Former Nickelodeon Producer, Writer Dan Schneider Sues Filmmakers for Defamation, Sex Assault Implications

By Madz Dizon

May 02, 2024 10:19 AM EDT

Dan Schneider, a former showrunner for Nickelodeon, has filed a lawsuit against the creators of 'Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV' alleging defamation.

Dan Schneider Sues Filmmakers

In his lawsuit, Dan Schneider claims that the filmmakers made misleading suggestions that he had engaged in sexual abuse of children during his time at Nickelodeon.

The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, characterizes his portrayal in the five-part docuseries as a "hit job."

"It is clear that two individuals who were confirmed child sexual abusers were involved in Nickelodeon shows.

However, it is also clear that Schneider had no knowledge of their actions, was not involved in any way, and strongly condemned their behavior once it came to light.

Importantly, Schneider himself was not involved in any child sexual abuse," according to the filing obtained by Fox News Digital.

Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony Pictures Television, and Maxine Productions have all been named in the lawsuit. They distributed the series through Max under the ID Discovery brand.

Nickelodeon Responds to Allegations

The defendants were identified as Maxine Productions, Sony Pictures Television, and Warner Brothers Discovery, according to the documents.

Nickelodeon, although not directly involved in the case, said that it is unable to confirm or deny allegations from the past.

According to BBC News, the network emphasized that it thoroughly investigates all formal complaints and has strict protocols in place to protect minors working on their shows.

In March, he issued an apology for his regrettable behavior on set at the children's channel. Subsequently, he departed from the channel in 2018 following an investigation that revealed instances of verbal abuse towards staff members.

According to the court documents, it was stated that despite the fact that two individuals who were involved in Nickelodeon shows were later found guilty of sexual offenses, Schneider was unaware of their misconduct, played no part in their actions, strongly denounced the abuse once it came to light, and importantly, was not involved in any child sexual abuse himself.