Anybody taking up for Dan Schneider and the company he kept for an undying love of the shows that were created (All That, The Amanda Show, Double Dare, iCarly, Zoey 101, VicTORIous, Drake & Josh, Kennan and Kel, and etc) is as QUESTIONABLE as the behavior allowed, done, accepted, and exposed on Quiet on Set. Let's be clear, I do not believe in cancel culture, I believe in SEEING culture and LIGHTING the dark underbelly. All parties included could have done better and should have done better by those kids at the time as well as setting a better standard and culture on set. I can't say I will never watch All That again. I probably won't watch the second run of it because let's be for real, it wasn't that good at the time nor that funny. I wasn't a huge fan of the later shows either but that small opinion doesn't make any of what happened ok, so let's get into it.
PART 1 - THE MESS
THE PARENTS - CHIIIIIILE! At the end of the day, there is a deep consistency through the stories involving childhood stars and children being abused by entertainment industry stars. That consistency is the parents. The ones that spoke up and the ones that stay quiet. Did y’all see how two of the biggest stars were manipulated against their parents and just so happened to be two stars who had their fathers there and working hands on with the crew (Amanda and Drake's parents)? Bryan Hearne's mother, the black woman who “raised hell,” was a consistent problem and slowly her son was pushed out. Bryan even goes as far as saying that he blamed himself and later his mother for all the hell she raised. Bryan's mother shared how when he didn't get called back for the show, she could see then that their relationship would never be the same. All because of the mishandling of Bryan. Bryan Hearne also shares that because of the culture on set, and some of the things he was cast to do, he struggle as a black man now and is also in therapy. Let's not glaze over this man's experience nor his mother. They made an example out of Bryan Hearne and his mother. Another reason everyone else stayed quiet.
Shout out to Drake's dad for trying and knowing his gut wasn't wrong. His only downfall was trusting the mother of his child to protect their son, and I can't really hold that against him. Drake's mom should have listened to her ex-husband. Shoutout to Drake's girlfriend's mom at the time. She WASN'T playing, Okay! I love someone that trusts their gut!
I also need to know more about Amanda's parents. I do appreciate how it was clear that they were not feeling Dan, but come on, they didn't need to let that jacuzzi scene happen or the Miss Taint thing fly. The kitchen got too hot too late for them, but I do appreciate a hard NO and a hard stance on "THIS ISN'T OKAY" when you finally see through the smoke and mirrors. But again, too little too late. Amanda Bynes was failed. At the end of the day, PARENTS DO BETTER. PROTECT THE KIDS!
THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY - Another consistency is the construct of the entertainment industry, so some of the biggest stars won’t speak up because they have pushed it down, have hushed or been hushed, don't have the integrity we think they have, or it simply didn't happen to them. I also think that older stars (The first group of All That) may not have experienced all of what that second group did. Things seemed weird with Dan and his employees at that time and later spilled over into the other shows by the time the second run of All That comes out. I personally think that Amanda Bynes had more happen to her than was shared and whatever it was took a real tole on her. Did y'all notice how the part of Quiet on Set that was about Amanda Bynes stopped as soon as they explained that she wanted to be emancipated? All we got were small details about how she ran to Dan for help, gets her more mature show, and we hear nothing else? This is the same thing that happened with Drake and Brian Peck. This act is called TRIANGULATION, a psychological abuse tactic to isolate the victim from their family. CLASSIC narcissistic move.
ALSO: When casting or production find a newer younger version, they get rid of the old. If Katrina Johnson was supposed to get her own show, and the newer, younger Amanda Bynes comes and gets her deal, why is that so hard to believe? It’s TEXTBOOK HOLLYWOOD. Katrina hitting puberty, and wanting to be more mature wasn't the reason she was pushed out. Hence, when Amanda Bynes turns 16, she was on a more mature show which too had something to do with Dan Schneider. Amanda was also wanting to be seen in a more mature way. She got the deal.
Dan - a "predator" knows a "predator". Association Assimilation. Birds of a feather flock together! I truly believe Dan Schneider knew exactly who those predators were. I also think he knew what was happening to Drake which is why he conveniently called Drake and asked Drake if the allegations had something to do with him. Drake even explains how Dan was the first person and only one to call or who knew. Drake also explains how he thought no one knew, but now sees it was more obvious than he thought. EASY MATH. I'm not taking away from Dan's creative abilities, how he was very inclusive in bringing in kids of all shapes, colors, and sizes, or his overall resume, but we have to call a spade a spade. There is SO much he could have done better. Because if Dan knew... why didn't he take up for Drake then? SKETCHY! Dan abused his responsibilities as a show runner. Simple as that!
Brian Peck & his crew of supporters - CHIIIIIIIIILE! That's all I'm going to say about that because just NO NO NO! The dude got a slap on the wrist AND got to work with children again.... WILD! That's the industry that's so praised and worshipped though.
PT 2 - A DEEPER LOOK
Typically, there is always backlash about why nobody spoke up sooner and why the bigger stars aren't speaking up, so let me clear that up for a beat. When people sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) they cannot disclose ANY of the information that happens ON SET or anything about the show. They don't read the fine print and are typically forced into silence. If you break this silence, you are then sued for money you typically do not have, black balled, and tainted. Usually nothing comes from this but a slap on the wrist because the other party breached a contract. NOT AN EXCUSE, but a reason things are kept quiet for so long. It's also the reason people don't speak out until later because they are no longer bound to the contract anymore.
Another reason "abusees" don't speak up is because of a thing called FIGHT-FLIGHT-FREEZE. This is science. Humans and most living things react this way, even down to the blood cells and systems in our body. When abused in some way, we are going to react under the control of FIGHT-FLIGHT-FREEZE without thought or control of action. Some fight back, which is why this isn't the first time hearing about the dark underbelly of Hollywood or Hollywood child stars and specifically Nickelodeon stars in this case (Amanda Bynes and Jennette McCurdy for example). Some take flight, which is why people just quit and go into silence and find a way out that doesn't involve fighting the powers that be. Others freeze, which is why they are abused for so long and also silenced in their horror stories.
People also don’t say anything because of fear, mental health, greed, etc. Speaking of Mental Health... Because I mean come on, there is always a Mental Health take on The Day is Won. Mental Health is not a pat on the back, a band-aid, a stamp of approval, a go free past go, or an excuse. Mental Health is THE REASON we do the things we do, allow the things we allow. The ABUSER or ABUSEE does not exist without mental health. Hell we, anyone with a brain, are simultaneously involved with mental health which is either, in a good state, okay state, or poor state of health. The people who hurt these children and allowed these children to be hurt have a mental health problem. Mental Health doesn't excuse ANYONE from being a bad person. SOMETHING is the reason why things are allowed. That SOMETHING is typically mental health (I could talk more about this, but that will be in another blog at a later time).
AND FINALLY, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE:This year is the beginning of all false narratives crashing and burning down. What we hold dear and true to our hearts from childhood, sports teams, celebrities, etc. are being EXPOSED. As the information is being exposed, us as watchers and main consumers are also being exposed for our core values and ABILITY TO SEE ALL SIDES and do better based on these examples. Stop holding on to conditioned constructs and SEE IT ALL for what it really is.
Yes, we were the audience, yes we consumed, yes parents could have done better by their children as well as the people on staff but to stay quiet just because there wasn't anything said in the past is just letting the systems win. The culture of victim blaming has to be stopped.
Lastly, we can all say what we would have done, but we really won't know until we face the same circumstances. However, it shouldn't have to come to that in order to simply understand the whole picture for what it is. Peace. love and hair grease. ✌🏽
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