New accusations of wrongdoing during Dan Schneider’s tenure at Nickelodeon, where he was fired in 2018, have come to light through an inquiry into the former top producer, who allegedly created a “maddening, disgusting, controlling little bubble.”
The New York Times once called Schneider “the Norman Lear of children’s television.” According to a Business Insider story that was published on Tuesday, Schneider allegedly demanded hypersexualized content for his shows, as well as “the most revealing” teen costumes, male-dominated writers’ rooms, and on-set massages.
Here’s everything we know about Dan Schneider and the allegations against him.
What are the allegations against Dan Schneider?
There have been claims that Dan Schneider created an uncomfortable, bizarre environment he ruled over like a fiefdom. Insider was told by writers, actresses, and crew members that sexualized scenes in Schneider’s scripts, such as a goo pop shot on “Zoey 101” that included a teenage Jamie Lynn Spears and simulated a sex act, disturbed them.
Another incident featured a teenage Victoria Justice participating in online extras for “Victorious” and having food massaged on her exposed tummy. Along with curating some of the most sought-after child acting roles of the early 2000s, the accusations said that Schneider also instilled a hostile work climate and traumatized numerous people.
Some of the most-watched programs on Nickelodeon are directed by Dan Schneider. In 1993, he started writing and producing the sketch comedy show “All That,” after beginning his career in supporting roles in films such as “Better Off Dead” and “Head of the Class.” He then quit to oversee “The Amanda Show,” which starred Amanda Bynes. In 2004, he launched “Drake & Josh” and went on to launch other shows like “Game Shakers,” “Zoey 101,” “iCarly,” “Victorious,” “Sam & Cat,” and Henry Danger.
However, his wildly successful time at the network abruptly ended in March 2018. According to a joint statement from Schneider and Nickelodeon, “Schneider’s Bakery and Nickelodeon, our longstanding creative partner Dan Schneider, have agreed to not extend the current deal” after numerous conversations about potential future paths and prospects. “Since several Schneider’s Bakery projects are wrapping up, both sides agreed that this is a natural time for Nickelodeon and Schneider’s Bakery to pursue other opportunities and projects.”
Schneider’s exit from the network was clouded by accusations about his behavior while on set from the beginning. According to a March 2018 Deadline article regarding the departure, the company had received “multiple complaints of abusive behavior against Schneider filed by members of his staff.” It also said, “Schneider has been dogged by suspicions for years regarding how he treated some of his younger stars on his shows. His tweets featuring his young female stars’ toes are among the items that have sparked criticism.”
Many have complained about Schneider over the years, and in an Insider investigation published on August 30, 2022, people who worked with Schneider came out alleging that the young stars were sexualized.