Dan Schneider has issued a lengthy response to Quiet on Set: the Dark Side of Kids TV. The four-part Investigation Discovery docuseries, which detailed disturbing allegations tied to Schneider’s time at Nickelodeon, finished airing on March 18. A spokesperson for Schneider previously issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter noting that everything that happened on his shows “was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network,†noting that parents, caregivers, and friends were also always present on set. On Tuesday, Schneider posted a reaction video on his YouTube channel that struck a more apologetic tone. “Watching over the past few nights was very difficult,†he said. “Me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret … and I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.†Elsewhere in the video, he said any scenes from his shows that come across as “inappropriate†or are “upsetting somebody†should be cut out — but implied that no one raised concerns to him at the time. Schneider also broke down in tears while recalling Brian Peck’s trial for sexually abusing Drake Bell as a child, noting that he did not hire Peck.
The 19-minute video is structured as a Q&A interview between Schneider and former iCarly star BooG!e. A spokesperson for Schneider clarified in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that BooG!e wasn’t “trying to be†a journalist, and reached out to “provide a platform for Dan to confront a lot of his previous behaviors.†Point by point, here’s what Schneider addressed in the video, from the actions he apologizes for to the claims he denies.
The on-set massages
In the docuseries, crew members alleged that Schneider asked for massages during the work day. Schneider acknowledged that this “was wrong.†He stated that he would “never†do that today and is “embarrassed†that he did it. “I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation … additionally, I apologize to the people who were walking around video village or wherever they happened,†he said. “Because there were lots of people there who witnessed it who also may have felt uncomfortable. So I owe them an apology as well.â€
The writers’ room
Some Quiet on Set interviewees alleged that they had traumatic and humiliating experiences in the writers’ room, with one claiming that she was told to pitch an idea while pretending to be sodomized on the writers’-room table. Schneider said that inappropriate jokes and topics often come up in the writers’ rooms for comedies. “But the fact that I participated in that, especially when I was leading the room, it embarrassed me. I shouldn’t have done it,†he said. He suggested that he “made practical jokes that went too far†because he was an “inexperienced†and “immature†producer. “Wouldn’t happen today, but I’m just really sorry it happened,†he concluded.
Speaking more generally, Schneider said sometimes employees didn’t see his “best†side because he was letting the pressure of doing dozens of episodes a year get to him. He admitted to snapping at people or being “snarky,†noting that while watching Quiet on Set, there were “so many times†he wanted to call someone to apologize and express that he wished he could’ve given them a “better experience.â€
Inappropriate jokes in episodes
Schneider’s shows have been accused of containing sexual innuendos and associating children with lewd acts. Schneider maintained that all jokes were written for a kid audience. But if other people feel that they’re inappropriate for a kids show, he is fine with removing them: “Let’s cut those jokes out of the show,†he said. He reasoned that he wants his shows to be popular, adding, “The last thing I wanna ever do is put any content in a show that’s gonna upset my audience and make them want to turn off the TV. Why would I ever wanna do that?â€
Schneider implied that he never got that kind of feedback from higher-up executives or adults and family members on set at the time, or he would have taken action then. “If anybody had said anything [like], Hey, we don’t like that. That’s not appropriate, it would have been cut out,†he claimed.
The ‘On Air Dare’ segment
Schneider said “some,†but “not all†of the dares “pushed the envelope too far.†He said he only learned while watching Quiet on Set that there were kids who “did have problems†with the segment. “It breaks my heart, and I’m so sorry,†he said. Schneider claimed that at the time, he would have changed a dare “on the spot†if he had known a kid was scared.
Salaries
Quiet on Set includes the accounts of two women writers, Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, who claimed that Schneider agreed to hire them on the condition that they would share a salary. Kilgen further alleged that Schneider offered her a return contract that would require her to work 11 weeks without pay.
Schneider denied ever being involved in deciding a writer’s pay. He also said that it is a “common practice†in the TV industry to ask new writers to split a salary, noting that he’s done another show where a male and female writer did so.
Treatment of Black actors
Quiet on Set included allegations of racism. BooG!e noted that Black actors in the docuseries spoke about feeling overlooked, and teed up the topic by mentioning diversity. Schneider said he has always valued diversity, bringing up that his first movie at Nickelodeon starred Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell and the Black lead actors in his shows. “I’m very proud of that. It’s very important to me,†he said.
Relationship with Amanda Bynes
Schneider said Bynes came to him when she wanted to be emancipated from her parents because she considered him to be part of her team — just like her lawyer, agent, and manager. “We supported her,†he said. “She tried to get emancipated, and it ended up not working out.†(Her parents remained her legal guardians, and were later her conservators from 2013 until 2022.)
Schneider also recalled a night where Bynes ran away from home. Schneider said she called him “in distress†at one or two in the morning, and out of concern for her safety, he called someone who was able to pick her. He said she was eventually taken to the police. BooG!e framed the event as Schneider “being there for people when they need you.â€
Alleged ban from set
Schneider denied ever being banned from his own set, calling it a “false rumor.†He characterized it as a “tense†situation with “adult actresses†who didn’t want to do the show anymore. Schneider said he personally chose not to come to set, an action that others could have misinterpreted given his usual level of involvement.
Convicted child sex abuser Brian Peck
The documentary Schneider noted that he did not hire Brian Peck, with BooG!e suggesting that decision would have been made by Tollin/Robbins Productions. Schneider said when Drake Bell shared his allegations of sexual abuse against Peck, “I was more devastated by that than anything that ever happened to me in my career thus far.†Bell noted in the docuseries that Schneider supported him.
Schneider said it was “baffling†that adults who “knew that [Peck] was guilty†supported Peck in the courtroom and wrote character letters on his behalf. Schneider teared up while recalling that Bell’s mom came to him to ask for help with her speech to the judge. “That was probably the darkest part of my career,†he reflected. “After he got out of prison, and was, to my knowledge, a registered sex offender,†Schneider added. “He was hired on a Disney Channel show. I don’t understand that.â€