On May 1st, 2024, Former Nickelodeon producer and writer, Dan Schneider Filed a lawsuit against the producers of the docuseries “Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV.”
What is “Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV?”
“Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV” is a true crime docuseries that was released throughout the months of March and April 2024. In the show, former Nickelodeon actors and employees tell the true story about what happened to them behind the scenes.
In the docuseries, Former Writers for Nickelodeon, Christy Stratton, and Jenny Kilgen expressed the misogyny they faced while working. The two women were told if they wanted to keep their jobs, they would have to share a paycheck. They were also constantly humiliated and forced to do things that they weren’t comfortable doing to keep their job and keep a good reputation.
Various actors and actresses from the shows All That, The Amanda Show, Zoey 101, and more, talked about the toxic and abusive environment they had to work in at such a young age. A lot of the former actors experienced some form of sexual abuse or exploitation throughout their Nickelodeon career because there were many predators that worked on the sets. One of the most shocking stories that came from the series was from Drake & Josh actor, Drake Bell. Bell shared in the series that he was sexually abused by his vocal coach, Brian Peck. Bell stated “he was so good at what he was doing, Brian, he was so calculated, he knew exactly what to say, how to say it, what to do, the image to portray, everything. I completely understand how he just pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes. It’s tragic.”
Why did Dan Schneider file a lawsuit?
Dan Schneider was one of the main focuses of quiet on set because he was accused of creating a toxic environment and making inappropriate sexual “jokes” with the young actors. Schneider filed a defamation suit against Warner Bros. Discovery and the other companies that helped create and produce the series.
Apnews.com states “‘Quiet on Set’s’ portrayal of Schneider is a hit job,” the suit says. “While it is indisputable that two bona fide child sexual abusers worked on Nickelodeon shows, it is likewise indisputable that Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, was not complicit in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered and, critically, was not a child sexual abuser himself.”
Since the series was released, Schneider has come out and apologized for his “embarrassing” behavior while working with Nickelodeon. Schneider stated, “I am sincerely apologetic and regretful for that behavior, and I will continue to take accountability for it,” But, this was obviously not enough. Former “All That” actor Bryan Hearne said, “The thing about his apology as a whole, is, I thought it was funny,” and “If I could be candid, Dan was an actor before all of this. And so, I think that he brushed off some chops, and gave us a nice performance. Where was all of this apologizing when Jennette McCurdy’s book came out?”
The reason Schneider left Nickelodeon was because in 2018, an investigation was done, and it was found he was verbally abusive to his employees.
When asked if Schneider has the right to sue for defamation, senior Tayina Altidor said “No, I don’t think he has the right to sue for defamation, there are so many people coming out and saying the same things that if you don’t have evidence against them that it’s untrue you cannot sue.”The trial does not yet have a date as to when it is going to begin.
