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It was must-see TV for millions of kids in the ’90s, but there were allegations of a toxic work environment behind the scenes of the hit Nickelodeon show from producer Dan Schneider.
As part of the series “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” “Drake & Josh” star Drake Bell opens up for the first time about his experience as a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of former dialect coach Brian Peck. told.
Now, Nickelodeon alums Brian Hahn and Jovonnie Samuels are speaking to Extra’s Mona Kosar Abdi about the moment they found out Drake had been assaulted.
The stars, who also appeared on Quiet on Set, said they learned about Bell after watching the documentary.
“I didn’t know about Drake until ‘Quiet on Set,'” Samuels said.
Hahn added: “When I found out I was watching ‘Quiet on Set’…I immediately burst into tears.”
“Yeah, we both cried,” Giovani said, adding, “We called each other and we were both like, ‘Are you okay?'” Did you figure out who it is? It was so heartbreaking. ”
In the series, Drake spoke about being abused by Peck when he was 15 years old. The actor eventually called the police. At the time, Bell was an unknown minor in the case.
In August 2003, Peck pleaded no contest to “committing lewd acts with a victim who was approximately 14 or 15 years of age and having oral copulation with a child under 16 years of age.” He was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
Another crew member, Jason Handy, was convicted of indecent assault on an underage girl in 2004.
Samuels told Mona: So it’s scary to have that kind of access and not know. Who else did he touch? Why did this happen? ”
Brian also revealed the time things didn’t go well, saying, “If you were a kid who appeared on the Nickelodeon set at least twice, you would have had to wear a leotard. You certainly feel uncomfortable. .”
Nickelodeon released the following statement regarding Drake: “Now that Drake Bell has revealed his identity as a plaintiff in the 2004 lawsuit, we are appalled and saddened to learn of the trauma he endured and the strength it took to come forward. We praise and support.”
Nickelodeon had the following to say regarding the other allegations of conduct involved in “Quiet on Set.” “While we cannot confirm or deny allegations of conduct in productions that date back decades, Nickelodeon, as a matter of policy, investigates all formal complaints of harassment or other inappropriate conduct.” Our top priority is the well-being and best interests of our employees, cast and staff, as well as all children, and we hold ourselves to our own high standards and expectations. We have put in place a number of safety measures over the years to ensure that we can cater to our audience.”
“Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” will air March 17 and 18 on ID.
