Drake Bell, a year after talking about the abuse he suffered during his Nickelodeon days, has found “therapy” at a long -awaited meeting.
“Drake & Josh” co -star, Bell and Josh Peck, gathered in the podcast “Good Guys” of Peck and Ben Soffer to remember their friendship of the years, review their successful comedy and reassess how the abuse bell experienced by a former Nickelodeon dialogue coach hit both. Bell began his walk through the memory lane with a discharge of responsibility.
“I don't know if this is just because we have made many bad decisions in our lives or if it is only for trauma, but I have many problems to remember many things,” he said.
The one -hour conversation among the former 38 -year -old co -stoops, who first shared the screen in the “show” of Nickelodeon before heading “Drake & Josh”, based on the revelations that Bell shared last year in the documentary “Quiet on Set”. Nickelodeon, Brian Peck (unrelated to Josh Peck).
In Monday's podcast, Peck told his former co -star that during the first days of “Drake & Josh” he was not aware of Bell's experience and that “this separation began among us” as a result. Bell explained that the investigation into Brian Peck and “all the things you saw in the documentary” coincided with the filming of the pilot “Drake & Josh”. That made the filming and return to a complicated Nickelodeon set, Bell said.
Being on the set was where he felt “happier and more comfortable”, but “the worst part was every day I got there, the monster was there,” he said. Bell said despite his wishes to concentrate on building his comedy association with Pck: “I returned to the same stage, the same parking lot, the same changing rooms, the same green room, the same makeup rooms.”
Peck replied: “Everything is triggering.”
Bell recalled how Brian Peck's abuse research was silent to production. He said that people in the set supposedly allowed the behavior of their abuser and that “they did nothing.” Bell also recalled “losing her hair” due to research stress.
“I had these giant scabs in my head,” he said, “they were like scabs to the size of a golf ball.”
Peck said he didn't know that Bell suffered sexual abuse until “calm in the set”, but recalled that “he felt something happened.” He remembered to have asked Bell during his “Drake & Josh” days if he was still in contact with Brian Peck.
“You simply looked at me as 'No. Brian is a really bad guy', and I remember thinking, 'Gotcha',” Peck said.
Later in the Podcast, Bell recalled Brian Peck's trial and that the court's room “was full of people who thought they were my friends.” He said he also questioned at that time if he was to blame.
“Drake & Josh” marks a complicated moment in time for Bell, but does not want to discourage fans to enjoy the series, which was broadcast in Nickelodeon from 2004 to 2007. “It was then where I was really comfortable, happy and fueled,” he said, “and I am very proud of what we did.”
Bell and Peck will continue their conversation in another episode.
“I contacted Drake in private, but I wanted to give my support to the survivors who were brave enough to share their stories of emotional and physical abuse in Nickelodeon's sets with this world,” Peck said in March 2024 after the document was broadcast.
“Children must be protected,” Peck added at that time. “To revive this publicly is incredibly difficult, but I hope it can bring healing for victims and their families, as well as the necessary change for our industry.”
After appearing in “Quiet on Set”, which focused mainly on the controversial Nickelodeon Reign of producer Dan Schneider, Bell said last year that he wanted to tell his own story.
“I could have allowed this to destroy me or make me stronger for him,” Bell said about his son with ex -wife Janet von Schmeling.
