‘I Felt Like I Was Really Losing It’: ‘Family Matters’ Star Jaleel White Confesses the ‘Damage’ He Suffered While Playing Steve Urkel

Beloved “Family Matters” actor Jaleel White was a fan-favorite on the iconic ’90s sitcom that left him with some damage to his vocals. White, who portrayed Steve and Steffon Urkel, was a featured guest at this year’s 90s Con in Daytona Beach, Florida. On Sunday, Sept. 15, he spoke on a panel moderated by “Halloweentown” star Kimberly J. Brown. Jaleel White opens up about the “damage” he suffered playing Steve Urkel on “Family Matters.” (Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic) According to People, the two spoke about the 47-year-old’s career as the nation’s favorite nerdy neighbor. White went on to reveal the “high pitched, nasally” voice that became synonymous with his character actually “damaged” his voice. He said he met with a doctor and learned, “What happened is during puberty, I spoke at the same pitch for extended periods of time. If the pitch had been going all over the place, I wouldn’t have damaged it quite as much.” He added, “It’s been in remission and I’m fine now.” White, who joined the cast of the hit show when he was 12, told Brown that the voice issues got bad when he was around “15 to 16 years old.” “I felt like...