Earlier this year, Investigation Discovery released Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, a docuseries that shed light on the purported environment present at Nickelodeon during the tenure of ex-producer Dan Schneider. A wide array of former child stars who worked for Nick around that time has since weighed in on the five-part show and shared their own personal experiences. One person who’s now weighing in on the matter is Keke Palmer, who headlined a show for the network years ago. More specifically, it’s Palmer’s mother who had some thoughts to share, as she recalled being on Schneider’s sets years ago.
Keke Palmer famously played the titular role on True Jackson, VP, which ran for three seasons on Nick from 2008 to 2011. Over the years, the actress has been candid about her experiences as a child star, opening up about the ups and downs. Some of that came into play during the latest episode of her Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast, on which she welcomed former All That stars Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne. Before her interview with her fellow actors, though, Palmer chatted with her mother, Sharon, to get her perspective. Mrs. Palmer – who explained that she learned about Quiet on Set from fellow parents of former actors – recalled the vibe on Schneider-run set not feeling right:
My honest opinion is I thought the whole atmosphere of the Dan Schneider set was very weird. It was very cultish. The parents were very secretive, and I honestly thought they all took themselves way too seriously. The whole conversation was, ‘Oh my god, what’s happening next? Did you hear they’re going to cancel this show? What’s happening next?’ … So my mentality about the entertainment business wasn’t that Disney Channel or Nickelodeon was the end all to be all.
The Palmers’ conversation eventually turned to one specific situation that was tackled on Quiet on Set, which was Drake Bell’s experience with sexual abuse. Bell was abused by former dialogue coach Brian Peck, who was arrested in 2003 and charged with 11 accounts of lewd conduct with a minor. Peck was ultimately found guilty on two counts and, as a result, he served 16 months in prison and was required to register as a sex offender. Dan Schneider reacted to Bell’s account from the docuseries, alleging that he offered support to the actor at the time.
Going off her point about parents wrapped up in a certain mentality, Sharon Palmer opined that Bell’s situation exemplifies how young stars and their parents can be manipulated and that as a result, their relationships can be broken down. With that, they’re left open to harm by people in the industry. Mrs. Palmer also claimed that unspecified parties tried to distance her from Keke amid her rise in Hollywood.
What followed on the podcast episode was an in-depth conversation featuring Gionvonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne, who were both featured on ID’s docuseries. Hearne, for his part, spoke out around the show’s release, recalling how he and other Black child actors were put in “demeaning” situations. Discussions like Keke Palmer’s chat with Samuels and Hearne are quite illuminating, and it’s also interesting to hear the comments from Sharon Palmer. One can’t say for sure whether these kinds of dialogues will bring about true change but, at the very least, they’re giving ex-child stars an opportunity to speak their truths.
All five episodes of Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV are available to stream with a Max subscription.
