Dan Schneider is suing the producers of Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Children’s Television for defamation and called the Investigation Discovery docuseries “a slam dunk.”
The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, May 1 and received by Us weeklynames Warner Bros. Discovery, Maxine Productions, Sony Pictures Television and directors Mary Robertson And Emma Schwartz As defendants, they claim the series falsely implies that Schneider “sexually abused the children who appeared on his television shows.”
“While it is undeniable that two real child abusers appeared on Nickelodeon shows, it is equally undeniable that Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, did not participate in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered, and whatnot Critically, he did not do this.” “A child abuser himself,” the lawsuit says. “But for the sake of clickbait, reviews and views – or in other words, money – the defendants destroyed Schneider’s reputation and legacy through the false statements and inferences that Schneider was just that.”
Schneider is seeking damages for his tarnished reputation, the harassment he has suffered since the series aired, his emotional pain and suffering, and loss of financial and professional opportunities.
The former producer was open about the mistakes he made during his time at Nickelodeon, but repeatedly denied knowledge of sexual abuse by others at the network, including dialogue and acting coaches Brian Peck.
“Recently the documentaries Quiet on set I’ve highlighted mistakes I’ve made and poor judgment I’ve shown during my time at Nickelodeon. “Most of this happened decades ago during my early career as a producer when I worked on shows for Tollin/Robbins Productions,” Schneider said in a statement to Us weekly. “There is no doubt that I have been a poor leader at times. I sincerely apologize and regret this behavior, and I will continue to accept responsibility for it.”
The conversation about Nickelodeon’s alleged toxic work environment may just be beginning. “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” which aired in March on Investigation Discovery, chronicled producer Dan Schneider’s time at the network, with former child stars and crew members recalling their experiences on the set of various shows […]
But Schneider’s mistakes, he says, don’t lead to anything Quiet on set implies that they are.
“In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and boost ratings, they went beyond mere reporting and falsely implied that I was involved in or supported horrific crimes for which actual child abusers have been prosecuted and convicted “The statement continues.
The lawsuit points to specific YouTube comments under the series’ trailer that indicate that viewers interpreted the footage as an indication that Schneider himself was guilty of sexual abuse. The lawsuit calls the visual depictions in the series “intentionally and intentionally defamatory in that they falsely and repeatedly state or imply that Schneider is a child abuser and has committed crimes in that regard.”
Over the years, former Nickelodeon stars have spoken out about their journey as child actors at the network – and not everyone had the same experience. Jennette McCurdy shocked her fans when she revealed she wasn’t thrilled with her time on iCarly. “I did the shows I appeared in between the ages of 13 and 19 […]
Schneider’s statement concludes: “I don’t mind if anyone highlights my failures as a boss, but it is wrong to lead millions of people to the false conclusion that I was in any way involved in heinous acts such as those committed by “I owe it to myself, my family and the many wonderful people involved in the creation of these shows to set the record straight.”
Schneider left Nickelodeon in 2018 after allegations of misconduct. At that time he denied the allegations made against him. Before Quiet on setAt the premiere of “The Star,” a representative for Schneider released a statement emphasizing his support for the child stars he worked with.
“Dan cared about the children in his shows, even if their own families sometimes unfortunately didn’t. He understood what they were going through and he was their biggest champion. The fact is that many of the children in these shows are placed in the untenable position of becoming the breadwinner for their family and face the pressures that come with that,” the statement said. “There are also the difficulties of growing up as a child and having a demanding job in the spotlight at the same time. That’s why there are many layers of standards, leaders, lawyers, teachers and parents everywhere, always, on every set, every day. However, it’s still a tough place to be a kid, and no one knew that better than Dan.”