'Quiet On Set' Allegedly Pulled A 'Bait And Switch' On THIS Former Host
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on May 9, 2024 at 5:47 PM EDT
Following the release of 'Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV,' filmmakers Emma Schwartz and Mary Robertson are addressing the claims made by former 'Double Dare' host Mark Summers.
As The Blast reported, many former Nickelodeon employees came forward to break their silence while working with the network. While some accused former producer Dan Schneider of creating a toxic work environment and of verbal abuse, others accused former dialogue coach Brian Peck of sexual abuse.
Mark Summers, who formerly hosted the popular Nickelodeon game show 'Double Dare,' accused the filmmakers of 'Quiet On Set' of pulling "a bait and switch" on him.
'Double Dare' Alum Mark Summers Accuses 'Quiet On Set' Documentary Of 'Ambushing' Him
Marc Summers, the former host of Nickelodeon's 'Double Dare' (1986-1993), appeared on 'Elvis Duran and the Morning Show,' where he alleged that when he was approached to participate in the documentary, he was misled about its genuine focus on allegations of misconduct at the network.
“They asked me what I thought of Nick, and the first 10 to 12 seconds, from what I understand, in this documentary is me saying all these wonderful things. But they did a bait and switch on me,” he said while on the radio show. “They ambushed me. They never told me what this documentary was really about. And so they showed me a video of something that I couldn’t believe was on Nickelodeon. And I said, ‘Well, let’s stop the tape right here. What are we doing?’”
Mark Summers Claims 'Quiet On Set' Filmmakers 'Lied'
The former Nickelodeon host added, “I left. So I got a phone call about six weeks ago saying you’re totally out of the show. And I went, ‘Great.’ Then they called me about four weeks ago and said, ‘Well, you’re in it, but you’re only in the first part of it because you talked about the positive stuff of Nickelodeon."
"What they didn’t tell me — and they lied to me about — was the fact that they put in that other thing where they had the camera on me when they ambushed me," he continued. "And so, now we get into a whole situation about who’s unethical.”
Filmmakers Respond to 'Quiet on Set' Backlash, Slam 'Bait and Switch' Allegations
After Marc Summers claimed that he walked out of the interview due to a lack of transparency about the project's focus, filmmakers Emma Schwartz and Mary Robertson say otherwise.
“We’re clear with each participant in our project about the nature of our work,” Robertson told Variety. “The vast majority of our participants have left the project feeling incredibly happy.”
Schwartz added, “I also want to be clear that nobody ever walked out on set on any of the interviews in ‘Quiet on Set.'”
Dan Schneider Is Suing 'Quiet On Set' Production Team
As The Blast previously reported, Dan Schneider, a producer on many popular Nickelodeon shows, including 'The Amanda Show' and 'Zoey 101,' was accused of creating a hostile work environment, verbally abusing staff, and exhibiting racially insensitive or preferential treatment. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding his interactions with young actors.
Following the release of the five-part docuseries, Schneider filed a lawsuit, claiming that “‘Quiet on Set’s’ portrayal of Schneider is a hit job" and that it falsely portrayed him as a child predator.
"While it is indisputable that two bona fide child sexual abusers worked on Nickelodeon shows, it is likewise indisputable that Schneider had no knowledge of their abuse, was not complicit in the abuse, condemned the abuse once it was discovered and, critically, was not a child sexual abuser himself," the suit, which was obtained by The Blast, added.
Warner Bros. Discovery, Maxine Productions, and Sony Pictures Television are all named in the suit.
Dan Schneider Accuses 'Quiet On Set' Of 'Falsely Implying' He Was 'Involved In Or Facilitated Horrific Crimes'
In a statement following the lawsuit news, the former Nickelodeon producer said he had "no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it."
"In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted," he said in a statement.
"I have no objection to anyone highlighting my failures as a boss, but it is wrong to mislead millions of people to the false conclusion that I was in any way involved in heinous acts like those committed by child predators," he added.