Everyone is talking about the new documentary series streaming on the platform Max, released on March 17, 2024, “Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV”. The documentary talks about producer Dan Schneider, former production assistant Jason Handy, former dialogue coach Brian Peck, and lastly employee and animator Ezel Channel.
Quiet on Set reveals Nickelodeon’s negative and toxic environment surrounding certain beloved kids’ tv shows from the late 1990s and early 2000s, like “All That”, “The Amanda Show”, “Drake & Josh”, “Zoey 101”, “iCarly”, “Victorious”, and more. The series brings out actual actors and actresses from different casts from some of the shows that Dan Schneider produced. Former Nickelodeon child actors come on the show to talk about their own experiences and share their stories of abuse they endured while on their show.
In the first episode two female writers who were hired for “The Amanda Show” say they had to split their salary while working for Schneider. They also reveal that Dan would be inappropriate in the workplace, ask for massages on the set, and say questionable things about women. Some former African Americans Nickelodeon actors would talk about how they felt more excluded and left out than the rest of the white cast and actors.
Throughout the show, they also bring up how Schneider would include sexually suggestive jokes in some of his shows, which later on people find extremely uncomfortable and inappropriate for kids.
Lastly, Drake Bell is well known for playing in the TV show “Drake & Josh”. Bell stepped up to say that ex-Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck sexually assaulted him at the age of 15.
Two days after the four episodes were released, an interview on YouTube https://youtu.be/MX9pLTuGX_M?si=L1j_-CusVCkNCjmM with actor BooG!e who was on “iCarly” who questions Schneider about his past behavior and choices. He apologizes in the interview for many reasons and explains that he is regretful and embarrassed. He explains that he made practical jokes that went too far and that was wrong and is still wrong. He says that he “[hates] that anybody worked for me and didn’t have a good time…” and says that he would snap at the actors and be snarky and not give others the time that they needed and wishes that he would’ve given others a better experience. Based on all this information, what is your opinion about the situation?
