‘Quiet On Set’ Piques My Curiosity & Raises The Notion: Speak Out

The four-part docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” delves deep into the issue of sexual harassment and how it unfurled on Nickelodeon.

Its ironic that the primary objective of nearly all the shows on Nickelodeon was to entertain its audience, yet behind the scenes, the mental health of the actors involved was being jeopardized. And no one knew for several years.

Why?! Because no one spoke out about it until now. And why would they?!

There's always a thick layer of fear stemming in each of us, creating this non-stop anxiety. No matter how far we are in our career, at times we resist the urge to speak out.

Why?

Because we’re afraid. Afraid of embarrassment. Afraid of losing our jobs. Afraid of being judged.

But living in fear is also not sustainable. Being silent is crippling.

If we continue to keep quiet, we’re allowing the problem to perpetuate for a long period of time. We’re letting the people in power exercise control and sabotage our mental health.

So speak out!

Drake Bell, 37, who starred in the show “Drake and Josh,” revealed he was molested by his dialogue coach, Brian Peck, at the age of 15. Because the sexual allegations were documented in an anonymous complaint, besides certain people in the entertainment business and Bell’s close family members, nobody knew. When I initially learned about Bell’s trauma through an Instagram post, a wave of shock coursed through me but I had a lot of questions.

How did this happen and why did he speak about it now?

Have other actors on Nickelodeon went through similar issues?

Is the safety of children in the entertainment industry still being questioned today?

Because I didn't get some of my answers after watching the series, I’m still perplexed. Athough Nickelodeon is home to many well-known cartoons and shows, I'm skeptic about what actions the channel has taken to ensure the safety of children.

Are parents not accompany their child on the set?

What are the rules and regulations regarding parental supervision for Nickelodeon?

What kind of a policy does the channel have in place?

It’s no surprise that sexual predators are ubiquitous and most of them are not stranger to us. They’re people we know. People in our closest surroundings or those that we trust too quickly.

But why should strangers take precedent over those individuals we’re familiar with? Because they have money? Or because they have fame? Or because they have something that we don't have?