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What it was really like to work for Dan Schneider

Casey Simpson

1,103,245 views

Child Acting on Nickelodeon was Dan Schneider's empire, and Nickelodeon could look the other way when child stars were put in danger because of how much money they were making.

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20 Comments

@alexnicole6806 1 month ago

It’s crazy how as a kid, I was so jealous of child actors. I wanted to be them so badly. Especially a Nick or Disney kid. Learning about their perspective makes me ridiculously grateful I never had to go through that.

@Ella_A_Star 1 month ago

I’m really glad you’re speaking about this. Dan Schneider really made the shows that built up our childhoods, at the expense of the actors’ mental health

@leum54751 1 month ago

The idea of a child being the soul breadwinner of a family is disgusting, that is THEIR MONEY. The parents should be ashamed.

@Dervraka 1 month ago (edited)

I actually worked as an intern for Schneider's production company way back in the mid 1990's when he was just getting into kids TV with shows like "All That". My first impression was "Man this guy is cool! He would rather hang with the kids and interns than the suits!" but after a few weeks that had changed too, "Ok, now it's getting a bit weird, this guy is pushing 30 and he is telling lewd jokes and talking spicy to young teens." Needless to say, I was NOT surprised when stories about him broke decades latter.

@jvever4904 3 weeks ago

Pedophilia runs rampant in Hollywood and child actors are taught to always say yes and people-please adults. It's horrific!

@kathyyore309 1 month ago

Candace Owens actually said something that makes sense, Pedophiles will always go after child actors because those kids are taught to suppress their emotions and act like the adult tells you. Scary

@Kiraa_kiki1 1 month ago

the Andi Mack cast was THERE when that predator actor got arrested?! That is so fucking horrific and especially for the boy actors. Imagine finding out you are your adult cast members type and they had bad intent the whole time. My heart goes out to every child actor

@vonn_kate 1 month ago (edited)

I saw Demi Lovato (and the Jonas Brothers) when I was in the 8th grade, and when I watched the documentary about Demi and her struggles through stardom as a child actress/singer, it made me realize how she was only 3 years older than me when I saw her in concert. She was still just a kid, just like me. I can't imagine being put through that kind of career trajectory at such a young age and having to navigate the fame, demands, and pressures that come from being a child performer in Hollywood.

@peterbarrow7631 1 month ago

This is why we should go back to cartoons of child characters with professional adult voice actors instead of live action shows with child actors

@Super64Legend 1 month ago

Isn't it ironic how in fiction, unhinged powerful people get jailed and in reality, they get a slap on the wrist? Only difference being that IRL law is rigged asf

@patriotmom10 1 month ago (edited)

As a child abuse survivor, I understand how these child celebraties feel when they say they have no memory of some things. I have a very limited memory of my childhood and when my sisters say do you remember when we did this or that? I put a fake nostalgia smile on my face and pretend like I remembered but I have 0 recollection. I hope all of the child celebrity survivors including you are able to develop a healthy mindset and recover.

@ermrin 1 month ago

when i was younger, my parents found a child actor audition that we spent weeks getting me prepared for. right before my name was called, 6 year old me chickened out and ran out of the room with my mom chasing after me concerned on why i gave up even though I seemed so ecstatic initially. for years i was angry at myself for giving up such an opportunity, but as the years have passed and more videos like this about child actors have come out, i just want to give child-me the biggest hug ever.

@dede08-ex3rb 1 month ago (edited)

Children acting is child labor argue with the wall.

@connor-s5e 1 month ago

The idea that Dan was kept on for so many years with every show he worked on having a hostile working environment says so much about how Nickelodeon thought of their actors.

@scarakiri 4 weeks ago

Parents/guardians who make their children do these horrific things are abusers. Imagine having to recreate a r*pe scene as a child. God, that’s so fucking horrific. Wishing best for all of you and a healing journey.

@aglimpseofmemyselfandI 1 month ago

All of your videos are pretty interesting. Also thank you so much for commenting and watching my video it was my first comment and it motivated me to post another!

@TallWanderer 1 month ago

Daaamn, that rich uncle inheritance analogy was REALLY good.

@kissingtheroad 1 month ago

All of the stories you hear from these former child actors are so heartbreaking, but I'm so glad they share them and bring awareness to how it's actually like to work in the industry

@BeppyCat 3 weeks ago (edited)

Correction:
I've been told he was an adult playing a teen. That makes a lot more sense.
I was born in 1980, so I actually remember watching him in Head of the Class, but I was obviously too small to have a clear memory of reality. It just had given me the impression he was a child then like me.

It's so interesting to me that
Dan Schneider WAS a child star. No one seems to mention that

@akpaul42 1 month ago

It is different working with kids and it should be. Backstage is not child friendly. I was the assistant stage manager on a production of Annie. One day the producer came and told me, "Don't let the dog trainer be alone with the orphans." I had to sit in on all rehearsals so there was always two adults in the room.

On the flip side, one regional company I worked for always had the directors kids around. I remember holding one of them upside down over the lightboard by his ankles letting him press the "go" button. Watching them grow up backstage was fun and good memories. We all looked out for them.