Bryan Callen, best known for his role as Coach Mellor in The Goldbergs, has been accused of rape and will not return for season 8 of the series. Regarded for his work in the stand-up comedy world, Callen recently starred in ABC’s spinoff Schooled, in which he reprised his role from The Goldbergs. Callen began his career in Hollywood with notable roles in How I Met Your Mother, The Hangover, and Inside Schwartz.
Recently, numerous allegations of sexual assault have made headlines. These include Danny Masterson (That 70’s Show) charged with rape, Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars) accused of assaulting an underage girl, and Justin Beiber allegedly being involved in sexual abuse. Dating back to twenty years ago, the allegations of sexual misconduct against Callen arrived months after the announcement that Schooled was canceled and The Goldbergs was renewed for season 8. However, it appears Callen will not reprise his role as the titular gym teacher in the comedy series.
Per Variety, Callen has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by four women. Allegedly, Katherine Fiore Tigerman (MadTV) was raped by Callen in 1999. A second accusation stems from Rachel Green, who reports that Callen assaulted her in an American Apparel fitting room in 2009. Additionally, Claire Ganshert claims to have had an affair with the then-married Callen in 2012 after the two met at a coffee shop. The most recent allegation is from 2017 when comedian Tiffany King alleges that Callen offered her stage time and money in exchange for sexual favors. Callen maintains his innocence amid the allegations and made this statement:
Let me be very clear: I have never raped, forced myself upon a woman nor have I offered to trade stage time for sex. I know the truth And I can only hold my head up high, remain true to myself, my family, my audience and know that I will not allow the canceled culture to subvert what I know and as importantly, what these women know, is the truth.
As it stands, Callen will reportedly not appear in season 8 of The Goldbergs due to plot reasons, not as a response to the allegations. Following the accusations against Callen, comedian Amy Schumer took to social media to offer support to the four women who came forward and thanked them for “coming forward to sharing their stories.”
Since the #Metoo and #TimesUp movements, many allegations have come to light regarding the various instances of sexual harassment and racial discrimination, as well as physical and emotional abuse. It’s allowed victims the opportunity to share their stories and seek justice, but the problem has hardly been fixed since situations like the allegations against Callen continue to make headlines. It remains to be seen if an official investigation into the claims against The Goldbergs star Callen will take place.
Source: Variety