Drake Bell says that not one of the dozens of people that wrote letters of assist for his abuser have apologized to him privately.
In a brand new episode of The Sarah Fraser Present podcast, the Drake & Josh star gave his first interview following the discharge of Quiet on Set: The Darkish Aspect of Children TV, the Investigation Discovery docuseries by which he particulars the sexual abuse he survived as an adolescent whereas working for Nickelodeon. The docuseries revealed that James Marsden, Taran Killam, Boy Meets World actors Will Friedle and Rider Sturdy, and Rising Pains stars Joanna Kerns and the late Alan Thicke have been amongst 41 individuals who wrote letters vouching for Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck when he was awaiting sentencing for abusing a teenage Bell within the early 2000s.
“I haven’t gotten an apology, or a sorry, from anyone that had written letters, or was concerned in supporting him in any respect,” Bell stated within the interview. The actor stated that he wasn’t conscious that the letters of assist existed till Quiet on Set petitioned to have the courtroom paperwork from the case unsealed. “I discovered that later, I imply, there have been a number of those who had supported him that went on to work on Drake & Josh,” he defined.
Drake Bell.
Paul Archuleta/Getty
“And I labored with these folks day by day, and I assumed they have been my associates,” he continued. “They have been folks in positions of energy, that they have been my bosses. They have been administrators, they have been producers. It was a state of affairs the place I assumed I used to be surrounded by, I assumed I used to be protected. I assumed, okay, I assumed I removed, the most cancers has been carved out, we’re higher now. And I had no concept that for 4 years, I used to be working alongside individuals who had supported him, and doubtless behind their thoughts have been pondering of me in a sure method, and I assumed they have been my associates.”Bell additionally stated that though people like Sturdy and Friedle have publicly stated that they have been manipulated into writing letters by way of misinformation in regards to the case, the truth that Peck admitted to sexual encounters with a minor ought to have been sufficient purpose to offer pause. “To sit down there and say, ‘Sure, I did this, nevertheless it’s not how they’re portray it’ — I imply, I can’t think about framing it in a method the place 41 folks, adults, say ‘Oh, properly that completely is smart, the way you’re telling me, that is smart,’” he stated.
Bell stated that he does recognize the handful of people that have made public statements about their regrets. “Tom DeSanto, the producer from X-Males, he launched an apology assertion, which I actually recognize,” he defined. “This can be a very, very robust factor for everybody concerned, and that’s what occurs when folks like Brian do what they do — it creates a ripple impact. And in order that was actually cool of him to do.”
Kerns is the one letter author to supply a follow-up assertion used within the docuseries. It learn, “I’ve now discovered that my letter of assist was primarily based on full misinformation. Realizing what I do know now, I by no means would have written the letter.”
Different letter writers haven’t issued public statements about their assist because the airing of Quiet on Set. Reps for Marsden, Killam, Kerns, Friedle, and Sturdy didn’t return Leisure Weekly’s earlier requests for remark.
You possibly can hearken to Bell’s full interview on The Sarah Fraser Present above.
If you happen to or somebody you recognize has been a sufferer of sexual abuse, textual content “STRENGTH” to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741-741 to be related to a licensed disaster counselor.
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