The recent Investigation Discovery documentary series Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV detailed a variety of alleged misdeeds and mismanagement behind the scenes of Nickelodeon and its array of children’s sitcoms during the 1990s. The accusations it contained ranged from overwork all the way up to allegations of child sexual abuse.
A lot of screen time in the series was devoted to Dan Schneider, who was a huge figure at Nickelodeon during that period as a producer on shows like All That, Drake & Josh, The Amanda Show, iCarly, and others. The show alleged, among other things, that Schneider would make inappropriate jokes and asked for massages from female employees. Schneider ended his affiliation with Nickelodeon in 2018 after many of these accusations became public.
Shortly after Quiet on Set premiered, Schneider released a video on YouTube where he detailed his side of the story. In it he admitted some of his “past behaviors” were “embarrassing,” and added “I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”
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But now Schneider has sued Investigation Discovery for defamation stemming from Quiet on Set. His lawsuit, according to Variety, claims that the show was a “hit job” that “destroyed Schneider’s reputation and legacy.”
“While it is indisputable that two bona fide child sexual abusers worked on Nickelodeon shows,” the suit reads, “it is likewise indisputable that Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, was not complicit in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered and, critically, was not a child sexual abuser himself. But for the sake of clickbait, ratings, and views — or put differently, money — Defendants have destroyed Schneider’s reputation and legacy through the false statements and implications that Schneider is exactly that.”
Variety also quoted a statement from Schneider that read in part “There is no doubt that I was sometimes a bad leader. I am sincerely apologetic and regretful for that behavior, and I will continue to take accountability for it.”
“However,” Schneider continued “after seeing Quiet on Set and its trailer, and the reactions to them, I sadly have no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it. In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted.”
Quiet on Set is currently streaming on Max. You can watch the initial video Schneider made talking about the series below.
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