When Drake Bell broke his silence about the sexual abuse meted out to him while he was shooting the iconic (and much loved) Nickelodeon show, Drake & Josh, the internet lost its semblance. No one could believe that even their favorite character had to go through abuse while working on a show meant for kids. People were left devastated, including screenwriter and television producer Dan Schneider, who couldn’t hold back his tears while discussing how something like this transpired under his watch.
How some Nickelodeon shows were hell for certain kid stars
Drake Bell made the revelation in the Investigation Discovery series, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. The docuseries features incidents wherein former child actors and other cast members share their encounters with sexual abuse and misconduct back on set.
The series witnesses the likes of Ariana Grande and Bryne Hearne opening up about how they were forced to play roles (and do things) that they wouldn’t want to in their wildest dreams.
Bell’s story was just one that shocked the world at large, showing people around the world that even child actors are not spared from the brutality of the industry.
Dan Schneider is being blamed for creating a negative environment
The series, helmed by Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, revolves around some of the most loved Nickelodeon shows, including The Amanda Show, iCarly, Victorious, Sam & Cat, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, and Drake & Josh. But the only thing in common about these shows isn’t the fact that they star kids.
All of these shows had one man at the center – Dan Schneider.
The 58-year-old found himself in the eye of the storm in the aftermath of the series’ release, putting his role as one of the central men in Nickelodeon under the spanner. He is being credited with creating an atmosphere that is untenable in the long run. And the producer has come forward to clear the air.
Dan Schneider breaks down while speaking about what happened with Drake Bell
In an interview with BooG!E, the star who played T-Bo on iCarly, Dan Schneider opened up about everything that went down in the course of his time as a screenwriter and producer at Nickelodeon, dealing at length with the Drake Bell and Brian Peck controversy.
He said that learning what happened with the 37-year-old was one of the darkest things to have ever come to his knowledge.
Peck’s trial was one of the darkest moments in his life. And while discussing how he helped Bell’s mother with her speech for the trial of Brian Peck, he broke down, letting it all flow.
He couldn’t help but feel guilty for the act. But the question persists – is the guilt enough?
Watch the video here:
