On Saturday, the internet was shocked to learn of the apparent sudden death of former Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi star, Erin Moran, who was only 56. The internet being the internet, people waited with bated breath to hear what the co-star and ex-boyfriend formerly known as Chachi and currently known as a right-wing nut job had to say about Moran. Scott Baio’s response was exactly as assholish as you’d expect it to be if you’ve followed what he calls a career in recent years.
His comment started out respectfully enough.
My sincere condolences. #ErinMoran #HappyDaysFamily pic.twitter.com/5b0AbioZEc
— Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) April 23, 2017
Then things took a horrible turn when he was interviewed on The Bernie and Sid show on WABC.
“My thing is, I feel bad because her whole life, she was troubled, could never find what made her happy and content. For me, you do drugs or drink, you’re gonna die,” he continued.
“I’m sorry if that’s cold, but God gave you a brain, gave you the will to live and thrive and you gotta take care of yourself,” Baio told the radio hosts. “I’m saddened by what happened. I don’t know if it was drugs that killed her, I read one report said it might have been and I hope it … I don’t know what I hope. It’s what it is. What can you do?”
“She was just an insecure human being and fell into this world of drugs and alcohol. Again, I don’t know if that’s what killed her, I’m sure it was a culmination of years and years of doing it that might have had something to do with it. She just never found her way,” he said, revealing that he had tried to get her help many years ago.
“How do you help somebody that doesn’t want to help themselves?” he asked rhetorically. “You try a couple of times and if they don’t want the help, I gotta go, sorry.”
Baio was right about one thing. He didn’t know how Moran died. She had stage four cancer.
Now, Baio is on the defensive, blaming the backlash on the fact that he supported Donald Trump (his Twitter photo is with Trump).
I said “IF”. @ChaseMit . My wife @MrsScottBaio spoke to Erin less than 1 month ago. You bash me ONLY because I support Pres @realDonaldTrump
— Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) April 24, 2017
Then, like his orange idol, Baio blamed the media for at first reporting on Moran’s drug use.
The media did first speculate that it was drug use, but that wasn’t what was offensive about Baio’s interview. What was offensive was his harsh judgment of, regardless of how she died, a sick woman. Baio, like most Republicans these days, believes that he is holier than thou and like Trump, when called out on it, lashes out and blames the “fake media.”
As for Moran, we can only hope she finds the peace she deserves and we wish her loved ones the best.
Featured image via Getty/Alex Wong
