The fallout of exposé "Quiet on Set" continues to reverberate in Hollywood.
The bombshell Investigation Discovery series revealed a myriad of shocking revelations about the systemic abuse at Nickelodeon through interviews with numerous former child actors. While the series received a strong and generally positive response from viewers, ultimately becoming Max's biggest streaming title, there has been some backlash regarding the ethics of how the docuseries was made. Child actors like Raquel Lee Bolleau and Alexa Nikolas have stated that they feel like the people behind "Quiet on Set" have used their traumatic experiences as a way to cash in on success and money.
But now, Dan Schneider – the former Nickelodeon creator of shows like "iCarly," "The Amanda Show" and "Drake and Josh" – has become the first to take legal action against the show's producers, accusing the show of defaming him and painting him as a child sex abuser.
In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles on Wednesday and obtained by Variety, Schneider's attorneys stated that “‘Quiet on Set’s’ portrayal of Schneider is a hit job." The lawsuit named Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Television and Maxine Productions as the defendants, The Associated Press reported.
It continued that it is indisputable that there were two child sexual abusers who worked on Nickelodeon sets, but "It is likewise indisputable that Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, was not complicit in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered and, critically, was not a child sexual abuser himself."
However, Schneider alleged that "for the sake of clickbait, ratings, and views — or put differently, money — Defendants have destroyed Schneider’s reputation and legacy through the false statements and implications that Schneider is exactly that.”
The lawsuit stressed that Schneider "was not a child sexual abuser" but the voiceovers and graphics in "Quiet on Set," alongside the trailer are "purposefully and intentionally defamatory in that they falsely and repeatedly state or imply that Schneider is a child sexual abuser and committed crimes in this regard — and have been interpreted as such by countless average, ordinary or reasonable viewers.”
In a statement to Variety, Schneider personally wrote that the docuseries "highlighted mistakes I made and poor judgment I exhibited during my time at Nickelodeon, most of which happened decades ago during my early career as a producer, working on shows for Tollin/Robbins Productions."
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"There is no doubt that I was sometimes a bad leader. I am sincerely apologetic and regretful for that behavior, and I will continue to take accountability for it. However, after seeing ‘Quiet on Set’ and its trailer, and the reactions to them, I sadly have no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it," he said.
Schneider alluded to how "Quiet on Set" producers successfully attempted "to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted.
“I have no objection to anyone highlighting my failures as a boss, but it is wrong to mislead millions of people to the false conclusion that I was in any way involved in heinous acts like those committed by child predators," Schneider continued. "I owe it to myself, my family, and the many wonderful people involved in making these shows to set the record straight.”
The AP reached out to the three companies named in the suit but there has been no comment yet.
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