It has become increasingly common for the experiences of childhood stars to serve as cautionary tales about the dark side of children’s television. Lindsay Lohan, Drew Barrymore, and McCauley Culkin are examples of child actors who were lucky enough to generate success as actors in their early years. But this kind of fame and success can introduce other sets of issues. Some childhood stars manage to become vocal about the abuse they’ve faced during their time as child actors later on in life. Many child actors face problems such as jealousy from friends, decreased privacy, being used for monetary gain, and long hours on set. Generally speaking, child actors report on how most of their issues manifested from neglect in their familial life. However, a newly released investigative docuseries has managed to uncover new truths about the nature of kids’ TV, and directly targets Nickelodeon and one of their “golden-boy” producers, Dan Schneider, for wronging children while making millions.
Nickelodeon’s place as a kid-friendly powerhouse network is undeniable since it shaped the childhoods of millions of children with shows like iCarly, Drake & Josh, Sam & Cat, Zoey 101, and Victorious (just to name a few). From 1996-2018, Dan Schneider created and produced a string of highly successful shows that were able to bring extensive fame to any child or writer. This also granted him the power to take their success away. The “Quiet on Set” docuseries discusses how Nickelodeon “fumbled the bag” by having all of their hit shows be manned by one man, who turned out to be a creep. In 2018, Schneider was first accused of sexual misconduct, gender discrimination, and creating a toxic work environment; he was dropped from Nickelodeon that same year. Up until now, news of his misconduct has not been shared, and he has managed to keep a low profile despite the increasing number of allegations against him. “Quiet on Set” was a very eye-opening moment for a lot of people since it was the first time that an official deep dive was done regarding the discourse around Dan Schneider.
Many child actors and writers were able to come forward and share that Schneider fostered hostile work environments and sets that were filled with inappropriate behavior. The docuseries revealed that Dan Schneider hired Brian Peck as a dialogue coach after he had already been released and registered as a sex offender. In 2004, Brian Peck pleaded no contest to two of the eleven charges he was facing, including oral copulation with a minor under 16 and performing a lewd act with a 14 or 15-year-old. Peck served 16 months in prison and was registered as a sex offender, but went to work with Disney Channel on Suite Life of Zach & Cody after his release.
Additionally, Brian Peck was pen pals with John Wayne Gacy, a known serial killer and sexual offender who tortured and murdered at least thirty-three young men. Schneider made another questionable hiring choice when he appointed Jason Handy, a proven sex offender, as his production assistant. Handy also pleaded no contest to lewd acts on a child and the distribution of sexually explicit material in 2004. Both counts tied Handy’s actions to young girls on Nickelodeon shows. The mother of one of Handy’s victims shared that Handy sent her daughter several indecent emails and even wrote things like “I am a pervert, full-blown” in his journal.
Several questionable scenes that were written by Schneider also became a topic of discussion due to the phallic imagery they contain. Ariana Grande, former Nickelodeon actor turned pop star, is seen “juicing” a potato while moaning, sticking her big toe down her throat, and splashing water on herself in a way that has been deemed sexually suggestive. Jamie Lynn Spears, Zoey 101 star and Britney Spears’s sister, had “goo pop” yogurt splattered all over her face, and Kyle Sulivan, an actor on All That, discussed how dogs licked peanut butter off of his body. All the child actors who talked about the inappropriate scenes they were in stated that even if they were unaware of the sexual nature present in the jokes, they still felt uncomfortable being in these situations because of how the crew members would react. It wasn’t uncommon for crew members to watch these scenes and laugh at the true connotations behind these jokes.
Through Dan’s hiring choices and creepy jokes, he quietly harbored known pedophiles in an environment that was supposed to be family-friendly. A pivotal point in the docuseries was when Drake Bell, from the show Drake & Josh, revealed himself as one of the plaintiffs in Brian Peck’s 2004 case. During Drake Bell’s tell-all moment, when he was asked for details on the nature of abuse he responded by saying, “Think of the worst stuff that someone can do to someone as sexual assault, and that will answer your question”. Nickelodeon reacted to Drake Bell’s revelation in a statement that reads, “Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward”. Drake Bell considers Nickelodeon’s response to be empty since they still run all of the shows that these abusive people were involved in and Drake Bell is responsible for paying for his therapy.
Nickelodeon is still a business and Dan Schneider was doing what they wanted him to do – make money, so it’s not surprising why they would give him so much leniency. However, too many people were able to slip through Nickelodeon’s cracks and not face any consequences that would make significant changes to their lives. Of the two people Dan Schneider personally hired, Jason Handy is the only one facing any legal consequence, as he is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg, Virginia, and is set to be released on August 28, 2038. Brian Peck continues to benefit from Nickelodeon’s negligence which allows him to reside in Los Angeles, California quietly.
Sexism also made its way to Dan Schiender’s set and Jenny Kilgen, a female staff writer, disclosed that she had to share a single writer’s salary with another female colleague and even had to massage Schiender while he was watching pornography for her sketches to be featured on a show.
“Quiet on Set” has effectively brought attention to a conversation about the entertainment industry’s history of undervaluing child safety. The docuseries has even caused Schiender to break his silence by posting an interview to his own YouTube page where he was interviewed by an actor who starred in one of his shows. In his interview, he made sure to reassure everyone that he was okay and said that he’s embarrassed by his past behaviors and that he owes lots of people apologies, but he never denies the allegations or gives instances where he actually might have apologized. More child actors that Schneider had previously worked with consider his response to be another empty statement. The bottom line is that there should never be a world where not one but two convicted sex offenders should be working with children.
At the end of the day, Nickelodeon’s lack of employee vetting allowed Dan Schneider to become entirely too powerful in his role as a producer. Dan Schneider has not only tainted Nickelodeon’s TV empire but has also made it clear that he is not fit to be in the entertainment industry in any capacity. Everything that has gone on behind the scenes for the cast, crew, and even the viewers has proven to be highly detrimental. Furthermore, the docuseries shows how these issues are systematic and are much bigger than Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon. “Quiet on Set” serves as a random avoid getting caught up in the glitz and glamour of child stardom since it unfortunately can contain a dark underbelly with many secrets on its sets’.