Dan Schneider may be ready for his Hollywood comeback,
but is the public ready to accept him? Stay tuned for all the controversial details.
For years, prolific producer Dan Schneider occupied a prominent place
in the world of children's television. Throughout the late '90s and '00s,
Schneider and his Schneider's Bakery banner oversaw many hit shows on Nickelodeon,
including "All That," "Kenan & Kel," "Drake & Josh," and "iCarly." At the height of his fame,
Schneider was compared to fellow TV titan Norman Lear by The New York Times — a
comparison that should indicate just how respected he was at one point in time.
Then, in March 2018, Schneider's time at Nickelodeon suddenly ended due to allegations
of verbal abuse and questionable treatment of the young stars who appeared on his shows.
Investigations were reportedly conducted by ViacomCBS, and the two parties eventually
parted ways. Nickelodeon and Schneider issued a joint statement addressing his departure:
"Following many conversations together about next directions and future opportunities,
Nickelodeon and our long-time creative partner Dan Schneider/Schneider's
Bakery have agreed to not extend the current deal. 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."
In the immediate wake of Schneider's exit,
he remained out of the public eye and did not comment on the events of 2018.
Three years later, the "iCarly" producer was back on the record addressing these sensitive topics.
In a June 2021 interview with The New York Times, Schneider opened up about his departure from
Nickelodeon and commented on the allegations against him that accompanied news of his exit.
At the time of Schneider's leave from Nickelodeon, reports had been swirling of
possible controversial behavior on set. The March 2018 Deadline report on the producer's split with
the kid-friendly TV network included notes about allegations of Schneider's temper disrupting work,
production delays, ballooning budgets, and "complaints of abusive behavior" against him
filed by his staff. More concerning was a section of Deadline's report that contained the following:
"For years, Schneider had been under a cloud of suspicion over
the treatment of some younger stars of his shows. Among the things that have
raised eyebrows are his tweeted photos of the toes of his young female stars."
"It's video! You're stupid!"
"I hate – "
"I got you!"
A ViacomCBS investigation found that Schneider was allegedly yelling and throwing tantrums,
as well as sending angry emails and texts to child actors outside of working hours,
according to a July 2021 Deadline report. He also allegedly asked for shoulder and neck
massages. Addressing the accusations, the producer told The New York Times,
"I never interacted with actors in any way, texting or otherwise,
that should make anyone uncomfortable."
He called the controversy over the feet pictures "ridiculous" saying,
"I couldn't, and I wouldn't have the long-term friendships and continued loyalty from so many
reputable people if I'd mistreated my actors of any age, especially minors."
Schneider claimed that if anyone he worked with over the years saw him
as "difficult," it was because of the "high standards" he held for his work.
The longtime producer admitted, however, that he may have been a little harsh at times. He said,
"Over the years, I've grown and matured as a producer and leader. I'm sure I'm
better and more gentle at communicating today."
The New York Times spoke to people from Schneider's past in addition to the producer
for the June 2021 interview. Arthur Gradstein, a writer and producer who worked with Schneider
on four different shows, recalled the stresses of their partnership. Gradstein told the publication,
"[Schneider] could be generous and validating,
and it was exciting to be around his talent and passion for creating entertainment.
But he was also unreasonably demanding, controlling, belittling,
and vindictive with a willful disregard for boundaries or workplace appropriateness."
Gradstein is one of many people who have publicly engaged with Schneider and the allegations he
faces. Several unnamed sources also spoke to the New York Times and validated previous reports of
Schneider's allegedly abusive ways. Previously, fans compiled instances where feet were featured
on a Schneider-produced show for bizarre reasons in an effort to highlight a possible connection
to Schneider and allegations against him of inappropriate behavior involving child actors.
"I'm Carly"
"And I'm Sam"
"And we like to draw families on our toes."
"Observe!"
While Schneider did not specifically mention the allegations in the New York Times 2021
interview, he did note that his 2018 departure from Nickelodeon was due
to things he had long ignored over the years. He explained,
"I took a break to take care of a lot of stuff that I'd let go by the wayside for decades."
Three years after his departure from Nickelodeon,
Schneider told The New York Times he was ready to return to work. He explained,
"I don't want to be an old man someday and look it up and see some episode of
one of the shows I did and go, 'Ugh,' and be disappointed in myself. Whatever I do next,
I want it to outdo what I've done in the past."
While details are unclear, Schneider claimed to have a comeback pilot in the works,
which he described to The New York Times as "ambitious and very different."
The show will reportedly be geared more toward an adult audience.
Overall, Scheider reportedly holds no grudges against Nickelodeon over his exit.
The New York Times story found no evidence of sexual misconduct by Schneider,
nor did the ViacomCBS investigation, which occurred at the height of the Me Too movement.
Schneider said he ultimately wishes the channel "the best" in its future endeavors,
including the "iCarly" reboot currently airing on Paramount+.
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