I like feet. In particular, I like women’s feet. But I try not being creepy about it, especially considering how many people have behaved themselves. I also set boundaries around my interest in them. I mention this because what I’m about to discuss is painful as a childhood sexual assault survivor.
I’m sure some of you are aware of the Dan Schneider documentary on Max. Being Canadian, I have no access to it, as we don’t get Max. However, the documentary, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, exposes the relationship many former Nickelodeon stars allegedly had with Schneider growing up in television. None of this is “new”, Schneider’s weirdness was known for years, but the extent that he ruined people’s lives hasn’t been fully-documented before. And given the responses many of these former stars have shared, it’s worth getting their perspective.
I wasn’t big on live-action Nickelodeon as a kid. I preferred their animation, as it had more consistency in quality. I did occasionally watch All That! and The Amanda Show, however. They were weird and inconsistent, but they provided laughs. Yet even with the red flags, (the “show within a show”, Moody’s Point, had a subplot about the protagonist’s father’s toe), I was oblivious to what Amanda Bynes and her cast-mates were experiencing under Schneider.
Schneider’s foot fetishism has been an open secret for as long as he’s been with Nickelodeon. The company’s logo was a footprint! He’s also referenced it on social media frequently, such that people are well aware of it. Yet while that’s cause for concern, him taking advantage of child stars is the worst part. It’s no shock that Hollywood has consent issues, but pedophilia’s not something you’d want for developing minds.
To give a sense of how bad this was, Schneider had his female stars engage in weird antics with their feet. On iCarly, one of Nickelodeon’s most successful live-action sitcoms, actresses Miranda Cosgrove and Jeanette McCurdy frequently showed their bare feet, whether via “toe puppets” or biting feet. The situation was so bad that the iCarly revival had McCurdy absent despite being a big part of the original production. And given her memoir, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
But it gets worse! In the show Victorious, not only were the leads dressed too maturely for their age, but Schneider’s foot fetishism was present in weird ways. In one instance, Ariana Grande shoved her foot in her mouth on camera. In another instance, Victoria Justice removed her boots and socks and shot a bow and arrow with her bare feet. Both instances would net views on sites like OnlyFans, but this was a sitcom. And these were teenagers. Never mind that the cast was reportedly uncomfortable with these “shenanigans”, it also didn’t help the show’s writing anyway.
To give a sense of how bad this was, Schneider had his female stars engage in weird antics with their feet. On iCarly, one of Nickelodeon’s most successful live-action sitcoms, actresses Miranda Cosgrove and Jeanette McCurdy frequently showed their bare feet, whether via “toe puppets” or biting feet. The situation was so bad that the iCarly revival had McCurdy absent despite being a big part of the original production. And given her memoir, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
But it gets worse! In the show Victorious, not only were the leads dressed too maturely for their age, but Schneider’s foot fetishism was present in weird ways. In one instance, Ariana Grande shoved her foot in her mouth on camera. In another instance, Victoria Justice removed her boots and socks and shot a bow and arrow with her bare feet. Both instances would net views on sites like OnlyFans, but this was a sitcom. And these were teenagers. Never mind that the cast was reportedly uncomfortable with these “shenanigans”, it also didn’t help the show’s writing anyway.
And it gets worse still! If everything I’ve mentioned has made you uneasy, remember that it’s only a fraction of what transpired behind closed doors. Not only was Schneider making his stars behave provocatively on screen, he was also a nightmare to deal with. He’d routinely make inappropriate advances on his actresses, and at times he’d engage in sexual acts with them. I won’t go into detail, as it classifies as rape, but it begs the question: why was Dan Schneider fixated on exploiting these actresses when the internet exists? Google’s search engine doesn’t judge people for their kinks…
I wish I could say that it was only teenage girls that felt uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. Drake Bell-yes, that Drake Bell-has recently stated that he was sexually assaulted by his agent while under Schneider’s regime. It may not excuse his later allegations, but it puts them in context; after all, why not emulate the behaviour you saw firsthand? Hurt people hurt people.
Everything I’ve mentioned, though a fraction of what went on at Nickelodeon, puts into perspective how the network operated. And it wasn’t pretty. Because while this wasn’t known to the public for the longest time, it wasn’t a secret to those in the industry. Like Harvey Weinstein, I’m sure there were whistle blowers for years prior to this documentary. They simply weren’t listened to, or were blackballed.
I wish I could say that it was only teenage girls that felt uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. Drake Bell-yes, that Drake Bell-has recently stated that he was sexually assaulted by his agent while under Schneider’s regime. It may not excuse his later allegations, but it puts them in context; after all, why not emulate the behaviour you saw firsthand? Hurt people hurt people.
Everything I’ve mentioned, though a fraction of what went on at Nickelodeon, puts into perspective how the network operated. And it wasn’t pretty. Because while this wasn’t known to the public for the longest time, it wasn’t a secret to those in the industry. Like Harvey Weinstein, I’m sure there were whistle blowers for years prior to this documentary. They simply weren’t listened to, or were blackballed.
No one’s saying you can’t work with or talk to children. Having relatives under the age of 10, I assure you they sometimes have unfiltered wisdom untainted by the harshness of life. Besides, they’re people! And like adults, kids are worthy of validation! Yet that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be respected, because they should. Especially since they can’t consent to sexual behaviour!
Additionally, I won’t stop you from having a foot fetish. So long as you’re not creepy about it, you do you. It’s a part of the body that doesn’t get enough respect anyway. But while what you do with your body is your business, what you do with someone else’s is a whole other beast. It requires consent, contrary to what pornography might led you to believe.
As for the former stars of Nickelodeon? While some of them might’ve not ended up being great people, I can’t help but feel bad for the abuses they went through. Because it clearly scarred them enough to share their stories. And while I’m glad Schneider’s out of the picture, he alone wasn’t the issue. If Drake Bell’s situation is indication, Schneider wasn’t the only bad egg.
Additionally, I won’t stop you from having a foot fetish. So long as you’re not creepy about it, you do you. It’s a part of the body that doesn’t get enough respect anyway. But while what you do with your body is your business, what you do with someone else’s is a whole other beast. It requires consent, contrary to what pornography might led you to believe.
As for the former stars of Nickelodeon? While some of them might’ve not ended up being great people, I can’t help but feel bad for the abuses they went through. Because it clearly scarred them enough to share their stories. And while I’m glad Schneider’s out of the picture, he alone wasn’t the issue. If Drake Bell’s situation is indication, Schneider wasn’t the only bad egg.
It could be that I’m projecting. I’m a survivor of childhood sexual assault, something I’ve been open about before. At the same time, am I really projecting? The stories shared on Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV are upsetting, and Schneider ruined people’s lives by having his weirdness unchecked. If that’s me “projecting”, then I should do it more often.
This is an example of why Hollywood needs to change. I know the industry recently resolved two strikes, but job stability and AI safeguards don’t override the toxic and coercive work environment that actors, most of them women, have endured. That needs remedying, and quickly. Otherwise, stories like Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon will persist. And do we want that?
This is an example of why Hollywood needs to change. I know the industry recently resolved two strikes, but job stability and AI safeguards don’t override the toxic and coercive work environment that actors, most of them women, have endured. That needs remedying, and quickly. Otherwise, stories like Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon will persist. And do we want that?
No comments:
Post a Comment