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Nickelodeon dominated the children’s television space in the 1990s and 2000s, but behind the cultural phenomenon, there were troubling instances of alleged sexual harassment, abuse and a toxic work environment.
In the new Investigation Discovery four-part docuseries "Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV," premiering March 17, former Nickelodeon stars and crew members share their negative experiences working on multiple Nickelodeon series, many of which were run by Dan Schneider.
Schneider was the network’s top creator across three decades, working with stars like Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes, Jamie Lynn Spears, Victoria Justice, Jeanette McCurdy, Drake Bell, Josh Peck and Miranda Cosgrove.
In Bell’s case, he opened up for the first time about the alleged sexual abuse he experienced at the hands of Brian Peck, a dialogue coach and actor frequently employed by Nickelodeon.
Drake Bell spoke out about the sexual abuse he allegedly experienced from a Nickelodeon employee in the new documentary "Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV." (Michael Bezjian/Getty Images for Mulholland Drive Entertainment on behalf of Sabra Dipping Co.)
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During the series, Nickelodeon provided a statement included at the end of each episode regarding the allegations.
"In response to producers’ questions, Nickelodeon has stated it, ‘investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace…[W]e have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience,'" their comments reads.
Nickelodeon issued a statement to Fox News Digital regarding the alleged behaviors on past production sets.
"Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct," the statement said. "Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crews, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience."
Below are more details of the biggest bombshells revealed in the documentary.
Drake Bell's experience
Bell went in-depth about the abuse he allegedly suffered at the hands of convicted sex offender Brian Peck while he was a teenager at Nickelodeon. (Christopher Polk)
Drake Bell starred on "The Amanda Show" and "Drake & Josh" during his time with Nickelodeon, where he encountered and was allegedly abused by Brian Peck (no relation to co-star Josh Peck).
Bell recalled Peck integrating himself into the young actor’s life, driving a wedge between him and his father, Joe Bell, who had been his manager.
Under Peck’s guidance, Bell’s mother took over Bell’s career, with Peck heavily involved. Peck also attended Bell’s concerts, took him on trips to Disneyland, threw him a 15th birthday party, and generally connected with his interests, which Bell feels now was "probably a little calculated."
Bell recalled the day the relationship went from uncomfortable to full-blown assault and abuse.
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"I was sleeping on the couch where I would usually sleep, and I woke up to him … I opened my eyes, I woke up and he was sexually assaulting me. And I froze and was in complete shock and had no idea what to do or how to react," Bell said. "And I had no idea how to get out of the situation. … What do I do, call my mom, ‘Hey, can you come pick me up? This just happened, I’ll sit here and wait.’ I had no car, I didn’t drive. I was 15 at this time."
He continued, "The abuse was extensive. And it got pretty brutal, pretty brutal. I don’t know, I really don’t know how to elaborate on that on camera really."
When asked by a producer what he would feel comfortable talking about, Bell said, "Why don’t you do this, why don’t you think of the worst stuff that someone can do to somebody as a sexual assault and that’ll answer your question. I don’t know how else to put it. It was not a one-time thing."
Peck’s alleged abuse was eventually reported after he broke down to his mother over the phone about it, and she called the police.
Brian Peck was convicted of a lewd act against a child and oral copulation of a person under 16 in 2003. He spent 16 months in prison. (Albert L. Ortega)
Peck was arrested in August 2003, and court documents in the documentary show excerpts that mention lewd or lascivious acts with a child, sodomy, forcible penetration, using a foreign object, employment of minor for pornography, and oral copulation with a minor.
Bell attended Peck’s sentencing, where Peck pleaded no contest and was ordered to 16 months of jail time and to register as a sex offender.
Over time, Bell has grappled with his abuse and other struggles that came with it.
"I didn’t know how to process it, and I think that led to a lot of self-destruction and a lot of self-loathing, really. I would try and just escape with alcohol abuse, substance abuse, really just anything to escape," he said.
The now-37-year-old added that he’s sought treatment for his issues and "took responsibility" for a 2021 arrest in Ohio for charges related to "attempted endangering [of] children."
Bell noted that he had no issue with Schneider and recalled that after Peck's arrest, "Really, the only person I remember being there for me was Dan [Schneider]."
A spokesperson for Schneider stated, "Neither ‘All That’ nor ‘The Amanda Show’ were Dan's shows, they were created and produced by Tollin/Robbins. Dan was not involved in hiring Peck or [production assistant Jason] Handy [also accused of abuse] and did not know anything about what happened until he heard Peck had been arrested. Dan has not spoken to Peck since then, as what he did was unforgivingly awful. Dan did not know Handy or work directly with him."
Nickelodeon issued a statement to Fox News Digital about Bell. "Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward," the statement said.
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Peck's celebrity support in court
At Peck’s sentencing, Bell recalled seeing a packed courtroom with people, including "recognizable faces," in attendance to support Peck.
Peck also received support in the form of letters from individuals who had worked with him in the past, defending him. The letters were revealed through a petition to the court to unseal the documents in the case by producers (the case was originally sealed due to Bell being a minor at the time).
Among some of the more well-known names to write letters were James Marsden, who wrote, "I assure you, what Brian has been through in the last year is the suffering of a hundred men."
James Marsden was among some of the more well-known names revealed to have written letters of support to Peck after producers petitioned the court to unseal the documents in the case. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)
"SNL" alum Taran Killam also wrote a letter, as did the late Alan Thicke, "X-Men" producer Thomas DeSanto, Ron Melendez, Rider Strong, Will Friedle and Kimmy Robertson.
Representatives for Marsden and Killam did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
"Growing Pains" star Joanna Kerns also wrote a letter of support, suggesting Peck had been subjected to temptation.
She provided the documentary team with a statement that stated, "I have now learned that my letter of support was based on complete misinformation. Knowing what I know now, I never would have written the letter."
The documentary makes clear it is not known what any of the letter writers were told about the situation and who was present during sentencing.
"Boy Meets World" star Strong and Friedle recently addressed their support of Peck on their podcast, "Pod Meets World."
Will Friedle and Rider Strong discussed the challenging emotions surrounding their friendship with convicted child abuser Brian Peck. (Getty Images)
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"There's no way I could have been manipulated like this because I was an adult," Friedle said. "By the time I had heard what had happened, I had known this man for years and years, had no idea that any of this was going on, obviously, and the idea that now at 24 or whatever I was, 24 or 25 when I found out about it – that I didn't know, couldn't spot it – that was a failure of my own."
Strong remembered Peck admitting to the crime but spinning the assault so that it appeared as though Peck was the victim.
"It was always in the context of, ‘I did this thing, I am guilty. I am going to take whatever punishment the government determines, but I’m a victim of jailbait. There was this hot guy. I just did this thing, and he’s underage.’ And we bought that storyline," Strong said.
Neither indicated if they were aware that Bell was the victim or who he was at the time.
Friedle remembered one victim's mother telling the court, "Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesn’t change what you did to my kid."
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Peck's connection to John Wayne Gacy
Peck allegedly had a painting and letters from John Wayne Gacy in his home. (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
In an interview with "All That" cast member Kyle Sullivan, he recalled making a disturbing discovery at Peck’s home during a party with the cast and crew.
According to Sullivan, Peck was in possession of a painting by convicted serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
"I noticed a painting in the room that stuck out to me because it had nothing to do with ‘Planet of the Apes.’ It was of a birthday clown holding balloons. And Brian got very excited when I asked him about it. He flipped the thing around, and on the back it said, ‘To Brian, I hope you enjoy the painting, Best wishes, John Wayne Gacy.’ It was a self-portrait of serial killer John Wayne Gacy," Sullivan recalled.
Sullivan also claimed that Peck had "actually developed a pen pal relationship with John. He kept this pile of letters and photos from John Wayne Gacy in a nightstand next to his bed. He pulls them out and starts showing them to me."
The actor remembered telling other people about the painting during the party, including adults, but nothing came of it.
"Your instinct is to give someone the benefit of the doubt if you’ve known them for that long," he said. "Even in the face of, like, this really bad sign. It was one of those, like, [classic] failures of group psychology. This man who is, like, trusted as basically a supervisor of kids is not safe."
‘Everything got swept under the rug’
Peck was not the only alleged predator on the sets of Nickelodeon series.
The second episode of "Quiet on Set" details the case of Jason Handy, a production assistant who often escorted the child actors around on set.
Handy was arrested in April 2003 after his home was searched and over 10,000 images of child pornography were found, as well as an incriminating journal and plastic baggies with what were described as "tokens" from underage girls.
A woman, identified as MJ in the documentary, spoke about the case, as her daughter, identified only as Brandi, was a victim of Handy and had once received inappropriate emails from him.
MJ noted there was "never an apology to Brandi for what happened. Everything got swept under the rug."
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‘Disturbing memories’
Schneider was accused of adding a sexual element to jokes featuring child actors. (Eric Vitale/Getty Images)
A recurring complaint against Schneider across the episodes is the apparent sexual nature of the sketches and jokes written or overseen by him.
Some scenes include actors displaying their feet in what many looked back on as suggestive, licking objects, liquids or gels thrown on actors’ faces, and other actions that all who participated in the documentary said seemed inappropriate.
Bryan Christopher Hearne, who appeared on "All That," recalled being very uncomfortable filming a challenge for the show "On Air Dare."
"On Air Dare" featured "Fear Factor"-like stunts, and Hearne was tasked with being covered in peanut butter and having dogs lick it off him.
Bryan Hearne, who appeared on "All That," stated that he felt uncomfortable during a stunt he performed where dogs licked peanut butter off him. (Investigation Discovery)
"That sound like some awkward fantasy from some freaky dude. It was really uncomfortable. I didn’t like that." He added, "I don’t think any of that was necessary," Hearne said.
"Zoey 101" star Alexa Nikolas recalled "one of the most disturbing memories" of hers was filming an episode that featured her chewing on a jelly candy item that ends up squirting on the face of series star Jamie Lynn Spears.
Nikolas recalled Schneider laughing at the scene and overhearing "the boys saying, ‘It’s a c-m’ shot,'" not realizing the implications of the scene until she was an adult.
Schneider's spokesperson addressed the content, saying, "Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network. If there was an actual problem with the scenes that some people, now years later, are "sexualizing," they would be taken down, but they are not, they are aired constantly all over the world today, still enjoyed by both kids and parents."
They continued, "Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts. A standards and practices group read and ultimately approved every script, and programming executives reviewed and approved all episodes. In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny."
"Unfortunately, some adults project their adult minds onto kids' shows, drawing false conclusions about them. The logo at Nickelodeon used to be a foot because kids think feet are funny."
They added, "The ‘On-Air Dares’ were Nickelodeon’s & Tolin/Robbins’ answer to ‘Fear Factor’; they were not shows Dan created."
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Toxic workplace and discrimination
Schneider was accused of multiple instances of sexual harassment and discrimination on the sets of his shows. (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Schneider ran an entire universe’s worth of shows on Nickelodeon from the mid '90s to the late 2010s, during which multiple people claimed he fostered a toxic workplace and participated in discrimination.
"The Amanda Show" writers Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen both claim they were not paid fairly during their time on the show and pressured to do things like massage him on set.
Kilgen sued Schneider, with her lawyer filing complaints alleging gender discrimination, hostile work environment, harassment and pay discrimination. The matter was settled after an internal investigation, but the details were not specified in the documentary.
Other cast and crew members spoke about Schneider’s massage requests on set as well, including a costumer who chose to remain anonymous but said she reported him to her union and that the union informed her she was not the only person to complain.
Schneider's spokesperson said, "Dan deeply regrets asking anyone for neck massages. Though they happened in public settings, he knows this was highly inappropriate and would never happen again."
Regarding the pay discrepancies, they said, "'The Amanda Show' was produced by a different company (Tollin/Robbins) not Dan. Additionally, Dan was not involved in writers’ salaries, they were controlled by the network and also by the WGA, not by Dan even on shows he did create. However, unfortunately writers' rooms were often off-color places, especially more than 20 years ago. Dan is extremely sorry if his behavior contributed to that environment, and he has grown a lot since then. That behavior is clearly wrong and not for the workplace, and certainly he would never act that way again."
A spokesperson for Schneider told Fox News Digital he "deeply regrets asking anyone for neck massages. Though they happened in public settings, he knows this was highly inappropriate and would never happen again." (Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
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In 2018, Schneider and Nickelodeon parted ways. The anonymous costumer noted that when people returned to work after his firing, "It was a much happier workplace."
A spokesperson for Schneider told Fox News Digital, "Dan expected and asked a lot from his teams. They worked long hours and consistently made successful shows. In the challenges of production, Dan could get frustrated at times, and he understands why some employees found that intimidating or stressful. In a career spanning 30-plus years, Dan worked with thousands of people, many of whom still tell him how much they enjoyed and appreciated working on his shows. But he also knows some people did not have a positive experience, and he is truly sorry for that."
Russell Hicks, former president of content and production at Nickelodeon, told Fox News Digital in a statement, "Dan Schneider is one of the most prolific producers of hit television in the kids and family entertainment business. Dan’s shows transcend children's television and are staples on many streaming platforms today, enjoyed by both kids and their parents."
He continued, "Dan cared about the kids on his shows even when sometimes their own families unfortunately did not."
Hicks also noted, "What people seem to be forgetting is the fact that the network has a talent management department that is keeping tabs on everything that is happening and going to every event these kids go to."
"There is a standards and practices group that reads every script and programming executives looking at every episode. Add to that every day on every set, were the parents and caregivers and their friends watching every single frame of footage and listening to every joke. Every single thing that Dan ever did on any of his shows was carefully scrutinized and approved by executives at Nickelodeon."
"Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" will premiere across two nights, Sunday, March 17, and Monday, March 18, from 9 to 11 p.m. ET/PT on ID.
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