If you are like me, you grew up watching Nickelodeon shows like “iCarly,” “Victorious,” “Drake and Josh,” and more.  

Despite the silly, carefree nature of these TV shows, a recent docuseries, “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” exposed many Nickelodeon employees for the mistreatment and abuse of their child actors. 

Watching this documentary felt like a punch to the gut, as it showed the jokes we laughed at as children had undertones of innuendo and the kids we felt like we were friends with were being abused behind the scenes. 

Much of the series revolved around Dan Schneider, the creator and producer of several popular Nickelodeon shows. He has been accused of creating a hostile work environment, gender discrimination and creating scenes with sexual implications. 

In addition, dialogue coach Brian Peck and production assistant Jason Michael Handy were accused of sexual abuse. 

I would go into more detail about their specific charges, but I will instead let Drake Bell from “Drake and Josh” and “The Amanda Show” speak to the allegations. 

“Why don’t you think of the worst that someone can do to somebody as a sexual assault?” he said in the docuseries regarding his abuse from Peck, “I don’t know how else to put it.”

Most of these kids just wanted to be actors or comedians, but instead faced the unspeakable from those who decided whether they had a job or not. Luckily, Bell received a bit of justice as his abuser lost his case in court, but that is a rarity. 

This causes a problematic power dynamic. It is no wonder it has taken this long for some of these people to speak out about what happened to them. 

However, this is not the first time a Nickelodeon child actor has alleged claims like this. In fact, Jennette McCurdy, famous for her character Sam on “iCarly,” said in her memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died” that she was offered $300,000 in hush money to not put certain things in her book. She alleges “the Creator” pressured her to drink while underage and massaged her. 

This has led many to believe that other Nickelodeon stars who have kept quiet during the release of this docuseries accepted money to stay silent about abuse that may have happened. 

It is heartbreaking that so many kids have gone through this type of abuse and they felt like they couldn’t do anything about it. The kids should not have to stay quiet on set. They should feel safe at all times and shouldn’t be put in a position where they have to speak up. 

I am glad this story is being told and I wish nothing but healing and justice for all of them.

Categories: Arts & Entertainment