Over the weekend, Scott Baio revealed that Dr Oz taped an episode with Nicole Eggert, where she claims her former co-star started sexually abusing her when she was just 14 years old as they filmed Charles in Charge. He said that his lawyers sent The Dr Oz Show a cease and desist letter and they pulled the episode.
Well, the talk show had a change of heart and will air that episode tomorrow, January 31st. Dr Oz explained to Page Six TV today why it is now airing it, “I have very high standards for everything I do. The show has always maintained philosophy we want to do the best, best possible for everyone involved. And it takes a while to vet stories that are 30 years old.” Then he added, “We have been doing that, doing our homework; but over the weekend the key folks, Scott Baio, Nicole Eggert, went to Twitter, started a little social media war and I am comfortable airing the show. So you will see the footage with Nicole tomorrow and Scott Baio’s response.”
Basically it seems like Baio is his own worst enemy. Had he stayed silent, she would not have been on Megyn Kelly Today this morning and this episode would not have aired. But by telling his side of the story, he opened the door to her story finally being told in front of the cameras.
BTW Baio will be on Good Morning America tomorrow morning.
Before Nicole Eggert was saving people on Baywatch, she needed someone to save her from her abusive mom in When She Was Bad. How cute was the 7-year-old in that 1979 telemovie?
For decades, there have been rumors that Scott Baio and Nicole Eggert dated when they starred on Charles in Charge together back in the late ‘80s. For the last several years, the actress has been claiming that he touched her inappropriately starting when she was just 14.
She has mentioned this several times on Twitter, and Baio and wife denied the claims each time. But in the #MeToo era, she is finally ready to take her allegations off of social media and into the spotlight. Over the weekend, when she Tweeted it about, Baio did a 16-minute Facebook Live, with his proof that it did not happen and he says that his lawyers have stopped her from coming forward in the past when she spoke to Dr Oz and TMZ.
Today, he could not stop her when she went on Megyn Kelly Today and she explained why now. She said, “What my truth is, is that I wasn’t ready to tell my story,” Then she added, “For me it was always protecting the show and protecting that whole legacy that nothing happened there. That was my delusion, and that was my cover-up, always. I always lied about it.” A show that still streams on NBC.com.
What does she say she lied about? She says the first time it happened, she was just 14, and he fingered her in his car in his garage. That is when she alleges the abuse started and went on during a weekly basis until they had sex when she was 17 and he was in his mid-20’s. She said it was not rape, but she added she was also not exactly a willing partner. After the two had intercourse, she says he changed and became distant to her. Before that, she claims, he would touch her on the set and try to sneak kisses. Something, two of her co-stars, including Alexander Polinsky who played her younger brother on the show, corroborated.
Why didn’t she say anything back then? She says, “The issue with him is, he was our boss…and he also was telling me, ‘You can’t tell anybody, this is illegal, I’ll go to jail, the show will be over, everybody will be sued, you’ll be out of a job, you’ll ruin everybody’s life.’ And it’s scary. It’s intimidating, especially when you are that young.” It was her first big role, she was just a teen living in adult world and he was a big star back then. It is a lot for someone of her age to handle. Something she says, “If I could go back to a younger Nicole, I would tell her she doesn’t have to be ashamed that she’s a victim,’…Shame can play such a weird part and such a strong voice…you lie. I didn’t want anybody to look at me and think I was weak.” Strength is something many women finally feel they have now because we can come forward, we are being heard and we are being believed.
When it comes to whether she will go to the police as he suggested. Her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, says he might just get what he wants. But that is just one of the many ways, she can respond to him legally and they are considering their options.
Back in the ’80s, everyone was singing the Charles in Charge theme song. Heck even now you can do it, just from your memory because it was so gosh darn catchy. Well what about the cast of the beloved sitcom, can they do it?
This weekend Buddy Lembeck (Willie Aames), Gwendolyn Pierce (Jennifer Runyon) and, Jamie (Nicole Eggert) and Adam Powell (Alexander Polinsky) all got together for a mini-reunion at the Chiller Theater convention in NJ. On the way there, they all sang their theme song and the actors knew each and every word from memory just like you and me. Even though they had not seen each other in years (and for one not having worked with two of them), they still were all in sync as they sang the tune that is stuck in your head now. And hearing them do it makes you feel as happy as you do whenever you hear that song on television.
I have said this before and I will say it again, why doesn’t someone reboot this show. Maybe Adam is hired to babysit Gwendolyn and Buddy’s kids. Since the latter two got married and had kids! I would watch it, wouldn’t you?
To see how happy the cast looks after they have been fed snacks and are standing up, then click here!
David Hasselhoff was reunited with his Baywatch lifeguards over the weekend at The Hollywood Show and it is so awesome to see them all together again. Seriously seeing Mitch Buchannon with Brande Roderick, David Chokachi, Donna D’Errico, Erica Eleniak, Gena Lee Nolin, Jaason Simmons, Nicole Eggert, Traci Bingham and Parker Stevenson together like that, makes me wish that they do a reunion movie ASAP. Wouldn’t you watch if they did one?
