10 Shocking Reveals from Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

10 Shocking Reveals from Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the biggest bombshells from Investigation Discovery’s 4-part exposé about Nickelodeon.

Amanda Bynes Replaced Katrina Johnson

From 1994 to 1997, Katrina Johnson was the youngest cast member of Nickelodeon’s hit sketch comedy series “All That.” During her time on the show, she was one of Dan Schneider’s favorite young actors, and as she recalled in the docuseries, he even considered giving Johnson her own show. But as she got older, her appearance became an issue for the producers, particularly her weight, which they called attention to. With the addition of rising star Amanda Bynes in 1996, Johnson felt she was progressively sidelined by her former mentor, and she left the show a year later. Schneider would go on to be a significant figure in shaping Bynes’ successful career, which some people, including her parents, saw as concerning.

Gender Discrimination & a Toxic Work Environment

In the late ‘90s, Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider created a spin-off series to “All That” centered on Amanda Bynes. For Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, the only women in “The Amanda Show” writer’s room, it was a dream job. However, there were red flags from the start. Stratton and Kilgen were made to share one salary between them, which isn’t exactly legal. And along with other female staffers, they allegedly endured Schneider’s misogynistic behavior, degrading “jokes”, and harassment. Stratton was reportedly fired shortly before the end of season one. Kilgen quit just days into season two and filed a lawsuit against the production company for gender discrimination, ultimately settling out of court. The awful experience had a lasting impact on their careers in the television industry.

Sexualizing the Female Casts

In the early 2020s, people revisiting Nickelodeon shows from their childhood have noticed that some content was undeniably bizarre, bordering on the explicit. Old webisodes of Ariana Grande went viral, showing her “Victorious” and “Sam & Cat” character, Cat Valentine, attempting to “juice” a potato, among other suggestive acts. Former employees also noted that Schneider was instrumental in choosing revealing clothing for the young cast and writing adult jokes into the episodes. Prior to “Quiet on Set,” “Zoey 101” cast member Alexa Nikolas had already been vocal about her discomfort working on the show. Although she doesn’t appear in the docuseries, they reference Jennette McCurdy’s 2022 memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” in which she detailed The Creator’s verbal abuse and inappropriate interactions.

Inappropriate Adult Humor

Kids’ programming tends to have some jokes and references “for the parents,” but Dan Schneider’s shows like “All That” and “The Amanda Show” often crossed a line. From character names with slang terms to costumes with phallic imagery, it was clear to some people behind the scenes what the writers were alluding to. Crew members and parents would notice questionable jokes and sexual innuendo, but the environment made it difficult to express these concerns, especially to Schneider. And as former cast members recall in the docuseries, they were often uncomfortable with the material, even if they didn’t know exactly what the innuendos meant.

Traumatizing On-Air Dares

Nickelodeon’s “On Air Dare” segment was essentially “Fear Factor” for kids, challenging the young actors to endure gross and scary dares on camera. “All That” cast members Kyle Sullivan and Bryan Christopher Hearne recounted moments on the show that made them extremely uncomfortable for themselves and their castmates. Hearne had one particularly awful challenge of getting covered in peanut butter and laying down as multiple dogs licked it off of him…on stage. In the video clip from the segment, he clearly says that he doesn’t like it. Sullivan pointed out just how tortuous it could be, with challenges that involved worms, dead fish, and scorpions. Young viewers would likely see this as funny - but for the actual participants, it was anything but.

Racist Sketches Starring Black Child Actors

With shows such as “Kenan and Kel,” Nickelodeon always seemed to value and encourage diversity. But in the docuseries, “All That” stars Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Christopher Hearne said that compared to their white castmates, they felt “overlooked.” Hearne recalled a hurtful incident when a strange character required him to wear a bodysuit and someone offensively joked about the skin tone color it should be. But fearing repercussions, he didn’t say anything back. Samuels and Hearne also occasionally had to play into racial stereotypes. Hearne’s mother Tracey discussed a sketch that she viewed as racist, one where her son pretended to sell cookies but believed it was made to seem like he was really selling illegal substances.

Jason Handy Allegations

As a production assistant on Nickelodeon shows “All That” and “The Amanda Show,” Jason Handy was a familiar face to young actors and their parents. Speaking in the docuseries, MJ details how her daughter Brandi booked a background role in one episode and began corresponding with Handy via email. But what she thought was seemingly harmless progressed into him sending her an explicit photo. And while MJ didn’t go to the police herself, Handy was finally arrested in April 2003 and charged with multiple felony counts involving inappropriate acts and material. He pled no contest and received a 6-year sentence. Shockingly, he wasn’t the only convicted predator employed by Nickelodeon. Registered sex offender Ezel Channel, another Nickelodeon employee, was arrested in 2005.

Brian Peck’s Connection to John Wayne Gacy

Like Jason Handy, Brian Peck was well-known at Nickelodeon, though the acting and dialogue coach was much more involved and even appeared on-screen at times. Kyle Sullivan recalled a get-together he attended at Peck’s home where he found a weird portrait of a clown. He learned that the man had a disturbing “pen pal relationship” with John Wayne Gacy, a convicted serial killer who targeted young men. Even at his age, Sullivan knew this was strange. However, he alleged that other guests, including adults and parents, also saw Peck’s collection of letters and art from Gacy.

Drake Bell Was “John Doe”

“Quiet on Set” centered its third episode on Drake Bell, former star of “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh.” For the first time, the actor-musician detailed the alleged abuse he suffered at the hands of Brian Peck as a young actor. The acting and dialogue coach became a constant presence, managing to turn Bell and others against his father, who was his manager. Peck was arrested just months after Jason Handy in 2003. Due to his age at the time, Bell’s name was kept hidden and he was referred to as John Doe, something very few people knew until now.

Peck’s Famous Supporters

Drake Bell was in attendance at the day of sentencing for Brian Peck in October 2004. Though he was relieved his tormentor was finally caught, Bell was shocked to see the amount of support he received from notable people in the industry. These included“Growing Pains” cast members Alan Thicke and Joanna Kerns, “The Amanda Show” crewmembers Rich and Beth Correll, along with actors James Marsden and Taran Killam. In 2024, “Boy Meets World” stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong claimed their letters were based on misinformation. Peck pled no contest, was sentenced to 16 months in prison and required to register as a sex offender. Still, he went on to work in Hollywood, even briefly on Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.”

Did you watch “Quiet on Set”? Let us know in the comments below.