A new documentary reveals the dark side of children's shows on the Nickelodeon channel – child sexual abuse being the most prominent of them.
The four-part documentary titled "Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV" is set to air on the Investigation Discovery channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It promises to "pull back the curtain on an empire built by [producer] Dan Schneider that had an undeniable grip on popular culture" in the 1990s and early 2000s, according to the Daily Mail.
"Quiet On Set" alleges an "insidious environment rife with allegations of abuse, sexism, racism and inappropriate dynamics with its underage stars and crew." The documentary cites the teen sitcom "Drake and Josh" as one such show to hammer its point. Created by Schneider, "Drake and Josh" aired from January 2004 to September 2007.
Dialogue coach Brian Peck, who was reportedly hired to help out lead actor Drake Bell, was described as "very much one of the cogs in the Dan Schneider machine." He was arrested in August 2003 and charged with nearly a dozen counts over allegations that he had sexually abused a then-unnamed minor. Bell, now 37, has revealed himself to be that underage victim – appearing in the documentary to shed further light on the experience.
Bell disclosed that when he was 15, Peck sexually assaulted him while sleeping on the couch following one of their casting trips. While initially apologetic, the dialogue coach's abuse did not stop, instead becoming worse.
"I was just trapped and I had no way out. The abuse was extensive and it got pretty brutal," Bell continued.
Following his conviction for sexually assaulting Bell, Peck received a 16-month prison sentence. He was ordered to register as a sex offender in 2004. But his conditional release order only prohibited him from having direct contact with children, allowing him to still be hired in other capacities – "even on projects significantly featuring children and teens."
Bell not the only victim
According to the Mail, "some of the child actors felt like they could not push back" against this kind of environment. Bell wasn't the only victim who came out to expound on this abuse, however. Jennette McCurdy, who starred in "iCarly" and its spin-off "Sam & Cat," detailed her traumatic childhood in her memoir released in August 2022. The first show aired in September 2007 and ended its run in November 2012, while the spin-off aired from June 2013 to July 2014.
McCurdy disclosed in her memoir titled "I'm Glad My Mom Died" that an unnamed staffer she dubbed The Creator subjected her to inappropriate behavior. The Creator required her to pose in swimsuits and offered her alcohol during her time on "iCarly." Aside from this, McCurdy also disclosed that The Creator – implied to be Schneider – once gave her a shoulder massage against her wishes.
"I feel like The Creator has two distinct sides," she wrote. "One is generous and over-the-top complimentary. The other side is mean-spirited, controlling and terrifying." (Related: Hollywood execs SEXUALLY ABUSE children, attests former Nickelodeon actress.)
McCurdy also accused Nickelodeon of trying to bribe her into silence after "Sam & Cat" was canceled. The $300,000 "hush money" concealed as a "thank-you gift" came with a condition – that she never talk publicly about her experiences on the show. She turned down the money, resulting in the memoir being published and becoming a New York Times best-seller.
McCurdy wrote: "What the f**k? Nickelodeon is offering me $300,000 in hush money to not talk publicly? My personal experience of The Creator's abuse?"
"This is a network with shows made for children. Shouldn't they have some sort of moral compass? Shouldn't they at least try to report to some sort of ethical standard?"
Watch this "Entertainment Tonight" report regarding a documentary about sexual abuse in Hollywood.
This video is from the mh4bright channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Late-night HATE monger Jimmy Kimmel mocks man who was sexually abused by Hollywood Executive.
Former child actor Cole Sprouse confirms that Disney is indeed SEXUALIZING young actresses.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.