Lori Beth Denberg, a 48-year-old actress known for starring in All That from 1994–98, is accusing showrunner Dan Schneider of sexual harassment and verbal abuse. In a May 15 interview with Business Insider, Denberg detailed sexual abuse beginning when she was 19, when Schneider called her into his office and showed her porn against her will. “I feel like that is the first time he preyed on me,†she told BI. She claims he was “verbally abusive†on set, showed her pornography multiple times, fondled her, and initiated phone sex. Schneider, who ran multiple kids’ TV shows on Nickelodeon from the ’90s through 2018, when he was fired, has been the subject of wide skepticism following the release of the Max docuseries Quiet on Set, which detailed a series of allegations against Schneider.
Denberg further says Schneider barred her from the set of The Amanda Show after she became worried about Amanda Bynes’s health. Following her departure from All That, Bynes asked Denberg to visit The Amanda Show, and that, during the visit, she saw Bynes being extremely overworked. Denberg told both Schneider’s boss Brian Robbins and Nickelodeon entertainment president Albie Hecht about her concerns and was subsequently banned from the set. “I felt like I tried to help her — to help Amanda,†Denberg told BI, “and couldn’t.â€
Schneider told BI that the allegations are “wildly exaggerated and, in most cases, false.†“As I have previously stated, there were times, particularly in the early years of my career, that I made mistakes and exhibited poor judgment as a leader,†he stated. “If I did that with respect to Lori Beth, I sincerely apologize to her. But I cannot apologize for things I did not do.â€