Quiet on Set interviewee Raquel Lee Bolleau is speaking out against the docuseries due to its alleged lack of transparency and sensitivity.
The docuseries quickly garnered nationwide attention as it investigated the abuse that went on behind the scenes on some of Nickelodeon’s biggest shows during its Golden Age. At that time, Dan Schneider had risen through Nick’s ranks and was the creator behind hits like iCarly and Drake & Josh. Quiet on Set reveals the sexism and racism that was prevalent on Schneider’s sets.
It also delves into how Nickelodeon employed three child predators, including convicted sex offenders Brian Peck and Jason Michael Handy. The docuseries has raised awareness of the dangers lurking in the child acting industry and allowed former stars, including Bolleau, Drake Bell, Leon Frierson, Bryan Hearne, and Giovonnie Samuels, to tell their stories and experiences for the first time.
Recently, though, Quiet on Set has attracted some scrutiny after Marc Summers claimed the producers persuaded him to interview without telling him the docuseries’ topic. The producers also allegedly used some footage without his permission. Summers hosted Double Dare long before the Schneider regime set in and never met the TV show creator or anyone else involved in Nickelodeon during that period. The allegations raised concern because the docuseries’ subject was far too sensitive not to be straightforward about and to run the risk of misleading viewers that someone who never met Schneider was someone involved in the scandal. Now, another Quiet on Set participant is also speaking out against it.
Raquel Lee Bolleau addresses her Quiet on Set experience
Lee Bolleau appeared in two episodes of Quiet on Set, in which she detailed her experiences on the set of The Amanda Show, including how Schneider bullied her because she supposedly didn’t impress him enough before booting her off the show after season 1. In episode 5, while Lee Bolleau does not appear, the cast discusses an incident where she was humiliated during a sketch when Amanda Bynes repeatedly spit water in her face.
Even before the show premiered, Lee Bolleau’s TikToks raised concern about her experience on the docuseries. She made a video before the first episodes aired, stating she was “terrified” about what it would hold because she wasn’t told much about Quiet on Set. Aside from being told to share her experiences, she reiterated she had no clue who was involved and what exactly the docuseries was about.
Following the release of the docuseries’ first four episodes, Lee Bolleau made a few more videos, in which she confirmed she was still processing it and dealing with the aftershock. However, again, she repeated that she went into Quiet on Set with no idea what it was about and how incredibly shocking it was to watch the release along with everyone else. Given how sensitive and even triggering the docuseries can be, it’s very strange it wouldn’t even warn its own participants about what it uncovered or what they were signing up for.
Lee Bolleau’s biggest problem with Quiet on Set arose after the release of its bonus fifth episode. The bonus episode was quickly put together due to the attention the docuseries received, and it welcomed Bell, Samuels, and Hearne back. It also marked Shane Lyons’ debut. Lee Bolleau did not return and revealed in her TikTok that she was not invited back. In the TikTok, she reiterated one more time how Quiet on Set hadn’t bothered to inform her on the subject or warn her that it might be triggering. Then, after getting her story, the production ignored her, not even acknowledging she was a part of the docuseries and had valuable input to provide during episode 5.
Quiet on Set’s decision not to invite her back for episode 5 was especially egregious because it discussed her experiences, having the participants watch and comment on The Amanda Show sketch in which she was humiliated. However, there’s no way to interpret the footage without hearing Lee Bolleau’s story and how the experience impacted her. While the producers did notify Lee Bolleau that footage of her would appear in episode 5, they never even mentioned the panel discussion to her.
Lee Bolleau concluded by saying that Quiet on Set isn’t much different from the rest of the industry in that the producers used her to get what they wanted and then decided they were done with her. If her allegations are true, they are very concerning. It was already concerning that Summers was allegedly misled about the docuseries’ purpose, but how could Quiet on Set do this to an actual participant who identified as a victim of abuse? Every individual who chose to share their story should’ve done so with the guarantee of complete transparency and sensitivity. No one should’ve been waiting, terrified about what the docuseries would hold, or left in complete shock by its content.
Even if episode 5 couldn’t bring everyone back, every participant should’ve been notified and perhaps given a chance to share a statement on the subjects being covered instead of being wholly shut out. Although Quiet on Set has done much good in elevating the stories of survivors and vouching for reform in the child acting industry, that doesn’t excuse how it allegedly treated Summers and Lee Bolleau. It seems the docuseries may have occasionally lost focus on its true purpose and became too engrossed in the show business aspect. While it’s understandable to want a docuseries to succeed and get the content one needs as quickly and efficiently as possible, it simply isn’t acceptable to lose sight of victims when doing so.
(featured image: Tommaso Boddi/Getty)
Published: Apr 12, 2024 02:50 pm