Silence on the set: the dark side of children’s television She has encouraged several former child actors to reflect on their own experiences working in film and television. But Keke Palmer’s mother recently shared her own candid thoughts about the “strange” environment she experienced at Nickelodeon when Palmer was hosting her own show.
During a recent episode of Palmer’s podcast Honey, this is Keke PalmerThe actress and her mother, Sharon, recalled their experiences on the Nickelodeon set.
“Honestly, I remember you had a lot to say about Dan Schneider’s sets,” Keke said. “I remember you had different feelings about Nickelodeon.”
Sharon responded: “My honest opinion is that I thought the whole atmosphere on Dan Schneider’s set was very strange, very sectarian. The parents were very reserved and I honestly thought everyone took themselves way too seriously.”
Palmer worked at Nickelodeon from 2008 to 2014, when she directed her own comedy, True Jackson, Vice Presidentand lent his voice to a character in the Nickelodeon remake of Winx Club.
She did not work with Schneider during her time at the network. But the TV writer faced several accusations in the Silence on the set Doc for creating a toxic work environment and potentially writing inappropriate jokes and plotlines for child actors.
Keke admitted that she sometimes felt “limited” by having her mother with her on set, but in retrospect she has no regrets.
“In my experiences with you in this industry, I had times where people would try to push us away or come between us,” she said. “You never allowed that kind of thing to happen. It created tension in our relationship; I definitely felt too controlled and confined, almost like I was in a prison at times. But when I look back, I feel like you were really just protecting me.”
The actress and her mother also reflected on the shocking revelation that Drake Bell had been sexually abused by Brian Peck, an acting coach who was often on set and who alienated Bell from his father.
Sharon said she remembered several people trying to drive a wedge between her and Keke early in her daughter’s career. “When I saw Drake’s story, it broke my heart because I could see how his parents got caught up,” she said.
He later explained that he had a different perspective on Keke’s time on Nickelodeon than many of the other parents.
“I always saw your work at Nickelodeon as a must-stop. You didn’t start out at Nickelodeon or Disney,” Palmer’s mother said. “You were fortunate to work in both adult and children’s situations. My mindset about the entertainment business wasn’t that Disney Channel or Nickelodeon was the end-all, be-all, but a lot of parents believed that.”
Schneider has since denied the allegations made against him and filed a defamation lawsuit against the directors, claiming the documentary suggested he was a predator and made it “virtually impossible” for him to find work.
In a statement made after filing the lawsuit, he said Silence on the set “went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which real child predators have been prosecuted and convicted.”
If you or someone you know needs to talk about sexual abuse or assault, RAINN is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673), or online aten:RAINN.org.
