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Cheer Jerry Harris Sex Abuse Case Overview:
- Who: The second season of “Cheer” recently debuted on Netflix.
- Why: New episodes are the first since Jerry Harris, one of the first season’s breakout stars, was hit with federal child pornography sex charges.
- Where: “Cheer” Season 2 follows two competitive Texas junior college cheerleading squads.
The popular docuseries “Cheer” recently returned to Netflix for its second season, the first new episodes to debut since its breakout star Jerry Harris was hit with federal child pornography sex charges.
Centered around competitive junior college cheerleading, “Cheer” became a breakout hit for Netflix back in 2019, and members of its cast became celebrities seemingly overnight.
Viewers had initially been drawn to Harris due to his enthusiastic personality and inspiring backstory, and he became one of the show’s brightest stars.
In September 2020, however, Harris had a swift fall from grace after he was charged with soliciting sex from minors at cheer competitions and coercing teen boys to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos.
Harris is currently in jail awaiting trial. He has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges lobbied against him.
Episode Focuses On Allegations But Does Not Show Teamwide Reaction To Allegations
An episode in the second season of “Cheer” focuses on the allegations against Harris, however viewers will not see a teamwide reaction to the situation due to COVID-19 protocols not allowing the show’s production to film.
Viewers will get to hear individual reactions to the allegations and how the news was revealed to the team, however, according to the show’s director, Greg Whiteley.
“I hate that we weren’t there to film,” Whiteley told NBC 5 Chicago. “We get their accounts later where they tell us about what happened and how (coach Monica Aldama) broke that news and how those meetings went down and how difficult it was for those kids.”
Aldama, in an email to NBC 5 Chicago, wrote that the pain felt by the team “pales in comparison to what his victims went through and my heart continues to go out to them. I was proud of the team for giving their all at practice every day and doing what we needed to do physically because emotionally it was difficult.”
In addition to the criminal charges, a lawsuit was filed against Harris in September 2020 by two teen boys who allege he sexually exploited them.
The teens claim Harris, whom they met at a cheerleading competition, would repeatedly ask them for sexual favors and naked pictures.
Widespread allegations of sexual abuse have been coming out against youth organizations recently, including cheerleading, gymnastics and swimming bodies, among others.
Have you experienced sexual abuse at a cheerleading gym? You may be eligible to file a lawsuit.
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