A recent HBO documentary titled “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids’ TV” has shed light on a disturbing revelation regarding Nickelodeon’s employment practices. Legal records obtained by DailyMail.com have uncovered that the popular cable network, owned by Paramount, hired or worked with five convicted child predators and two individuals accused of pedophilia. The shocking figure came to light after child actors shared their experiences of abuse on the sets of Nickelodeon shows such as “All That,” “The Amanda Show,” “Drake & Josh,” and “Victorious.”
One of the allegations made in the documentary involves former child star Drake Bell, who claimed that he was sexually assaulted by Brian Peck, a dialogue coach employed by Nickelodeon when Bell was just 15 years old. Peck was subsequently arrested in 2003 and later sentenced to 16 months in jail, registering as a sex offender after pleading no contest to two child sexual abuse charges. It is worth noting that Peck went on to work for Disney.
In a separate incident, Jason Handy, a Nickelodeon production assistant, sent a sexually explicit photo of himself masturbating to Brandi Carlile, an 11-year-old actress who guest-starred on “The Amanda Show.” Handy, who described himself as a “pedophile, full blown” in his personal journal, pleaded no contest in 2004 to felony counts of lewd acts on a 9-year-old child, distributing sexually explicit material, and a misdemeanor of child sexual exploitation. He received a six-year federal prison sentence and has since faced additional charges related to indecent liberties with a child and sex offender registry violations. Handy is currently incarcerated with a release date set for 2038.
Marty Weiss, a talent manager who directed clients towards Nickelodeon, was convicted of lewd acts with a 12-year-old male client. The victim, who was a former client, reported being molested by Weiss approximately 30 to 40 times over a three-year period when he was around 11 years old. Weiss served less than six months in jail for his crimes.
Cody Longo, the star of “Hollywood Heights,” a show that aired on TeenNick in 2012, was arrested in 2019 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl in Colorado. Longo pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in 2021. Tragically, Longo, who battled alcoholism, was found dead at his Austin, Texas, home last year at the age of 34.
Ezell Channel, despite his 2003 conviction for lewd acts with a child under 14, was hired as a production assistant at Nickelodeon in 2005. In 2005, Channel was reported to the police by a mother who alleged that he lured a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old into a studio, showed them pornography, and inappropriately touched them. Channel was convicted, released in 2010, and is currently homeless in Los Angeles.
The HBO documentary also dedicated two episodes to Dan Schneider, a producer of several successful kids’ shows on Nickelodeon. While Schneider was not accused of any sexual misconduct, he was alleged to have fostered a culture of bullying, sexism, and racism. Schneider has denied these claims. The documentary included a video showing Schneider in a hot tub alongside child star Amanda Bynes. A representative for Schneider stated that all scenes on the shows he ran were carefully scrutinized by numerous adults and approved by the network.
Nickelodeon has responded to the revelations, stating that it has improved its safeguards. However, the network’s association with convicted child predators and individuals accused of pedophilia raises serious concerns about the safety and well-being of child actors in the entertainment industry.
1 Response
This is such an important documentary that everyone should watch! I can’t believe the dark side of kids’ TV that was exposed by HBO. I’m definitely going to share this post on my social media accounts to help spread the word. It’s crucial that more people become aware of Nickelodeon’s employment practices. Thank you for bringing attention to this issue!