“Quiet On The Set” Examines The Culture Of Abuse Surrounding Nickelodeon Stars

The “Quiet on the Set” documentary has set the internet ablaze and forced us to re-evaluate our childhoods. 

The HBO Max documentary shined a spotlight on the abusive culture surrouding Nickelodeon and several of its early 2000s productions. Much of the allegations centered around dialogue coach Brian Peck, who was convicted of several charges related to the sexual abuse he inflicted on “Drake & Josh” star Drake Bell. Peck was sentenced to just 16 months in prison in October 2004. However, several Hollywood execs and actors, including James Marsden, wrote letters of support for Peck. Former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider was also at the center of the documentary. He has also been ousted from the network for his own accusations. 

While multiple actors spoke out about the weird antics on the set of several children’s shows, Bell’s was one of the most harrowing. He endured the most abuse, which led to Peck being charged with lewd act upon a child, sodomy of a person under 16, attempted sodomy of a person under 16, sexual penetration by a foreign object, four counts of oral copulation of a person under 16, oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance, sending harmful matter, and using a minor for sex acts. Since Bell was a child star and Peck worked closely with him, the menacing man was permitted nearly unlimited access to Bell, who was subjected to the abuse for years. 

Social media has rallied behind Bell and other stars from the network.

No bc Drake’s mom deserves to get her ass beat! Why THE FUCK did she let Drake stay over Brian’s house almost every night & let Brian take Drake to auditions when dad SPECIFICALLY TOLD HER TO NOT LET DRAKE NEAR HIM!! Lock her ass up too #QuietOnSet #Nickelodeon pic.twitter.com/Qyv09XMfRS

— 🦋 (@E_mcnn) March 19, 2024

There were a lot of things from #QuietOnSet that got me angry, but what angered me the most is how so many of these victims parents failed them because they worried more about how they would be perceived as parents + their child’s career as opposed to their safety. pic.twitter.com/CkHQbImmtt

— Gabriel, MPH (@Acruxicon) March 20, 2024

So it wasn’t a red flag that Brian Peck was pen pals with John Wayne Gacy? #QuietOnSet
pic.twitter.com/jJLvkLxMjA

— terry (@terrylynnnn) March 19, 2024

I definitely blame the abusers.

But some of those parents need their ass beat because why tf would you let a grown ass man keep your child overnight!

And how did Drake Bell’s girlfriend’s mom see what was happening immediately but not his own mom! #QuietOnSet pic.twitter.com/uWVzRjM6rc

— Dr. DeAvila Sadè, DBH, LCSW (@askdeavilasade) March 19, 2024

the fact that Brian Peck did 16 months in prison for molesting/raping Drake Bell and got a job with Disney (as a registered sex offender) right after to work on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, is absolutely disgusting. #QuietOnSet

— squirt cobain. (@28thshooter) March 19, 2024

Schneider has since held an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where he admitted that he owed several people an apology. Social media has also called for Ariana Grande and Amanda Bynes to speak about their experiences. 

Amanda Bynes altering her appearance so she can appear as unattractive as possible to men after being traumatized & sexualized as child star is my roman empire for today. my heart is breaking for her. pic.twitter.com/92DkvR1J4F

— God’s favorite 🌻 (@j0vintage) March 20, 2024

harassing Amanda Bynes to tell her story is just as wild as the out your abuser rhetoric. very on brand for social media.

— WINTĘR (@SomeGoodKarma) March 20, 2024

Amanda Bynes accused Dan Schneider of raping and impregnating her when she was only 13 years old pic.twitter.com/cuIcq78Vss

— David Leatherwood 🇺🇸 (@brokebackUSA) March 20, 2024

#QuietOnSet "why isn't Amanda Bynes or Ariana Grande speaking up?" They don't need to. Whatever trauma they experienced, they do not need to disclose.

You know who does need to speak up? James Marsden, Taran Killam, Rich and Beth Correll, Ron Melendez and Kimmy Robertson

— Autistic Barbie (@khaleesi_britt) March 19, 2024