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.
