Why did Nickelodeon offer Jennette McCurdy $300K in hush money?

Former child star Jennette McCurdy is easily one of the most recognizable faces in the modern television bubble when it comes to child/teen shows. And, despite her overwhelming success on Nickelodeon hits iCarly and Sam & Cat, the 30-year-old former actress recently dropped a public bombshell when she revealed that international network brand Nickelodeon offered her $300,000 in “hush money” years after her collaborations with the network.

McCurdy revealed this information publicly in her newest memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died, where she simultaneously discussed the mental abuse brought upon her by her mother during McCurdy’s time as a young adult — which ultimately affected her experience at the network and damaged her acting career.

So, why did Nickelodeon offer her money?

In the memoir, McCurdy revealed that Nickelodeon offered her the large sum of money if she agreed to never discuss what she endured during her years with the network. And while McCurdy never outright named television producer Dan Schneider — who created programs like iCarly — as her abuser, many folks believe that she dubbed Schneider as “The Creator” when she discussed her abuse in the memoir, which includes The Creator apparently encouraging McCurdy to drink alcohol as a minor and photographing her in a bikini.

Although these allegations against Schneider have never been officially confirmed, and he has never been charged for said abuse, Nickelodeon actually parted ways with the producer back in 2018, with the allegations starting to heat up against him. Rather than keep Schneider around during the thick of the #MeToo movement gaining traction, Nickelodeon decided to cut their losses with him and protect their image.

In the end, Nickelodeon offered McCurdy the money to keep her from discussing her experience with Schneider, which undoubtedly has left the former actress traumatized and disgruntled – and rightfully so. In doing so, Nickelodeon only further exposed themselves as knowingly associating with Schneider despite numerous allegations and rumors surrounding him, and chose to cover their tracks by paying McCurdy for her silence, which ultimately backfired. Ouch.

At the time of writing, McCurdy is scheduled to appear on GMA tomorrow morning, Aug. 9, to discuss her brand-new memoir and the numerous encounters that she experienced during her time as a child star. So, perhaps we’ll get even more insight as to why Nickelodeon offered such a large slab of cash.