Drake Bell slams “Ned's Declassified” stars for laughing off abuse allegations in Nickelodeon doc: 'Declassless'
Bell called out Devon Werkheiser, Lindsey Shaw, and Daniel Curtis Lee over their response to the allegations put forth in ID's "Quiet on Set."
Drake Bell called out fellow Nickelodeon alums over their reaction to the abuse allegations put forth in Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, the explosive new docuseries that examines the network in the 1990s and 2000s.
Bell — who opened up for the first time about sexual abuse he endured from Nickelodeon dialogue coach and convicted sex offender Brian Peck in the docuseries — slammed Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide stars Devon Werkheiser, Lindsey Shaw, and Daniel Curtis Lee for making light of the allegations in a recent TikTok live.
The Drake & Josh alum called Werkheiser and co. "declassless" on social media on Monday, writing, "This is wild…laugh it up guys…laugh it up. ‘Give me your h*les!!’ Really?!”
Ned’s Declassless…this is wild…laugh it up guys…laugh it up…”Give me your h*les?!!” Really?! https://t.co/pD2ZYdd2gG
— DrakeBell.ethᵍᵐ (@DrakeBell) March 19, 2024
In the live, Werkheiser, Shaw, and Lee — who recently launched a podcast together to rewatch Ned's Declassified, which ran on Nick from 2004–2007 — appeared to joke about allegations made in the doc and said “our set was not like that.”
“Daniel, we told you never to speak about that. Get back in your hole, Daniel, and give me your holes,” Werkheiser said, addressing Lee offscreen. "Sorry, we shouldn’t joke about this. We really shouldn’t. Our set was not like that. No, it’s f---ing awful. The Drake Bell s---, that’s crazy to hear. That is f---ed. And that never came out, which is really wild. Really wild.”
Werkheiser then read a question from a TikTok user aloud — “so ya’ll were in on it?” — and responded with a laugh, “I’m not talking about this anymore. Not talking about this anymore. Guys, we can’t joke like this, Jesus. Sometimes humor helps us move through things.”
Werkheiser posted an apology to Bell on social media overnight. "So sorry to Drake. Gutted I hurt you," he wrote in a caption alongside a screengrab of text that read: "I was being an idiot today. No way around it. I feel horrible that my dumbass was even speaking about this without seeing it. I watched Quiet On Set tonight and am horrified by the gravity of what Drake and others shared. Truly heartbroken about what my fellow actors went through. I can't believe they weren't protected. I'm sorry for compounding any hurt."
He did not tag Bell in the post.
So sorry to Drake. Gutted I hurt you. pic.twitter.com/WKzcOXL0p4
— Devon Werkheiser (@devonwerkharder) March 19, 2024
Reps for Werkheiser, Shaw, and Lee didn't respond to EW's request for comment.
In the Investigation Discovery series, Bell detailed his "extensive" sexual abuse beginning at age 15 and revealed it was his anonymous testimony that led to Peck's 2004 conviction. He also shared that the trauma led him down a dark path. “There was definitely a slow decline in my mental health and sobriety, I mean, DUIs, behaviors that were happening because I was, I was lost," he said.
Bell is among multiple former child stars, writers, and crew who recounted alleged abuse and a toxic workplace environment at Nickelodeon during megaproducer Dan Schneider's reign during the 1990s and 2000s. Schneider has denied allegations of inappropriate behavior and toxicity on set.
“Dan expected and asked a lot from his teams," his spokesperson previously told EW. "They worked long hours and consistently made successful shows. In the challenges of production, Dan could get frustrated at times, and he understands why some employees found that intimidating or stressful. In a career spanning 30+ years, Dan worked with thousands of people, many of whom still tell him how much they enjoyed and appreciated working on his shows. But he also knows some people did not have a positive experience, and he is truly sorry for that.”
A rep for Nickelodeon added, “Though we cannot corroborate or negate allegations of behaviors from productions decades ago, Nickelodeon as a matter of policy investigates all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct. Our highest priorities are the well-being and best interests not just of our employees, casts and crew, but of all children, and we have adopted numerous safeguards over the years to help ensure we are living up to our own high standards and the expectations of our audience.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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Related content:
Pedophiles on set, sexism in the writers' room: Everything said about Nickelodeon on Quiet on Set
Dan Schneider's former assistant calls Nickelodeon producer a 'psychological tormenter'
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