In his initial interview following the release of the documentary “Quiet on Set,” Drake Bell expressed his disappointment with Nickelodeon’s handling of the abuse he endured from “Amanda Show” dialogue coach Brian Peck. During an appearance on “The Sarah Fraser Show” podcast on Friday, Bell remarked, “They gave a very well-crafted response stating, ‘Learning about his trauma,’ because they couldn't admit ignorance or provide any specifics.”
“So I believe this was a carefully crafted response likely constructed by a prominent Hollywood attorney.”
Bell added, “I find their responses quite hollow, because even though they continue to air our shows, I have to cover my own therapy expenses and figure out whether there’s any truth behind their supposed concern. If they genuinely cared, there would be more than just quotes on a page formulated by a legal representative.”
After the documentary exposed Bell as the victim of Brian Peck’s abuse, Nickelodeon released a statement saying, “Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward.”
Bell mentioned that he participated in the documentary because he felt at ease with the producers, and a team working on a different documentary had previously approached him. His refusal to participate led to accusations that he was part of the problem.
“Another documentary requested my involvement, and when I declined, I received an unbelievable response,” Bell revealed. “In the email, they insinuated that people like me were the problem, and this is why there won't be any change in the industry, because people like you won't speak up or come forward.”
“It was essentially all about shaming me for not wanting to be part of their documentary. So I’ve always been cautious and on edge when approached to discuss such a sensitive topic.”
The two also discussed former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider, who has been accused of inappropriate conduct by other stars and coworkers. Bell stated that Schneider supported him during his own legal battle against Peck. “I can’t discredit anyone's experience, particularly things I didn’t witness or wasn’t present for. I can only share my own experience, and at that time, no Nickelodeon executives reached out to me,” he clarified.
“When Dan reached out to me, it was before the court hearing where everyone was present. So it made sense for him to inquire, ‘Does this have anything to do with you? Did Brian harm you? Are you OK?'” he added.
“I had been working with Dan for quite a while at that point, and I felt secure enough in our relationship to confide in him more so than I would with someone else. I simply told him, ‘Yes Dan, this is what he’s been doing and this is what he did,’ and I think he was being sensitive to my situation because he understood the challenges I was likely facing. However, I could sense the depth of his hurt and anger in his voice,” Bell concluded.
In another part of the interview, Bell spoke kindly about his “Drake and Josh” coworker Josh Peck. He said, “We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re like brothers. Sometimes you want to hang out with your brother and sometimes you want to knock him in the head.”
“Ultimately, I believe we have a very special bond and I would always support him and I know he would do the same,” Bell expressed while crying. “I know there have been some mean comments and things said by both of us, but I don’t want the public to attack him because he has been someone important and special in my difficult times. You can’t put a price on that. It’s something very unique, especially in this industry.”
The show scrutinizes the reported sexual abuse, racism, and sexism that existed on the sets of various Nickelodeon shows in the early ’90s and 2000s. On the show, Bell’s dad Joe mentioned that he was worried about the way Peck would touch his son unnecessarily when he joined the show’s team in its second season.
“Then, he’d maybe walk over to Drake, be feeding him lines or something and put his arms around his waist,” Joe said. “Put his hand up on his shoulder, run it down his arm, things like that and this would happen routinely. It was just always uncomfortable.”
When Joe shared his concerns with a producer, he was told he might be homophobic. Soon, the cast and crew started to ignore Joe on set. Eventually, Peck convinced Bell to remove his dad from his career. Once his father was no longer his manager, Peck began to take Bell to auditions himself. One morning, Bell woke up to find Peck sexually assaulting him.
Bell finally confided in his mother about the situation in 2003. Peck was later given a 16-month jail sentence. Bell was identified only as John Doe throughout the court case, and his identity was kept a secret until the release of the documentary series.
