I don’t even know what to say. Everything just happened so fast. Now, when I look back at some of those clips, I’m like, “Wait, did that actually happen?” What’s even crazier is thinking about how many people had to approve it all. Once you get into the industry…
Thank you. I think everyone here is incredibly strong.
Ariana Grande has finally decided it’s time to share her experiences at Nickelodeon. She was one of Dan Schneider’s biggest stars and played a crucial role at the network. But now, she’s reflecting on some of the unsettling moments, like when her creepy boss made her do things like suck her own toes or act out inappropriate gestures. Ariana is ready to speak out, and we’re here to listen. So, let’s dive in.
If you’re not subscribed to the “Let’s Get Into It” podcast yet, you’re only getting half the story. For longer videos, deep dives, and, of course, more of me, be sure to subscribe to the “Let’s Get Into It” podcast—link is in the description below.
It’s hard to put into words just how happy I am that Ariana Grande is finally at a point where she feels comfortable talking about what she went through at Nickelodeon. The Quiet On Set documentary has brought to light a lot of troubling things about Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider, who worked closely with Ariana on shows like Victorious and Sam & Cat. Now, Ariana is revisiting those experiences and reflecting on some of the questionable scenes that Dan put her in.
Ariana mentioned, “I was 14 when I flew out to audition with Liz Gillies for Victorious, and we were all so excited. Getting cast was the best news ever.” But looking back, she’s starting to see just how much pressure there was for someone so young to be a child star. It seems like she’s rethinking those moments that, in hindsight, are pretty unsettling, like the ones involving feet and innuendos.
We all know that Dan Schneider has been accused of creating a toxic work environment, inappropriate behavior, harassment, and even racial discrimination. Ariana said, “I think we’re reprocessing our relationship to it a little bit now, if that makes sense,” and honestly, it does. Everyone has their own journey when it comes to dealing with trauma and reflecting on the past. Even as an adult, I sometimes look back and think, “I was too young for that,” or “I shouldn’t have gone through that.” It really shapes you as a person and as a parent. It’s no wonder that so many former child stars don’t want their own kids to go down the same path.
Ariana Grande didn’t directly mention Dan Schneider or the documentary series, but she made it clear that the environment needs to be safer for kids who are acting. There’s been some talk about possibly using AI to create child actors, and while that might work if it looks realistic, it’s a slippery slope. If we start AI-ing children, what’s next? AI actors? AI everything? It could lead to a world where everything is artificial, and we lose our sense of self. Honestly, I’m just glad I got to experience life before this AI trend took over. I love some tech advancements, but I’m really concerned about how AI is going to change everything.
Now, let’s take a moment to reflect on what Ariana Grande shared. We created some incredible memories, and it was an honor to be part of something so special for many kids. But as time goes on, we’re all rethinking our connection to those experiences. My relationship with it has definitely changed, and I’ve been reprocessing a lot of what that time meant.
When it comes to kids in the acting industry, it’s crucial to make the environment safer. There should be therapists on set, and parents should have full access to their kids at all times. And honestly, this shouldn’t just apply to kids—anyone working in high-pressure environments like TV or music should have access to therapy, maybe even as part of their contracts, to ensure they’re taken care of emotionally and mentally.
That’s a lot of therapy, but it’s important to check in with yourself regularly. If Ariana Grande says she needed therapy two to three times a week, it really shows how tough her situation was. Imagine being a kid and also the main breadwinner for your family—that’s a lot of pressure. Then, throw in the public’s opinion and dealing with someone like Dan Schneider, and it gets even harder. Now, I want to be clear that Ariana hasn’t actually named Dan Schneider. In fact, she’s been supportive of him for a long time, showing up for reunions and being friendly on social media. So, it’s kind of surprising to see her change her tune about him now. We’ve seen a mix of child stars both defending him and speaking out against him, so it wasn’t clear where Ariana stood before this.
As a Republic Records artist, I’d love to see them add a clause moving forward—I need to call Monty Lipman about this—where therapy becomes a mandatory part of the contract. If you’re going to be working at this level, and your life might change drastically, especially at a young age, there should be a therapist available to help you deal with it. Fame can mess with you at any age, but it’s even harder when you’re young.
By now, we all know how fame can have serious consequences. We’ve talked about so many tragic stories on this channel alone. It seems like Ariana really relied on Liz Gillies during their time on set. They were best friends, and having that support probably made things a little easier. Interestingly, Liz Gillies once tried to send me a cease-and-desist because I exposed how someone on the Victorious set allegedly groomed her. She denies it, but if you want to know more, we have a video about it.
Ariana also talked about the positive cultural shift happening now, where toxic environments are being called out. She shared how, as a young performer, there was this weird pattern of taking advantage of how much getting a laugh meant to them. It was almost like they were performing monkeys, willing to do anything for approval. She mentioned that they would go to great lengths, even if what was asked of them was a bit inappropriate, just to make Dan laugh.
In the Quiet On Set docu-series, they showed some clips from Victorious as examples of content that crossed the line. While Ariana didn’t point out any specific scenes, she did admit that she feels upset when she looks back at some of those moments now.
There’s this weird thing that happens where young performers are encouraged to seek approval from the people behind the scenes, especially when they hear laughter from the production team. It’s like, “Wow, I’m doing something right. This must be good.” Looking back, I realize our show really played into that. We were made to believe that pushing boundaries with our humor and innuendos was what made us cool and different. But now, when I watch some of those clips, I can’t help but think, “Really? That made it to air?” It’s like, if I had a daughter, I’d be asking myself, “Would I want her to see this?”
The craziest part is how many people had to approve these things. So many adults signed off on those decisions. And the stuff that didn’t get the green light for TV? They would sneak it onto our website or wherever they could.
Realizing this now, it’s upsetting. But honestly, you’ve been through so much, and you handle everything with such grace. It’s really admirable.
Thank you, that’s really kind of you to say. I appreciate it. I think everyone here is incredibly strong.
And speaking of that, Ariana mentioned something interesting. She said the clips that didn’t get approved for the show often ended up online, and I think I know what she’s talking about. There was this web series called “The Slap” that Dan Schneider did, and it had some really bizarre moments with Ariana Grande—stuff that would never be allowed on TV.
But yeah, I think we all get the point now.
It’s no surprise that Ariana Grande is in tears. One person commented, “Hearing them talk about the Nickelodeon situation is heartbreaking. It’s sickening.” Someone else wrote, “When she mentioned Nickelodeon, you could see the painful memories coming back.” Another person added, “Knowing that young actors on Nickelodeon and Victorious were forced to drink on set, and then hearing Ariana say she barely remembers her time there—it just breaks my heart.”
It’s really disturbing, especially considering Ariana was such a major star on the network. It makes you wonder if she’s been suppressing some of those memories, which is a common response to trauma. Meanwhile, Dan Schneider is suing the creators of Quiet On Set to defend his name, but with revelations like this, things aren’t looking great for him. Schneider has admitted to making mistakes and using poor judgment during his time at Nickelodeon, but he says he had no choice but to take legal action against the documentary’s makers.
Honestly, good luck to Dan Schneider with that lawsuit—and yeah, that’s totally sarcastic. I don’t think he stands much of a chance, but with all the money he has, he might try to financially drain the people behind the documentary. That’s just awful, especially when someone like Ariana is brought to tears over what she went through. Something is seriously wrong here, and it needs to be fully exposed.