“[Schwartz and Robertson] feel like they have a license to it and that they’re able to do whatever they want with it,” she said. “That’s how Dan felt, too… what is different from them to Dan Schneider? I don’t see a difference. I only see a crossover.”
Thanks for posting this, I had a feeling this was not a fair documentary, which is too bad because these kids absolutely went through hell, and now they’re just being used again.
For anyone who wants to actually know, Jeannette McCurdy’s book “I’m Glad my mom died” is a very deep dive on what it’s like to be a child actress. It is… Brutal at times. She read it herself for the audiobook and it’s also at times hard to listen to, these kids were just exploited. It’s worth it though, and I can’t recommend it enough.
When those we grew up or gave some sort of exaggerated credit, it causes us to not want to believe they could be worse, especially much worse. We automatically look for excuses or reasons it isn't true. Conversely, when people we just innately dislike do something great that helps society in some way, we automatically look for ulterior motives.
Demonizing and heroizing are both parts of our shadows. We all do it to varying degrees. I scapegoated Monica Lewinsky, back in the day. I grew enough to cringe later, over it, and enough after that to understand and forgive myself, later on. Turns out I can't really force others to live up to my standards. I fall short of certain standards. I have to step back and honestly reassess my values and standards periodically, adjust myself or standards - often both.
It wasn't easy for me to accept certain things about certain figures in my own life, including myself. And it's fine to not rush to the gallows too. At some point, we need to make judgement calls, to protect self and others, from self and others.
I saw an interview where Marc Summers claimed they ambushed him about the documentary topic. He said they just told him they were doing a doc on the history of Nickelodeon. You can see his shocked response when they ambush him with one of the creepy Ariana Grande clips. That’s why his interview was so abrupt, I was confused as to why they barely used his footage. He walked out rightfully pissed. He wasn’t even at Nick anymore when Dan was hired. Definitely comes across as shady at a minimum and very plausibly exploitative.
Honest question, was I supposed to come away from the documentary thinking that Dan Schneider was anything other than a useful scapegoat for a much larger, systematic problem? The idea of that guy fighting against everyone above and below him to fit in some pedophilic agenda is laughable and, if that’s what’s to believed, isn’t what’s communicated in the series. There were probably hundreds of adults involved in those productions with many of them having complete power to veto the showrunner.
If I recall correctly from the doc, I think Schneider also committed some pretty serious workplace conduct violations, including forcing one woman to mimic being anally penetrated while delivering her lines, to “make it funnier”. For what it’s worth, I completely agree that Schneider is being unfairly set up to take on the sins of an entire industry, but damn did if he didn’t do a lot to put himself in that position.
I think Schneider is one of those people who never grew up, which is his ticket to fame and the reason he’s unfit for any leadership position. Even in the above example, I don’t think Schneider got off on it. I think he’s an idiot kid who thinks anal sex is funny. None of that removes any culpability for what he allowed to happen under his watch, because regardless of his inability to grow up, he took on responsibility that he failed to live up to. He failed these kids, these hurt employees, and especially the victims of sexual assault on his sets.
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