Drake Bell, a former Nickelodeon actor, recently opened up about his experience working with ex-vocal coach Brian Peck while working on “Drake & Josh,” revealing he is a victim of sexual abuse.
The “Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV” docuseries has flipped the script on how 90s and 2000s babies see their favorite childhood shows like “Zoey 101,” “The Amanda Show,” and “Victorious.” With all the dark secrets about what went down behind the scenes, it’s no wonder some stars, including Drake, have a hard time looking back.
But despite the past, it seems Drake Bell has found his happy place—just recently, he had fans “in tears” belting out the iconic “Drake & Josh” theme song in a new social media video.
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Drake Bell Brings Fans Back To The Early 2000s
“Drake & Josh” first hit Nickelodeon back in 2004, with Drake Bell lending his voice to the theme song, “I Found A Way.” Fast forward 20 years, and Drake’s taking fans on a trip down memory lane.
He just teamed up with Jonathan Tilkin and Anthony Gargiula to belt out the fan-fave tune, and let’s just say, the emotions were running high.
“Literally teared up seeing Drake so happy in this,” one TikToker wrote after watching the clip.
“Omg Drake is seriously so happy in this,” another pointed out.
“Drakes smile during this,” a third said, adding two of the face holding back tears emojis.
“This is what healing looks like,” a fourth commented.
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Drake Bell Teams Up With Jonathan Tilkin And Anthony Gargiula
YouTuber Jonathan Tilkin and singer Anthony Gargiula have taken over TikTok—right from the corner of a kitchen.
The duo’s TikTok series has them teaming up with big-name artists to belt out their most iconic tracks. They’ve already joined forces with the likes of Jesse McCartney, Daniella Monet, Jax, and Victoria Justice.
Their most recent guest left social media users overly emotional as Drake Bell grabbed his guitar to sing the iconic “Drake & Josh” theme, just months after revealing he is a victim of sexual assault.
“THE HARMONIES HIT SO HARD,” one fan said, adding four fire flame emojis.
“I love seeing Drake’s healing,” another said.
“Thanks for completing my childhood once more,” a third commented.
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Drake Bell Reveals He Is A Victim Of Sexual Assault
“You know, anytime I had an audition, or anytime I needed to work on dialogue or anything, I somehow ended up back at Brian’s house,” the actor said in the docuseries, recalling his experience working with Brian. “I was sleeping on the couch where I would usually sleep, and I woke up to him, I opened my eyes, I woke up, and he was sexually assaulting me, and I froze and in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react.”
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“I had no idea how to get out of the situation,” he continued, adding that the abuse “just got worse, and worse, and worse, and worse.”
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‘I Kind Of Relate’
“In The End” isn’t the only reference to Drake’s “Drake & Josh” days.
The lyrics of his song “I Kind Of Relate”—“running away / From the abuse and all the shame”—hit hard, seemingly channeling his troubled past. And if that’s not enough, the music video takes it a step further, with a nod to his Nickelodeon days—featuring a TV set that looks just like the one from “Drake & Josh.”
“I kind of relate / I found beauty in my pain / I’m running away / From the abuse and all the shame / ‘Cause no one comes / To my house anymore / No one knocks on my door / I kind of relate / The wrong decisions I have made / I wanted to stay / But I couldn’t last another day / My golden days / They seem so far and gray / So I’m running away (running away).”
Drake Bell Shares Song That Was ‘Inspired’ By His Past
In the video, Drake shows up looking battered and bloodied, sitting in a car like he just barely survived a brutal crash. After some intense surgery, he’s seen at what looks like a group therapy session, and later, he picks up a guitar in a set that’s eerily similar to the iconic bedroom he shared with his step-brother Josh Nichols (played by Josh Peck) on “Drake & Josh.”
He later shared, “This song was inspired by my past, and now that my story is being told I felt the time was right to share it.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit the official National Sexual Assault Hotline website to speak with a sexual assault service provider.