Shamed former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider is suing the producers of Quiet On Set for defamation – claiming the harrowing docuseries falsely portrayed him as a child sex abuser.
Schneider, 58, was at the center of the explosive Investigation Discovery series which divulged many allegations of inappropriate conduct on Nickelodeon shows. He was previously sued over accusations of gender discrimination, hostile work environment and harassment.
Schneider’s lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com takes aim at the series as well as creators, Warner Bros. Discovery, Maxine Productions, Sony Pictures Television and others for falsely implying he sexually abused child actors who worked on his shows.
Schneider, who began working at the network in 1993, is said to have ‘launched the careers of child actors who became major stars’ including Miranda Cosgrove, Jamie Lynn Spears and Ariana Grande.
Attorneys for the star claim the docuseries was a ‘hit job’ against him and says the defendants did the show for ‘clickbait, ratings, and views — or simply put, money.’
Shamed former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider is suing the producers of Quiet On Set for defamation – claiming the harrowing docuseries falsely portrayed him as a child sex abuser
Schneider, 58, was at the center of the explosive Investigation Discovery series which divulged many allegations of inappropriate conduct on Nickelodeon shows
The suit alleges the show used manipulative editing techniques to create a false impression of Schneider to try and portray him in the same light as two other convicted sex offenders who worked on Nickelodeon shows.
Dialogue coach Brian Peck, 63, served 16 months in prison in 2004-2005 after being arrested on 11 charges — including sodomy, lewd act upon a child 14 or 15 by a person 10 years older, and oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance. Drake Bell identified himself as the minor Peck abused in Quiet On Set.
Production assistant Jason Michael Handy was sentenced to six years on two felony counts and one misdemeanor involving two girls in April 2023.
His home was searched in 2003 where authorities found an ‘enormous trove of child pornography’ including more than 10,000 images of children. He also admitted to being a ‘full blown pedophile’ in vile journals.
Schneider’s attorneys added: ‘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.’
Schneider claims Quiet On Set intentionally used misleading statements and editing techniques in the trailer and several episodes to falsely portray him as a pedophile.
His lawyer noted the trailer where his success at Nickelodeon was tied to one of the network’s ‘darkest chapters’ – before cutting to a True Crime Event graphic – which they say implies Schneider committed a crime against children.
Schneider states in the lawsuit that while he was ‘blind’ to some of his bad behavior on set – none of this was connected to child sex abuse.
The suit alleges the show used manipulative editing techniques to create a false impression of Schneider to try and portray him in the same light as two other convicted sex offenders who worked on Nickelodeon shows – including dialogue coach Brian Peck (pictured)
He told the publication: ‘Recently 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. 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.
‘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.’
Production assistant Jason Michael Handy was sentenced to six years on two felony counts and one misdemeanor involving two girls in April 2023.
Schneider is suing for defamation and seeking unspecified damages – claiming he has suffered mental distress and financial losses as a result of the docuseries.
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Investigation Discovery, Maxine Productions and Sony Pictures Television for comment.
Schneider has previously admitted that he had overstepped professional boundaries and conceded he owed ‘some people a pretty strong apology.’
In a YouTube interview Schneider, who was previously described as ‘Nickelodeon’s golden boy,’ began by addressing the furor head on as he explained: ‘Watching over the past two nights was very difficult.
‘Me facing my past behaviors – some of which are embarrassing and that I regret. I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.’
Former assistant Amy Berg also took to X, formerly Twitter, in recent days to slam Schneider as a ‘f***ing a**hole.’
She branded him as a ‘psychological tormenter’ and a ‘manipulator’ before claiming his treatment caused her to suffer panic attacks, anxiety, and develop a ‘heart arrhythmia.’
Addressing the widespread reports of inappropriate behavior in the writers’ room, Schneider said: ‘Let me just say no writer should ever feel uncomfortable in any writers’ room. Ever. Period. The End. No excuses.
‘Most TV writers comedy writers have been in writer rooms and they are aware that a lot of times there a re inappropriate jokes made and inappropriate topics come up.
Schneider, who was previously described as ‘Nickelodeon’s golden boy,’ began working at the network in 1993 (pictured with Ariana Grande)
Attorneys for the star claim the docuseries was a ‘hit job’ against him and says the defendants did the show for ‘clickbait, ratings, and views — or simply put, money’
‘But the fact that I participated in that e specially when I was leading the room embarrasses me. I shouldn’t have d one it.’
He continued: ‘I can tell you why it hurts really bad for me. I remember very clearly my first experiences in the entertainment business.
‘I was green, I was scared, I was excited – it meant the world to me that I was getting those opportunities and I went in and I got lucky because they were great.
‘My first couple of experiences were fantastic and t he fact that I didn’t pay that forward to every employee that walked through my door it hurts my heart because I should have. I wish I could go back and fix that.’
The documentary had also explained that Nickelodeon had raised eyebrows under Schneider’s leadership with some of its shows that were ‘full of uncomfortable sketches.’
Among them were ‘disturbing’ scenes that ‘sexualized’ child stars – including Ariana Grande who featured in scenes sticking her hand down her throat, putting her toes in her mouth, and talking about being ‘soaking wet’ at the age of 16.
‘It was clear that there was a permissibility around these sexualized jokes with children,’ commentators in the documentary shared.
Drake Bell revealed he was the minor sexually abused by Peck on Quiet On Set
In recent months, a resurfaced clip being circulated online shows Schneider in a hot tub with an underage Amanda Bynes during a Nickelodeon sketch
Among the ‘disturbing’ scenes that ‘sexualized’ child stars – including Ariana Grande who featured in scenes sticking her hand down her throat, putting her toes in her mouth, and talking about being ‘soaking wet’ at the age of 16
Responding to the criticism, Schneider said: ‘All these jokes that you’re speaking of… every one of those jokes was written for a kid audience because kids thought they were funny – and only funny.
‘Now we have some adults looking back at them 20 years later through their lens and they’re looking at them and they’re saying “oh you know I don’t think that’s appropriate for for a kid show.”
‘I have no problem with that if that’s how anyone feels then let’s cut those jokes out of the show.
‘I want my shows to be popular… so if there’s anything in a show that needs to be cut because it’s upsetting somebody let’s cut it.
‘The last thing I want to ever do is put any content in a show that’s going to upset my audience and make them want to turn off the TV. Why would I ever want to do that? That makes no sense.’
In recent months, a resurfaced clip being circulated online shows Schneider in a hot tub with an underage Amanda Bynes during a Nickelodeon sketch.
The scene in question – which is understood to have been filmed in 2002, when Bynes was around the age of 16 – shows Schneider sitting next to a bikini-clad Bynes for the skit, which he wrote himself, with commentators branding it as ‘very uncomfortable.’
But Schneider, who is 20 years Bynes’ senior, defended his friendship with the child star and said he had only been trying to help her ‘regardless of what some people may think.’
Schneider was quick to distance himself from the predators and stated that he had not been responsible for hiring Peck.
He added: ‘When Drake and I talked and he told me what had happened I was more devastated by that than anything that ever happened to me in my career thus far.
‘I told him “I’m here for you, what do you need” which Drake mentioned in the show.’
Schneider went one step further by slamming the famous faces who had continued to show their support to Peck even after the charges came to light – sitting on his side in court and writing letters of support during sentencing.
Schneider left Nickelodeon in 2018 and said at the time he was parting ways to pursue ‘other opportunities and projects.
