Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
Investigation Discovery’s latest docuseries, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, focuses on former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider. The four-part series premiered on the network on March 17, 2024, with the first two episodes. The final two episodes will air on Monday, March 18, starting at 9 p.m. ET. Quiet on Set features former child actors and writers from many Nickelodeon series as they speak about the alleged abuse and the toxic environment on Schneider’s hit shows.
According to Today.com, Dan Schneider served as an executive producer, writer, and television creator during Nickelodeon’s golden period. He then created hit shows like All That, The Amanda Show, Zoey 101, iCarly, and Drake & Josh. Schneider worked with then-rising stars such as Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes, and several other child actors, which eventually led to their prominence.
However, Nickelodeon cut ties with Schneider after allegations surfaced in March 2018, accusing him of exhibiting abusive behavior on set, per People Magazine. After this, Schneider was listed as a co-creator of the 2020 show Danger Force, a spinoff of Henry Danger. A year later, he told The New York Times that he was working on a new pilot for another network meant for “more of an adult audience.” He also mentioned a second pilot for kids and their families. However, there has been no further news on these pilots.
While he does appear in Quiet on Set, Schneider has made statements in response to the allegations in the series. The former Nickelodeon producer has not made many regular appearances ever since the abuse allegations but has denied any wrongdoing on several occasions.
What are the allegations made against Dan Schneider by Nickelodeon stars?
In 2018, Deadline reported that staff members had filed complaints against Schneider for exhibiting abusive behavior on set, per People Magazine. The report mentioned that Schneider had been “under a cloud of suspicion over the treatment of some younger stars of his shows.” This occurred after he posted foot pictures of young actresses he worked with.
The Los Angeles Times reported that a Viacom CBS probe failed to find evidence to back the sexual misconduct allegations against Dan Schneider. However, the investigation alleged that he had been verbally abusive to staff members. Over the years, multiple Nickelodeon stars who have worked with Schneider have made allegations about his behavior on set.
NBC News reported that in 2022, Business Insider interviewed several people who worked directly with Dan Schneider. The report claimed that these people allegedly described facing gender discrimination and the work environment to be hostile. The outlet published reporter Kate Taylor’s investigation of these allegations made by young actors and the writing staff and crew against Schneider.
During the said interview, Victorious star Daniella Monet talked about feeling “sexualized” on the show. Monet talked about one such scene where she had to eat a pickle while applying lip gloss. Monet also alleged that Schneider urged actors to wear “the most revealing” and “skimpier” outfits.
In her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy talked about the darker side of being a child actor. McCurdy alleged inappropriate behavior from her boss, whom she refers to only as “The Creator,” per Vanity Fair. She further detailed other allegations, claiming that the said person pressured her to drink alcohol while underage. The creator also gave her massages, per Entertainment Weekly.
The outlet stated that in Quiet on Set’s trailer, former employees allege abuse, sexism, and racism. They also mention inappropriate dynamics between the crew and underage stars while on the sets of Dan Schneider’s hit shows. A former employee alleged, “Working for Dan was like being in an abusive relationship.” Another person claimed that Schneider’s “treatment of people on his shows was an open secret.”
Additionally, the trailer of the documentary features employees referring to alleged “predators” at the network. They also talk about several instances of alleged sexual abuse related to a child actor.
What has Dan Schneider said about the allegations?
Dan Schneider’s spokesperson made a statement to People Magazine regarding ID’s Quiet on Set docuseries. The statement said many kids worked “in the untenable position of becoming the breadwinner for their family.” It implied that a certain amount of pressure came along with that. Moreover, “the difficulties of growing up under the spotlight while working a demanding job, all as a child. Nobody understood that pressure better than Dan and that’s why he was their biggest champion.”
It continued, “Dan has said himself that he was a tough boss to work for and if he could do things over again he would act differently. But let’s be clear: When Dan departed Nickelodeon a full investigation was done and again.” The statement said the investigation only found evidence “that he [Dan] was a challenging, tough and demanding person.”
For the sexualizing allegations, the statement mentioned that the network approved every scene. It said that some of “these shows are all still being aired today” and “if there was an actual problem they would be taken down.” These shows reportedly “air constantly all over the world, enjoyed by kids and parents.”
Dan Schneider denied any wrongdoing in a 2021 interview with The New York Times, further having “declined to comment on the investigation.” However, Schneider defended “his leadership style” and also denied leaving “[Nickelodeon] on bad terms.” The former producer claimed he left because of “a natural confluence of events after an ‘exhausting’ period in which he delivered as many as 50 episodes of shows each year.”
The final two episodes of Quiet on Set premiere on March 18 at 9 p.m. ET.
