Nickelodeon’s Dark History: Sexual Misconduct, Hush Money

Sooner than Nickelodeon showrunner Dan Schneider parted strategies with the slime-covered neighborhood in 2018, Schneider served as a result of the face of the neighborhood. He spearheaded numerous worthwhile tween reveals like The Amanda Current, starring Amanda Bynes, Drake & Josh, Zoey 101 (starring Jamie Lynn Spears), iCarly, and Victorious. Whatever the unbelievable success of the tween-angst comedies, a model new docuseries has revealed the stark actuality behind the scenes inside Schneider-affiliated reveals. Inside the four-part docuseries, Quiet on Set: The Darkish Side of Kids TV, Nickelodeon crew members, baby actors, and folks component a toxic work ambiance marked by misogynistic suggestions throughout the writers room, sexual misconduct by crew members, and sexual innuendos plugged into kids programming. 

As a result of the launch of the Investigation Discovery docuseries, additional former Schneider employees have spoken up. Jack Ryan producer Amy Berg labored as Schneider’s assistant for decrease than a 12 months and described him as a “psychological tormenter” and alleges struggling “panic assaults” whereas working for him. Totally different former baby actors have described feeling “intimidated” by the hitmaker’s potential to rework their future careers. Schneider has since apologized for his “rude” conduct in a video interview, and acknowledged prolonged work hours overwhelmed employees. Proper right here’s a timeline of sexual misconduct allegations, gender discrimination lawsuits, and hush money claims former Nickelodeon employees described on the slime-covered neighborhood. 

Late Nineteen Nineties to Early 2000s: What Occurred Between Schneider and Amanda Bynes?

In Quiet on Set, former All That baby actors recalled that Schneider had a personal favorite: Amanda Bynes. Bynes, who joined the current in 1996, would possibly make Schneider giggle, they talked about, which led to one-on-one pitch conferences, and the eventual creation of The Amanda Current in 1999. Although no person alleges misconduct, the two established an in depth relationship — which included some questionable appearances, like one episode that features the two in a scorching tub, the place Bynes wore a one-piece whereas the showrunner was completely clothed. 

On the an identical time, Bynes was butting heads alongside together with her dad and mother. One former All That stable member, Katrina Johnson, described Bynes’ father treating the youthful starlet like a “wind-up doll” and positioned stress on her expert life. Bynes regarded to Schneider for help after she tried to run away from dwelling, investigative journalist Kate Taylor explains on Quiet on Set, and tries to get emancipated from her dad and mother. When a teen is emancipated, it permits kids to work additional hours and make more cash. In 2002, People journal reported Bynes tried to stick with Schneider and his partner Lisa Lillien, although Lillien has talked about she certainly not moved in. After the emancipation case failed, Schneider was unable to revive ties with Bynes’ dad and mother. Ultimately The Amanda Current ran for 4 seasons and the pair labored collectively on the Warner Bros. sitcom What I Like About You. 

2000: Why did former writers sue for gender discrimination?

In Quiet on Set, two former The Amanda Current writers, Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, describe having to separate a single writer’s wage for his or her first Nickelodeon gig. Schneider usually took jokes too far, the two writers say. In a single writers room meeting, Kilgen alleges, Schneider requested Stratton to lean over the desk and faux to be “sodomized” as she provided a highschool sketch thought. The off-color jokes continued — whereas engaged on Season Two, Kilgen talked about throughout the doc, Schneider requested if she used to do “phone intercourse” all through a pitch meeting, humiliating her. Kilgen talked about that second marked the ultimate straw. 

“There was no method I was going to be the one woman in that fucking world with him,” Kilgen talked about. 

By 2000, Kilgen employed a lawyer and filed complaints in opposition to The Amanda Current manufacturing agency alleging gender discrimination and a hostile work ambiance. After an inside investigation, the case was settled out of courtroom for an undisclosed amount. 

“I knew that this was the highest of my occupation, so it increased be worth it,” Kilgen talked about.  

2003 – 2004: What did Nickelodeon crew members Jason Helpful and Brian Peck do? 

Jason Helpful, who labored on The Amanda Current and All That, usually escorted baby actors on set as a producing assistant and appeared nice on the ground, in line with former baby actors throughout the docuseries. Teen actors and folks later realized that Helpful was a sexual predator. One woman throughout the docuseries, MJ, describes her then 11-year-old daughter becoming buddies with him, and Helpful later sending her daughter an e-mail with an image of him masturbating. Investigative journalist Taylor moreover asserts throughout the docuseries that Helpful repeatedly kissed a nine-year-old baby actor who labored on Cousin Skeeter, telling her that he would possibly advance her occupation. 

Los Angeles police arrested 28-year-old Helpful in 2003 for a lewd act with a child beneath age 14. Laws enforcement searched Helpful’s dwelling, after receiving a tip of inappropriate conduct, and situated a trove of child pornography along with 10,000 images of children. All through the pictures, 1,768 featured youthful women in erotic poses, 238 images of youthful women in sexually categorical poses, and a pair of images of ladies in “bondage train,” the docuseries particulars. Whereas trying his dwelling, Taylor explains regulation enforcement found a CD with sexually categorical content material materials involving minors and journals the place Helpful wrote he’s a “pedofile, full blown” and “I even battle on a day after day basis of how I can uncover a sufferer to rape if I’ve to.” MJ’s daughter later testifies in courtroom, and Helpful is sentenced to six years behind bars, on two felony counts along with a lewd act on a child, and a misdemeanor in 2004. 

Throughout the an identical time, dialogue coach Brian Peck, who moreover labored on The Amanda Current and All That, established an in depth relationship with soon-to-be Drake & Josh star Drake Bell. Peck grew to change into an extension of Bell’s life: attending Bell’s reside exhibits, web internet hosting his fifteenth birthday celebration, inviting him to Disneyland, and allowing him to spend the night at his Los Angeles dwelling. Bell alleges throughout the docuseries that at age 15, 41-year-old Peck began “sexually assaulting” him. Bell described feeling “trapped,” and helpless with out the flexibleness to drive himself too and from on-set work.   

“Anytime I had an audition or wished to work on dialogue or one thing, I not directly ended up once more at Brian’s dwelling,” Bell says. “And it merely acquired worse and worse and worse.”

Los Angeles police arrested Peck in August 2003 on numerous costs along with lewd acts with a child that occurred about two years prior at his Los Angeles dwelling, in line with a Los Angeles police press launch. Peck coached the sufferer, the discharge states, and the family reported Peck had molested the child over a six month interval. In 2004, Peck pleaded no contest to 2 costs of child sexual abuse, was sentenced to 16 months in jail, and ordered to register as a intercourse offender.

“Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identification as a result of the plaintiff throughout the 2004 case, we’re dismayed and saddened to be taught of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and assist the ability required to return forward,” a Nickelodeon spokesperson beforehand suggested Rolling Stone in an announcement.

Jury Accountability’s James Marsden, Saturday Night time time Reside’s Taran Killam, and Boy Meets World actors Will Friedle and Rider Strong all despatched letters supporting Peck all through his courtroom case, the documentary detailed. Schneider did not write a letter, with Bell together with, “The one particular person I keep in mind being there for me is Dan.” 

2022: What has Jennette McCurdy talked about about Dan Schneider?

Better than a decade later, iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy revealed her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died alleging the kids neighborhood provided her $300,000 in “hush money” to forestall her from publicly discussing her current experience and relationship with an individual she referred to as “The Creator.” McCurdy doesn’t explicitly decide who The Creator is, though, throughout the docuseries, images of iCarly creator Schneider are talked about after excerpts of McCurdy’s information, with Taylor together with Schneider would “humiliate” or “fireside” an employee after they made a mistake.

“I actually really feel like The Creator has two distinct sides. One is generous and over-the-top complimentary…The other facet is mean-spirited, controlling, and terrifying,” McCurdy wrote in her memoir. 

Inside the memoir, McCurdy moreover particulars a dinner with The Creator, sooner than the discharge of Sam & Cat, the place he persuaded the 18-year-old actress to drink alcohol and later she wrote he “place[d] a hand on my knee,” positioned his coat around her (believing she was chilly), and commenced patting and massaging her. 

“I have to say one factor, to tell him to stop, nevertheless I’m so afraid of offending him,” McCurdy wrote. 

Nickelodeon launched an inside investigation amid the worrying work ambiance on Sam & Cat, which is detailed throughout the docuseries, and Schneider was not allowed to work on set with the child stars. (Schneider claims he was not barred from working with actors nevertheless chosen to current notes from his office, in line with an announcement provided by Schneider throughout the docuseries.) 

2024: Has Schneider apologized for one thing?

In a video interview posted Tuesday, Schneider addressed allegations of constructing a toxic workplace made by former colleagues in Quiet on Set, and apologized for his “over-ambitious” conduct. All through the 19-minute interview, carried out by former Nick star BooG!e (iCarly’s T-Bo), Schneider says he did not lease dialogue coach Brian Peck, who Drake & Josh star Drake Bell alleges sexually assaulted him. Schneider moreover apologized for requesting massages from employees, and expressed regret for collaborating in inappropriate jokes made throughout the writers room.  

“Most writers, TV writers are acutely aware that a lot of events there are inappropriate jokes made and inappropriate issues come up, nevertheless the reality that I participated in that significantly since I was important the room, it embarrasses me,” Schneider talked about throughout the interview.

The earlier showrunner moreover talked about what Nickelodeon colleagues allege had been sexual jokes plugged into kids programming, and talked about if dad and mother disapproved of the network-approved skits, he’d scale back the jokes from the current. Schneider wraps the interview by encouraging the utilization of on-set licensed therapists to verify baby actors know the long-term implications of turning into a youthful star, and apologizes for his “obnoxious” demeanor behind the scenes. 

“I didn’t current adequate persistence,” Schneider talked about throughout the video. “I may be cocky and undoubtedly over-ambitious, and usually merely straight up rude and obnoxious and I’m sorry that I ever was.”