Current Events > Have you been following this Drake Bell, Boy Meets World thing?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Pretty weird seeing Drake in the news again.

at first, I didn't know what you were talking about, but after googling, it's a very sad story.

basically, for anyone who doesn't know, Drake Bell came out to say that his dialogue coach sexually abused him for years, and how there seems to be some conflict between him and some Boy Meets World actors since they spoke out in support of the coach (who was locked up for it, btw).

edit: I guess there's also going to be a documentary about it.

Boy meets world lol

I heard about the sexual abuse and the documentary but not the Boy Meets World stuff.

Edit. Aw man, not Will Friedle...

I listened to the Pod Meets World episode where they tackled this subject, but I did not understand that Drake Bell was the victim that was being discussed.

Not to defend anything from their end, but I got the impression that Friedle/Strong regret doing what they did, and that because the accused was their friend, it was hard to fully accept what was happening as reality. They had a therapist on with them during that podcast episode that talked all about Groomers and how they operate and whatnot, which is where the "they were also victims" piece from the article/social media comes from.

Baron_Ox posted...

basically, for anyone who doesn't know, Drake Bell came out to say that his dialogue coach sexually abused him for years, and how there seems to be some conflict between him and some Boy Meets World actors since they spoke out in support of the coach (who was locked up for it, btw).

To clarify, they spoke out in support of the coach like 15-20 years ago during the initial trial. They are at least (publicly) regretful and remorseful that they did that back then, in hindsight.

Doesn't change that they were supporting an abuser back then. And in the article Drake suggests that their walking it back now could be indicative that their publicist chose to do it now because of the upcoming documentary. Which is totally valid and could be what was going on there :(

Will likely would have been late teens when he met and befriended the sex pest, and Rider was like 14. Certainly young enough that an experienced abuser/manipulator could make them feel special that an adult was showing them attention and get them to go along with their support while in court.

Of course now they recognize that they were taken advantage of.

AlCalavicci posted...

thanks for the added context.

Looked it up, and according to one article the trial was in 2003, so over 20 years ago.

Sounds like the guy who committed these atrocities was a manipulative person who pretended to be their friend. Also sounds like they regret defending him.