Scott Baio: Allegations he harassed, assaulted child actors are 'media witch hunt'

Dueling press conferences on sexual misconduct allegations against Scott Baio competed for attention Wednesday, as a former child actor accused Baio of harassment and assault three decades ago and Baio sent out his lawyer and rep to label himself the victim of a "media witch hunt."

Baio was not present at a press conference at his lawyer's office due to his young daughter's illness. Instead, spokesperson Brian Glicklich and lawyer Jennifer McGrath read a statement from him:

"For reasons I don’t understand, I am the victim of false claims that threaten everything precious in my life. … Mostly, I’m stunned. … I will not let this continue. … I will use every ounce of strength I have to fight this."

This now includes allegations from former child actor Alexander Polinsky, who appeared at an earlier press conference Wednesday to accuse his Charles in Charge co-star of sexually harassing him and assaulting him with a cup of hot tea on the set of the show in the late 1980s.

Polinsky's accusations added to those of his former co-star, Nicole Eggert, 46, who claims Baio and she were sexually intimate when she was underage. She appeared with Polinsky in Los Angeles at the offices of their mutual lawyer, Lisa Bloom.


Brian Glicklich, spokesman for Scott Baio, at a press

Brian Glicklich, spokesman for Scott Baio, at a press conference with Baio attorney Jennifer McGrath regarding sexual misconduct allegations against Baio, on Feb.14, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images)

Polinksy, in addition to making his own allegations against Baio, backed up Eggert's accusations against Baio, who has strongly denied that Eggert was under 18 when their encounters occurred.

“I saw their relationship develop on the set in the coming months and years, and it was very distressing to me to see a man I looked up to behaving in this way with someone who is very close to my age,” Polinsky said.

Glicklich said Eggert's credibility has been undermined by her allegedly shifting accounts of what happened and when, and by comparing video of what she has said in the media recently about her encounters with Baio compared to what she said five years ago.

"Scott denies every single claim of inappropriate behavior, and if you examine the claims made they can be refuted with evidence," Glicklich said. "Frankly, if we go through all the individual accusations, we'll be here all afternoon. Scott denies all of them."

Polinksy, now 43, played a friend of Eggert's character on the show, with Baio, now 57, as the headliner playing a college student living with a family as a babysitter.

Source : usatoday