Molly Shannon recently revealed that she was a victim of sexual assault at the hands of the late actor Gary Coleman. The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member is a comedian and actress known for supporting roles in several movies.
On April 12, the 57-year-old released her memoir titled “Hello, Molly!” The biography highlighted the actress’s journey from a tragic childhood to her current status as a well-known comedian. Shannon also detailed some shocking past events in the autobiographical work.
In a recent interview, “The Other People” star revealed that she was sexually molested at the start of her career. The perpetrator was allegedly late “Diff’rent Strokes” actor Coleman. While she escaped unscathed, Shannon revealed that she wished she’d handled the situation differently.
Molly Shannon Said Gary Coleman Sexually Assaulted Her
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Shannon opened up to being sexually harassed by the late “Diff’rent Strokes” star, Coleman. In a Tuesday episode of the SiriusXM’s “The Howard Stern Show,” she opened up about the moment and her regret concerning how she handled it.
The comedian talked about the incident she detailed in her recently released memoir, “Hello, Molly!” According to her, it happened when she had just started as an actress and was signed to the same agent as Coleman, Mark Randall.
Randall apparently asked if she would like to meet Coleman, a famous former child actor. Shannon reacted any way a young performer would when faced with the opportunity of meeting a bigger star; she wholeheartedly accepted. However, the experience was a little more than she bargained for.
Shannon Said She Was A Virgin
MEGARecounting the incident, the 57-year-old admitted that her agent at that time left her with Coleman after they arrived at the late actor’s suite. “Mark came up with us too, and they had the presidential suite, and then we went into the room, and Mark disappeared,” she revealed.
According to Shannon, she wasn’t “even thinking about [sex] at that time because she was a virgin. Coleman allegedly invited Shannon to sit on the bed, a move which she called “very sweet,” however she didn’t feel that way about the rest of what went down.
She recalled, “I think he was like, ‘Sit down [on the bed].’ It was very sweet. And then he’s like, tickling me a little. This and that. And I was like, ‘Oh, stop,’ I was trying to be polite and stuff. I’m a polite Catholic girl and a virgin, so I’m naïve about anything about that.”
Coleman Was ‘Relentless’
MEGAShannon revealed that the late actor was “relentless” despite her pleas and kept trying to kiss her. She continued, “He was relentless. Then, he was like trying to kiss and get on top, and I was like, ‘No, Gary. Stop.’ So, I push him off.”
The comedian said Coleman kept jumping on the bed and wrapping his arms around her. In return, she flung him off, but he got on top of her. She didn’t feel as threatened by the actor because he was significantly smaller than her, but the entire process left her “out of breath because it was athletic and aerobic.”
She finally managed to get him off her and locked herself in the bathroom. “So then I finally get him off, and then I go to the bathroom, and he grabs onto my leg, and I had to kick him off,” the 57-year-old recalled. “And then I lock myself in the bathroom, and then he sticks his hands under the door, and he’s like, ‘I can see you!’”
When she eventually left the room, Shannon revealed that it was in a sprint, but she made sure to be “very polite.” On her way out, she saw Randall, who she warned to “watch that client of [his].” Shannon added that she wished she’d gone about the whole situation differently and stood up for herself more.
Coleman Passed In 2010
MEGAColeman was known for his role in “Diff’rent Strokes” at 11. He passed on as far back as 2010, aged 42. After suffering an intracranial hemorrhage at home, the former child star was reportedly taken to a hospital.
The actor slipped in and out of a coma before being taken off life support. John Alcantar, his manager, said, “He was removed from life support; soon thereafter, he passed quickly and peacefully. By Gary’s bedside were his wife and other close family members.”
He had several medical issues before his death. Many of them led to several operations, transplants, and a seizure. In addition, Coleman had a lifelong kidney issue responsible for his growth stunt at 4’8”.
