me, it's a function of age where you're like, you know what? I'm going to try this thing that I might not be very good at, but I'm going to try it. And then you realize, like, actually I can kind of do it and I enjoy it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

I think.

[Danielle Fishel]

I think one of the things for me that is. That was true for me back Then that I couldn't have necessarily ever seen how it was going to play out in my life is that I was a very athletic teenager. Even though I didn't get to play sports or do any of that stuff as a kid because I was on Boy Meets World, but I was like, I've always been kind of naturally athletic and good at sports and kind have, have good balance and I can pick up things pretty quickly.

[Will Friedle]

You're coordinated.

[Danielle Fishel]

I'm coordinated and I'm strong. And like now having two boys that are in my case, very stereotypical athlete boys, they love to be physical. The fact that like Al Adler and I can look at each other and go, all right, squat contest. And like, you know, that I can participate in his competition, karate in his, baseball in his, like, let's go outside and throw a ball. And I bought a pitching machine this weekend. He's, you know, and like, because I've always been comfortable with it, it's not a thing I have to be like, well, your father's gonna have to do that. Jensen can do it too, because Jensen's also athletic. But I get to participate in it. So if anything, I'm just like, man, I'm glad I'm a boy. Mom, it worked. It turned, it worked out in my favor that I wouldn't have thought ten years ago, never. I never would have thought like, oh, that's gonna end up having any sort of benefit to me. But I do, I do actually really en it. So. Welcome to pod meets world. I'm Danielle Fishel.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm Ryder Strong.

[Will Friedle]

And I'm Will Friedle.

[Danielle Fishel]

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On our mission to find everyone who even just saw us sip a red drink on the set of Boy Meets World. We have been very lucky to reunite with some of our favorite people, and a lot of those familiar faces have come straight from the writers room. And let's be honest, they were tasked with arguably the hardest job of all. Creating storylines, crafting dialogue and satisfying network notes, all while eating massive amounts of Kukaroo. We now analyze their scripts 30 years later as the premise of our podcast. And one thing we do not mention. They did it all with an amount of pressure and a hurried timeline that would make it difficult to print the pages fast enough. We've already heard from a ton of great writers who spent time on Boy Meets World, and they've made no secret of the job's difficult nature. But most have also called it the best time of their professional careers. And today, we get to speak to another one of these fascinating and prolific humans. A writer, who, along with her creative partner at the time, Lara Olson, wrote some of the most memorable and strange scripts of the series. Was she forced to send us to the 40s to deal with the drama and horror of World War II? Yes. Was she one of the two names on the front of a script where we all met? Lauren the Temptress, Snow Bunny, ready to ruin the happy teenage home of Cory and Topanga? Also, yes. And now for season six, we're going to ask her all about the day a young art prodigy walked on set and Corey was metaphorically compared to Celery. Her first big gig may have been Boy Meets World, but since our final episode, she hasn't stopped working. Here's just a quick hit list of what she's done. Reba, Till Death, Private Practice, 90210, Mixology, Rain, and the Good Doctor. But today, we're making her talk about her three seasons on the ABC. Thank goodness it's funny family sitcom where she's 50% to blame for Cory cheating on Topanga. Welcome to Pod Meets World. Patti Carr.

[Patti Carr]

Hey. Hi. Hi.

[Danielle Fishel]

Can you hear us? See us?

[Patti Carr]

I can hear and see you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yay. So good to see you. Thank you so much for being here with us. We recently sat down with your former writing partner and your still friend Lara, and she talked about your start in Hollywood, capitalizing paying two women for the price of one, fighting for gigs. What do you remember about those old days? Riding on animated shows like Extreme Ghostbusters and Jumanji.

[Will Friedle]

Great shows.

[Patti Carr]

Oh, my gosh. Well, first of all, thank you for having me. I don't remember many things, so. Neither do I. Yeah, this is gonna be. I'm gonna make stuff up.

[Will Friedle]

We want to know the difference.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah. Yeah. I remember getting the studio in a horse and buggy and different time, you know, as far as our start. And I'm sure Lara's much better at having the old timey stories at her fingertips, but I do remember that we started on Boy Meets World was our first, you know, network show job. We got some animation and things like that. Generally speaking, at that time, things were very segmented, very separate. And so doing animation didn't mean anything. Yeah. They not only didn't care, they didn't want to know that you did it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Don't tell us that.

[Ryder Strong]

It's like, this is your first job ever.

[Patti Carr]

Pretend you didn't do that. So. But the interesting. One of the interesting things was that when we started and we worked on Boy Meets World during the hiatus, we would still do animation work, and we got through other animation people, animation writers, we got connected with. I think it was Kim Possible. That was also. That was also a Disney thing, right?

[Will Friedle]

Yep.

[Patti Carr]

So we'd been on Boy Meets World. We'd written, you know, three scripts as staff writers for Boy Meets World. We were produced writers. And when we went in to pitch, you know, for Kim Possible, they said, well, you have to meet with the studio people. We're like, okay. And they questioned us as they were like, so what have you done, really? I said, I just worked for you.

[Danielle Fishel]

I've already done this.

[Patti Carr]

You know, and they're like, could we see more samples? And so it was.

[Will Friedle]

I've been writing for Will for three years.

[Patti Carr]

Right. Like, and for you and for this company, but not for animation. And, you know, it really. It was. I think that was particular to Disney, where the mouse is everything.

[Will Friedle]

Yep.

[Patti Carr]

You know.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

What do you remember about getting the Boy Meets World job?

[Patti Carr]

What I remember was that we were such novices to the industry that we were coming in, and we knew that, you know, that Michael Jacobs had two shows. He had Boy Meets World, which was going into season four, and a new show called you'd Wish.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Patti Carr]

And in our minds, we're like, well, the new show.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's the one we want.

[Patti Carr]

That's the one you want. So you can get in on the ground floor and just ride that gravy train to the end, you know, that Boy Meets World is. It's in. It's going into season four. And I think that was the. It might have been the last year that they were in school, in high school. Like, it had the air of, well, wouldn't that be. This is it. Right, right, right. So, you know, so we were really working up our genie pitches.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right. You were really excited for getting staffed.

[Patti Carr]

On you Wish, trying to go to you Wish. And then. Then we got the offer in Boy Meets World, which was, you know, obviously, we were thrilled to do anything where.

[Ryder Strong]

They had you guys written a spec script for another show?

[Patti Carr]

Oh, we had a couple spec scripts, I think. I don't know.

[Will Friedle]

Wish you were huge. You wish Fans. And you're just like, oh, God, I can't believe we're doing this. I can't believe we.

[Patti Carr]

Everything that we did was. Was magic related now? I mean, I think we. I. As I recall, it was probably. It was probably a. Mad about you. That was what they. What they looked at. That was. There were a lot more. It was a lot easier to spec a show as a sample back then than it is today. In particular today. I know. You know, with writers coming into the business, when they try to spec an existing show, there's so many existing shows that everybody isn't familiar with that it's hard to find one where you're not going, like, I have. I don't know if this is a good episode of, you know.

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Patti Carr]

You know, whatever. I've never seen this thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

And, you know, are specs as. Do people care about specs now?

[Will Friedle]

No.

[Patti Carr]

I mean, I think it's pretty rare.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Patti Carr]

Mostly for that reason. They're. They're. They really are valuable.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

You do have to know the show that the people are specking. So I would imagine for some.

[Danielle Fishel]

For.

[Patti Carr]

For some types of shows that there's, you know, if you have a Simpsons spec or something, everybody knows, you know, there's stuff that's current that everybody's familiar with, but that has become such a different thing that we're not all watching the same things.

[Ryder Strong]

I know. It's also gone through, like, trends. Like, it used to be never write an original pilot. Then it was, like, only write original pilots. And then there was, like, a little period where everyone was doing, like, bizarro mashups. I'm gonna do an episode of, you know, Community meets mash. And, like, just to be. Show your creativity and show that you can master two different forms. It's like, you know, it's whatever. Whatever gets your. Gets. Gets you noticed, you know?

[Patti Carr]

Right. Yeah. Something. Some. You know, there. There have been times where there have been showrunners who. Particularly people who didn't come up through television who were like, well, I want my show to be different than television. Which is always kind of hilarious to me because it's. It's like, well, people like television. Right.

[Ryder Strong]

Why do you want to make a TV show if you hate it so much?

[Patti Carr]

Yeah, I don't want it. I don't want it to be like, one of those pesky, successful shows that people Love.

[Danielle Fishel]

Had you ever seen Boy Meets World before you got the job?

[Patti Carr]

That's a good question, because I wasn't exactly in the prime demographic for, you know, because, you know, being sort of mid-20s, you know, the. The, like, home watching TV on Friday evening probably wasn't like my. My mainstay. So I'd seen it before. I was aware of it, definitely.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Were you a big television fan growing up? I mean, was this something that you knew you wanted to do and it just. I mean, again, I was addicted to TV my whole life, so. Were you one of those people as well?

[Patti Carr]

Yeah, well, I mean, first of all, TV was all we had back then. And I think that's what's funny is if you remember way back when, when they would occasionally show outtakes, and I remember there being some kind of special about mash, and they showed outtakes from. And everybody looked like they were having such a good time, and I was like, that's awesome. You know, I would love to do that. You know, I love these shows and then see the people who are actually making them and working together. And at some point in my career, I realized that those outtakes were actually blowing the take and that you were working longer. And I came to realize, like, I just been watching people having the best time and everyone going like, we're never gonna get. Like, come on, just say the words. Just.

[Danielle Fishel]

So you come on in season five and are Blutman and busking. Running the room at the time that you start, or is Michael.

[Patti Carr]

Yes. Now, that was because of the. You wish. Because you Wish launched and Michael went over to you Wish, and we came into the show and. And Howard and Mark were running it. And, you know, when we sort of met the. The writers who were there, I think there were. I mean, there was. There were a couple other writers who were new to the show, a couple, you know, a couple levels, and then there were people who'd been there the whole time. And.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

You know, so we kind of came in and really learn the ropes of a writer's room, which was not something that, you know, in animation, that's not how it gets done in the. In the room. And so that was a. You know, that was an exciting.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

How that worked.

[Danielle Fishel]

And so what was your feeling? Were you guys nervous at first to contribute? Did you feel like you fit right in? What are your. This is like kind of a whole whole new thing for you. How were you feeling when you started?

[Patti Carr]

I think, you know, one of the benefits in my mind that Laura and I had was Such total ignorance that we didn't know. We didn't know what to be worried about or what to be afraid of. And I remember in particular, we're coming on as staff writers. It's the lowest level of writers. And there was another writing team who were, I think, like executive story editors, sort of two, you know, two levels above us. And often when you come onto a show, they've assigned people their offices and their. Their space for whatever reason. Howard and Mark were like, you guys just look around and pick what office you want. So. And this upper level team who is also new to the show, one of them wasn't there that day. So it was sort of a two against one thing. But we didn't know. We weren't thinking about hierarchy or anything. We just found a really nice corner office. And like, this is great. And this guy said, oh, yeah, it is great. And we're like, you don't mind if we take this one, right? You know, and he and his partner were. He kind of got shunted into, like, the closet or whatever. And then she came. Yeah, she came back to work and I guess looked at him and was like, are you kidding me? And came in and said, you're the staff writer, so you should have that office. We should have this office. Which as soon as she said it was like, that makes sense, right?

[Danielle Fishel]

I get it.

[Patti Carr]

That's how it should have been done. That's hilarious. We. It was not, you know, we. We weren't looking at it again with any kind of right malice or idea. Like it was just. Just two goofballs going like, oh, this is pretty.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is a great one. You said the people. So funny. Well, your first script is then the acid trip. That is no guts, no Cory. Which sent us to 1940s wartime, thanks to the cat from Sabrina. Did you feel like this was a form of hazing?

[Patti Carr]

It turned into a form of hazing. So that was a theme night. And the cat from Sabrina was going to send all the TGIF shows back in time. And we were all supposed to pitch the time period that we got sent back to. And I think by the time we got it, I think. I think Sabrina the Teenage Witch might have been going back to the 60s already. And then another show. And I'm trying to remember. I can't remember the name of the show.

[Danielle Fishel]

I knew all the good ones were taken.

[Patti Carr]

They took. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

So it might have been. You wish. Wasn't it?

[Ryder Strong]

You wish.

[Will Friedle]

Weren't they TGIF2 at the time?

[Patti Carr]

Maybe.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. I mean, that would have been it. Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

So they went. So it was basically. It was like, okay, we went back to. Somebody went back to the 50s, somebody went back to the 60s. You know, we were in the 90s. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

We had the last pick. It was like, you guys have to do 1912. Like, wait, wait, what?

[Patti Carr]

Well, and I think initially we were like, oh, we'll do the 40s and we'll do this World War II, you know, kind of thing. Because it had a look and it had, you know, sort of some drama to it. And the idea of, like, we've got Cory and Topanga and, you know. Yeah, war torn lovers, it seemed like that was, you know, that was kind of cute. And so we started there and seemed like it was fine. And then the process of sort of breaking the story at some point just fell apart. There was crazy. I mean, I think here's what we just again, innocently not anticipating Nazis. Right? Nazis ruin everything. You know.

[Danielle Fishel]

They do. Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Where's the comedic Nazi beat? Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

There came a point where there were things pitched that the network went, whoa.

[Danielle Fishel]

Whoa, whoa, we're not going to do that.

[Patti Carr]

That was that war. That's what we came to. Which was a lot better than I think at that point. They were like, why don't you do the 80s? And I said, but the characters were alive in the 80s. They can't just go back to when they actually existed. You know, that's weird. So we wound up having to write a whole sort of pitch and everything for the 80s. Like, here's the jokes we do. We're doing our research is like, well, Corey can't figure out his Rubik's Cube. And you know, we just did all this, all these 80s beats so that they could all see like, this doesn't make any sense. Doesn't work. You can't go back to when you were 10.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right, right.

[Will Friedle]

Weird.

[Patti Carr]

It doesn't work on this show. So I did rewatch that and I was like, Danielle, you. That's a look for you.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's my. I missed out my. That's my era. I know.

[Patti Carr]

You really rocked it.

[Danielle Fishel]

So thank you. I do appreciate that. I like that. I like that look. So then when the episode actually airs and it's like your first non animated script on the air, do you remember what you did? Did you throw a party? Did you invite people over to watch it?

[Patti Carr]

I mean, that's what we used to do. We would have watch parties. Because also, you know, back then you couldn't, you couldn't stream the repeats or Something like that you had to wait to see when they reran your episode. So, yeah, that was a big. A big thing. And we got. I think. Well, I think my parents took a picture of the TV screen with our credits on it. And then I was like, well, that. I can get editing to give us an actual, like, run off an actual real piece or a screenshot of it without, like, the reflection of you in the TV or whatever.

[Will Friedle]

It's also, how did you. You couldn't pause it back in the day, so you might.

[Patti Carr]

Unless you recorded it first.

[Will Friedle]

You just had to sit there and wait.

[Ryder Strong]

Our photo. Get it developed, make sure it comes exactly.

[Patti Carr]

Exactly.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Wow. Oh, man.

[Patti Carr]

Yes. But, I mean, my dad still has that on his. On his mantelpiece is the picture from, you know, our credit on Boy Meets World.

[Will Friedle]

So that's really cool.

[Danielle Fishel]

And so how did it happen? How did it work for you guys? If you were given an idea for a script, did you then, as a. As a group, as a writer's room, sit there and. And work through the whole thing, or did you go home and work on it kind of privately and then pitch a script to the group for then it to become the group effort?

[Patti Carr]

Well, it was kind of a combination of those things. I mean, one of the things that we. We learned early on was, you know, they'd say when we started, you know, the very. Didn't have episodes, you know, assigned yet at all. It's like, well, everybody's gonna come in tomorrow with a couple ideas. Okay, your ideas for episodes. And so what you realize right away is that depending on where you are on the, you know, going around the table of like, how about you? What have you got? Kind of thing, you were going to come after people who were going to pitch stuff that you were like, I had that. And you do a whole sort of. I. I had that. I had that, too.

[Danielle Fishel]

That was one of my ideas, too.

[Patti Carr]

Don't think I didn't have any ideas.

[Ryder Strong]

Just watching your whole list get crossed off by the time.

[Patti Carr]

And that's what you do is like, you sit there and go like, oh, no. You know, some. And then you try to maybe, you know, sort of piggyback onto it. I had that, but a little different, you know, to try to make sure that you got your take in there. But I. But I also remember, you know, thinking like, okay, well, you know, what. What kind of ideas has the show done and what might they do? And, you know, it's like, this is a straightforward family, you know, show and stuff like that. And, you know, thinking that you kind of like. Like, I can do that. I could do that in my sleep. I could pitch ideas for. For these characters. And having the other writers come and pitch things that you're like, oh, man. Wow, that's. That's wild. That's amazing. Like, realizing that the. You know, you don't. You're not shooting for the middle. You're shooting for something really amazing. And. And sometimes it gets through, and sometimes it doesn't get through, and sometimes it changes, you know, as it. As it goes. But that. It was a lot more. There was a. There was a lot more openness to these, you know, let's see what these characters can do and, you know, and not. Not hold back, not be like, you know, they would never do that. You know.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right, right, right.

[Patti Carr]

Who knows what they'll do?

[Danielle Fishel]

Speaking of huge moments.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Is that. Why did you come in specifically thinking, I would like to scar an entire.

[Danielle Fishel]

Generation of younger people who love Cory and Topanga.

[Will Friedle]

Love Cory and Topanga. By making Cory cheat on Topanga? Because let's break these people up. Is that. Was that a thought coming in? You just.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

You went.

[Patti Carr]

My whole reason coming to Hollywood was.

[Will Friedle]

How did that happen?

[Patti Carr]

Was that.

[Will Friedle]

Was that before the season started, was there an idea of, all right, we're going to get something where they break up for a little while? They're, you know, Corey's going to cheat on Topanga? Or is this something that kind of organically came for just one episode where you're like, I got an idea.

[Patti Carr]

You know, I don't actually remember the origins of the idea for. For heartbreak Corey. And, you know, I think at some point, the idea of going on a class trip, you know, the ski trip kind of thing, I think, you know, challenging the relationship sounded like, you know, could be. Could be interesting. The thing I remember most about that episode was, you know, we weren't all involved in casting all the time, but the role of Lauren, the other woman. Yeah. Was. We wound up being in the casting sessions, and that episode, I think, almost didn't happen because, you know, the. The idea of casting somebody who was an actual threat to the relationship was much more difficult than one would assume. So, you know, we were. We were reading all, you know, these young women coming in, and, you know, there you could. You could just tell that, like, Topanga could eat her for lunch. Like, it just wasn't. It wasn't any competition. And I think part of that was because nobody believed that Corey was going to be tempted by just a pretty Girl got a pretty girl. What is he going to be? You know, what are we going to believe is a possibility? And so we were just. It was just pretty much almost not happening. And then when Linda Cardellini came in, it was like somebody had arrived from another planet.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, yes.

[Patti Carr]

And it. We were instantly like, topanga better watch her ass. This is on. You know, and that was without even seeing her with. With Ben. But it was really, you know, a testament, I would say a testament to what you guys did and what you would bring to it as such. Young people, and you make it look easy, you know, to get up there and perform, but it's not. It's not something that even, you know, reasonably talented young people can necessarily do. Everybody can't. Can't inhabit, you know, this. The world and the characters, and in a really compelling way, you know, And I'd say the other. The other thing that made, you know, my sort of actor appreciation list was we started. And I've done this on every show that I've done since, if I've had my way. We did writer table reads where we would all take your parts and read your parts, you know, for the writers room as part of the rewrite, in part because we wanted to make sure that Michael had read the script. There were times when it felt like. I don't think. I think he skimmed. I think he's like, you know what? We'll perform for it. We'll perform the script. And we would work hard, you know, like, we would go around. People would mark their scripts and they'd go around to the writer and say, did you. Did you want me to put a little, like, something on this? And we would like, you know, really try to. Try to bring it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Give good performances.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah, because you're. Because you're trying to help each other out writers to be like, I don't want your script to go down because.

[Danielle Fishel]

We, you know, didn't sell it.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah. So. And we're really trying to. Trying to do it. And. Yeah, and we would come. We would always come out of those table reads with like, those kids are geniuses. I can barely speak. You know, nobody can. Nobody can pick up their keys and stuff. It's, like, amazing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, I do want you to know that Heartbreak Corey is on our short list for potential best episode of the series thus far. We. We are, you know, a few episodes into season six. We've watched everything up to this point, and we've got a short list of, like, perfect episodes, and Heartbreak Corey is one of them. We Also ended up loving Corey and Lauren as a couple. And the fact that she wasn't this outright villain that she was. She was just cool and fun, and they had a good thing going. So, I mean, was that something when you guys were casting, is that something that you were also really looking for? Like, threading that line between someone who very much was into Cory but not wanting to be outright, like, I know you've got a girl, but give it to me. You know, like, what, What, What. What were you looking for in those. In those scenes?

[Patti Carr]

No, I mean, I. I think she surpassed what we were looking for. We were looking for a believable flirtation.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

That could actually be, like, you know. Yeah. I believe you even to just lie to Topanga. I don't even know that we thought that it was gonna go past one episode, you know, that it was. That she was gonna go past one episode, or it was just basically like, oh, did he get caught up in something? I think had we not found Linda Cardellini for that role, the role would have become something where Corey didn't realize what he got into.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Patti Carr]

And then his mistake was covering up that another girl liked me.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, right.

[Patti Carr]

And that would have been it, because the audience wouldn't have believed that he liked her as anything other than, like, my. My ankle was twisted and what else?

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Patti Carr]

I thought we were just make. Doing puzzles together, whatever.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right, right, right.

[Patti Carr]

So. So, yeah, she. She made it believable. And. Yeah. And watching the episode, too, you can see, like, how difficult it is to thread the needle of the things that she's saying to him without it being like, you're a crazy.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, exactly. Yes, exactly. It was so good, though. And when we had Lara on, she claimed that she really wanted me in the episode because she's a huge fan, but that you hated me and that's why you removed Eric from the script entirely. And I was wondering if you could just address that a little bit.

[Patti Carr]

You know, that's so funny. I can't address that because I have no memory.

[Ryder Strong]

And even when you're kidding, even when.

[Patti Carr]

You said that I was like, eric's not in the episode.

[Will Friedle]

Exactly. No, he's not. And it worked perfectly. It was such a good episode, and the two of them together, you know, it's written, well cast, well acted.

[Ryder Strong]

Well.

[Will Friedle]

When you. You're watching this couple for years together and this new person comes on as a guest star, and you're like, I actually think they'd be a great couple.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

In another world. Yes. Yeah, yeah.

[Will Friedle]

It would seem like there were a lot less red flags with those two than there were with. With Cory and Topanga.

[Danielle Fishel]

Frank, do you remember anyone else who auditioned?

[Patti Carr]

Oh, my God, we must have seen every 20 something girl in town. It went on and on and on. The auditions went on forever.

[Will Friedle]

That's a big role. I mean, you got to carry. I mean, just like you're saying, you got to be a viable other option for Corey. I mean, that's incredibly difficult to do in one episode, Right.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah. And just. Just in meeting the character, you're supposed to believe that she likes. She likes him, but she's not crazy. He likes her and he's not great. Yeah. You know, doesn't demean or diminish him for being into her. And, you know, and so that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Was there ever conversation about whether or not Corey and Lauren could be together?

[Patti Carr]

Well, I think after we. After we cast it and after we shot it, I think there was. That's where I think it developed into. I think it wound up being like a little 3 arc at least, because it also spurred the breakup and then Topanga's kiss with Guy and then Will's favorite character.

[Danielle Fishel]

Ricky.

[Patti Carr]

Ricky. But, you know, I think as I recall that episode when Daniel, when you as Topanga had your realization that you wanted to be with Corey, I remember the live audience just going berserk.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes. Being thrilled.

[Patti Carr]

They were so thrilled. And they. And they were. And I think they were also. They were surprised. Like, I think they had kind of resigned themselves. They were like, this is over with being over. And then they were so excited that, you know, that Topanga kind of came to this. This just affirms that I, you know, that I love you.

[Danielle Fishel]

It was a good pump fake. It was a good pump fake for sure.

[Will Friedle]

Now, one of the things that we. I think we need to start asking every writer that has come on that I'm not sure we've asked yet, so I'm going to ask first. Was there ever a conversation in the room at any level about the power of kissing?

[Patti Carr]

The power of kissing.

[Will Friedle]

We keep talking about how on the show there seems to be this thing where the kiss. If the kiss is done the right way, then any problem is solved or.

[Ryder Strong]

Someone will never happen.

[Danielle Fishel]

I kissed Ricky once, and I know for sure there's no one in the world for me other than Corey.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Was there a conversation about the power of kiss? I'm curious.

[Patti Carr]

I don't think so. I mean, I think part of it was that, you know, the kiss on Boy Meets World stood in for a lot of other possible, you know, relationship things. And so it really did get imbued with. It's the, it's the sort of manifestation of all physical and emotional.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes.

[Patti Carr]

Connection.

[Ryder Strong]

You know, that's a really good point.

[Will Friedle]

Interesting.

[Ryder Strong]

That's a really good point that I can't believe we haven't quite hit on.

[Will Friedle]

It has to represent all of sex.

[Ryder Strong]

Exactly. It's the stand in for. Yeah, any that intimate physical relationship can only be represented in a kiss.

[Patti Carr]

Right?

[Will Friedle]

That's a really good point. Okay. Okay. Interesting. All right.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

Friedle from Pod Meets World for many.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

In every episode, hosts Austin Henkiewicz and Janice Torres talk to small business owners about how they've grown and maintained their business and tackled the hurdles and challenges that come with being your own boss.

[Will Friedle]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

Ooh, that sounds nice.

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Patti Carr]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Patti Carr]

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[Danielle Fishel]

Meds are prescribed at provider's discretion. Well, we also just watched your first script of season six, which is better than the average Corey. And we want to know something right away. Have to. Have to get it out there. Who is responsible for the celery joke?

[Patti Carr]

Standards and practices, I believe, or clearances. It was. So the joke was supposed to be that we were gonna see Corey is sort of in his room and that it was a very average boy's room. And we talked about there being, like, a car poster or something that. And that it wasn't the flashiest car.

[Danielle Fishel]

It was a Ford Taurus.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah. So that would have been great. Well, we could not clear any cars because what we were saying about the car was that it was not average, boring.

[Danielle Fishel]

No one wants that.

[Will Friedle]

If you have a poster of a beige Volvo on your.

[Patti Carr]

On your wall, even beige Volvo doesn't want to be known.

[Danielle Fishel]

They're like, no, thanks.

[Will Friedle]

Sure.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

As that. And that being the process of. In order to get things cleared, you had to put them in the context of what. Why are we seeing this on screen? And nobody wanted that. And then it was sort of like, no products, nothing. Nobody wanted their image associated with being.

[Danielle Fishel]

No one represents celery.

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

There's no big celery.

[Patti Carr]

There's no big celery. And. But. But the hilarious thing about that was that we. That we actually did it was like, just move on and do a different joke. But, like, yeah, we just did it. Let's just make. He's got a giant. I mean, poor Corey. He has a giant poster of celery.

[Will Friedle]

Great joke.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm so glad to know the backstory, because ends up being one of my favorite jokes of the whole show.

[Patti Carr]

Me too.

[Ryder Strong]

And I love that you guys kind of landed on it in a really organic way.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's why it's also so funny that they were probably so frustrated. They were like, we have this great idea for a joke, and we can't do it. Just put celery up there and, like, it's. It's famous. There are people who have celery tattoos. I don't know if you know this, but Will Ryder and I have traveled the country. We signed celery posters. We've met people with celery tattoos. It is. It is a.

[Patti Carr]

It is a. I thought you were going to say you guys all had One.

[Danielle Fishel]

We do, the three of us. I know. Honestly, it's not a bad idea for a group tattoo. Just.

[Ryder Strong]

I wonder if you won't do it.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know I don't have tattoo.

[Will Friedle]

I'm talking about this.

[Patti Carr]

You won't do it.

[Will Friedle]

I would. I will go right now to go get a group tattoo. You guys won't do it.

[Ryder Strong]

I would go get Celery right now. If that's like. If you guys were like, celery, send me the image. I'll be home with the.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you.

[Will Friedle]

I will do it too.

[Danielle Fishel]

I'll consider it. I'll consider it. I'll consider it. Let's talk about. Let's talk about it off the air. Let's talk about it off the air.

[Ryder Strong]

I want to know what other vegetables were pitched right. Potato. Potato's not as funny. Like, how do you go through that? Onion says too much. It's gotta be.

[Patti Carr]

It really might have been. At that point, there was such a level of frustration that it was just like, there's no cover. Celery just too celery. And I don't know that we expected that to even make it to air, which is, you know, another fun thing about making the show and something that impressed me, like, early at that stage in my career was that there was nothing that we said, you know, whatever brain fart you had at, you know, 9:00 at night on a rewrite showed up on set the next day. No one ever said, are you serious? Right? They just did it. You know, it was so magical to imagine something and have it appear, you know, on stage. And so, you know, I. I'm not sure that when we, you know, in frustration, landed on Celery, that we thought, ultimately, this is going to make it to air, or.

[Will Friedle]

Do you have any chance to remember any joke that. Oh, is that you're just gonna ask the same thing. Do you remember a joke that you really fought for that didn't make it on the show that you got. Were like, oh, God, I really want this to be in there.

[Ryder Strong]

Or a storyline.

[Will Friedle]

Or a storyline. Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

Oh, gosh. Well, I mean, there's tons of things. I don't know if I. If I remember things that were. Were pitched. Oh, I do remember. I was like, really? I. I won't remember the details. I remember really passionately pitching a concept for an episode, and you could tell that it was like, it might. I might get, like, I almost sold it. I remember almost getting there and then not getting there, but I can't.

[Danielle Fishel]

Can't remember what the actual story.

[Patti Carr]

It'S never as good as you recall, but whatever it was, it was something, it was something that I, I just know that I, I went, I went all in. I went in like you were gonna.

[Ryder Strong]

Die on this hill.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah, I'm gonna, like, I. Cheer up. I'm gonna do this. This is the most important thing we'll ever do in television. You know, almost made it.

[Danielle Fishel]

But do you remember how the idea came together to incorporate the art prodigy Alexandra Nikita into the show? She was a pretty good actress for. Yeah, a young art prodigy. How did that come about?

[Patti Carr]

I think that, that, I think, as I recall, I believe she might have been on like 60 Minutes or something. She, I think she was getting a little press.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

At the time. And, and, and Michael was interested in buying art at the time. So I think he just came across her and just liked the idea that she was about the same age as, as the characters. And you know me, we didn't do a ton of sort of stunt casting or, you know, anything like that. So that was, that was pretty unusual for the show to bring me in, particularly somebody just playing them their real life self. Trying to remember if we did that in any other show.

[Will Friedle]

No, there was more, there was more stunt casting earlier in the show.

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly. In the earlier seasons when you had.

[Will Friedle]

Like the earlier seasons, we had some like the, you know, the Happy Days gang and all that kind of. We did that more back in the day than we did, I think, later in the episodes.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah, yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

So the gang is now out of high school. We're all off in college. Do you remember was the room excited about aging us up a bit?

[Patti Carr]

I mean, I guess there would be some excitement and some trepidation about how that was going to work because there's such a, there's such a specific dynamic for the sort of school age up through high school and high school in particular. I think high school. The difference between high school and college to me as far as like, you know, being on the screen especially is that in high school every little thing is extremely important. College, even big important things are not important. You blow off. You know, it's like a real reversal in your life where you're not, you're not hanging on every moment of interaction in the way that we're all familiar with in high school. And so high school really lends itself to particularly, you know, in sort of that half hour setting where you could telegraph really quickly that something important was happening in the characters lives. Because like. Yeah, because it's high school. And then you know, so then when they went beyond high school, you're like, oh, are we going to lose that sort of universal feeling of what they're going through and why it matters to them and why they're, you know, still such a tight group and things like that?

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

There was such a change in the Eric character, not just comedically, but I'm also curious because we kind of know that we've heard from some of the other writers where comedically went that way. But one of the things we noticed is that it doesn't seem like Eric ever has a love interest again. And I'm curious if there was ever a talk of giving him a date again. Giving him, you know, letting him have a girlfriend of his own, a boyfriend of his own, whatever, just some sort of a love interest. It seemed to just kind of disappear. Can you remember if there was a reason for that or.

[Patti Carr]

I don't. I mean, I don't remember a specific decision to do that, really. I think, you know, I think it was sort of like, in retrospect, Eric was becoming. He fell into the category of somebody who maybe was cool in high school and then peaked. It fell. Okay, I can see that. I can see that. That, again, wasn't a choice. It wasn't like, let's have Eric be the guy who peaked in high school. But. But I think that is interesting kind of, you know, where. Where things went, and I don't know if.

[Will Friedle]

Interesting way to look at it, too.

[Patti Carr]

I don't know if that's also because, again, of the. The qualities that you can ascribe to somebody as being, like, a fun, cool guy in high school do not, you know, necessarily translate into a college and beyond environment. And I think maybe if we had. If we had done something deliberate, we might have decided that we were going to take Eric and have him. And maybe this would be, like, something you do today, and you wouldn't have done it then, but make him fall more into success, you know, make him be the person who, you know, gosh, Feeny was always telling him to sort of, like, get serious and things like that. And then wouldn't it be fun if Eric was just the person who, after high school is just like, he's a billionaire by the. And everyone's going like, yeah. And it's like. Because then it would be in contrast to what the show and the adults on the show had told us, which is that Eric needs to get serious. And, like, apparently not.

[Will Friedle]

That's interesting. Yeah, I like that. Cool.

[Danielle Fishel]

So you would go on to Write two more episodes in season six and two in season seven. And you were with us right until the very end of the series. What do you remember, if anything, about that series finale week?

[Patti Carr]

Oh, my gosh. Crying. Everybody crying all the time.

[Danielle Fishel]

So much crying.

[Patti Carr]

A lot of crying. Yeah. I mean, it was. I think it was pretty emotional. We spent a lot of years, you know, up until that point, I don't think I ever worked in the same job for three years. You know, I mean, I'm, like, pretty young and early in a career where it's like, maybe you worked someplace for a year and then you were looking for the next thing you could do because you weren't where you wanted to be. And so this was the first opportunity to be doing what I wanted to be doing. And it wound up, you know, continuing. And. And, you know, by. By that year, I was like, man, I. This is the. This is the tightest group of co workers I've ever had in my life.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

So that, you know, that was. That was really something. And we. We had that sort of relationship with the crew and the cast and the. And then the audience that came, you know, our live audience, which is not an experience most writers get, you know, to put their stuff up in front of a live audience and those fans who would come, you know, the people that came every week, you know, or that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

Repeatedly and stuff like that. It was, you know, you do. You knew that this was not something that you could count on ever happening again.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, since Boy Meets World ended, you have really gone from job to job every year. You have never been at a loss for work, either as a writer or an executive producer. You've been on Private practice, life unexpected, 90210, the good doctor. That's just to name a few. Would you say there's anything you learned on Boy Meets World that you have been able to take with you to all of those jobs?

[Patti Carr]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think that's one of the things is like, formative experiences. The things that you do when it's. When you don't know how it's done wind up being things that you really carry with you. The writer's table reads is one of those things, like I said, I've done that. I think it's. To me, it was like. It was such a good practice and so good for the new writers coming in. Because a lot of times on shows, there's a tendency to rewrite the original writer several times before it even gets to the actors table read. And so what Happens as a young writer is that you never hear your words out loud. Really. They've always been changed in a way that sometimes it's not recognizable to you by the time it's going to set or even to the first table read. And I think having an opportunity to hear even from some really bad writer performers, but having the opportunity to hear your script aloud is a real growth opportunity for writers. Having to try to perform a script.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

Is a growth opportunity for writers of like. That wasn't easy to say. That was awkward.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right. How can I make this less awkward?

[Patti Carr]

Yeah, right, right. Knowing that it's like that that matters. And so. Yeah. So I, you know, I've. I've tried to continue doing that, you know, gotten a lot of benefit out of that, I would say. Also, Will, as far as your character and Eric, one of the things I remember so much and that I have kind of carried into other shows is you were never not in the scene you were in. You might have had no role in the scene that you were in. And you were never not in the scene. And I remember specifically one scene that was in. It was in the kitchen and I think it was, you know, I know it was. The other characters were talking and you had been there for whatever reason and they came in and they're having a pretty, you know, a pretty intense scene. And you just happened to be in the, in the shot, but I don't think you were thinking about being in the shot, but you were in the shot and you were in it and you were like, you know.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, you know what?

[Ryder Strong]

I bet it was.

[Will Friedle]

I bet it was. It was when Topanga and Corey decided to get married. And Alan and Amy are having the conversation with Cory and Topanga across the kitchen. And I'm standing him. That's the. Rachel is fine. I got this new roommate and she is fine scene. I bet you is the one you're talking about. I think I know exactly the one you're talking about. Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

But I. So I've used that as. I've used that as example for, you know, for, for actors, but a lot of times I use it as an example for, for writers about who. You know, which. You brought these characters into this room. Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's a seven page scene. What is, what is Jo doing for four pages?

[Patti Carr]

And. And I will be like, sometimes you get lucky and the actor.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

You know, is in the scene as the character, no matter what you've given them. But you can't count on. I can count on that. I can count on that with you guys and that, you know, but. And I remember that as being something where that was the first time as a writer I paid attention and realized that I've left people here. I put people in this room and they're here. And it was. Rather than it being an oops, it should be an opportunity. Because that's how life is. People are in rooms where they're like, I wish I weren't in this.

[Danielle Fishel]

Great. How can I answer?

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Oh, that's great.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, that's funny.

[Danielle Fishel]

What would you say the biggest difference between 2025 writers room and a 1998 writer's room?

[Patti Carr]

Well, being in an actual room.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Patti Carr]

Not being on Zoom. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, so, yeah, back then, I mean, it was. I think there was more, you know, it probably is just, you know, kind of boring to say, but there's more. More community and people were. We were all around each other all the time. Much more. I mean, I remember first season of Boy Meets World and being on the Radford lot and being surrounded by other shows, also live taping all the time. And so, you know, and the. The little basketball hoop that the Seinfeld people.

[Will Friedle]

Yep.

[Patti Carr]

Shot hoops at, you know, right next to our building. And, you know, just that just walking around the lot, you know, seeing other writers on other shows, seeing other cast on other shows, just being around that all the time, it. You had more of a. More of a sense of sort of us all being in the circus together kind of thing. Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I mean, we were in between Seinfeld and third Rock from the sun, so it was like we had a lot.

[Patti Carr]

And there was like, there was so many shows, like big, you know, big stars and big shows, and it was. Every stage was full of that.

[Will Friedle]

That was cool.

[Danielle Fishel]

Has it ever come up on any of the other shows that you've worked on that you once worked on Boy Meets World? What are the reactions when people find out you worked on Boy Meets World?

[Patti Carr]

This is the best thing. And I'm sure you guys experienced this of, you know, there were cooler places to be at the. At the time I went on a panel, I was asked to do a panel about medical storylines. You know, having to then move, you know, moved on and started doing hour long dramas and medical dramas and things like that. So I, you know, done some medical storylines and I was asked to speak and I was like, I had the least interesting or impressive thing to talk about in terms of the show that they'd say, oh, you're gonna come and talk about this, you know, breast cancer gene testing storyline that you did on the show. And then we're gonna have somebody who created the big C, which was a huge show.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

At the moment. And somebody who created some other, like, er, Whatever.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Patti Carr]

All these big shows. And it's like my little storyline. And so everybody spoke about their, you know, their. Their show. And then they said, okay, we're gonna open it up for questions. And I thought, well, I can get my things ready to leave. You know, nobody can ask a question. The very first question was like, I have a question for Patty Carr. And I was like, oh, oh, yes. What is your question? And they said, I have a box set of boy Meets World DVDs. And I wanted to know if you would autograph that for me. Could you tell me about Cory and Topanga's wedding? I know that's not the medical thing, but could you just do that? I was like, yes, I could. Excuse Pen. Big.

[Danielle Fishel]

May I take your Sharpie? Thank you.

[Patti Carr]

Yes. Thank you. Nobody asked for their autograph.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, that's cool.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's amazing. Take that, good doctor.

[Patti Carr]

That's right. That's right. But I mean, that was. So that's when, you know, it's. It's as the audience for Boy Meets World, as they kind of grew up and started, you know, being out in public without their parents or whatever, as they kind of came into the world and into the industry, it's always now something that you say, and people are like, oh, oh, I love this show. Oh, my God, I can't believe you heard about that show. It's so amazing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, finally. Did you ever think that people would still be wanting to hear us talk about boy meets world 30 years later when you were writing it?

[Patti Carr]

No. First of all. Well, back then, I don't think you could imagine, you know, sort of any of this or any of that kind of, you know, interest in old stuff. You know, you weren't thinking that there was going to be that kind of life longevity. Yeah. For shows and things like that, or a forum for people to even have those conversations with their fans and stuff. So, yeah, definitely didn't think about that. And it is, you know, it is amazing that, yeah. People are still interested in hearing about this stuff, so hopefully something interesting to say about it. I know you had, like, plenty of other writers telling the truth and a few lies. I'd love to know how I didn't like Eric's character and wrote it up.

[Danielle Fishel]

That was a joke. Will made that up.

[Will Friedle]

I know you're lying, Patty. It's fine. I made that one up, by the way.

[Patti Carr]

He did.

[Danielle Fishel]

He totally made that up. She did not say that.

[Patti Carr]

I did not have the power to. To make that happen. Even. Even.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, I'm also saying Laura did not say that. She just made that up. Did not even come close to alluding to that.

[Will Friedle]

So did she.

[Patti Carr]

If she did. If Laura did do that, I would have to, like, give her comedy props for coming.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, she did.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, she did not. Patty, thank you so much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to come and spend with us. Really nice to reconnect with you, to hear your perspective on things. Congratulations on an incredible career. You're still going at it. Where can we find you now? What are you working on now?

[Patti Carr]

I'm just working on staying sane, as we all are. Yeah, yeah. Nothing. I'm helping nobody and reaching no audience other than the people outside my window when I scream. That's as nice.

[Danielle Fishel]

Kudos to you for that. Thank you, Patty, for being with us. Always nice to see you, Patty.

[Patti Carr]

Good to see you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you.

[Will Friedle]

Bye.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, my gosh, that's. So Will. You totally threw Lara and she believed you. She was like. And a few lies. And then I was like, do you want to touch on those? And then she went right back to it.

[Patti Carr]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I still think Lara said that in my head.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, my gosh. You're the worst. You're just the worst.

[Will Friedle]

I know my truth.

[Danielle Fishel]

Knowing that backstory about celery.

[Patti Carr]

Oh.

[Danielle Fishel]

Is so satisfying.

[Will Friedle]

It is the best. Because, writer, you're right. That just the. The way that the joke is so organic because that was what was left, essentially.

[Ryder Strong]

It's like, what's the most. That's why it ended up being more original. You know, just been Volvo or whatever. That's fine, Johnny. But the fact that it's like, wait, is that a poster of celery? And then, like, you have to, like, you know, it's just.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's too good to have happened on purpose.

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's like, it's too good, right?

[Patti Carr]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's just. It's unbelievable. So thank you all for joining us for this episode of Pod Meets World. As always, you can follow us on Instagram Pod Meets World show. You can send us your emails. Podmeetsworldshowmail.com and we've got merch.

[Will Friedle]

We need to get matching celery tattoos.

[Ryder Strong]

Merch.

[Danielle Fishel]

Podmeatsworldshow.com will send us out.

[Will Friedle]

We love you all. Pod dismissed. Pod Meets World is an Iheart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Sudbaksh, producer Matty Moore, engineer and Boy Meets World superfan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon and you can follow us on Instagram odmeatsworldshow or email us at podmeatsworldshowmail.com the New Year's Here, it's the.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Patti Carr]

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[Will Friedle]

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