Following the premiere of ID’s documentary, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, TV producer Dan Schneider speaks out after he was accused of abusing Nickelodeon child stars.
According to ID, the new documentary reveals “an insidious environment rife with allegations of abuse, sexism, racism, and inappropriate dynamics with its underage stars and crew.”
Many of the former child stars spoke out about Schneider while being interviewed for the documentary. They claimed the TV producer abused them.
In a statement obtained by Deadline, Dan Schneider responded to the allegations by stating he expected and asked a lot from his teams. “They worked long hours and consistently made successful shows. In the challenges of production,” the statement reads. “Dan could get frustrated at times, and he understands why some employees found that intimidating or stressful.”
The statement further reveals that Schneider has a career spanning more than 30 years. He has worked with thousands of people, many of whom he claims still tell him how much they enjoy and appreciate working on his shows. However, he acknowledges some people who worked with him didn’t have a positive experience. To which he says he’s “truly sorry.”
“Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts,” the statement continues. “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.”
Schneider also stated that he never acted inappropriately with those he worked with.
Dan Schneider’s Former Assistant Speaks Out About the Allegations
Along with Dan Schneider’s statement, the producer’s former assistant Amy Berg also released a statement about what was happening. She had worked with Schneider and Nickelodeon before any allegations were made.
“Awww, here it goes…” Berg wrote. “So apparently there’s an expose running right now called Quiet on Set about the toxicity of the Dan Schneider era on Nickelodeon. I don’t talk much about my time there, but my VERY first job in town was as Dan’s assistant.”
Berg continued to state that she worked with Schneider for less than a year. “He left Nickelodeon to create a show UPN while I stayed and became a writer on the final seasons of Kenan & Kel and All That under the leadership of extraordinary humans Kevin Kopelow [and] Heath Seifert.”
Schneider’s former assistant then explained that during her year with him, she wasn’t aware of any physically inappropriate behavior. However, she can confirm that he was “f—ing a—hole” and a psychological tormentor.
“He introduced me to panic attacks and stress working for him,” she pointed out. “[He] caused me to develop a significant heart arrhythmia. I eventually had surgery to [mostly] correct the issue, but at that point, I’d lost all of my 20s. He stole those years from me.”
Although she doesn’t think her career trajectory was impacted by her time with Schneider, Her personal life undoubtedly was. She said she became a shut-in due to the fear of having a medical crisis away from home. She still carries an anxiety disorder due to her previous job.
However, despite her experience, Berg will not be watching the documentary. “I’ve no interest in reliving anything,” she added. “Nor do I want to be in a situation where I’d feel inclined to defend Dan in any way.”