Kenan Thompson Breaks Silence on Dan Schneider 'Quiet on Set' Allegations, Urges Nickelodeon to 'Investigate More'
Kenan Thompson recently broke his silence on the bombshell allegations made against Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider.
Kenan Thompson recently broke his silence on the bombshell allegations made against Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider in the new docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, RadarOnline.com can report.
Thompson, who starred in the hit Nickelodeon shows All That and Kenan and Kel in the late 1990s and early 2000s, broke his silence on the startling matter on Wednesday during an interview on the Tamron Hall Show.
The Investigation Discovery docuseries that aired last month exposed child sex abuse and a toxic workplace culture at Nickelodeon.
According to Thompson, he “never witnessed” any of the shocking things that Schneider was accused of doing because the alleged incidents took place after he left Nickelodeon.
“It's tough for me because I can't really speak on things that I've never witnessed,” the All That alum, now 45, explained.
“Because all these things happened after I left, basically, and Dan wasn't really on Kenan and Kel like that,” Thompson continued. “I mean, he got a ‘created by’ credit but it was a different showrunner, so our worlds weren't overly overlapping like that outside of All That necessarily.”
“So I wasn't really aware of a lot of it, but my heart goes out to anybody that's been victimized or their families.”
“So I wasn't really aware of a lot of it, but my heart goes out to anybody that's been victimized or their families.”
Still, Thompson agreed that it was a “good thing” that the new Quiet on Set docuseries was “putting things on display that need to be.”
“I think it's a good thing that the doc is out and is putting things on display that need to be,” the Saturday Night Live star said. “Stories that need to be told for accountability’s sake. But it's definitely tough to watch because I have fond memories of that place.”
He also called on Nickelodeon to launch a deeper investigation into the allegations made against Schneider and some of the network’s other producers.
“Well, investigate more!” Thompson added after host Tamron Hall noted that Nickelodeon was investigating the allegations. “I mean, because it's like, it's supposed to be a safe place, you know?”
Thompson called on Nickelodeon to launch a deeper investigation into the allegations made against Schneider.
“It's supposed to be a safe place for kids and to hear all about that it's just like: How dare you?” he concluded.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is a new five-part docuseries on Max that focuses on the allegedly abusive and toxic workplaces of several Nickelodeon shows that were helmed by producer Dan Schneider.
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Nickelodeon released a statement after the ongoing docuseries launched last week to confirm that the network was investigating the startling allegations made against Schneider.
“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,” a rep for the network said.
Dan Schneider was ousted from Nickelodeon after workplace complaints piled up.
“Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts, and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience,” the Nickelodeon rep added.
Schneider, now 58, also responded to the allegations and backlash against him after Quiet on Set premiered last week. He admitted that his “past behaviors” were “wrong” and apologized “to anybody that [he] ever put in that situation.”
“Facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret,” he said in a 20-minute YouTube video. “I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”
“It was wrong,” Schneider added regarding the allegations that he forced female writers to massage him on set. “It was wrong that I ever put anybody in that position.”
“It was the wrong thing to do. I’d never do it today,” he continued. “I’m embarrassed that I did it then. I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation."
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