Actress Nicole Eggert is the latest actress to accuse another high- profile man of sexual assault. According to Eggert, actor Scott Baio sexually molested her on-and-off the set of the television show “Charles in Charge.” The actress talked to Megyn Kelly on her show this morning and discussed what really happened between her and Baio.
'Charles in Charge' set was an unsafe place
The television show “Charles in Charge” is where Baio and Eggert first interacted. Eggert joined the show in 1987 and played the role of Jamie Powell, one of the daughters that Charles, played by Baio, cared for on the series.
At the time, the actress was only 14 years old.
Said Eggert to Megyn Kelly this morning about that time, “I was very young. . .I had never experienced anything like that. He (Baio) was playing on my emotions and on hormones.” Eggert said that Baio would grope and touch her inappropriately a lot on the set through the age of 16 years old. Baio was 11 years older than her. The actress also stated that Baio would tell her to keep quiet about his behavior with his words, ‘You can’t tell anybody. It’s illegal. I’ll go to jail.'
Alexander Polinsky, Eggert’s co-star on the show, is supporting Eggert’s claims of sexual abuse by Baio. Polinsky posted statements on Twitter, his comments now deleted, due to pressures that Baio’s legal team exerted on him.
Polinsky said that he had to watch other children on the set get abused, too.
Baio refutes what Eggert states is the truth
While Baio has denied that he molested Eggert and claims that Eggert seduced him at the age of 18 years old, Eggert clarified to Kelly what really happened at her young age of 17. Said Eggert, “He initiated it- in my house, in my spare bedroom.
He laid down a towel and it happened there.” After the incident, the actress said that Baio treated her badly on the set and became mean toward her.
The actress claimed that her view of what Baio had done to her changed, as she became an adult. “It wasn’t until getting a bit older, I realized this is not love.” Eggert continued by saying that many individuals knew the attention that Baio gave her, and several people would ask her if she was dating him while she was teenager.
Eggert also told Kelly how hard it was to come to grips with the truth. The actress explained that she always lied about Baio molesting her because, “Shame plays such a weird part and strong point. You lie.” Eggert said that seeing so many other women coming forward with incidents of rape and sexual assault in the industry made it easier for her, and she did not feel as embarrassed by it.
While Baio is telling Eggert to file a police report against him, Eggert is discussing legal options with her lawyer.