Jaleel White’s Epic Food Fight Fiasco

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Jaleel White prevented one of the most beloved TGIF comedies from being terminated after just a single season by playing Steve Urkel, who was initially meant to be a temporary character on Family Matters (available with Max subscription). However, Steve Urkel’s charm won over audiences and he became a beloved character. During his time on the show, White participated in significant events such as an iconic food fight scene. It seems that the actor pushed for involvement in this scene, but things didn’t go exactly as planned.

Initially, Jaleel White only occasionally featured in one of TV’s most acclaimed sitcoms, but his breakthrough role began during its initial season on “Family Matters”. His first appearance was in the episode titled “Laura’s First Date”, followed by “Man’s Best Friend”. In a recent interview at ’90s Con, White shared that he sought more roles back then as reported by Entertainment Weekly.

Instead of going and begging, it could be rephrased as: “I went over and pleaded for help. In essence, I said something like, ‘I’m only thirteen, I’d do just about anything if you could help me out.’ He responded, ‘You’ll do anything?’

It was revealed that the young actor, back then, ought to have been more cautious with his choice of words. In the first season’s episode titled “Baker’s Dozen,” a local restaurant proposed purchasing Carl’s lemon tart recipe on condition he could produce 1,200 tarts within 48 hours. The pressure of preparing such a large quantity of tarts eventually led to a massive food fight involving the Winslow family.

Unaware of it, Jaleel White discovered that to be part of that food-focused episode, he’d need to get a bit messy – something Steve was famous for. Upon finding out that he was included in the episode according to his wishes and learning about the tasks ahead, White openly shared his initial reaction.

Previously, they would arrange for a driver to deliver the revised script to your home in the evening. The driver handed over the script, and upon opening it, my jaw nearly hit the floor as Steve Urkel appeared at the end of the food fight scene, with the Winslow family showering him with pies. And I thought, ‘That’s not quite what I had envisioned.’

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Be mindful about your desires, isn’t it? Steve walked into the Winslow household amidst a food battle, asking for a bite to eat. Naturally, this prompted the Winslow family to launch several lemon tarts at their bothersome neighbor with great vigor.

Whenever I revisit the notorious pie scene, it seems as though the actors were honing their pitching skills, considering how forcefully they tossed the pies. The Urkel actor verified that being struck repeatedly by pastries wasn’t a joke in reality.

It seems those pies were particularly tough during that specific period, and I certainly felt it. I received quite a beating, but I managed to endure. That was the first week where I became the featured promotion on ABC for an entire week. All you saw was me walking in and getting smacked with a pie.

It’s clear that ABC believed the food-fight scene would be popular with viewers (not using the term “hit” as a pun), which might explain why they promoted it in advertisements. Furthermore, the show had numerous scenes involving food. For instance, during Season 3, Steve got pied again when he attempted to halt a food fight between Carl and Lieutenant Murtaugh. Similarly, Steve was hit with Boston Creme pie once more while trying to stop a dispute between friends Maxine and Laura. It seemed like Steve just couldn’t escape being the target for pie fights.

For those interested in streaming Family Matters, consider signing up for Max at just $9.99 per month – this is the price point for the With Ads plan. Currently, subscribers have the flexibility to choose from three membership tiers. Additionally, by prepaying for a year, you can secure a 20% savings! Check out the deal here.

Jaleel White demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to his acting career, whether it met his expectations or not. He’s undeniably one of television’s most iconic sitcom stars, and his talent is unmistakable. In comedy, there are times when you simply have to seize the opportunity, and I’m grateful that White was willing to do so because Family Matters has provided me and many others with endless joy.

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2025-04-01 21:37