✍️ ‘Boy Meets World’ co-stars break silence on Ben Savage’s run for Congress

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Ben Savage’s cast mates from “Boys Meets World” shared their feelings about his run for Congress on their “Pod Meets World” podcast this week after long avoiding the topic.

Rider Strong (Shawn), Danielle Fishel (Topanga) and Will Friedle (Eric) offered very mild, somewhat lukewarm support for their co-star, wishing him “the best” and hoping that “he’s happy and successful,” but stopped far short of endorsing his candidacy or praising his motives.

Strong noted that he and Savage disagreed politically in their youth, and while he speculated that Savage’s views might have changed since then, he didn’t seem too convinced by that idea.

“When it comes to Ben, the only thing that I feel is worth saying is when we were younger Ben and I basically didn’t agree on much politically,” Strong said. “We often found ourselves on exact opposite sides on almost every issue.”

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Savage interned for Republican Sen. Arlen Specter in the early 2000s as part of his political science degree curriculum at Stanford. During last year’s City Council race, voter registration forms were uncovered that appeared to show him changing his party preference from No Preference to Democrat shortly before the filing deadline, and he had reportedly been registered as a Republican years before.

“I do not know Ben’s political stances on a lot of things right now,” Strong said. “I just know in our history we didn’t always see things the same way, so that’s kind of all I’ve got to say right now.”

Savage’s official platform, published on his campaign website, is a mix of standard Democrat priorities with a few progressive stances here and there. Savage was praised by the special-interest union UNITE HERE Local 11, who corralled City Council into raising the minimum wage raise last year, and seems well positioned to receive their support, which typically includes relentless direct-mail campaigns and the use of their wildly successful vote-harvesting operation.

 

✍️ This article is a news-op — a news report that contains opinionated information. 

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BrownEyedBoy
BrownEyedBoy
1 year ago

Just to clarify that the the senator Savage interned with was a moderate and caucused with the Democrats before switching to the Dem party. I’m sure there was a lot of learning on Savages part about how elected officials need to listen to their constituency regardless of party affiliation and how to make policy that isn’t grounded in extreme ideologies that leave others out. Therefore, he certainly can’t be worse off than WeHo’s own Schlepie Shyne. Anyone before the Schlep.

John Arnold
John Arnold
1 year ago

Ben is a pragmatist.

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
1 year ago

I would not hold Ben’s twenty year old association with Republicans against him; I welcome anyone who claims to be a “ex-Republican”. There are a lot of really experienced candidates in this race so Savage is going to have to really articulate his current ideology if he is going be a contender. I would point out Lindsey Horvath was a “tax cuts for the rich” Bush Republican before moving to West Hollywood. People’s views do evolve. Or at least they say they do.

WeHo Mary!
WeHo Mary!
1 year ago

I nominate the one in the middle for the next drag laureate!

Joshua88
Joshua88
1 year ago

Mr Garcia,

Editorializing or reporting?

Joshua88
Joshua88
1 year ago

Should have called it an editorial.

Joshua88
Joshua88
1 year ago

Appreciate it, Mr Garcia!

Concerned!
Concerned!
1 year ago

What’s wrong with him praising a union. He obviously is a member of SAG. Many residents are member of entertainment related unions. Without them, you would be screwed by the greedy people running the industry. It is amazing in this Democrat liberal city there is a hostility towards unions. Especially in connection with the hotels here. With greedy white male CEOs making 20 or 40 million a year. If you look at their nightly room prices, they run $500 average this weekend. To stay in some hotel in West Hollywood which appears to be one of the most dangerous cities… Read more »

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
1 year ago

Savage just moved up in my list of those I will consider, but his support by Unite Here does give me ….. pause.

Last edited 1 year ago by Gimmeabreak
WEHO resident
WEHO resident
1 year ago
Reply to  Gimmeabreak

You mean the fact that he’s a child actor with ZERO experience or qualifications for the job of lawmaker doesn’t give you pause?

Joshua88
Joshua88
1 year ago
Reply to  WEHO resident

Hah!

Rodrigo
Rodrigo
1 year ago
Reply to  WEHO resident

Do you not understand how the House of “Representatives” works?

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
1 year ago
Reply to  WEHO resident

It is ideology that drives a politician. In fact, ideology is paramount! Years of experience doing the wrong thing, like Adam Schiff has, results in nothing good for people like me. I loathe his ideology. An office holder who lacks the kind of experience you seem to think is necessary really needs to know only the legislative process. The House is full of members who are serving in their first elected position, which also is true of the Senate. If Savage’s ideology is in the direction I hope he will get my vote. So far his competitors are no better… Read more »

Stevie
Stevie
1 year ago
Reply to  WEHO resident

Sorta like the wench AOC being a bartender right????

Josh Kurpies
Josh Kurpies
1 year ago

Brandon: As a journalist (as broadly defined), why do you use terms like “vote-harvesting” that have conservative-based origins with negative connotations when describing the collection and return of mail in ballots in your reporting? According to Dictionary.com,  the term ballot harvesting is typically used by those critical of the practice, especially by conservatives and conservative groups opposed to mail-in voting. It is often used in claims that ballot collection is vulnerable to corruption or can be used to commit voter fraud. As the editor of WEHOville, I hope you will agree that words have meaning, can sometimes be powerful, and that its… Read more »

:dpb
:dpb
1 year ago

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Josh Kurpies
Josh Kurpies
1 year ago

Great then…waiting for action.

Joshua88
Joshua88
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh Kurpies

Smiling!

Rodrigo
Rodrigo
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh Kurpies

What “action” are you waiting for?

WehoQueen
WehoQueen
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh Kurpies

As king of the freeloaders (broadly defined), don’t you have more important things to do, like figure out ways renters can avoid paying rent to property owners? Speaking of “negative connotations”, I can’t think of any benefit to society freeloaders make. Yes, words have meaning. Try looking up “pay your own way”.

Mick Remington
Mick Remington
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh Kurpies

you’re objecting to the term……but not the practice ?

Rodrigo
Rodrigo
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh Kurpies

1. Dictionary.com is the MSNBC of online dictionaries. 2. Your smug comment about Brandon’s journalism credentials only highlights the lack of good faith in your objection. Clearly, you’re not comfortable stepping out of your little bubble.

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
1 year ago
Reply to  Josh Kurpies

You don’t see the potential for fraud in the practice of ballot harvesting? You really believe there has not been some illegal votes cast or discarded through ballot harvesting? A number of people are in prison today for doing just that. One woman in Texas was caught on camera bragging about the people who are in office because she, through ballot harvesting, put them there, had been doing it for years, and had trained others to do the same thing (which is how she was caught on camera). Turning in the ballot of anyone other than someone in your household… Read more »

Observer
Observer
1 year ago

Actors ‘need’ attention and unsuccessful actors will do anything for attention. Ben Savage has not championed a single idea in a city of new ideas. He did not attend the Chamber of Commerce debate during the City Council campaign and is anti-business.

Gimmeabreak
Gimmeabreak
1 year ago
Reply to  Observer

What makes you think he is anti-business?

Steve Martin
Steve Martin
1 year ago
Reply to  Gimmeabreak

In this town “anti-business” can mean anything from supporting unions to demanding developers provide adequate parking or affordable housing or follow the rules of the General Plan.

WehoQueen
WehoQueen
1 year ago

Thank you for this update. I’ve been losing a lot of sleep lately wondering when Ben Savage’s co-stars from 30 years ago were going to chime in on his next failed attempt at elected public office. I wonder if the former child star will show up to any debates this time around.