Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV has made a lot of noise in pop culture as of late, as cast members from some of Nickelodeon's most iconic shows of the '90s and 2000s opened up about their more troublesome experiences. The doc, available with a Max subscription, features interviews with Drake Bell and many other former child stars who were comfortable with sharing their unpleasant memories, many involving former Nickelodeon creator Dan Schneider and others who worked on those shows. All That and Kenan & Kel star Kenan Thompson didn't participate in the docuseries, but he had some thoughts to share on it.
Thompson was a guest on Tamron Hall and was asked about the docuseries, which she confirmed he has not actually yet seen yet. But he seems to have a good reason for not doing so, and the actor shared why he hasn't watched, as well as why it's a difficult thing for him to hear about:
Yeah, I mean, it's tough. It's a tough subject. It's tough for me because I can't really speak on things that I've never witnessed, you know what I'm saying? All these things happened after I left, basically. Dan [Schneider] wasn't really on Kenan & Kel like that. I mean he got a 'created by' credit but, you know, it was a different showrunner. Our worlds weren't really overly overlapping outside of All That, necessarily. And then all that negativity started happening outside of our tenure there. I wasn't aware of it, but my heart goes out to anybody that's been victimized or their families. I think it's a good thing that the doc is out, and it's putting things on display and stories that need to be told for accountability's sake. It's definitely tough to watch because I have fond memories of that place, and I have fond memories of my co-stars. To hear that they've gone through terrible things is really tough.
Kenan Thompson may be one of the most notable actors to emerge from All That, so it's understandable that he'd still have fond memories of the show that effectively launched his career. Additionally, Thomspon noted that much of what was discussed occurred after he'd left, so he couldn't speak to the allegations.
Thompson followed up his statement with a strong support of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids' TV, even though he hasn't watched. When Tamron Hall was wrapping up the questioning and mentioned the production company was investigating these claims, he added the following:
Well, investigate more! I mean because it's like, supposed to be a safe space. It's supposed to be a safe place for kids. To hear all about that is like, 'How dare you.'
Kenan Thompson hit the nail on the head with his response, and hopefully, the conversation around Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV will really spark some changes for child actors working in Hollywood. Hopefully, there will be more investigations and people who step up and speak out about abuses they've suffered on the sets of their shows.
Since the docuseries' release, Nickelodeon quietly canceled two shows, and network-friendly directors expressed regret over supporting Brian Peck after hearing what Drake Bell endured in dealing with him. We also saw statements from Josh Peck, as well as one from Devon Werkheiser after he previously made insensitive jokes about the series.
Dan Schneider publicly responded to the documentary and has shared his perspective on the accusations lodged against him. The creator, who was ousted from Nickelodeon in 2018, mentioned a wish to go back to those moments with the growth he has now to better handle some of his actions from back then.
Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV is available to stream on Max. Tune in and hear about the situations these former child actors were allegedly subjected to, which will certainly make viewers look back on those shows in a different light.
