Drake Bell, the former Nickelodeon actor, has resurfaced on The Masked Singer in Mexico, stirring up a whirlwind of reactions from fans. His participation in the competition comes nearly two years after he was arrested and faced allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming involving an underage fan.
The former child star took to Instagram to acknowledge his appearance on the reality show, a move that has left fans divided. Drake Bell was propelled to stardom in the early 2000s, thanks to his roles on The Amanda Show and the sitcom Drake & Josh, in which he starred alongside Josh Peck. However, his recent television comeback has ignited controversy, given his past legal issues.
In 2021, Drake Bell faced serious allegations. A victim, who was 19 years old when she came forward, and accused him of grooming her from the age of 12. She alleged that their interactions took a “blatantly sexual” turn after she turned 15. The victim claimed that explicit photos were exchanged online, and there were instances of sexual conduct with Drake, even occurring at a concert venue in Cleveland in 2017. After years of silence, Drake Bell pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service in California.
Following his appearance on The Masked Singer Mexico, fans expressed their views online, often raising questions about the allegations against him. Some comments included:
“Is this before or after the allegations?”
“When you groom a kid but don’t have the clout to just keep working in Hollywood, you end up on Mexican Masked Singer apparently.”
“Weird question. Since the age of consent is lower in Mexico, is that one reason why people there aren’t as bothered by him?”
While discussing the legal age of consent, it was noted that Mexico’s age of consent is generally 17, with some regional variations ranging from 14 to 18.
More Allegations
Drake’s career has not been devoid of controversy in recent years. In 2020, he faced allegations of verbal and physical abuse by his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Lingafelt. In a series of TikTok videos, Melissa claimed that Drake had subjected her to verbal and physical abuse when they lived together, with her being 16 years old and him being 20 at the time. Drake denied these claims and announced that he was considering his legal options.
Drake Bell made headlines in April when he was reported missing by Daytona Beach police. Although some believed it was a hoax, the police confirmed that he was considered “missing and endangered.” Fortunately, he was found safe a few hours after the initial report.
Tom Sandoval recently appeared on The Masked Singer to atone for the “Scandoval.”
As Drake Bell’s career takes a new direction with his appearance on The Masked Singer in Mexico, he continues to be a polarizing figure, with fans divided over his return to the spotlight amidst the controversy surrounding his past legal issues.