The “im-peck-able” Josh Peck visited TCNJ this weekend, and HCTCNJ was able to sit down with him before he went on stage to discuss everything from using social media for good to his favorite puns and bad jokes. After we interviewed him, doors opened and TCNJ students were able to sit in on a moderated Q&A session hosted by TCNJ College Union Board.
Peck is widely known for his role as Josh Nichols in Nickelodeon’s Drake and Josh. Since his Nickelodeon days he’s done everything from voice acting to co-starring with John Stamos in Grandfathered, along with acting in films such as Mean Creek and Red Dawn. In addition to the numerous roles he has played, he grew popular on Vine and now started his own YouTube channel, Shua Vlogs.
On Saturday, September 30, Peck came to the stage at Kendall Hall and opened up in true TCNJ fashion by dissing Rider University. He knew his way into the hearts of TCNJ students, talking casually about wanting to hit up Rho, TDubbs, and Princeton. Peck got personal with the CUB moderator discussing the good, the bad, and the awkward. He opened up about how he met his wife, Paige, and how lucky he is that he “found someone who agreed to marry” him.
Peck shared how Drake and Josh became a show, that it all started back on the Amanda Show when him and Drake Bell had a scene together where they fought over shrimp. The producer, Dan Schneider, saw them and how well they worked together and immediately wanted them to star in their own show. Peck told the audience that one of his favorite memories of filming was during the episode “Two Idiots and a Baby”, where Drake and Josh lose the baby they were supposed to babysit. While filming, the child peed on Miranda Cosgrove.
The question on everyone’s mind was asked by an audience member, and Peck responded with grace. When asked why he didn’t invite Drake to his wedding, he said that he and Drake are brothers, and sometimes brothers fight. They’ve had their ups and downs but they have nothing but love for each other, and in fact they’re closer now than they have ever been.
When we sat down with Josh, we first talked about his recent participation in a campaign to save the Endangered Species Act, run by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. He discussed that he was never ultra-aware of the ESA, but recently learned more about it thanks to a close friend of his who is an animal rights advocate. After understanding what was happening to these endangered animals, he wanted to act. “We do all this social media stuff and we get followers, which is dope, and it’s great to have an audience but sometimes you have to use it for good and try to point people in the right direction, so that was sort of my intention.”
Photo Credit: Emily Czsensak
Peck discussed with us how much he loves the world of YouTube vlogging that he recently entered. He now always has his camera with him ready to record…even when he and his wife are eating breakfast at Denny’s. “I think it was just another opportunity to do sort of longer forum things that are a bit more edited and I got attracted to that medium which is like the quickly cut vlog style videos and I started working with my buddy David Dobrik and Jason Nash and Liza and all these people who I really looked up to their ability to capture content and they’re churning it out on a cycle that is incredible. Sometimes, 3-4 videos a week. So, I finally made the leap. It was terrifying, but people seem to like it.”
Peck left us with advice that all college students can take with them: “It’s such corny advice that we’ve heard a thousand times but I’d say be patient in things…you’ll never know when it’s just gonna be a matter of time until something comes up that will be really, really interesting and exciting for you. We have such a tendency in our late teens early 20s to rush because we feel like ‘I’ve gotta go get mine, I’ve gotta get the job I want and the relationship and the career, money, prestige, all these things!’ I think all will be revealed all in good time and just as long as you’re doing the right thing day after day the right opportunities will present themselves…and wear flip flops in the shower because you’re gonna get warts on your feet.”
What else did Peck share with TCNJ during his visit? He believes it’s pork roll, not Taylor Ham. He prefers Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives over Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, and his fear is never meeting Oprah (or running her over in real life). His favorite people to vlog with are David Dobrik, Liza Koshy and Dirty Dom, and his favorite video he’s made so far was of his and Drake’s reunion, “Because the world needed it.”