As young children, we all looked for entertainment, whether that was going outside to play with friends or spending the day at home watching TV, such as PBS Kids, Disney Channel, Qubo, and Nickelodeon. These platforms showed happy kids acting as our favorite characters and having crazy antics with a life lesson at the end of the episode. But behind the costumes and scripts, there was a darkness within Nickelodeon hidden from the public eye, a darkness that would scar these child actors for the rest of their lives.

Quiet On Set

Quiet on Set is a fairly new true crime documentary television series that details the toxic behind-the-scenes world of children’s television programs from the 1990s to the 2000s, with a special focus on Dan Schneider’s tenure as a producer and showrunner at Nickelodeon. After the series was released, it was positively reviewed by audiences and critics, with praise given to individuals who alleged having negative experiences working at Nickelodeon. However, some criticism was drawn to the documentary for not going into enough detail about Nickelodeon’s workplace culture.

Dan Schneider

Daniel Schneider is an American television producer, screenwriter, and actor. He created and produced a string of children’s shows on Nickelodeon from 1994 to 2019. Since 2018, he has faced significant media coverage and controversy regarding allegations of inappropriate behavior. Writers, actors, and crew members told Insider that they were disturbed by sexualized scenes in Schneider’s scripts, such as a goo pop shot on Zoey 101 that mimicked a sex act and involved a young Jamie Lynn Spears. Another instance involved a teenage Victoria Justice having food rubbed on her bare stomach in Victorious online extras. Schneider also allegedly created a hostile work environment and traumatized many, the accusers said, all while curating some of the most coveted child acting gigs of the early 2000s. Schneider’s cast and crew described him as an obsessively hands-on creator, executive producer, and writer who maintained a constant presence on set. Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas has publicly said she “did not feel safe around Dan Schneider” while working at Nickelodeon, detailing and corroborating various accounts in the report. She described Schneider as volatile and the on-set environment of Zoey 101 as “traumatizing.” She said she left the network when she was about 13 after a contentious exchange with her co-star’s sister, pop star Britney Spears, which resulted in Schneider later going on a tirade against Nikolas in front of Nickelodeon executives. In 2018, he left Nickelodeon and has denied all allegations.

Drake Bell

Drake and Josh is an American teen sitcom by Dan Schneider for Nickelodeon. The series follows teenage stepbrothers Drake Parker (Drake Bell) and Josh Nichols (Josh Peck) as they live together despite their opposite personalities.

What happened to Drake Bell? Well, Bell spent time with Brian Peck, a Nickelodeon dialogue coach, and it wasn’t irregular for him to go over to his house alongside the other kids of Nickelodeon. “All of the parents loved and trusted Brian,” said Kyle Sullivan. While Sullivan was over Peck’s house for a BBQ, he noticed in the garage that there was an odd painting that didn’t belong—a birthday clown with balloons. When the kids asked Peck about it, he proudly showed them that it was a gift from serial killer John Wayne Gacy, and on the back was a message: “Brian, I hope you enjoy the painting. Best wishes. Your friend, John Wayne Gacy.” Additionally, he showed them letters and photos in the nightstand in his bedroom from Gacy, as they’d become pen pals while Gacy was in prison.

Even after this, Bell spent many nights over Peck’s house, but then everything changed for him one morning. “I was sleeping on the couch where I would usually sleep. I woke up to him, I opened my eyes, I woke up, and he was doing unspeakable things to me. I froze and was in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react, and I have no idea how to get out of this situation,” Bell said. Fifteen at the time, he didn’t know what to do, and it “became this secret” because he knew that if he stopped going to Peck’s, people would ask questions. At the time, Peck was “so apologetic,” saying it would never happen again.

Victorious 

Victorious is an American sitcom about teens showing off their talents and their adventures at Hollywood Arts. Now, you may think that this show is like all of the other teen sitcoms from Nickelodeon, but there is much more to it than teen drama and singing. Some upsetting things that happened on set were that Dan Schneider told the girls to wear “skimpier options” when it came to clothing or “anything that was the most revealing.” Another bizarre thing about this show that throws people off is its odd focus on feet. In Victorious, there were multiple bizarre scenes involving the cast members’ feet. In one instance, Ariana Grande was shown biting her toes. In another episode, Thomas III had to sniff Victoria Justice’s foot, and there was a scene where the cast members had the soles of their feet rubbed by healthcare professionals. Perhaps the most unsettling moment was a Nickelodeon sweepstake that encouraged kids from across the country to send in pictures of their feet with “Nickelodeon” written on the bottom for a chance to win a trip to Hollywood and visit the studios. Many people allege that these strange events occurred only because Dan Schneider had an obsession with feet. 

iCarly

iCarly is another one of our favorite teen sitcoms that, unfortunately, wasn’t as funny and innocent as we thought. Jennette McCurdy told The Washington Post about experiences she said took place on the sets of Nickelodeon’s iCarly and Sam & Cat.

In her book, I’m Glad My Mom Died, she details her tumultuous relationship with—and abuse by—her mother, Debra, who died in 2015. She also writes about someone she calls “The Creator” in relation to her time on the Nickelodeon shows. She says he was “mean-spirited, controlling, and terrifying” and prone to making “grown men and women cry with his insults and degradation.” She does not mention the name of this person, but she says, “His behavior was so accepted because everyone was scared of losing their jobs.”

McCurdy alleges The Creator crossed boundaries by initiating an unsolicited shoulder massage and trying to get her to drink alcohol when she was only 18. When Sam & Cat ended after one season in 2014, McCurdy said there was talk of a $300,000 “thank you gift” from Nickelodeon if she agreed never to talk publicly about her experiences at the network, specifically in relation to the behavior of The Creator. “This feels like hush money,” said McCurdy, and she immediately dismissed the proposal.

The Parents’ View

The parents of some former child actors who have recently spoken out about their experiences while working at Nickelodeon in the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV say they voiced their concerns about the treatment of their children at the time.

After Brian Peck’s arrest on sex crime charges in 2003, Drake’s father, Joe Bell—whose relationship with his son had become strained as Peck insinuated himself into Drake’s life—wasn’t surprised when Drake told him about the arrest. However, he became emotional when he later learned who Peck’s victim was. (Drake’s identity was not made public at the time since he was a minor.)

“I’m not the same today,” Joe tells a producer through tears. “The pain’s still there from the moment that I knew. I don’t wish this on any parent or child whatsoever. It’s just devastating.”

Works Cited:

• Acosta, N. (2024a, March 25). Drake Bell’s dad recalls finding out about son’s sex abuse by Brian Peck: “I’m not the same today.” People.com. https://people.com/quiet-on-set-netflix-series-nickelodeon-shows-drake-bell-dad-recalls-learning-son-sex-abuse-8619982