Andrew Koenig Missing

February 21, 2010 8:35 PM

Andrew Koenig is missing. Koening is best known for his role as Boner on the 80s sitcom Growing Pains. He is the son of Star Trek actor Walter Koenig. He was last seen in Vancouver at the Winter Olympics but his family hasn't heard from him since Valentines Day.

If you've seen Andrew since February 14th, PLEASE contact Detective Raymond Payette of the Vancouver PD at 604-717-2534.

posted by Bonzai (119 comments total)

Correction: His last name is spelled KOENIG.
posted by zarq at 8:39 PM on February 21, 2010

what

(meta)
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:40 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

I initially read this as "Andrew Koenig is missing", and so I naturally thought, "but this is easy to fix, he gave us 'Koenig lookup'".
posted by orthogonality at 8:42 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

This place has started to get the feel of a obituary page lately.....or is it just me?
posted by dibblda at 8:43 PM on February 21, 2010

these boner crimes are making us look bad
posted by dunkadunc at 8:43 PM on February 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

So if some guy we'd never heard of whose dad wasn't famous was missing, we'd also have an FPP for him?
posted by philip-random at 8:44 PM on February 21, 2010 [5 favorites]

You never heard of Boner?

Damn kids.
posted by Bonzai at 8:44 PM on February 21, 2010 [4 favorites]

Metafilter is not your Amber Alert.
posted by MegoSteve at 8:47 PM on February 21, 2010 [19 favorites]

So if some guy we'd never heard of whose dad wasn't famous was missing, we'd also have an FPP for him?

My dad was a civil engineer and I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:47 PM on February 21, 2010 [12 favorites]

Maybe he's trying to hide from the paparazzi.

Er...
posted by Malice at 8:48 PM on February 21, 2010

Boner found proof of evolution by natural selection and Kirk Cameron had him silenced.

I will feel bad if it turns out he's dead and not on a vacation, drug binge, or some combination of the two.
posted by Babblesort at 8:48 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

double
posted by leotrotsky at 8:49 PM on February 21, 2010

Anyway this is probably better for AskMe. Phrase it something like "Andrew Koenig is missing, does anybody know where he is?"
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:49 PM on February 21, 2010 [14 favorites]

You could register www.wheresandrewkoenig.com and make a website of it. You could also go on MeFi Music and sing "Where The Hell Is Andrew Koenig", a power ballad featuring overdone synth drums and a sax solo.
posted by dunkadunc at 8:53 PM on February 21, 2010

No, it isn't appropriate for AskMe either.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:53 PM on February 21, 2010

At least it's not one of those SLYT posts.
posted by wierdo at 8:53 PM on February 21, 2010

"Andrew Koenig is missing, does anybody know where who he is?"

now it is.
posted by mannequito at 8:53 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

I know Andrew personally, and I'd respectfully suggest that this is a lousy time and place for snark.
posted by YoungAmerican at 8:58 PM on February 21, 2010 [88 favorites]

Sending good thoughts to the Koenig family. Walter was kind to me once.
posted by thelastenglishmajor at 9:01 PM on February 21, 2010

I met Walter Koenig once at a convention. Funny, likeable guy. I didn't realize this was his son. Now I'm a little sad, where otherwise I'd probably be trying to think of a really good boner joke.
posted by shadow vector at 9:02 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

I don't know if this is just a cosmic coincidence kind of thing, given that you're not the same person who posted to MeTa about whether a thread on this exact subject would be okay.

The answer there from the mods was, pretty much, no: "MeFi is not for getting PSAs out. If there's a real story there, please wait until there is more than a single blog post."

Given that, my guess is that this thread will be closed shortly.
posted by WCityMike at 9:05 PM on February 21, 2010

I do hope he's found, though.
posted by WCityMike at 9:07 PM on February 21, 2010

It didn't occur to me to check metatalk before I posted, I only check the blue for doubles before posting something.
posted by Bonzai at 9:10 PM on February 21, 2010

And, it's made TMZ, HuffPo, Gawker Media, OK!'s websites ... (which means it'll also either already have been on, or soon be high on, Reddit & Digg) ... so, it's not like not having a MeFi thread is going to do anything to limit its viral distribution ...
posted by WCityMike at 9:12 PM on February 21, 2010

Unfortunately, suicide seems like a possibility. According to the fourth link:

Andrew was suffering from depression at the time of his disappearance. The last time the Koenigs heard from Andrew by phone was on February 9. [...] On Feb. 16, Walter received a letter from his son Andrew, which caused his father to grow concerned about his whereabouts because of it's [sic] despondent tone.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 9:15 PM on February 21, 2010

I do hope he's found, though.

I hope all the lost are found.
posted by philip-random at 9:17 PM on February 21, 2010 [7 favorites]

At the point at which this was on MeTa, there was a single tumblrblog link about it. Now it's turning into more of a news story [just through sheer distribution, I realize there's very little more in terms of facts] and I personally am wary about deleting it. If cortex feels otherwise, he can certainly do it.
posted by jessamyn at 9:17 PM on February 21, 2010

Unfortunately, suicide seems like a possibility. According to the fourth link:

Yeah that's the line that jumped out at me too. I didn't want to highlight it in the post because I didn't want to sensationalize it.

However, that gave me a bad feeling. Suicide or some sort of drinking/drug binge seem real possible here. On the other hand, if it's suicide you'd think the body would have turned up by now since they've been looking for him for a few days.

I truly am surprised so many people haven't heard of him, it makes me feel old. I bet if the guy who played Luke disappeared this would be a 500 post thread by now.
posted by Bonzai at 9:25 PM on February 21, 2010

I know Andrew personally, and I'd respectfully suggest that this is a lousy time and place for snark.
posted by YoungAmerican

Seconding Jesse on this.

I've been stressing and losing sleep over this since I first heard about it. I've met Andrew, who is a gentle and gracious person, and I am a fan. I'm all for anything that might help him be found, but I don't think I can stomach any callous comments. There's already plenty of that at TMZ. I think we're better than that.

If this isn't an appropriate FPP, flag it and move on.
posted by The Deej at 9:28 PM on February 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

At the point at which this was on MeTa, there was a single tumblrblog link about it. Now it's turning into more of a news story [just through sheet distribution, I realize there's very little more in terms of facts] and I personally am wary about deleting it.

This FPP has the exact same copy from the Tumblr link you mentioned, with a PSA about contacting the police if you have any info added. The fact that it's gone "viral" and gossip sites are writing about it doesn't make it a good post for Metafilter. Nor does throwing in a few Wikipedia links.
posted by dhammond at 9:31 PM on February 21, 2010

On the other hand, if it's suicide you'd think the body would have turned up by now

Yes, but (and again this is just speculation and I'm not an expert) there's a lot of water around Vancouver, and depending on currents and time of day/night, it seems possible that a body might go some distance undetected.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 9:37 PM on February 21, 2010

This is a perfect job for the Metafllter Detectives.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:40 PM on February 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

I've been a fan of the Never Not Funny podcast for years and this news took me by surprise and I've felt as bad about it as I did when James Kim went missing in the Oregon snows a couple years ago.

I hope he's found and it was just a bender of some sort, but every day that passes without him turning up makes that less likely. Shit.
posted by mathowie at 10:07 PM on February 21, 2010 [5 favorites]

From Walter Koenig's website:

"On Feb. 16, Walter received a letter from his son Andrew, which caused his father to grow concerned about his whereabouts because of it's despondent tone."

So freaking hell-- it really does sound like it's going to turn out to be a suicide. Dammit. I don't know Andrew Koenig, but he sounds like a really terrific guy. He'd probably fit in around here pretty damn well.

So here's hoping it's not a suicide after all. Here's hoping he's actually holed up in the Olympic Village with a funny, brainy, socially-conscious hottie from the Azerbaijani curling team, and that he turns up in a few days with an ill-considered ring on his finger and a loopy grin on his face.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:19 PM on February 21, 2010 [3 favorites]

Why
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:19 PM on February 21, 2010

Looks like we'll need Alan Thicke to step in and save the day one last time.
posted by i_have_a_computer at 12:24 AM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

This has really bummed me out since I found out about it Saturday. Although I never met Andrew, I've been a fan of "Never Not Funny" and thought he did a wonderful job not only on the Ones, Twos and Threes, but also in his occasional comebacks at Jimmy Pardo's teasing.

So to the people who callously upthread said "Who cares?"...well, I care.

Cool stuff that AK-47 has done:

He was The Joker in the well-regarded fan film "Batman: Dead End".

As a child, he (and a misheard fragment of conversation at a Koenig dinner party) inspired Harlan Ellison to write "Jeffty is Five".
posted by inturnaround at 12:26 AM on February 22, 2010 [3 favorites]

Hope he turns up okay.
posted by orange swan at 2:29 AM on February 22, 2010

Yeah, I care too, I hope he turns up ok.
posted by Divine_Wino at 3:59 AM on February 22, 2010

I don't know any of the Koenigs personally, but they all strike me as good people. Walter's daughter, Danielle Koenig, was a writer for "Invader Zim." I hope Andrew is alive and well.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:53 AM on February 22, 2010

As a fan and subscriber of Never Not Funny, I care. I'm not sure whether this is a good post for Metafilter, but if those who think it isn't would simply FIAMO, I would be grateful.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:31 AM on February 22, 2010

I'm very glad it is not this Andrew Koenig, which was my first assumption. Nonetheless, I hope he turns up.
posted by plinth at 5:41 AM on February 22, 2010

I got this on FB two days ago. Oddly, from the Deej.
posted by humannaire at 5:43 AM on February 22, 2010

Sad but I hope he is ok. He is a very handsome guy.

)I didn't know his dad was Chechov)
posted by stormpooper at 6:38 AM on February 22, 2010

I'm a big fan of "Never Not Funny" and Andrew always seems like a hell of a nice guy. But he's a contrarian as well. It doesn't seem like a far-fetched idea for him to go off the grid for a bit, so I'm hoping that this is the case here. The media seems to be latching onto the "despondent letter" angle of this story, though.

I may be off base here, I mean...I'm just a fan of the show, I don't know him personally like Jesse does. But the general impression that I get from Andrew is that, although he had a bit of celebrity as a young man and comes from a celebrity background, he has tried to stay away from the prying eyes of the public and avoided media attention (except for the causes he believes in...like Burma). I've read so many "Har har har, who does Boner think he is?" comments over the past days as I've checked Google News every twenty minutes looking for updates, and I've wanted to respond to every one of them: "He's not the guy you think he is."

Here's hoping that Andrew is on walkabout and that he'll return safely soon.
posted by ColdChef at 6:39 AM on February 22, 2010 [6 favorites]

So if some guy we'd never heard of whose dad wasn't famous was missing, we'd also have an FPP for him?

I dunno, I'd never heard of this guy.
posted by availablelight at 6:42 AM on February 22, 2010

So if some guy we'd never heard of whose dad wasn't famous was missing, we'd also have an FPP for him?
posted by philip-random at 10:44 PM on February 21

With all due-respect, if it's not obvious from the comments above, he is well known to many of the members of the MetaFilter community, through his own work and through the many projects he's assisted.
posted by ColdChef at 6:49 AM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

I just listened to the Never Not Funny Important Message and it was heart-wrenching. He seems like a terrific person and I hope he turns up ok.
posted by Kwine at 6:50 AM on February 22, 2010

A few recent pictures of Andrew from last fall. Feel free to distribute these to anyone who might be able to help.
posted by ColdChef at 7:04 AM on February 22, 2010

One more.
posted by ColdChef at 7:05 AM on February 22, 2010

Not the most reliable of sources, but TMZ has a few additional details.
posted by ColdChef at 7:17 AM on February 22, 2010

A short video featuring Andrew.
posted by ColdChef at 7:19 AM on February 22, 2010

I had no idea that Andrew (Boner!) was Chekhov's son. That blows me away for some reason. I really hope that this turns out well and it's not a suicide. How sad for their family.

And no matter whether he was famous or not, he's a person who is missing and his family is anxious and worried, so I'm going to refrain from the snark in this thread.
posted by misha at 8:22 AM on February 22, 2010

For some reason, I remember that Boner's full name on growing pains was Richard Milhous Stabone. Had no idea he was related to Chekhov, though.
posted by jonp72 at 8:48 AM on February 22, 2010

Additional details from ABCNews:

"He liked to go to Vancouver because it's beautiful and quiet, it's his favorite place in nature," Miccio said. "One of the films we did together, 'Living the Blues,' it's about a manic depressive musician who went to a spot in nature that he loved and took his own life. I'm not saying that's what happened with Andrew, but it has occurred to me."
posted by ColdChef at 9:18 AM on February 22, 2010

Trailer for "Living the Blues."
posted by ColdChef at 9:22 AM on February 22, 2010

That video Cold Chef linked to made me laugh. I hope the poor guy's OK.
posted by Kloryne at 10:36 AM on February 22, 2010

I'm referring to the video where he's begging for donations, BTW. I love how he pulls his sunglasses off at the beginning of each scene.
posted by Kloryne at 10:37 AM on February 22, 2010

It feels quite strange to be anxiously checking news alerts every few hours for someone I don't know, but I am. Andrew's laugh and interjections add a huge amount to Never Not Funny for me, and I can't listen to it right now. He comes across as a really decent, smart chap, and I really feel for his family, and I hope very much that he's ok.

I also really hate the internet for the bullshit response in comments and message boards.
posted by carbide at 3:04 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

I know Walter personally, and I really hope that Andrew is okay, and is found soon.

I was told about various cruel comments and mock-posters that were made at Somethingawful about this, and it just depresses me, seeing people being such assholes about someone I know.
posted by suburbanbeatnik at 5:38 PM on February 22, 2010

Potentially good news: Police believe he's still alive based on ATM & Cell records
posted by unsupervised at 7:41 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

If this is true (and I certainly hope it is), then the media needs to back the fuck off and let Andrew get his shit together without scrutiny.
posted by ColdChef at 8:30 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

I was told about various cruel comments and mock-posters that were made at Somethingawful about this, and it just depresses me, seeing people being such assholes about someone I know.

I realize that this sucks for you but if it's any consolation I'm sure that for the SomethingAwful crowd (and any number of others online all over) Mr. Koenig is pure abstraction, no more real than the characters he or his father played on TV. That is, the cruel FUN they're having is not consciously with a real person, more with a ghostly figment of their childhood.

Fame is toxic. This is just one of the ways that this toxicity plays out.
posted by philip-random at 8:47 PM on February 22, 2010

I'm sure that the last thing that Andrew would want would be to give Kirk Cameron a national forum. I don't know about anyone else, but this makes me ill: "Mike and Boner could always work things out when they put their minds to it. I'm praying for you, pal."
posted by ColdChef at 6:37 PM on February 23, 2010

Danielle Koenig is on Larry King Live tonight to discuss the search for Andrew.
posted by The Deej at 6:43 PM on February 23, 2010

Larry King Live transcript with Danielle Koenig. (Scroll about 2/3 down.)
posted by The Deej at 8:33 PM on February 23, 2010

Meanwhile, Vancouver constable Tim Fanning tells USA TODAY that investigators believe Koenig is still in the Vancouver area and "doesn't want to be found."

If I had Kirk Cameron looking and praying for me, I wouldn't want to be found, either.
posted by dunkadunc at 9:15 PM on February 23, 2010

I can't believe this post is still alive. Who cares?
posted by nathancaswell at 10:45 PM on February 23, 2010

nathancaswell, I'm so sorry to hear that you are unable to read this thread, where quite a few people talk about how they care quite a bit. But the important thing I want to share with you is that there is still hope. The National Institute for Literacy has a database of programs in your area that can get you the help you need. Metafilter is here for you, when you're ready to read it.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:45 AM on February 24, 2010 [8 favorites]

Here is the video of Danielle Koenig's interview on Larry King.

I am an avid listener of Never Not Funny, and Andrew's presence on that program is essential. He adds humor, warmth, and a unique perspective on the podcast's subject matter. He is greatly missed.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 6:58 AM on February 24, 2010

Thanks for the video link Four-Eyed Girl.

Also, if anyone does care about our friend Andrew, that's fine. You are allowed to not click back through previous posts to find it, and to not click the link to read it. If it's in your "recent activity" list, you can click the convenient "remove from activity" link and never have to see it again.
posted by The Deej at 7:03 AM on February 24, 2010 [1 favorite]

After giving a press conference earlier in the day, Walter and Judy Koenig, parents of missing Growing Pains star Andrew Koenig, last night walked off the set just as they were about to appear on the CNN's Larry King Live show.

Curiouser and curiouser.
posted by ColdChef at 8:51 AM on February 25, 2010

I have nothing but respect for people who choose NOT to make their suffering, grieving etc as public as possible. Honestly, what possible good could wallowing with Larry for a few very pubic minutes do for their missing son? We already know he's missing, and where he was last seen. We already know what he looks like.

This stuff just gets pornographic after a while.
posted by philip-random at 11:30 AM on February 25, 2010

Twitter: Body found in Vancouver believed to be that of actor Andrew Keonig, police say
posted by mazola at 3:36 PM on February 25, 2010

Body of missing actor found in Stanley Park.
posted by mazola at 3:37 PM on February 25, 2010

This absolutely breaks my heart.
posted by ColdChef at 4:10 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by The Deej at 4:10 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 4:13 PM on February 25, 2010

.

Oh, this is just so sad. One of my friends bought a car from Andrew earlier this month. She didn't know he was the guy from Growing Pains until she saw his picture everywhere when he went missing. Apparently, when she went to pick up the car from his house, he asked her if she wanted to buy any of his other stuff. He apparently was trying to sell everything. She just thought he was a nice hippie who was a little down on his luck. We were all freaked out when she told us the story, and have been hoping and wishing for him to come back safe. RIP Andrew.
posted by bluefly at 4:13 PM on February 25, 2010 [5 favorites]

This broke my heart. Really sad. My heart goes out to his family and all those who knew and loved him.
posted by unsupervised at 4:15 PM on February 25, 2010

Crap. That's terrible.

.
posted by eyeballkid at 4:18 PM on February 25, 2010

shit, man. this is sad.

.
posted by dunkadunc at 4:19 PM on February 25, 2010

Fuck.

.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 4:25 PM on February 25, 2010

My condolences to those of you who knew him.

.
posted by keever at 4:26 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by Rudy Gerner at 4:33 PM on February 25, 2010

For anyone who might want to write a letter of sympathy:

Jimmy Pardo Fan Club
P.O. Box 36112
Los Angeles, CA 90036
USA
posted by ColdChef at 4:50 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 4:53 PM on February 25, 2010

This is absolutely breaking my heart. My sympathies to his parents, Danielle, Jimmy, and anyone else who knew him.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 4:56 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by crossoverman at 5:14 PM on February 25, 2010

The AST forum is down, no doubt due to traffic trying to post to the Never Not Funny thread. If anyone wants to post a note to the show notes site, I've put up an In Memory post where you can leave comments. (Comments are moderated, so allow a few minutes for them to show up.)
posted by The Deej at 5:24 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:30 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by typewriter at 5:30 PM on February 25, 2010

Oh, wow, The Deej, I had no idea that you were Darryl. Thanks for doing that.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 5:33 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by condour75 at 5:34 PM on February 25, 2010

Oh, wow, The Deej, I had no idea that you were Darryl. Thanks for doing that.

I'm at a loss of anything to do, so I guess that's my tiny contribution.

AST came back up, but appears touch and go.
posted by The Deej at 5:37 PM on February 25, 2010

The Deej, I did not know you were Darryl either. (I post there very rarely.)

That was a very nice thing to do, and I'm sure the family will appreciate that in the days ahead.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 5:47 PM on February 25, 2010

For anyone who didn't see the press briefing, it was heartbreaking, yet incredible, to see Walter Koenig share the news himself. Then he spent several minutes, along with Judy, encouraging other people to seek help if they suffer from depression.
posted by The Deej at 6:06 PM on February 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

.
posted by Ruki at 6:13 PM on February 25, 2010

So awful.

Hey, JJ Abrams: dedicate the next Trek to Andrew.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 6:19 PM on February 25, 2010

Hey, JJ Abrams: dedicate the next Trek to Andrew.

Aw, don't start that. It'll just make Abrams look like a jerk if he doesn't.

.
posted by jabberjaw at 6:35 PM on February 25, 2010

Andrew's body was found by his parents and ten or so of his friends.
posted by ColdChef at 6:42 PM on February 25, 2010

.

God fucking damn it.
posted by tristeza at 6:52 PM on February 25, 2010

Despair sucks so much.
posted by cookie-k at 7:49 PM on February 25, 2010

.

If you're someone like Andrew who is despondent, please know that there are people out there who care. Talk to someone before you do something you can't undo.
posted by inturnaround at 7:52 PM on February 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

.

In reading more about him in the past few days, I've learned what an activist Koenig was in his life. I hope for him that that spirit can live, in increasing awareness about suicide prevention.
posted by so_gracefully at 7:54 PM on February 25, 2010

.

Poor guy. Rest in peace, Andrew.
Please - anyone who is suffering from depression, do not be afraid to ask for help. There is always hope.
posted by porn in the woods at 8:14 PM on February 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

.
posted by kookaburra at 9:16 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by donnagirl at 9:22 PM on February 25, 2010

ah shit
.
posted by Bonzai at 9:39 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:29 PM on February 25, 2010

.

for Andrew

..

for his family


...

for snarkers upthread
posted by Rafaelloello at 10:48 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by Feisty at 10:55 PM on February 25, 2010

.
posted by Jade Dragon at 2:45 AM on February 26, 2010

Ah hell and damn, he was a clearly great guy. Godspeed Andrew, rest in peace.
posted by Divine_Wino at 4:47 AM on February 26, 2010

So sad, I was praying it wouldn't end this way. nthing the plea for anyone in distress to call a helpline.

.
posted by Wuggie Norple at 5:23 AM on February 26, 2010

Very sad. I wish he felt and knew how loved he was.
posted by stormpooper at 6:37 AM on February 26, 2010

Jesus, his parents and friends found the body themselves? I'm not sure why that adds one more layer of horrible to this ending for me, but it does.

.
posted by aclevername at 7:01 AM on February 26, 2010

Rest in peace, Andrew.
posted by Kwine at 7:12 AM on February 26, 2010

.
posted by mike3k at 8:17 AM on February 26, 2010