Kenan Thompson has urged Nickelodeon to “investigate more” following the release of documentary series “Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.”
The star was an original cast member of Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series “All That” in 1994, and he starred in the spin-off “Kenan and Kel,” alongside Kel Mitchell, from 1996 to 2000.
Thompson has admitted he found it “tough to watch” the recent four-part Investigation Discovery (ID) documentary series, which has raised allegations of a toxic and dangerous culture on the set of former children’s TV producer Dan Schneider’s shows, including the likes of “All That,” “The Amanda Show” and “Drake and Josh.”
Former child star Drake Bell had major roles on “The Amanda Show” and “Drake and Josh” in the 2000s, and he has since claimed on “Quiet on Set” that he suffered “extensive and brutal” abuse at the hands of Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck.
Thompson admitted his “heart goes out” to anyone who was “victimized” on the shows.
“It’s a tough subject … it’s tough for me because I can’t really speak on things that I never witnessed,” he said on the “Tamron Hall Show.” “All these things happened after I left, basically, and Dan [Schneider] wasn’t really on Kenan and Kel’ like that. I mean, he got a ‘created by’ credit, but it was a different showrunner, so our worlds weren’t really overlapping like that, outside of ‘All That,’ necessarily.
“All that negativity kind of started happening outside of, like, our tenure there,” Thompson continued. “I wasn’t really aware of a lot of it, but my heart goes out to anyone who’s been victimized or their families. I think it’s a good thing that the doc is out, and it’s putting things on display, stories that need to be told for accountability’s sake.”
Hall admitted her show had reached out to Nickelodeon, and the channel insisted they “investigate all of the allegations.”
“Well, investigate more, because this is supposed to be a safe space, it’s supposed to be a safe place for kids,” Thompson stated. “[T]o hear all about that is just, like, how dare you, you know.”
The star admitted the documentary series was “definitely tough to watch because I have fond memories of that place”, and Thompson admitted he has “fond memories” of his co-stars.
“To hear that they have gone through terrible things like that is just … it’s really tough,” he said.
In the documentary, Bell claimed former Nickelodeon writer and “Drake and Josh” creator Schneider was “unaware” of the abuse he suffered.
“Now that Drake Bell had disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward,” Nickelodeon said in a statement,
In a response to “Quiet On Set”, Schneider recently admitted some of his past behavior was “embarrassing.”
“Watching over the past few nights was very difficult. Me facing my past behaviors — some of which are embarrassing and I regret — I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology,” he said to former “iCarly” star BooG!e for The Hollywood Reporter.
As well as stars of Schneider’s shows opening up on their experiences, the issues raised in the series include writers accusing him of creating a toxic environment with cruel pranks.
“No writer should ever feel uncomfortable in any writers’ room — ever. Period. No excuses,” Schneider responded. “Most TV writers, comedy writers, have been in rooms, and they are aware that a lot of times there are inappropriate jokes made and inappropriate topics come up. But the fact that I participated in that — especially when I was leading the room — embarrasses me. I shouldn’t have done it.”
