Since Investigation Discovery's documentary series Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV premiered earlier this week, Buzz has been a hot topic for several Hollywood celebrities.
This exposé documentary, released in two parts on Sunday and Monday nights, takes viewers behind the scenes at Nickelodeon's biggest TV show and exposes the toxic and abusive culture cultivated behind the scenes by adults at the network. revealed the environment. Among them is Brian Peck, who served time in prison for sexually abusing teen star Drake Bell.
Showrunner Dan Schneider was one of the main focuses of the documentary, with both former child stars and adult colleagues detailing their alleged racism, sexism, harassment, and verbal abuse by him. Schnieder, described as Nickelodeon's “golden boy,” is behind some of the most successful live-action shows in the network's history, and some of his former colleagues say his bad behavior enabled achieved a level of success.
What allegedly happened behind the scenes on some of Nick's most beloved shows, and how was Schneider involved? Here's what we know.
Who is Brian Peck:Former Nickelodeon coach is in the spotlight after being found guilty of molesting a minor.
Who is Dan Schneider?
Dan Schneider is a television producer, screenwriter, and actor best known for his work in children's television.
Schneider and his production company, Schneider's Bakery, produce some of Nickelodeon's most famous shows, including “The Amanda Show,” “Drake & Josh,” “Zoey 101” and “iCarly.”
Schneider dabbled in acting early in his career, landing several small roles and a recurring role as Dennis Blunden on the 1980s sitcom Head of the Class.
He began working as a writer and producer at Nickelodeon in the 1990s and continued to work for the network until the two parties parted ways in 2018.
What was Dan Schneider accused of?
Suspicion of sex discrimination
Schneider was one of the most discussed subjects of the documentary, which was inspired by an investigative report by Kate Taylor.
Mr. Schneider has been accused of unprofessional and inappropriate conduct in the workplace, one of the most common of which included frequently asking female employees for neck massages during filming. was.
“The Amanda Show” writers Jenny Kilgen and Christy Stratton have accused Schneider of sharing her salary with them as the only women in the writing room and often making inappropriate comments and demands. It accused Schneider of discriminatory behavior. They ultimately sued the network for gender-based discrimination.
allegations of racial discrimination
Former 'All That' actors Brian Hahn and Jovonnie Samuels say they suffered racial discrimination on set, claiming they were cast in stereotypical roles and mistreated by showrunners. .
“Someone said my skin color should be charcoal, and I started getting teary-eyed,” Hearn said in the documentary, who will play a rapper named “Lil Fetal.” He recalls a time when they were discussing costumes for a skit. At another point, his mother pointed out the implications of her son, the only black man on the show's cast at the time, being cast in a role that acted like a drug dealer.
Schneider's shows at the time often featured only one or two black cast members. In the documentary, he and other screenwriters were accused of tokenizing the show's characters.
Suspicion of inappropriate behavior
Adults who worked behind the scenes at the time, including Mr. Kilgen and Mr. Stratton, said in documents that Mr. Schnieder had a tendency to introduce too-adult humor into children's programs. They said Schneider acknowledged at multiple points that it was strange to include innuendo in a children's program.
It is said that some actors were forced to wear short skirts, bikinis, and costumes that were deemed inappropriate for their age. Scenes ranging from a pickle being slipped into a hole in the wall to Jamie Lynn Spears being shot in the face with a sticky substance have come under scrutiny.
Schneider denies the allegations
Mr. Schneider denied these allegations. In a statement, his publicist said, “Remember, all storylines, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts. The Standards and Practices Group created all scripts. “We read and gave final approval, and program executives reviewed and approved all episodes.” Additionally, parents, caregivers, and their friends were always present on every set to watch filming and rehearsals. ”
Schneider was also accused of verbal and emotional abuse in the form of yelling, shouting, threats, insults and other “harmful” behavior. He has not been accused of sexual or any other form of physical abuse.
Child stars speak out.Nickelodeon actors allege abuse in 'Quiet on Set' doc: Former child stars speak out
What kind of shows has Dan Schneider worked on?
Schneider worked in the entertainment industry from the '80s until 2018, earning numerous accomplishments along the way. However, he is best known for his work on family and children's television, especially Nickelodeon.
Some of his most popular shows include:
- “Good Burger”
- “Kenan & Kel”
- “Everything”
- “Amanda Shaw”
- “What's good about you?”
- “Icarly”
- “Drake & Josh”
- “Zoe 101”
- “Winner”
- “Sam and Cat”
- “Henry Danger”
- “Game Shakers”
What does Dan Schneider say about “Quiet on Set”?
Mr. Schneider answers:Dan Schneider addresses toxic workplace allegations on Nickelodeon TV show
In a statement previously given to USA TODAY, Schneider's representative said in part:
“Everything that happened on the show Dan ran was carefully vetted by dozens of adults involved and approved by the network. If there was a scene or outfit that was inappropriate in any way, this multi-layered would have been flagged and blocked due to extensive scrutiny.”
Another part of the statement reads: “During a career spanning more than 30 years, Dan has worked with thousands of people, many of whom still express his gratitude for how much they enjoyed working on his programs. “But he also knows that there are some people who couldn't be on his show.” “It was a very positive experience and he's really sorry for that. Dan knows he should have done better and those who saw him at his worst instead of his best. I feel terrible about it.”
Schneider also posted a video response to his YouTube channel on Tuesday following the release of “Quiet on Set.” In it, he talks to BooG!e, the actor who played T-Bo on iCarly.
“The main thing I would change is the way I treat people and everyone. I certainly didn't give people my best at times. I didn't show enough patience. .I was brash, definitely ambitious, and sometimes just straight forward. I was rude and obnoxious, and I'm very sorry that I ever was that way,” Schneider said. .
How to watch “Quiet on Set”
“Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV” premiered on Investigation Discovery (ID) on Sunday, March 17th at 9pm ET. The four-episode series aired in two parts, with the second episode released the following day on Monday, March 18 at 9:00 PM ET.
ID Channel is available through some cable subscription services and live TV streaming services such as Fubo, DirecTV, Philo, and Sling.
Once released, it will also be available to stream on Max, Prime Video, Apple TV, and The Roku Channel.