Dan Schneider, ex-Nickelodeon producer, sues Quiet on Set creators alleging defamation as a ‘Hit job

Former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider filed a defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against the makers of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV.

The iCarly creator claims the documentary falsely implies he sexually abused child actors from his shows. Nickelodeon has hired or worked with several people accused of sex abuse or pedophilia.

“‘Quiet on Set’s’ portrayal of Schneider is a hit job,” Schneider’s lawsuit reads. “While it is indisputable that two bona fide child sexual abusers worked on Nickelodeon shows, it is likewise indisputable that Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, was not complicit in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered and, critically, was not a child sexual abuser himself.”

The lawsuit names Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Television, and Maxine Productions as defendants.

The documentary in question suggests the shows Schneider produced repeatedly put young women in situations with sexual implications.

A spokesperson for Schneider previously explained that everything on the shows run by the longtime Nickelodeon producer “was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network,” and that if there were any scenes or outfits that were deemed inappropriate, they would have been “flagged and blocked,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The four-part series additionally portrays him as emotionally abusive toward those on set. It includes direct allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination from women who worked on his show All That.

The female All That writers claim he displayed pornography on his computer in front of them and asked for massages, joking that cooperation would lead to their sketches making the show. Schneider denied these allegations.

Schneider previously apologized for “past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret” shortly after the release of Quiet on Set but did not admit to sexual abuse.

In a statement sent to the Washington Examiner, Schneider said the docuseries “highlighted mistakes I made and poor judgment I exhibited during my time at Nickelodeon … There is no doubt that I was sometimes a bad leader.” Schneider said he is “sincerely apologetic and regretful for that behavior, and I will continue to take accountability for it.

“However, after seeing Quiet on Set and its Trailer, and the reactions to them, I sadly have no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it,” he continued. “In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted.”

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“I have no objection to anyone highlighting my failures as a boss, but it is wrong to mislead millions of people to the false conclusion that I was in any way involved in heinous acts like those committed by child predators,” Schneider added. “I owe it to myself, my family, and the many wonderful people involved in making these shows to set the record straight.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to Nickelodeon for comment.