Content advisory: The following article contains references to child sexual abuse, please take care while reading.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV revealed the heinous culture of abuse on the sets of Nickelodeon, of which Drake Bell was a victim. After the docuseries’ release, the company offered its support to Bell. However, the star thinks Nickelodeon is not doing enough.
Bell rose to stardom after appearing in popular TV shows such as The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. While these shows were in production, Nickelodeon’s dialogue coach and actor Brian Peck repeatedly abused Bell. The actor’s courageous testimony in Quiet on Set is stomach-churning, revealing the horrors he endured as an underaged star.
In 2004, Peck was arrested on 11 charges related to the sexual abuse of a child after the family of one of Nickelodeon’s young stars approached the Los Angeles Police Department. At the time, no one knew the identity of Peck’s victim. In Quiet on Set, Bell came forward as the person who originated the investigation, a traumatic experience he’s still learning to overcome. That’s why the actor is legitimately enraged with Nickelodeon’s empty response to the docuseries.
Drake Bell denounces Nickelodeon’s shameful inaction
In a recent episode of The Sarah Fraser Show podcast, Bell talked about the shocking docuseries and the painful process of deciding to tell the truth to the whole world. Before he gathered the strength to share his story, Bell put himself through rehab, an experience that allowed him to process his feelings and prepare to talk to Emma Schwartz, one of the Quiet on Set directors, as he discovered that even though he is not done recovering, he is “getting closer to feeling comfortable with finally sharing my story.’”
It’s not easy to face the world as a survivor of sexual abuse, which explains why Bell chose to keep the matter private. Still, thanks to his courageous testimony, other actors have started to come forward to denounce the abuse of children in Hollywood. As for Nickelodeon, the company gave a cold statement to Variety which says:
“Now that Drake Bell has 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. […] Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon, as a matter of policy, investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct.”
Nickelodeon’s statement indicates the company is lawyering up to avoid being held accountable for failing to protect the child actors of its shows. It has all the right keywords but no guilt or emotion, which is not enough for Bell as he finds it “pretty empty.”
“There’s a very well-tailored response saying, ‘Learning about his trauma,’ because they couldn’t say that they didn’t know about this or what had happened, or anything. So I think that was a really well-tailored response by probably some big attorney in Hollywood. […] I find it pretty empty, their responses, because, I mean, they still show our shows, they still put our shows on. And I have to pay for my own therapy, I have to figure out what… I mean, if there was anything, if there was any truth behind them actually caring, there would be something more than quotes on a page by obviously a legal representative telling them exactly how to tailor a response.”
Nickelodeon’s inaction when it comes to the many allegations of sexual abuse involving young actors and people in positions of power is indeed appalling. As a company dedicated to producing content for children with children, Nickelodeon has the legal and moral obligation to provide a safe environment to its young stars. As far as the interviews of Quiet on Set show (and the new allegations that follow) are concerned, the company seemingly didn’t even try before it failed to protect the young actors.
If you or a loved one are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website for confidential support.
