Backlash For Quiet On Set? Former Nickelodeon Star Alleges She Was Included Despite Denying Permission As Christy Carlson Romano Calls Doc Team 'Trauma Tourists'
More drama involving Quiet on Set.
Investigation Discovery’s docuseries Quiet on Set (available to stream with a Max subscription) sparked a lot of conversations about child actors’ safety at Nickelodeon during the years of writer/producer Dan Schneider’s creative reign in the 2000s. But while some may have seen the project through an advocacy prism initially, issues have arisen. Most recently, a podcaster and financial expert claims her interview with former child star Jennette McCurdy was used against their wishes, while Even Stevens vet Christy Carlson Romano had some harsh words for those who developed the project.
Requests To Use That Jennette McCurdy Clip Were Allegedly Denied
Following the initial airing of Quiet on Set, which was popular enough to spark production on an additional episode, Marc Summers claimed his appearance in the doc was under false pretenses, and that he vacated the interview after finding out. More recently, The Financial Diet CEO and The Financial Confessions host Chelsea Fagan took to TikTok to explain that she was previously unaware that a snippet from her 2022 interview with former iCarly star Jenette McCurdy (who goes unnamed in the social post) appeared during an episode of Quiet on Set, saying that she’d denied the producers’ initial requests. In her words:
McCurdy's podcast appearance happened around seven months before she released her controversially titled memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, at which point she talked a lot about leaving acting behind, and the reactions she got from people who didn't understand her decisions.
Chelsea Fagan says her team replied to the production company asking for more information, which apparently wasn't easy to get out of anyone. So she also attempted to contact McCurdy directly to see if she'd already turned ID's requestsion down. Here's how she put it:
While she had not heard back yet from the Empty Inside host, Fagan stated that she did soon hear from the former actress' publicist, who shared that they had not given anyone permission to use any clips. The entire TikTok clipped can be viewed below.
@faganchelsea ♬ original sound - faganchelsea
All that said, it's unclear if Investigation Discovery's producers would even need personal permission to use publicly available audio and/or video. It's possible the initial reach-out request was more of a polite formality rather than something that would affect anyone's decisions. But we shall see where things go from here.
Christy Carlson Romano's Comments About Quiet On Set
Many child actors-turned-stars weighed in on the Quiet on Set footage, with Melissa Joan Hart and Kenan Thompson sharing their stories, namely that their Nickelodeon times weren't so salacious, as they were both gone before Dan Schneider arrived. Though she was a Disney Channel gal, Christy Carlson Romano spoke quite openly about the ID docuseries, despite saying she still hasn't seen it and likely never will.
CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Romano appears as a guest in the latest episode of the podcast Mayim's Mental Breakdown, where she talked to fellow child-acting vets Mayim Bialik and Jenna Von Oy about growing up in the biz. She claims she was approached years ago by plenty of producers about potential documentary appearances after she'd pushed for her podcast and YouTube videos to be more advocacy-focused. Here's how she put it:
Romano brought up Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Cheaper by the Dozen co-star Alyson Stoner as her inspiration for using her film studies major to recognize when TV and film documentaries are using clear tactics to manipulate audiences and/or the subjects. She continued, calling out such perceived predatory behavior.
"Trauma tourists" is not a nickname to take lightly within this world, and it's certainly not good to pick up a reputation for being one. But of course these are just Christy Carlson Romano's words, and aren't meant to represent everyone who's dealt with the Quiet on Set filmmakers. They did get Drake Bell's first on-screen admission about his own sexual abuse, as well as some past All That cast members who were willing to open up about their less-than-savory experiences. But if more situations like this come to light, perhaps there's weight to the idea that the producers created an imbalance
Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper. Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.