Dustin Diamond Claims He’s Really Not That Bad: He Even Had A Stunt Double For Porn

Dustin Diamond, the actor and comedian who just about everyone knows as the awkward kid named “Screech” from Saved by the Bell, is also known for his bad decisions (including releasing a porn video) and seemingly bad attitude in his chaotic adult life.

Most recently, Diamond made the news for allegedly attacking a man with a knife during a fight in a bar. Dustin claimed he was not guilty. Sadly, the man behind the beloved “Screech” character found trouble in other ways that shamed him and degraded him before the incident at the Port Washington bar.

Diamond recently sat down with FOX6 News and told them about his struggles after his 10-year-long career on Saved by the Bell ended. He claimed he didn’t know what to do with his life, even though he loved computers, music, and comedy. People did not encourage him, and his parents had already spent most of his fortune he had earned from acting.

“There were a lot of naysayers. There were a lot of people saying ‘you’ve already peaked. You’re never going to get that again.'”

For the most part, those people seemed to be right. People could not get past the Screech stereotype and would not hire him for major acting parts. Dustin Diamond was struggling, and soon his Port Washington home was threatened with foreclosure. In 2006, Diamond came up with a plan to save his home by selling T-shirts online. Although it made him enough money to save his home, there were some people who never received their shirts. This added to Diamond’s reputation for screwing things up.

Diamond claimed the T-shirts were in high-demand and some came back because some addresses simply didn’t exist.

Also in 2006, Diamond became involved with a sex tape. He claims it was his biggest regret.

According to Defamer, Dustin claims the porn tape actually started out as a joke because of Paris Hilton’s sex tape. Her porn tape made $14 million, he claimed, and a friend joked that a Screech sex tape would be worth at $1 million.

Diamond claimed his porn starred his face only, but the rest was not him. The naughty bit was actually artificial, he insisted.

“It was rubber, it wasn’t real. I have the original footage. It’s not something you show at family gatherings or dinners or picnics, but I certainly had to show my wife. Otherwise I wouldn’t be married. All of her friends we’re like ‘he’s involved with porn!’ and I’m like, ‘No, no I’m not!'”

Dustin Diamond admits his porn tape did make money, but “not as much as you’d think.”

Later, in 2009, Dustin took part in Celebrity Fit Club to try and get away from his Screech shadow. By playing the part of the “bad guy,” Diamond claimed he was paid more and gave him an opportunity to stretch his acting skills. Viewers became confused and didn’t understand that even though it was “reality TV,” acting is still a major part of it.

To make matters worse, an unflattering tell-all book about Saved by the Bell was released shortly thereafter. Dustin contracted with a ghostwriter to create it, and he claimed the ghostwriter took everything out of context and wrote lies. The publisher of the book went out of business and after the first payment, Diamond said he never earned any more money.

Dustin claimed his mistakes have a silver lining and he is learning from them.

“Here’s the way I look at it. I walk a very honest and humble path, and I know what kind of person I am. I’m very comfortable where I fit in life. I want to have a family. I want to have kids and I want to raise them right. I’m playing comedy clubs. I’m not rich, but I make a living. I’ve tripped and fallen many times in my life. If you don’t, how do you learn?”

As Dustin Diamond continues to try and put the past behind him, including porn films, bad tell-all books, and quick-cash gimmicks, fans can only hope he can finally find his road to happiness that leads him away from the Screech-like awkwardness which seems to follow him wherever he goes.

[Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images]