JoBlo Scandals: The Dark Side of Nickelodeon

We take a deep dive into the many scandals involving kids’ TV network Nickelodeon, and their former producer Dan Schneider.

One of the most explosive stories in terms of pop culture this year was the release of the documentary Quiet on Set. In this multiple-episode doc series, former Nickelodeon stars, and people who worked on the set of their most popular programs, came forward with explosive allegations, which ran the gamut from intimidation and bullying to full-on sexual assault of the minors starring in their programs (read our review of the program HERE).

At the center of the controversy was producer Dan Schneider, who was the man behind all of the channel’s most popular program. He was renowned, and much praised in the industry for his knack for making stars of out of young actors, with some of his discoveries including Drake Bell, Amanda Bynes, and even Ariana Grande.

However, for many years, there have been whispers and innuendos about his behaviour behind the scenes. While he was never accused of sexual assault, he came off pretty terribly in Quiet on Set, with many believing more allegations are to come. But what happened? How did a network whose programming was meant to educate and inspire children go so awry?

In this special episode of JoBlo Scandals, our host Taylor James Johnson takes us on a deep dive into some of the most explosive revelations and allegations made against the network, and the people that worked for them over the years. 

About the Author

Chris Bumbray began his career with JoBlo as the resident film critic (and James Bond expert) way back in 2007, and he has stuck around ever since, being named editor-in-chief in 2021. A voting member of the CCA and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, you can also catch Chris discussing pop culture regularly on CTV News Channel.