Quiet On Set: Where Is Former Nickelodeon Producer Dan Schneider Today?
This article contains allegations of sexual assault and emotional abuse.
Where is disgraced Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider today? Apparently, he's very sorry about the ways he made both adults and children feel terrible during his tenure as a heavyweight at the network.
In a video responding to the chilling, deeply upsetting Investigation Discovery documentary "Quiet on Set," which detailed Schneider's indiscretions — as well as the horrifyingly commonplace assault of children that went on at Nickelodeon — Schneider spoke to former "iCarly" player BooG!E and said that it was "difficult" for him to watch the four-part docuseries.
"Watching over the past two nights was very difficult — me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret. I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology," Schneider said, before offering up a relatively milquetoast mea culpa that basically said he was a terrible person when he was younger and that he's now sorry. To be frank, most of Schneider's non-apology isn't worth reading or listening to, as the former producer clearly felt backed into a corner and forced to own up to his abusive behavior. One former Nickelodeon star who both showed up on "Quiet on Set" and played a major character on "Zoey 101" had her own response to Schneider's apology ... and it was pretty blistering.
Alexa Nikolas says that Dan Schneider's apology isn't good enough
In response to Dan Schneider's lengthy screed on YouTube, former "Zoey 101" star Alexa Nikolas, who has been extremely open about her terrible experiences with Nickelodeon and Schneider, made her own video in response to what she — and many others — perceived as the producer's non-apology. "When someone doesn't personally come to you and apologize, it's not an apology," Nikolas said in her video. "If you hear about it through other people, it's not really an apology, right? An apology is to the person that you hurt. That's what an apology is for."
Nikolas went on to say that while she worked on "Zoey 101," her self-esteem was genuinely terrible and that by the time the show was in its 2nd season, she could barely even show up to work without dissolving into tears. She even said that her self-worth changed permanently due to her experiences with Schneider on "Zoey 101."
"I would've appreciated if Dan apologized directly to me," Nikolas continued. "He's a bully, a meanie, and impacted my life ... Where's a phone call of an apology? How come you can do all of this, how can everyone do all of this but not reach out to the person that they hurt?"
What did Dan Schneider do that required an apology?
So why is Dan Schneider apologizing in the first place? In case you missed the fuss over "Quiet on Set," the explosive documentary series revealed that under Dan Schneider's oversight at Nickelodeon, the producer not only permitted but encouraged a toxic workplace and made both adult writers and child performers feel embarrassed and terrible with "jokes." Two female writers who worked with Schneider on Amanda Bynes' vehicle "The Amanda Show," Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, claim in the docuseries that when they pointed out that one character's last name was a reference to a body part, Schneider brushed them off. Those same writers also claim they were paid less than their male colleagues and subjected to constant harassment at work.
This is to say nothing of the true horrors at Nickelodeon, which Schneider certainly contributed to as well — many of the scenes he concocted for his young female stars are deeply disturbing in retrospect. Beyond Schneider's conduct, many children faced sexual harassment and assault behind the scenes. Drake Bell, known for "The Amanda Show" and "Drake & Josh," left viewers stunned and saddened with revelations that he was assaulted by Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck. "Quiet on Set" isn't an easy watch for many reasons ... and at this point, it certainly seems as if Schneider's time in Hollywood is effectively finished.
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).