Summary
Dan Schneider’s behaviour toward Amanda Bynes during their time at Nickelodeon is one of the many uncomfortable revelations found in the 2024 documentaryQuiet on Set: The Dark Side of Children’s TV. The five-partQuiet on Setpremiered on Max in March 2024 and exposed some alleged open secrets about the hostile working conditions on the sets of manylive-action ’90s-era Nickelodeon shows. In particular, the series focuses on Dan Schneider, a powerful producer and showrunner at Nickelodeon who has been accused of toxic workplace behavior, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault.
The Amanda Showwas particularly discussed in the docuseries. Premiering in 1999.Amanda Bynes first appeared on Nickelodeon in 1996as part of the cast ofAll Thatand was a breakout star, appearing in memorable sketches like “Ask Ashely” and “I Luv Lucy”.The Amanda Showput Bynes front and center in every sketch. Sadly,Amanda Bynes' story darkenedafter Nickelodeon, and the 2010s and 2020s appear to have been a difficult time for her. Though neither Bynes nor Schneider appeared inQuiet on Set, they are discussed at length in the documentary.
Every Former Nickelodeon Child Star In The Quiet On Set Documentary
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV focuses on Nickelodeon behind the scenes in the 1990s and 2000s and features various former child actors.
Quiet On Set Allegations State That Dan Schneider Got Uncomfortably Close To Amanda Bynes
Schneider Reportedly Tried To Help Bynes Get Emancipated From Her Parents
Dan Schneider and Amanda Bynes are discussed by journalists and former Nickelodeon cast members in the documentary. According to herAll Thatco-stars,Schneider showed clear favoritism for Bynes. Leon Frierson, who appeared on the show from 1997-2000, said that Bynes would often be missing from school and other group activities (viaJ-14):
“We had to go to school on set. There would be times when Amanda would just be missing. A lot of times we would hear she would be with Dan, pitching ideas and writing. We see them grow closer to each other on set.”
Frierson also claimed that Bynes' father and Schneider worked closely to mold Bynes into a star. When Bynes' relationship with her father soured, she reportedly turned to Schneider with trying to help her attempt a failed emancipation from her parents. Journalist Kate Taylor says of the relationship, in the documentary,
“Dan inserting himself into Amanda’s life like this is really ethically fraught.”
The docuseries does not share Bynes' side of the story because she elected not to participate. AnOK Magazineinsider claimed Bynes told themshe refused because she did not have a bad experience with the network, and she was grateful to Nickelodeon for jumpstarting her career.
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Creator, writer and executive producer
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Co-creator, writer and executive producer
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Creator *aired on Paramount+
Dan Schneider Claimed He “Supported” Amanda Bynes While They Worked For Nickelodeon
In An Interview, Schneider Apologized For His Actions But Denied The Worst Of The Accusations
Though Schneider did not appear in the documentary, he did provide statements that appear inQuiet on Set. He’s also responded publicly to the accusations. In a 20-minuteYouTubeinterview, the producer spoke with Bobby “BooG!e” Bowman who played T-Bo oniCarly.Schneider apologized for his past behavior, referring to his actions as “embarrassing”. Regarding Amanda Bynes, Schneider strongly maintains that he did nothing more than give her the normal amount of support that anyone would.
About the emancipation, according to Schneider,
“Amanda was between the ages of 16 and 17, and she wanted to get emancipated from her parents, which was a fairly common thing with successful young actors, at least at the time. And she wanted that for herself, so she turned to her team, which included her lawyer, her agent, her manager, her publicist, me cause she included me as part of her team, thought of me that way. We supported her. She tried to get emancipated. It ended up not working out and she didn’t.”
Regarding Bynes running away from home, Schneider gave his account of what happened that night,
“Yes uh, one night it was very late. Well after midnight, 1 or 2 in the morning. The phone rang. I answered. It was Amanda. She was upset, and she was in distress. She had had some conflict with her parents, I think her father, and she called me. I was immediately concerned about her safety. I called someone who I knew was fairly nearby. That person was able to go and pick her up. Then I knew she was safe. I felt better. She ended up being taken to the police.”
The whole ofQuiet on Set, whatever may be true or rumor, exposed an ugly reality about those early TV shows, painting a picture of adults not looking out for the children in the room in one way or another. However, with more people coming forward about their experiences, hopefully, there’s a chance for healing, honesty, and some self-reflection. While Schneider’s apology may ring hollow to some, the fact he’s willing to discuss the documentary and the work environment he oversaw, is at least one small step in the right direction.
