A documentary series called "Quiet on Set" has been released, shedding light on the dark side of Nickelodeon's children's television productions in the 90s and early 2000s. The series focuses on Dan Schneider, a prominent producer and creator of shows like "Drake and Josh" and "iCarly", who has been accused of having a foot fetish and including it in his productions. The documentary also reveals that Schneider created a toxic work environment and included suggestive content in his shows, including scenes that sexualized child actors.
Additionally, the series exposes the sexual abuse of actor Drake Bell by a coach at Nickelodeon, Brian Peck, who was convicted in 2004 but was later hired by Disney. The documentary also reveals that 41 industry personnel wrote letters to the judge asking for leniency for Peck, knowing he was guilty of the crime.
In response to the documentary, Dan Schneider released a scripted apology video, which many found insincere and lacking in substance. The video did not address the more serious allegations against him, including the sexualization of child actors.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Dan Schneider is a television producer who created several popular children's shows, including "Drake and Josh," "The Amanda Show," and "iCarly."
2. Schneider has been accused of having a foot fetish, which some people believe is reflected in his work.
3. In 2013, Schneider's show "Sam and Cat" ran a competition where kids were asked to submit pictures of their feet.
4. Brian Peck, a coach at Nickelodeon, was convicted of sexually abusing Drake Bell, a child actor who appeared on Schneider's show "Drake and Josh."
5. Peck spent 16 months in prison for his crime, but was immediately hired by Disney upon his release.
6. Schneider has been accused of creating a toxic work environment on his shows, including making writers feel uncomfortable and sexualizing child actors.
7. A new documentary series called "Quiet on Set" explores the allegations against Schneider and the broader culture of abuse and exploitation in the entertainment industry.
8. Schneider has responded to the allegations with a scripted apology video, which many have criticized as insincere.
9. The apology video was conducted by a former actor on one of Schneider's shows, rather than a professional interviewer.
10. The documentary series "Quiet on Set" includes interviews with people who worked with Schneider and were affected by his behavior.
11. Schneider's apology video does not address many of the specific allegations against him, including the sexualization of child actors.
12. Ariana Grande appeared in a scene on Schneider's show "iCarly" that some have criticized as sexualizing her as a child actor.
13. Schneider has said that he would cut any content from his shows that is deemed upsetting or inappropriate, but many have pointed out that this does not erase the fact that the content was created and filmed in the first place.