A Nickelodeon Star Alleges That The Network Refused To Cut An Overly ‘Sexualized’ Scene From A Dan Schneider Show

Dan Schneider is the creator of hit Nickelodeon series like The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, iCarly, and Sam & Cat. He’s also an alleged “creep,” according to Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas. Insider spoke to dozens of writers, actors, and crew members who worked with Schneider (the purported massage-demanding “Creator” in Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy‘s memoir) over the years and found a trend of alleged misconduct, including verbal bullying and uncomfortably sexualized scenes involving underage actresses.

Insider reports that “two people recalled Schneider fighting with Nickelodeon over teenage actresses’ costumes on Victorious, with Schneider — who signed off on all outfits — campaigning for the skimpier options.” The network contested that star Victoria Justice’s skirt was too short, but Schneider thought the length was just right, according to writer and costumer Kerry Mellin (they settled on “three inches longer”). Daniella Monet, who joined Victorious when she was 18 years old, said that some of her co-stars’ outfits were “not age appropriate. I wouldn’t even wear some of that today as an adult.”

Here’s more from Insider:

[A] longtime Nickelodeon writer recalled feeling uncomfortable with another online extra in which the cast rubbed food on Victoria Justice’s exposed midriff, turning her “into a hamburger” and squirting her with condiments. Monet said that after filming a Victorious scene in which she ate a pickle while applying lip gloss, she reached out to the network to express concern that it may be too sexual to air. The network aired it anyway.

Monet had mostly positive things to say about her time on Victorious, calling it “very PC, funny, silly, friendly, chill,” but “once in a while,” things would get… cringe, like the infamous “Goo Pop” scene on Zoey 101. “Do I wish certain things, like, didn’t have to be so sexualized” she added. “Yeah. A hundred percent.”

Schneider was fired by Nickelodeon in 2018 amid allegations of verbal abuse.