Kelly Kapowski, Topanga Lawrence, and Stephanie Tanner were the three girls growing up who first introduced me to heterosexuality. I didn’t know what an erection was until I saw Kapowski in her waitress outfit at The Max. That also happened to be the day that I damn near poked my eye out.
But I’m not a special case. There isn’t one straight guy aged 27-34 in America who wasn’t foaming at the mouth for Kelly Kapowski and would leave their families behind forever to spend one day in Zach Morris’ shoes. We were all fanboys.
And as I’ve grown up I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t wonder what the real life sexual dynamics were. Kapowski and Morris seem to be the obvious pair based on pure speculation, but maybe Kelly was a sucker for that Belding bulge. Who knows, maybe Mr. Tuttle was the dark horse.
Ok, probably not.
Regardless, Saved By The Bell executive producer Peter Engel reveals several behind-the-scenes details in his new memoir about what went down when the cameras weren’t rolling. Engel claimed that they had a huge problem with cliques and there would be “tears, flare-ups, and accusations.” He also reveals that Gosselaar (Morris) and Thiessen (Kapowski) dated in real life, but only after their characters had split on the show.
Then, in 1991, Kaposwski was done with “preppy” and moved onto Bayside’s stud athlete, Ox AC Slater.
Eyes up, AC. P.S. Egregious sleeve tuck. Unforgivable.
Thiessen and Lopez dated for a short period of time before Lopez dogged her.
‘They made it very clear that they were now in a relationship — holding hands, being cutesy, etc,’ he wrote.
‘He was in his dressing room, making out with an extra, and Tiffani came in, catching him red-handed,’ Engel said.
‘She was wearing his letter jacket and, in a rage, ripped it off and threw it at him. After that, she ran out.’ [Radar Online]
Cold, Slater. ICE COLD.
As for Screech, Engel said that he was a trouble maker from the start:
“Compared to the other young actors on our show, he seemed immature, more like a child.”
Fast forward 20 years later and Screech is stabbing people in a bar bathroom. The psychological effects of seeing your co-stars get everything you want while you get stuffed in a locker can not be diminished.
P.S. I miss the 90’s. Today, the below would have made front page news and Morris and Slater would have to go on a nationwide apology after this aired…
P.P.S. Remember how big of a slimeball Jeff was. I’ll bet a kidney the dude is behind bars for insider trading or sexually harassing a Max waitress.
[h/t Radar Online]