Former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider is reacting after ‘All That’ actor Lori Beth Denberg recently accused him of sexual misconduct.
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Former ‘All That’ Star Lori Beth Denberg Comes Forward With Allegations Against Dan Schneider
On Tuesday, May 14, Business Insider published an exclusive interview with Denberg. During the conversation, Denberg explained that she starred in ‘All That’ between 1994 and 1998.
Additionally, she alleged that the first time Schneider “preyed” on her was in 1995 when she was 19 years old.
Denberg explained that, at the time, she was called to Schneider’s office. Eventually, the conversation between them allegedly shifted to him showing her clips of pornography. One of which allegedly included a woman performing oral sex on a donkey.
“I feel like that is the first time he preyed on me,” Denberg told the outlet.
According to Denberg, during her time at Nick, Schneider “lashed out at her on set, played porn for her on multiple occasions, and once initiated phone sex.”
On one occasion when Denberg was around 20 or 21, Schneider allegedly “fondled and put his mouth on her breasts.” Additionally, one evening, while she was out to dinner with Nick writers, staff, and Schnieder, he allegedly pointed out how her breasts were different sizes.
The actor told the outlet she never stopped Schneider’s behavior out of fear he would retaliate against her by interfering with her career or humiliating her on set.
“I couldn’t have been more green. I couldn’t have been more vulnerable,” she told the outlet.
Furthermore, Denberg alleged that around 2000, she spoke with Nick execs about Schneider’s alleged treatment of fellow star Amanda Bynes. At the time, Denberg was concerned about Bynes looking “emaciated and exhausted on the set of ‘The Amanda Show.'”
“I felt like I tried to help her — to help Amanda, and couldn’t,” she recalled.
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After Denberg shared her concern for Bynes, she was allegedly barred from the show’s set.
“Nobody thinks it is their responsibility [to protect the people working at Nickelodeon],” Denberg told the outlet. “[Instead, higher-ups act as if employees] should thank them for the privilege — and it’s just absolutely disgusting.”
Dan Schneider Reacts To The Allegations
According to Business Insider, Schneider responded to Denberg’s accusations, calling them “wildly exaggerated.” Additionally, Schneider referred to Denberg’s claims as “in most cases, false.”
Schneider reiterated that he made “mistakes and exhibited poor judgment” in his early career at Nick. However, he can’t apologize for acts he didn’t commit.
“As I have previously stated, there were times, particularly in the early years of my career, that I made mistakes and exhibited poor judgment as a leader,” Schneider reportedly told the outlet. “If I did that with respect to Lori Beth, I sincerely apologize to her. But I cannot apologize for things I did not do.”
According to Variety, Schneider also shared a separate statement with the outlet where he alleged that the author of Business Insider’s article, Kate Taylor, was a producer in the recently released ‘Quiet On Set’ docuseries.
“[The fact she] would pursue allegations regarding what may have happened between adults nearly thirty years ago — only a week after I filed a defamation lawsuit accusing ‘Quiet on Set’ of being intentionally false and misleading — seems more than coincidental,” he told Variety.
IndyStar reports that Schneider filed the lawsuit on May 1 against Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures. The former Nick producer’s lawyers reportedly claim that the “false statements and implications” shared in the ‘Quiet On Set’ docuseries about Schneider “destroyed” his “reputation and legacy.”
Here’s Why Dan Schneider Recently Made Headlines
As The Shade Room previously reported, the four-part docuseries aired in March. During the show, former Nick star Drake Bell revealed he was sexually assaulted at fifteen years old by the company’s dialogue coach, Brian Peck.
In addition to Bell’s revelation, ‘Quiet On Set’ explored claims that Schneider sexualized the child stars and maintained a hostile work environment. In the following weeks, numerous Nick stars added more claims against Schneider while the family members of others came to his defense.
