Kenan Thompson, the former “Kenan & Kel” star, addressed the allegations made in Wednesday’s “Quiet on Set” documentary series.
During an appearance on “Tamron Hall,” Thompson discussed the Investigation Discovery documentary, which outlined allegations of inappropriate conduct behind the scenes of Nickelodeon.
Thompson, who began his career as a child actor on Nickelodeon, did not participate in the documentary. “It’s a tough subject,” the comedian said. “It’s tough for me because I can’t speak on things that I never witnessed because all these things happened after I left.”
“Quiet on Set” delves into allegations against producer Dan Schneider, focusing on claims that he created a toxic work environment on his Nickelodeon shows.
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Accusations include inappropriate behavior, such as Schneider allegedly requesting massages from female employees on set. Interview subjects in the documentary also assert that jokes written by Schneider contained sexual implications. This they deemed unsuitable for shows featuring minors.
Schneider served as a producer on “All That,” the show where Thompson began his television career, and also on “Kenan & Kel,” which starred Thompson and Kel Mitchell.
Additionally, Schneider co-wrote the Nickelodeon movie “Good Burger,” adapted from an “All That” sketch. He also appeared in the film as the boss of Thompson’s character. Thompson mentioned that his and Schneider’s spheres didn’t significantly overlap during their time at Nickelodeon.
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He stated that he wasn’t particularly aware of much of the “negativity” discussed in the documentary.
But he added, “My heart goes out to anybody that’s been victimized or their families.” He also said it’s a “good thing” that the documentary is “putting things on display that need to be, stories that need to be told for accountability’s sake,” even though it’s “tough to watch.”
“I have fond memories of that place,” Thompson explained. “I have fond memories of my co-stars and stuff like that, so to hear that they’ve gone through terrible things like that, it’s tough.”
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, a spokesperson for Schneider said that “dozens of involved adults carefully scrutinized everything that happened on the shows Dan ran, and approved by the network,” adding, “Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way.”
In a YouTube video released after the documentary aired, Schneider admitted that there were occasions when he didn’t always present the best version of himself.
He apologized for being “straight-up rude and obnoxious” at times.
In “Quiet on Set,” “Drake & Josh” star Drake Bell also alleged that former Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck sexually assaulted him, and a mother alleged that a production assistant, Jason Handy, sent her daughter a photograph of himself masturbating.
Nickelodeon previously said in a statement to USA TODAY, “Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon, as a matter of policy, investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct.”
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