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ID’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV unpacks a number of former Nickelodeon solid and crew members’ experiences engaged on the community within the Nineties and early 2000s. From sexual assault allegations in opposition to two youngster predators (Brian Peck and Jason Handy), to office harassment claims, one of many largest names talked about within the doc is former producer Dan Schneider. Nickelodeon parted methods from Schneider in 2018, and viewers are asking the place he’s now and what he’s been doing.
Learn extra about Schneider and the place he’s beneath.
Who Is Dan Schneider?
Schneider is credited because the creator of a number of well-known Teen Nick exhibits, together with Zoey 101, Drake & Josh, iCarly and extra. He was additionally the brains behind All That and the sketch comedy sequence On Air Dares as a part of SNICK (Saturday Night Nickelodeon), and labored as an actor and a screenwriter.
In the Quiet on Set doc, former All That actor Bryan Hearne recalled the uncomfortable and typically horrifying dares the younger solid members had been subjected to. Episodes of On Air Dares would begin by displaying numerous All That actors in glass containers, and one could be chosen at random to do a particular dare, akin to having a scorpion grasp inside their mouth or being submerged in a bath of worms. Hearne recalled his uncomfortable dares on the section and alleged there was racism on the set.
“They were fitting me for the little fetus role, and essentially you are a fetus, so you are naked,” he defined. “You have a bodysuit on you and it has to be skin tone. Someone said, ‘The skin tone should be charcoal.’ I started to get teary eyed.”
Hearne additionally alleged, “Dan had a nicer relationship with some of the other white kids. I didn’t feel close to him at all. My time on Nickelodeon played a big role in how I dealt and still deal with racial issues.”
Former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy additionally detailed a number of interactions with Schneider in her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died. Without straight naming him, McCurdy referred to as him “The Creator” in her ebook and described how indignant he grew to become at her whereas filming the kissing scene between her character, Sam, and Nathan Kress‘ character, Freddie.
“The Creator looks me right in the eye but doesn’t say anything for four or five seconds,” McCurdy wrote in her memoir. “I almost start to laugh, thinking he might be messing with me for fun like he does sometimes, but then I recognize that there is a deep anger in him. This is no time for laughter.”
McCurdy additionally detailed her discomfort about Schneider having her put on a swimsuit on the children’ present. Other allegations of kid sexualization got here to mild about Schneider’s selections behind the digicam.
In response to the Quiet on Set doc, Nickelodeon launched a press release to Hollywood Life.
“Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct,” the community’s 2024 assertion learn. “Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”
A rep for Schneider additionally responded to the docuseries’ allegations, per Variety.
“Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network,” the rep stated. “If there was an actual problem with the scenes that some people, now years later are ‘sexualizing,’ they would be taken down, but they are not, they are aired constantly all over the world today still, enjoyed by both kids and parents. … In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny. Unfortunately, some adults project their adult minds onto kids’ shows, drawing false conclusions about them.”
Where Is Dan Schneider Now?
During a 2021 interview with The New York Times, Schneider “declined to comment” on the investigation into his work ethics however insisted that he didn’t depart Nickelodeon on “bad terms.” He additionally talked about that he served as co-creator of the Henry Danger spinoff, Danger Force and “took a break to take care of a lot of stuff that I’d let go by the wayside for decades.”
Schneider additionally famous on the time that he was engaged on a pilot for an additional community that was geared for “more of an adult audience.”
As of 2024, it’s unclear if Schneider is engaged on some other TV exhibits. However, he broke his silence concerning the allegations in opposition to him in a video obtained by The Hollywood Reporter after the primary two episodes of Quiet on Set aired.
“Watching over the past two nights was very difficult,” Schneider stated. “Me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret. I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology. When I watched the show, I could see the hurt in some people’s eyes, and it made me feel awful and regretful and sorry. I wish I could go back, especially to those earlier years of my career, and bring the growth and the experience that I have now and just do a better job and never, ever feel like it was okay to be an a**hole to anyone, ever.”
Was Dan Schneider Fired From Nickelodeon?
In 2018, Schneider and Nickelodeon launched a joint assertion to a number of shops, saying the top of their collaboration.
“Following many conversations together about next directions and future opportunities, Nickelodeon and our long-time creative partner Dan Schneider/Schneider’s Bakery have agreed to not extend the current deal,” the assertion learn. “Since several Schneider’s Bakery projects are wrapping up, both sides agreed that this is a natural time for Nickelodeon and Schneider’s Bakery to pursue other opportunities and projects. … Dan and his Schneider’s Bakery team have created a string of lasting, groundbreaking hits over the years including iCarly, Drake & Josh, Victorious, Kenan & Kel and the current number-one hit show on Nickelodeon, Henry Danger. We thank Dan and his Schneider’s Bakery producers, executives and social media team for their immeasurable contributions to Nickelodeon, and we wish them the best in their future endeavor[s]. And Dan and Schneider’s Bakery are proud of the work they did together with Nickelodeon and will always remain big fans of the network.”