Matthew Lawrence’s reptiles are giving a new name to western fashion.
During his appearance at ’90s Con on Saturday, where he participated in a panel of Boy Meets World cast members, Lawrence, 43, explained the hilarious story behind why his pets have tiny cowboy hats.
Danielle Fishel referenced a previous panel appearance in which someone asked if Lawrence ever dresses up his dozens of reptiles, and the answer inspired Will Friedle and Fishel, 42, to buy what may be the best gift ever. “[Lawrence is] like, ‘No I don’t think they make hats that small,’” Fishel said.
“Well that night, Will and I stopped into a toy store. And wouldn’t you know it but they had tiny little cowboy hats. We got two different sizes and then the next day delivered them to Matt and he promised to take photos,” she recounted.
Friedle chimed in: “You know what the funny thing is, Danielle, you and I never stopped to discuss, what were those hats for in the first place? They were just small enough to wonder why were these made in the first place?”
Lawrence called the tiny hats a “really cool gift,” and promised to send photos of the reptilian accessories. “You’re going to have to put those images behind a pay wall,” Fishel responded. “I love that they manifested themselves that night. That’s the unique part of that story.”
This isn’t the first time Lawrence’s reptiles have been a topic of conversation. His ex-wife Cheryl Burke joked about their presence “underneath” their home in a previous interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show. Burke revealed that Lawrence had between “40 to 50” reptiles, though the former couple agreed to one major line in the sand. “No snakes — that was the deal. I said no snakes,” Burke shared. “So when we actually dated over a decade ago, I knew that I was marrying a guy who loves reptiles.”
Lawrence often speaks about his care for the pets on his podcast, Brotherly Love, which he hosts alongside siblings Andrew and Matthew Lawrence.
Lawrence appeared as Jack Hunter on Boy Meets World from 1997 to 2000. In recent years, he’s stayed out of the spotlight — aside from his split from Dancing with the Stars alum Burke. The pair finalized their divorce in September 2022 after a near custody battle over their shared dog, Ysabel. Burke ended up with ownership of the pup.
Lawrence has since moved on with another ’90s favorite, TLC band member Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas. “My life is in a complete bloom right now. I get to spend time with an amazing woman like Chilli,” he told Entertainment Tonight in March.
“I’ve never gotten to be able to experience that kind of relationship before, so it’s quite special. She’s a really, really special human being. I wish more people on the planet were like her. We’d be much better off,” he added.
’90s Con is taking place at the Tampa Convention Center through Sunday.
