Alexander Polinksy Accuses ‘Charles In Charge’ Co-Star Scott Baio Of Sexual Harassment

Alexander Polinksy is now the second former Charles in Charge actor to levy a sexual harassment accusation against Scott Baio.

ALEXANDER POLINSKY ACCUSES SCOTT BAIO OF SEXUAL ABUSE

Polinksy, who played Adam Powell on the 1980s sitcom, is alleging that Baio sexually abused and harassed him as a child. “I was sexually harassed by Scott Baio and ultimately assaulted by him between the ages of 12 to 15 years old,” Polinsky said during a press conference with attorney Lisa Bloom.

Charles in Charge co-star Nicole Eggert has already come forward to allege that Baio sexually abused her as well during her time on the show. Eggert attended the conference as well to support Polinsky’s claims. He traced the alleged abuse back to his first year working on the show when he was 11, and he walked in on Baio acting “sexual in nature” with Eggert, then 14, sitting on his lap.

“I was so naive, I innocently hopped on his lap expecting to hear a story about Fonzie or Happy Days,” said Polinsky of Baio. “Scott was a hero to me. Instead of telling us a story, he threw me off him angrily calling me a faggot while Nicole laughed.” Further, Polinsky gave details about “a pattern of abuse that was unrelenting” during his time on the show. He believes that Baio began abusing him as retaliation for seeing Baio with Eggert.

According to Polinsky’s testimony, Baio would describe gay sex acts to him and share his “sexual conquests with young girls and co-stars.” “Scott pulled down my pants in front of over 100 people,” he added. “Another time, he laughed as he cut a hole in my dressing room and exposed his genitals to me.” Another time, Polinsky described, Baio “assaulted me by throwing a burning hot cup of tea in my face.” Baio later apologized but Polinksy says that didn’t stop his co-star from abusing him in what he called “sexual-themed hazing.”

When reading her statement at the conference, Eggert aired her guilt for not speaking up for Polinsky at the time, but reasoned that she was enduring her own abuse from Baio. Polinksy also believes that other adults on set were aware of what was happening but stayed silent out of fear. During the conference, Eggert and Bloom said that there were at least 10 on-set witnesses who corroborated Eggert’s claims against Baio to the police.

“Child abuse takes many forms,” said Bloom, who added that the LAPD has started accepting reports of all sexual assault incidents, regardless of when they happened. “For little boys, child abuse can often mean homophobic slurs. Child abuse hurts, it deforms, it teaches children they are trash. Today is about rejecting all of that and it’s about standing up against child abuse.”

Since Eggert shared her story last month, Baio has denied her claims against him. He even jeeringly encouraged her to go to the police. “This is a lesson to be careful of what you wish for,” Bloom said. “Scott did say Nicole should go to the police. Not only did Nicole, Alexander also went to the police.”