How Nickelodeon Tried To Hush This iCarly Star With $300K But Failed Miserably
But no money in the world would feel better than justice.
The entertainment industry is littered with cases of child actors being horribly treated and exploited for the benefit of adults to the point where they end up in terrible situations.
From the horrific story of Judy Garland being mistreated on the set of The Wizard of Oz to modern Disney Channel stars like Demi Lovato.
While it was not as common to speak out about these issues earlier, in later years actors began to grow more confident and share more of their experiences, both to spread awareness and to seek justice for their mistreatment.
One of the actresses whose story shocked the world is Jennette McCurdy, best known for Nickelodeon hits iCarly and Sam and Cat, where she portrayed Sam Puckett. Looking at the young actress, cracking jokes and bursting with energy on screen, you would never think about the abuse she endured.
The actress opened up about her abusive mother in a memoir called I'm Glad My Mom Died, but family complications weren't the only topic she covered.
McCurdy opened up about the inappropriate gestures she suffered at the hands of the man she refers to as “The Creator" on the Nickelodeon set. From suggestive conversations to forced drinking, he did it all and thankfully was punished.
“I appreciate the amount of trouble he’s gotten in. It wasn’t just a slap on the wrist sort of thing. The Creator sits in a small cave-like room off to the side of the soundstage, surrounded by piles of cold cuts, his favorite snack, and Kids’ Choice Awards, his most cherished life accomplishment,” she wrote.
Although the creator got the punishment he deserved and was finally separated from his children, Nickelodeon wasn't the good guy in this situation.
They were forced to do something out of fear of public backlash, as their first instinct was to offer Jennette McCurdy $300,000 for her silence.
However, the actress was not willing to take it and made the right decision by sharing her truth with the world.
Although she had to go through a lot of trauma and truly horrible things, it sets another precedent and gives more kids in the industry hope to work under better conditions.