FAMILY Matters star Jaleel White was once asked to change out his beloved character Steve Urkel’s signature uniform of suspenders and skinny jeans – because his nether regions had become too much for TV.
Jaleel — who played fan-favorite nerd Steve from 1989 to 1998 on the family-friendly sitcom — recounted the exchange with network executives in his memoir, Growing Up Urkel, out November 19.
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Jaleel White visited SiriusXM studios on September 10, 2024, years after his child star daysCredit: Getty
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Jaleel played Steve Urkel for nine years on the sitcom Family Matters
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Jaleel played the child-like role of Steve until he was 21 years old. Credit: Getty
After the series’ eighth season, Jalil, now 47, was over 20 and felt he was starting to fall out of character — but network executives were desperate to keep the show going, he wrote.
However, Jalil agreed that the higher-ups agreed to make some minor superficial changes to Steve’s geeky appearance.
“Let’s get rid of the suspenders. Lower his pants too,” Jalil claimed the former couple said.
“Oh and…it’s a little uncomfortable watching him wear tight jeans. There’s, uh…a bulge.”
By the time he got to college, Jalil said, he was “peeling” himself out of his tight pants “like a banana.”
High and low
It was also becoming increasingly difficult for him to read lines in Steve’s high-pitched voice.
In fact, Jalil said that speaking like Steve was “physically painful,” after his voice became naturally lower as an adult.
He felt a lot of stress and said he almost left the show which made him a star.
However, he ended up staying on the series until it was canceled in 1998.
Family Matters’ Jaleel White Says He Was Never Invited to the Emmys and Was Asked Not to ‘Submit Himself for Nomination’ Family Conflict
Not only did Jalil clash with executives, he clashed with his co-stars as well.
He once claimed that his national fame was too much for his older colleagues to handle.
“I didn’t see how I was stepping on anyone’s toes, stealing anyone’s shine,” he told TVOne Uncensored in 2021.
“It’s very important for me to say this: I wasn’t welcomed well into the cast at all, okay?
“You don’t need to repeat it with adults over and over again. They know what it is like.”
He even claimed that Reginald Fell Johnson and Jo Marie Peyton made him break down in tears during a table read.
After a period of being out of the limelight, Jalil is now the host of the game show Flip Side.
He married tech executive Nicoletta Ruhl in May 2024 in a lavish ceremony in Los Angeles, and is the father of 15-year-old daughter Samaya.
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Jaleel appeared as Steve in 1993. Credit: Disney General Entertainment Con
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Jaleel with stars Kelly Shannijan Williams and Reginald VelJohnson in 1994Credit: Disney General Entertainment Con
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Jalil smiles at Giorgio Baldi restaurant on March 29, 2024 in Los AngelesCredit: GC Images
