sorry if this has been asked before and might be dumb question but how did they ever get away with calling mike friend boner on the show i always wondered that?

Mike's friend's real name was Richard Stabone, so the "Boner" nickname came from his last name. And I'm not surprised that teenage guys would come up with a nickname like that- though I don't know if Mike, Eddie and Boner honestly were always thinking of the sexual implication with the nickname- I think it's more just because it's short for his last name.

yeah i knew that was his last name i just still thought it was weird how they got away with it

yeah i knew that was his last name i just still thought it was weird how they got away with it
Mike and "Boner" met on their very first day of school (either kindergarden or Grade 1 I don't remember which) and Mike gave him the nickname at that time. Of course they were too young and innocent to understand the sexual connection at that time and I think this innoncent origin of the nickname is the reason they were able to "get away with it" on primetime TV.

Mike and "Boner" met on their very first day of school (either kindergarden or Grade 1 I don't remember which) and Mike gave him the nickname at that time. Of course they were too young and innocent to understand the sexual connection at that time and I think this innoncent origin of the nickname is the reason they were able to "get away with it" on primetime TV.

I always wondered. That's interesting. I thought Boner was an odd nickname. It's funny how Ben had a friend named Stinky, lol. On another show, The Cosby show, Theo had a friend (Walter) who was nicknamed Cockroach. I don't know how they came up with that. It's definitely a weird nickname. I am not saying anything bad about that show.

Growing Pains is the only show in history with a teenage character nickname is boner lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RGow_trmiU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyOqEimpca8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs0Pqm7TA6U