Scott Baio, the 1980s sitcom star who admonished women to “grow up” if they were offended by Trump’s “grab ‘em by the p***y” lewdness, has been accused of molesting his Charles in Charge costar, Nicole Eggert, starting when she was 14.
Eggert told her story on Megyn Kelly Today this morning. Eggert and Baio agree they had consensual sex. But Eggert says she was 17, which is under the legal age of consent in California (18), while Baio claims she was over 18 at the time. However, Eggert also claimed other sexual abuse when she was even younger.
According to Eggert, Baio began coming on to her when she was 14, the age she started on the show. At that age, she said, he once “reached over and penetrated me with his finger” while they were in his parked car.
Host Megyn Kelly emphasized throughout the interview that Baio has vehemently denied the accusations. However, she also noted that others who worked on Charles in Charge have come out in support of Eggert.
If true, such behavior from Baio is very much in keeping with the misogyny he displayed on Fox News where, for some reason, he has repeatedly appeared as a credible pundit.
On October 8, 2016, in the wake of the infamous “Grab ‘em by the p***y” Access Hollywood tape report, Baio made this shocking comment on Justice with Judge Jeanine:
"I like Trump because Trump is not a politician. He talks like a guy. And ladies out there, this is what guys talk about when you’re not around. So if you’re offended by it, grow up, OK? And by the way, this is what you guys talk about over white wine when you have your brunches.
So take it easy with your faux outrage. This is the way the world works. It’s not a big thing."
These were not the first offensive remarks Baio made on Fox. In June, 2016, he was asked on Fox Business whether he agreed that President Barack Obama was “very reluctant to say ‘Islamic terror.’” Baio went right to the dog whistle, while getting the name of host Ashley Webster wrong:
"Very reluctant? He’s absolutely reluctant. I can’t tell, Lester, if he’s dumb, he’s a Muslim or he’s a Muslim sympathizer and I don’t think he’s dumb."
Neither of those two incidents were enough to dissuade Fox from presenting Baio as a reasonable conservative. He continued to get friendly platforms on Fox News and Fox Business since then.
Watch Eggert’s emotional two-part interview below, from the January 30, 2018 Megyn Kelly Today.
Crossposted at News Hounds.
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