Dustin "Screech" Diamond Mugged

This just in from the Blogcritcs Too sad to be make you laugh, yet too funny to make you cry department – former child actor Dustin Diamond was almost mugged by a woman last Monday morning.

Diamond, best known as TV’s Screech on Saved by the Bell, hasn’t caught a break since his star turn on television in the early 90’s. Costars Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris) and Mario Lopez went on to have successful careers in television, yet Diamond never made it much past being Mr. Belding’s assistant in Saved By the Bell: The New Class.

That even makes Elizabeth Berkley’s strip pole gyrations look like a great career move.

doublediamondI must admit I have a soft spot for Saved by the Bell. It aired during a time in my teenage years when Saturday morning TV was something I looked forward to wasting my weekend on. I was old enough to realize the show was dumb, but young enough not to care. There was something fascinating about the adventures of those teenagers at Bayside, like a train wreck, or the robot-girl on Small Wonder. Even as recently as this morning, I ran past a rerun and just had to watch, at least until the commercial.

Diamond’s personal life has not gone much better than his career. Recently he has started selling t-shirts to stop a foreclosure on his house. And now, he’s nearly mugged.

According to E-Online, Diamond says he first encountered the girl Sunday night at a comedy club where he had performed. She later followed him to his hotel room and accosted him.

"I wake up and go to the bathroom and all of a sudden I hear this pound-pound-pound at the door. I look out and see this girl with her hair hung down and I didn't put it together right away that it's the girl at the club."

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Article Author: Mat Brewster

Mat Brewster is a periodic ex-pat wondering if he'll ever find a home. You can find him musing on pop culture, and obsessing over concert bootlegs at The Midnight Cafe.

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  • 1 - Snarkattack

    Aug 13, 2006 at 5:03 am

    He really said that, about being the D-man and messing with his videogames?!" You don't smart-talk the person attempting to mug you! I know it's not supposed to be a funny situation but the word 'schadenfreude' does come to mind.

  • 2 - Mat Brewster

    Aug 13, 2006 at 7:28 am

    I think that comment was made to reporters/police after the fact and not to the mugger.

    You have to kind of smirk at the misfortune of Screech. You just have to.

  • 3 - Snarkattack

    Aug 13, 2006 at 7:49 am

    Aww but it's bad to!

    What I don't get is how come he's selling T-shirts and not, say, some of his personal belongings? Like the...uh...PSP stuff that nearly got nicked?

    I was aware of poor Screech's problems when an acquaintance posted about it on her blog, take a look at the raunchy (not!) pic here.

    Perhaps I should try selling tees, heh heh. The starving artist thing is so old.


  • 4 - Mat Brewster

    Aug 13, 2006 at 2:46 pm

    That's quite strange, actually. The news reports I read noted he has a fairly successful career as a stand up comedian. He just can't apparently afford his really big, expensive house. The rest of us would just move out and find a less expensive home. He sells t-shirts.

    The other thing is his website notes that he was given a 30 notice on his house or be evicted. But the first time I took notice of the site was months ago, presumably the notice has come and gone.

    Whatever, funny story either way.

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