Dan Schneider Responds in On-Camera Video to Disturbing Revelations in“ Quiet on Set”: 'Owe Some People a Strong Apology'
"I’m embarrassed that I did it then. I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation," the former producer said of allegations that he requested massages from female writers
Dan Schneider responded to the allegations made against him in the new docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.
Schneider, 58, responded to the series in a 20-minute YouTube video with BooG!e, who played T-Bo on iCarly, on Tuesday.
“Facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret," the former Nickelodeon producer said. "I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”
The Zoey 101 producer spoke about the series' allegations that he continuously requested female writers to massage him in front of other writers and crew members.
“It was wrong,” said the All That producer. “It was wrong that I ever put anybody in that position. It was the wrong thing to do. I’d never do it today. I’m embarrassed that I did it then. I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation."
"Additionally, I apologize to the people who were walking around video village, or wherever they happened, because there were lots of people there who witnessed it who also may have felt uncomfortable, so I owe them an apology as well," said Schneider.
In addition to apologizing for the messages, Schneider spoke to the allegations that some of the jokes within the various series he produced appeared to sexualize the child actors — series including Drake & Josh, Victorious, The Amanda Show and iCarly.
“All these jokes that you’re speaking of that the the show covered over the past two nights — every one of those jokes was written for a kid audience because kids thought they were funny,” he said.
“Now we have some adults looking back at them 20 years later through their lens, and they’re looking at them and they’re saying ‘You know, I don’t think that’s appropriate for a kids show.’ I have no problem with that. If that’s how anyone feels, let’s cut those jokes out of the show, just like I would have done 20 years ago."
“I want my shows to be popular,” said the producer. “The more people who like the shows, the happier I am. So if there’s anything in a show that needs to be cut because it’s upsetting somebody, let’s cut it."
Schneider said in the video that the "main thing" he would change is how he "treat[s] people, everyone." He also added that he believes a therapist should be on set for the children "for the specific reason of making sure those kids really wanted to do this job."
“I definitely, at times, didn’t give people the best of me. I didn’t show enough patience. I could be cocky and definitely over-ambitious, and sometimes just straight-up rude and obnoxious," said Schneider.
"I’m so sorry that I ever was. When I watch the show, I can see the hurt in some people’s eyes, and it made me feel awful and regretful and sorry," he added. "I wish I could go back to the earlier years of my career and bring the growth and experience that I have now, and just do a better job.”
Schneider also addressed the allegations that he would cast Black actors in racially stereotyped roles, including All That alum Bryan Hearne.
"Diversity has always been very important to my shows," Schneider explained. "If you go back to the very first show, I haven't made that very evident as it is in the second one, and in the very first movie I made after that. I'm very proud of that."
"I'm exceptionally proud of these people who had been on my shows. They go on to bigger better things," he added.
“I was referred to as a ‘piece of charcoal’ [by an adult],” Hearne exclusively recalled for PEOPLE. “Remarks like that are harmful. They stay with you.” He also shared how "there was never any discussion,” about the demeaning stunts he was asked to perform on On Air Dare.
"We felt like we couldn't say no,” Hearne added. “It was a really uncomfortable situation, and after a while it felt like we were just part of this torture chamber.”
Related: Where Is Dan Schneider Now? All About the Nickelodeon Creator Mentioned in Quiet on Set
Schneider also spoke to Drake Bell’s revelations that he was repeatedly molested by dialogue coach Brian Peck (no relation to Bell's co-star Josh Peck) when Bell was 15.
“When Drake and I talked and he told me about what happened, I was more devastated by that than anything that ever happened to me in my career thus far. And I told him, ‘I’m here for you,’” said Schneider.
A representative for Schneider tells PEOPLE that this video was created because BooG!e saw the docuseries and wanted to ask Schneider questions. "BooG!e wants to make clear though that he is not a journalist and wasn’t trying to be," said Schneider's representative.
BooG!e wanted to provide a platform for the producer to address and acknowledge the allegations about his previous behaviors and wanted audiences to hear from Schneider himself, Schneider's rep explained.
For more about the alleged toxic environment on the sets of Nickelodeon’s shows, subscribe now to PEOPLE, or pick up this week's issue, on newsstands Friday.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is now streaming on Max.
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