Where Is Dan Schneider Now? What To Know About The Disgraced Nickelodeon Creator In ‘Quiet on Set’

Following the recent premiere of Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, viewers and former Nickelodeon fans are wondering what has happened to Dan Schneider, the prolific writer and series creator behind several popular childrens shows on the network.

Some former Nickelodeon employees who appeared in the series noted that Schneider was the network’s “golden boy” during the ’90s and 2000s, while others felt like working for him at the time was comparable to”being in an abusive relationship.” All That star Kyle Sullivan also opened up about his experience working on the sketch comedy show with Schneider, saying, “The show is full of these weird, uncomfortable sketches. I think Dan got a kick out of walking a line with that.”

These allegations, amid the shocking reveal that actor Drake Bell was sexually abused by a former Nickelodeon employee, has left many former fans reeling as they try to reconcile the television shows from their youth with these claims.

Here is everything we know about Schneider and what he’s been up to in recent years.

Who is Dan Schneider?

Schneider created and wrote for several series on the network, including iCarly, Zoey 101, Victorious, Drake & Josh, and The Amanda Show. He also wrote for All That, Kenan & Kel, and Good Burger.

After working together at Nickelodeon, he also created and wrote for Amanda Bynes‘ more adult series on The WB, What I Like About You.

What has he been accused of?

In the Quiet on Set documentary, Schneider faced several accusations of inappropriate and hostile behavior, including that he allegedly requested massages from employees. He has also been accused of writing inappropriate jokes and skits, which one Quiet on Set interviewee claimed sometimes “reference porn.”

The ID documentary series spawned from a Business Insider report that claimed Schneider pushed for hyper-sexualized content in kids shows, including pushing young actresses to wear more “revealing” clothing and writing suggestive sketches.

The allegations have also led viewers to question how he treated other young breakout stars including Bynes, Miranda Cosgrove, Jeanette McCurdy, and Ariana Grande. All That editor Karyn Finley Thompson mentioned in Quiet on Set that she noticed Bynes was sometimes “very close physically with Dan.”

“There were many times I saw Amanda sitting behind him hugging him, or giving him a neck massage. Dan and Amanda had a close relationship. I didn’t think anything different than that,” she said.

What did he have to say about Quiet on Set?

Before Schneider came forward to address the situation himself, a spokesperson for Schneider released a statement claiming all of his work at Nickelodeon was approved by “dozens of involved adults.”

“Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts,” they said in their statement. “A standards and practices group read and ultimately approved every script, and programming executives reviewed and approved all episodes. In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals.”

Schneider later offered an apology after watching the documentary series. “Me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and I regret,” he said in a video posted to YouTube late last month. “And I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”

He also expressed regret for the “inappropriate jokes” that he wrote, saying, “All these jokes that you’re speaking of that the show covered over the past two nights, every one of those jokes was written for a kid audience… 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 kid’s show. And I have no problem with that. If that’s how anyone feels, let’s cut those jokes out of the show.”

Did Nickelodeon cut ties with him?

Schneider left the network in 2018 after an internal investigation found he had been verbally abusive towards employees, though it found no evidence of sexual misconduct.

What is he doing now?

Schneider revealed in 2021 that he had written and sold an “ambitious and very different” pilot to a different network that he said was geared toward “more of an adult audience.” He also said that he was working on other projects in development, including another family-friendly pilot.

For now, he is listed as a producer on the upcoming movie Henry Danger: The Movie, which is based on the series and characters he created.

If you or someone you know needs to reach out about sexual abuse or assault, RAINN is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673), or online at RAINN.org.