Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald - Quiet on Set, PDiddy with Nickelodeon Writer Christy Stratton

Episode Date: March 28, 2024

P Diddy's homes were raided. What does this mean in regard to his sex trafficking lawsuit? Then Christy Stratton, former Nickelodeon writer for Dan Schneider’s The Amanda Show tells all. Christy was featured in the four-part documentary Quiet On Set, which tells the harrowing tale of child actor Drake Bell being sexually assaulted by the onset acting coach. Christy was hired as a writer on The Amanda Show starring Amanda Bynes. She worked side-by-side with showrunner/creator Dan Schneider in which she was bullied and treated beyond unfairly. We get into what it's like to be a female writer in Hollywood. How Gen X women are so different than the Gen Z women of today. And we share way too many juicy behind-the-scenes Hollywood stories. This spring, go to https://Booking.com for your ideal hotel or vacation home no matter where you go in the US! Book whoever you want to be on Booking.com, Booking.YEAH!  Frizz-free up your schedule with OUAI. Go to https://theouai.com and enter promo code JUICY for 15% off any product. Shop Juicy Scoop Merch https://juicyscoopshop.com  Get EXTRA Juicy on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/juicyscoop  Follow Me on Social Media Instagram: https://www/instagram.com/heathermcdonald  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@heathermcdonald  Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherMcDonald Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi there, my name is Alameen Abdelmahmoud. I am the host of the CBC podcast, Commotion. You need to drop by, okay, because that's where we talk about all things pop culture. We talk about what people are watching, what people are listening to, like how the Smiths got on a Trump rally playlist, or how Elmo became the internet's therapist, or how DadTV got so darn popular. Commotion with Alameen Abdelmahmoud, available now on Spotify. How Dad TV got so darn popular. From relaxing beach resorts to remote mountain cabins, the multitude of choices across the US on Booking.com allow you to book whoever you want to be. So whether I'm traveling alone, going on a family vacation or a girls trip, I want to

stay at the best place with the greatest price. And that's why I love using Booking.com. So this spring, check out Booking.com for your ideal hotel or vacation home, no matter where you go in the US. Book whoever you want to be on booking.com. Booking.yeah. Heather McDonald has got the juices scoop. When you're on the road, when you're on the go, juices scoop is the show to know.

She talks Hollywood tales. Her real life Mr. Safe and Serial Data and Serial Sister. You'll be addicted and addicted fast to the number one tabloid real life podcast. Listen in, listen up. Hannah McDonald, Juicy Scoop. Hello and welcome to Juicy Scoop. I have a great interview today with a friend of mine who was one of the female writers featured on the special about Quiet On Set, which everyone

is talking about that docuseries. And I just found out that they are going to do another episode in April. They did this with the Playboy story about Hugh Hefner and all the Playboy playmates. Remember there was like a eight part docu-seekers on that. And then so much came out and so many other women got word of it and saw it that they then participated in two other episodes that came right after the final one aired.

So it makes me wonder if maybe some other people are coming forward. Hopefully they were not victims of anything, but maybe they have other information to add. So I have a great, really juicy, interesting conversation with Christy Stratton about that and about just being in the business, Hollywood, being a female writer

First, let me just do some breaking hot topic news on Monday March 25th Everybody was phones are going crazy. The news was going crazy P diddy was both of his homes his mansions the one in Homely Hills in LA and his other one in Florida, were raided at the same time. And he was on a plane and his one of us, I think he has two planes, but I just read on TMZ that according to their sources, he was not aware that this raid was going to go on, according to them. And he was in an airport or a private airport with his kids who are school-aged to go to

the Bahamas and spend spring break with them when he got the word that his two homes were being raided. Two of his older sons that are, I don't know how old they are but they were seen by the helicopter footage they were in handcuffs at the LA property I don't know if they are suspects of anything or if they were just doing that as a precaution because you know they were raided and they want to make sure that they the sheriff's safe? I don't really know. So there's lots going on about that. Also, in this $30 million lawsuit, they're

reporting that Prince Harry is in fact named in it. Now, he's not named as a defendant, but he's named in the lawsuit. That's all we really know for now. Prince Harry was only photographed once that we can find back in 2007 at a P.D.D. big party event. This guy, Little Rod, who is one of the people that's part of this lawsuit, he's the one that has stated that these one that has stated that these sex trafficking parties and events and places where SA happened, that would be there were other celebrities there and of course P. Diddy was able to pull in other celebrities and entice them with whatever is going on. So we will see what is obtained from either one of these homes and if this in any way gets P. Diddy arrested or helps with this lawsuit. It's a lot and it's just coming in. So, you know, we'll definitely talk more about it as more information comes.

But that was pretty crazy yesterday. Also, someone told me a little follow up on Tuesday's episode, the Ozempic Baby episode, where I talked about how people are getting pregnant, couldn't get pregnant before. I just got read a DM from someone who said there is a hormone that happens in your body when you're pregnant that for people that

struggle with weight is missing. So that's why sometimes when this particular Juicy Scooper, when she got pregnant, she actually lost weight or was able to carry this baby without gaining more weight because she had the hormone. And I guess that hormone for people that struggle with weight gain, they're missing that hormone and that is what is in the ozempic shots or the semi-glutide. And that's why it really works well for people that have suffered with a level of obesity and for people that are just trying to lose five pounds or 10 pounds, it may not work

and you may lose muscle. I thought that was kind of interesting and how maybe by having that extra hormone or something is causing people to up their fertility. Very juicy, it's just, you know, who knows? Obviously I'm not a medical doctor, but since it's a big topic of discussion, thought I would share that.

Also, I did watch a little more of buying Beverly Hills, which is Kyle's family, Kyle Richards. And wow, it does get really get good. Episode seven, we see Kyle again, it gets very juicy. Unfortunately, the news comes out about how they were separated. And that is nice to see that clarity, because as people that we only got the information from real houses at Beverly Hills, the timelines of things were separated. And that is nice to see that clarity, because as people that we only got the information

from real houses at Beverly Hills, the timelines of things were confusing. It made us wonder, was this put out for publicity? Was this, no, it really did come out when they were all out there together paddle boarding and doing stuff with the four girls. So I really think that part of it is interesting. But also yesterday, this went kind of crazy. There was a comment that Kyle made, like under Morgan Wade's post,

where she said, save a horse, ride a cowgirl. And of course, people grabbed it, they put it on a photo of Morgan, a lot of people shared it, a lot of comments were like, tell me that you're jealous of your husband's reality show success without telling me that you're jealous of your husband's reality show success. Saying that she knew by writing that one little comment, there's so many eyes on her that she would get people talking again, remember me,, remember, am I gay or am I not? Am I with Morgan Wade or am I not? Is this a little funny wee-wee happy joke or is it not? Or is she doing what we've talked about with Evan? Is she the most selfless mother on earth? And by throwing

these little fun things with people speculating between she and Morgan, it does that get us to go turn on the Netflix buying Beverly Hills if we haven't watched it yet. So all of that very juicy. Of course, what's really juicy is that I am coming to your town. There are lots of dates up there right now. Palm Beach, I'll be there on April 5th and 6th.

And so many other dates at heMcDowell.net. That's also where you join my Patreon. It's always commercial free. On Fridays there's extra tiers. You can go all the way back. I think there's six years plus of content, hundreds and hundreds of postings that people really love. So thank you to all the new members that come. And now let's get into more about this shocking documentary and people that actually have a real say in it. Oh, I also want to say Drake and Josh, the show in which Drake Bell was on, I mentioned that I was a guest star.

The way the universe works, I can't believe it. I just got two checks from my episode of Drake and Josh. And I think it was like principal, whatever, like guest star. And I was pretty excited. One check was for $3.98. But the other check was for over $100, which makes me be like, is this gonna start airing more because people are gonna be seeking it out and wanting to see these old episodes? I don't know, but very coincidental.

All right, you guys, now for the interview. Hello and welcome to Juicy Scoop. You guys have been asking for this, and I have the writer that you got to see in the absolutely such a well-done but shocking documentary, Quiet On Set, Kristi Stratton. Welcome back to Juicy Scoop, because we met on Juicy Scoop like eight years ago.

That's right. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. With all this stuff going on, I didn't want to, I don't know, I didn't want to participate in all their press things, but I thought if I'll go, I'll do one thing and I'm going to go to my friend Heather's show and talk about it in my own words.

Well, I absolutely love it. And our little background is you were doing a really funny web episode and and it was getting a lot of buzz and like winning awards and stuff like that and so your publicist reached out to me and I watched I'm like oh my god hilarious and Guy Branum had a part in it that's right and he made a very funny joke about dry shampoo you must have written where he goes when your dry shampoo looks like a Victorian powdered wig

or something. Something like that. When I said Swiftie and I meant, you know, that it was looked like it was a powdered white wig. There was such a funny joke. Anyway, so, but it's been many years we worked, we tried to write something together, but all we did was go to your house at Encino

and order like salads. Le Panquettidien. Yeah. Yeah, it was about cheer moms. And we, I still believe in that. and Encino and order like salads. Le pain quotidien. Yeah. Yeah. It was about cheer moms. And we, I still believe in that. Like a, like a.

We did do a good outline. We did. But then you called me and you're like, I got Modern Family. I'm on the writing staff of Modern Family. And I'm like, oh my God, go, go little bird. Write for the best show on TV. And we kept in touch a little.

I saw your husband and son at like a carnival two years ago at St. Mel's Carnival. That's right. And then I was watching it and I mistakenly watched only the last two episodes. This is a four parter. And then my friend Brandy goes, you gotta get this writer girl on your show.

And I go, I remember seeing like one small thing and I'm like, no, there's a whole first two episodes. So before I could even watch it the way the universe works, you texted me. That's right. And then I said to Brandy, I go, Brandy, I know Christy. Like this is amazing. So to fill people in, this is about Nickelodeon. Yes. Mostly it was all about the Nickelodeon shows

of the early 2000s, which includes all that, which was the kids' sketch show, and the Amanda show with Amanda Bynes, which was like her own sketch show. The spinoff of that was Drake and Amanda, the Amanda show with Amanda Bynes, which was like her own sketch show. The spin-off of that was Drake and Josh, which I did a small part on. And so it's a lot about Dan Schneider who created all these shows, who you worked for.

That's right. And then of course, Drake Bell of Drake and Josh was a victim of sexual assault as a child with the acting coach who was employed by Nickelodeon in these shows. And so that was really disturbing and he was convicted, only did six months, insane. But now Drake, who's 35, has come out and shared that it was in fact him and tells his story. But your episode that you mostly featured on, you featured a little bit throughout it, is really about how you got your first writing job on Amanda. So let's talk a little bit about like your background and how you got this job.

My then agent put me up for the Amanda Show and I think it came from a general I had with an executive, I think. So when I got hired on that, I interviewed with Dan and I don't remember who. Dan Shinder, yeah. Yes, Dan Shinder. And the line producer called and she goes, well, I've got good news and bad news.

I don't know if she said exactly that, but she says, we wanna hire you. And I'm tamping at the time in the human resources department at Warner Brothers, who are awesome and still my friends. I love them. But I was ready to, I'd been out here for several years, and I was ready to do something.

So she said, oh, but we are going to team you with a writer, another female writer. I don't know if she said female. I don't know if she did or not, actually. That's interesting. Anyway, so I was like Excited and like I went to the warehouse and bought a kinks CD and I was like, oh, this is my splurge because I've got a job

and the beginning the early days were a blast and you know what it was fun being like I'd sidled right up to Dan and like, you know, he did call us the girls and I understood. So how many people were on the writing staff? It was Dan and his second, and then me and Jenny and one other writer. So it was five total. So there was only, so the two of you are sharing a salary. Correct.

So you were not writing partners who came in, which I know back in my day, people would do that. And I believe later on, writer's guild said that wasn't allowed. Right, paper teaming is what it's called. And it was, I think it was illegal then too. Okay. So, but again, people, this is why unions are built.

Because people are so desperate to have the opportunity to be creative, that they would, without the unions, they would take nothing to work on these shows, you know? So it's like anything to get your foot in the door. So, but you said okay. I said okay. And this was a Writers Guild job.

Yes, now when you join the Writers Guild, it's like a grand, like you have to, there's a lot of money, and I thought, oh, don't they cover this but no They do not and so those like I said those early days were fun and frivolous But anytime you'd say hey do a thing for $50 I would jump at it because I needed the money now. Let's talk about having him do something It wasn't like go pick up lunch though for $50 or was it?

It was little things. So little funny things to amuse him. Right, and sometimes they weren't money. Like we did a smell the writer competition where I was blindfolded and the writers would walk up to me one by one and I had to guess who they were just by their smell. And it was fun.

And you guys would just do this in the middle of the day just to procrastinate? Well, I, again, this is my first show. And I know from running rooms or whatever, sometimes you need a little bit to let off steam and be a little silly or watch a funny video or something to kind of like get everybody in again. But it was just, it was fun and light

and he was funny. And I mean, you couldn't go to the bathroom because there was always gonna be some joke played on you when you walked in. Like everyone would ignore you or people would throw pencils at you. And guys, I really wanna say that I did not find any of this part abusive at all.

I didn't. I mean, the thing I talk about in the show, I thought was a little much, but it was- Just tell it, let's tell that story. You tell it there, let's tell it here. Well, I didn't tell it there. You're right, you didn't tell it. Jenny told it, the partner.

Well, it was, he just said, I was telling some story about high school or running for high school something. I don't know, it was something that was germane to whatever my pitch was. Okay. And he said, can you do that and act like you're being sodomized?

And I was like, no, I mean, I know I said no. And he was like, come on, come on. Damned it said. That's right. And I did it, I mean, I know I said no. Uh-huh. And he was like, come on, come on. Damn, it said come on. That's right. And I did it. I mean, I did it. So you like stood up and then told the story. No, I bent over the table and told the story,

like I was being sodomized. I did it. Look, I'm not proud of it, but I did it. What I think is crazy is that he used that word. Like, I could see so I couldn't see it, but like. Well, to be honest, I don't know that he used the word. I just know. You don't know if he said, act it out like you're getting it from behind or something.

He could have. To be fair, I don't know that he used that word, but I know what he meant. Okay. And so even then, I wasn't demoralized until a few things. One, I tell him the thing where I had eaten the two pints of ice cream and wanted the money that he bet he would do it. So he said, will you eat two pints of ice cream for $30?

Well, it was like $200 or $300, something like that. And I did it. But days passed. And I am like, look, I did not live high on the hog. I lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Burbank. But I still needed the money. And we had kind of developed a friendship. That's the thing about a showrunner.

You want to be buddies, but at the same time, you've got to have that line. And so after he asked somebody to kill a fly for $30 or whatever that was, I said, oh, I'll do it, but should I add that to your tab? Kind of joking. I don't know. I really didn't mean any ill intent. And I didn't mean to humiliate him.

But he, you know, called me into his office and late right then or later in the day, like, like, I wonder, did he laugh it off? And then was like, I don't remember. Okay, so he brings you in and he says, you know, don't you ever accuse me of not making good on my pets again. And I just said, Oh, my God, I am so sorry. That is not what I like. They were all there for the bed. So it wasn't like any new people were there. And I really felt terrible. I really did. And so the next thing, and by the way,

it's not that Jenny and I can't hang and hear dick jokes and trade saucy barbs. It's the bullying and where that went that was to me the most traumatic. The sodomy story honestly is like fifth on my list of traumatic stories. He won, it was the first weekend that he wanted to work. Now he did a lot of farting around but guess what? As a showrunner you get to like we'd show up at 10. We wouldn't work until noon. But that's his prerogative. That's his show. So one weekend he said, hey, we need to work this weekend.

When is everyone available? And I said, oh, I'm available all weekend, except Saturday night I'm having friends over. So we do Saturday. Saturday day is the agreed upon day. So we're in the writer's room, we're working. Day turns to night. And this is before cell phones.

So all these people were gonna show up in my apartment in Burbank and call the police because I'm not there. Yeah. And so I'm like, I gotta go, I've got people at my house. And he's like, all right. And then they worked a couple more hours and I felt terrible. I felt terrible.

So weeks later, it was the Bruce Springsteen concert, it was the opening of the Staples Center on a Sunday night. And again- By the way, have you seen Bruce Springsteen? What happened over the weekend? No. Bruce Springsteen looks like Tilda Swinton now. What's that actress?

Tilda Swinton?. What's that actual? Tilda Swinton? Swinton, yeah. Well, like with plastic surgery? I don't know. I think it's his hair is short and gray. And I think sometimes men do start to look like old lesbian nuns. It just happens.

And then also he like busted open his shirt and he like had pretty good pectoral, but almost look like they were breasts. It's Tim's 60th anniversary and roll up to win his back. Win big with the daily $10,000 jackpot sponsored by Tim's Financial. Earn an entry with every roll. Play now on the Tim's app. Rules apply Canada only.

No purchase necessary. Visit the Tim's app for details. This episode of Juice is Cupid is brought to you by Booking.com. Booking.yeah. Booking.com offers so many possibilities across the US for all the travelers you want to be. From relaxing beach resorts to remote mountain cabins, the multitude of choices across the US on Booking.com allow you to book whoever you want to be. I'm definitely a different version of me depending on whether I'm traveling and who I'm with. So whether I'm traveling alone to do a bunch of shows

or if I'm with my son looking at a college or going on a family vacation or a girls trip, I want to stay at the best place with the greatest price. And that's why I love using booking.com because there's such a variety of places to choose from that fits each trip perfectly. So this spring, check out Booking.com for your ideal hotel or vacation home, no matter where you go in the US. Book whoever you want to be on Booking.com, Booking.yeah. Anyway, the internet went blaze, but go on. But you were going to go see old Bruce Springsteen, cute Bruce Springsteen. That's right.

1999 Bruce Springsteen. And again, we're working on a Sunday day, day turns to night, and I'm like, I'm put in this, I mean, of course I went, I did not go. And then that Monday morning, in his office, he says, no more leaving for fun again. And I was like, got it. Now how old are you at this time? I turned 30, just turned 30. And so at one point during the show,

I got to audition for a small part. Okay, on the show, on the show. And I got it. And by some miracle, because like I say, not good. Yeah. And I'm in the wardrobe or I'm getting dressed or whatever, we're about to shoot. And his second in command comes and says, Hey, did you know that you're being paid as an under five? And you have over, you have seven lines. And I go, what? I go, wait a minute. I'm getting half a salary. I'm, what? Like, I'm sure in the moment to him, I was irate.

But I'm like, what am I going to do? So I'm like, putting whatever, doing the, I'm telling you, not two minutes later, Dan comes blustering in. Do you want me to start cutting lines? Because I can do it. And I go, oh no, no, I'm fine, I'm fine. And I'm like, what just happened? What was that? I would have never known, I would have never said. I don't know what that was. So we all during this, the weeks, were on edge and paranoid. And at one point Jenny got to have her own office.

And so one of the other writers would go hang with her. And of course I'm like, oh my gosh, are they, you know, talking about me? Because at this point, near the end, it was very- Now how long of a time were you working on the show? Gosh, it was 20 something. You know, it was back when you like six months you yeah episodes and something like that okay and it was very clear oh by the way after one of those

times he yelled at me one of the writers had a Xanax it was babies first Xanax because I'm like I can't go back in that room. Anyway, so it was so clear that he just did not, that I was the one on the outs. Yeah. Then it was the Tuesday before the Friday, which was our last taping. Now they had to build sets and stuff. So by Tuesday, we were done writing.

So I asked him, and by the way, when I got hired, I said, well, sometimes I have auditions. He's like, you can go audition. Just clear it with me. By the way, I hadn't, I had no auditions. But I said, Hey, my manager, there's a director, I have an idea. Again, it was the Tuesday before the Friday in the morning, we never even worked till noon. I said, can I go on this meeting? And he approved it. And I told him if it was an email, but he approved it. So I go, I have this meeting. And it's getting kind of a little later, so I look at my beeper, because we had beepers. No one's beeping me. And then I get all the way back, and it might have

been around noon. It might have been, I might have been like cutting it close. And everyone was in the writers room, and I'm like, what's going on? The line producer calls me into her office, and she says, you're the writers room and I'm like what's going on the line producer calls me into her office She says you're being fired And I'm like what and she's like, yeah, there's excessive times that you you know weren't Here and I'm like, huh? I go into my office my computers gone now They when you work on a show you either they provide you with a computer especially back then

Yeah, yeah, or you use your own and they give you either, they provide you with a computer. Especially back then. Yeah. Yeah. Or you use your own and they give you a list type. But so my computer, so thank goodness, I thought all along I was gonna get fired. So whatever things I saved along the way. So computer's gone. And I'm, I'm like, I can't even, I'm shaking. I get my stuff.

The woman who felt pity for me and helped me out and gave me my crew jacket, whatever, I don't know what she did in production. She was not asked back because of that kindness. Right away, or at the season end, she was asked back. Back then, like, season two started right away. So she, it would have been, I don't know, within a few weeks, but she was not asked

back because of that kindness. And I know this because I've been told this from others who are around. So I go back to Temping and I, a few, then it's the holidays, and I was about to have like a lunch with my agent and manager, you know, who stood by. And my agent at the time, apparently when I was fired, he's like, if she has such a problem, why is this the first I'm hearing of it? And I'm like, great, great, they're on my side. So I get this phone call from the manager

and she's, no, I get the email from the agent first. And he says, I am not meeting you for lunch because I am not interested in representing you anymore. And it was so dark. And it was like, I've heard you were talking about me in the writer's room, which is a breach of agent-client privilege. Now is this agent-client privilege?

Not a thing. It's the wait, is the agent a man or a woman? Man. Okay. And it was so, Not a thing. Wait, is the agent a man or a woman? A man. Okay. And it was so... And this is, by the way, this is what I was talking about him in the writer's room. You guys, my agent didn't come to my birthday party. And he hasn't come to a taping.

And the other writers are like, Christy, your agents aren't your friends. Like, I'm new to all of this. So I may have, you know, talked in that way or reacted, been very reactive to things, but I don't know. But what I'm getting is that, and this has happened, this happened to somebody I know, too, on a show. When they got fired from the show,

they also were at the same agency as the person that fired them who was the star of the show. And then all of a sudden, they no longer had that representation, because I sometimes think the agent wants to just please the bigger star, and they think whether it's a direct order from the star, or showrunner, creator, or whatever,

or they just put it upon themselves to be like, I just want to be seen in a good light. And so since there's no longer a connection, I'm going to just dump this person. And it happens all the time. Well, it was done with such darkness. Like he, the way Dan painted it. Right. So it was basically, they weren't the same agents,

by the way, the agencies. They were two different agencies. Oh, really? Yes. That even makes it worse. So then he also, of course, trashes me to my manager, and she fires me. So I have nothing.

I have no representation. I have nothing. And I just couldn't believe, like, it wasn't just, listen, we had three days left. He could justifiably not invite me back, because I don't know that I contributed as much as these others. Like that, and that would have been justifiable to be really honest.

But the fact that he punished me for a thing that he cleared and then he piles on all these weekend night things, you know, it was honestly, it was so devastating. When you know, we were thinking about this the other day, and I know so many women, myself included, that have had moments as writers on shows and things where the male who's in charge would fire them very abruptly or weirdly like that. And I always wonder if it was just,

I do think it was sort of gender specific. And I do think there was something about a guy just being like, fuck that bitch. Like, you know, something like, how dare she? Cause I never hear about it a guy. When guys got fired, it was like, they brought, you know, they told them nicely, or they told them directly to themselves, or they, you know, gave them another chance.

Let them fulfill their contract. Yeah, it's just not the same. And they're like, I literally probably know five women that have like a similar story to that of being one of two female writers on a thing, thinking things are going great. Thinking like I knew this woman and she was working on a hit sitcom and the guy was really powerful and went on to do a bunch of other sitcoms and they were joking about something and she thought they were joking and telling you know that camaraderie between men and women and

she always thought she could hang with the guys and he said something like, oh, fuck you, and then her name. And she goes, well, fuck you too. And then she got fired. Like right away. Like, like, like thought everything was fine. He walked away. He chuckled. And then like two hours later, she gets called by into the line producer's office

and is like, get your shit. You're done. And so I always I just think there's just something so interesting about that. Now, working on the Amanda show, obviously you're in the writers' room and stuff. Did you have much contact or observe anything with the kids and all of that?

Well, because we were there on the Paramount lot with the soundstage. So we went down there, not infrequently, and I gotta tell ya, I saw nothing, nothing but support and friendship. And I mean, they were younger. I mean, this is the first year, so all the kids are young,

and I never see anything untoward. And Amanda's parents were there, and I'll never forget the mother, I think her name was Lynn, always had a smile on her face, always. And they were nice kids. And this was before, by the way, the pedophile and the predator, they came season two.

Which is featured in the show. There was a PA that was a full pedophile with many victims that he would meet that were extras or acting on the shows and have relations with and they caught him. And then the other pedophile was the male acting coach of Drake Bell. Yeah, he definitely, but I think that other guy was on all that or I don't know. Jenny was like, oh, did he? Jenny thought maybe he could have been there some of season one, but I'm like, I don't I don't think so. I think this was all season two. So we

weren't there. And I honest to God, I never saw anything that seemed weird or out of place. And it was, you know, I mean, we were like he would what was so when it was Drake you know, I mean, we were, like he would, what was so maddening. Wait, was Drake and Josh a spinoff of the Amanda show or a spinoff of all that? Well, of the Amanda show, because season two is when Josh came. Like I never worked with Josh.

He wasn't there when I was there. But in fact, it made me so furious because he was so mean in the writer, or at least to me or in that whatever. But then on the set, he was just friendly and loving. And Dan. Dan. And so it made me, I'm like,

I wish we had that guy. We had that guy behind the scenes. I mean, I just saw some videos of Amanda. It is just like heartbreaking. Heartbreaking. Heartbreaking. Like she's got these black eyebrows, she has a face tattoo, this dyed blonde hair, and the way she talks to the camera is like very strange.

And she's like, so I'm trying to get my manicure's license and I didn't pass the test, but if I do pass the test, I'm going to be doing it at this salon in Beverly Hills. And everybody's like, oh my gosh, we're definitely coming. And before that, she was trying to go to like Fidum and do fashion. And after the Amanda show, she was in so many movies. She was in Hairspray. And she was, you know, she's the man and all these things. And very cute. And I remember the first time I saw her, I had this manager who had managed Margaret Cho and then she was managing me. And I went to her house to talk about whatever, something that's not going to happen or whatever.

And she had this VHS tape and she goes, you have to see this girl. And she puts it in and it's this little girl at the lab factory. And she's doing these jokes. And I remember she goes, everybody says dating is hard. Dating's not hard. I think roofing's hard. And I was like, oh, that's pretty funny. And right then I'm like, I don't know.

I've seen other kid comics and most, and now I've seen on American's Got Comic, most of the parents are writing for them. And it doesn't matter, she could deliver it. Right. And then I literally my my manager wanted to be like, screw Heather, who's like 26, let me find this 10 year old. And then within like two years, she has like the dream show that every sketch comedy woman wants is to be the Carol Burnett. And here she is like 12.

Carol Burnett. And I do think it was a genius idea of Dan Schneider because he was like, wait a minute, I'm just going to kind of take all these classic sketch type ideas that have been on SNL and everything else and make it for kids. And the kids think it's fresh and funny, her acting like Judge Judy, they don't know who Judge Judy is. They just think it's like a little girl being like, hey, I'm talking to you.

And you know what, I was like, I mean, it was smart. It was a smart idea to have like a kid sketch group and stuff, it really was. And he was so, it had to be funny for kids. Like we wanted it to be like Warner Brothers cartoons where it's like they're really smart and they bring the kids along and he's like, nope.

They had to be silly and kid, you know, that was, and that was part of I guess what made it so successful. And how did you feel about when they, I remember like probably about five years ago or so, is when someone brought to my attention the compilation YouTube video that someone did of all these inappropriate things that the kids were doing on these Nickelodeon shows that were all under Dan Schneider's regime. And it was a lot of foot fetish stuff.

It was a squirt, like trying to get one of like a yogurt and it squirts like it looks like a cum shot. On to little Zoe 101, Jamie Lynn Spears face. And it has Ariana Grande when she had a, like holding a potato going, I'm trying to get a, the potato, can you get juice out of a potato and like they also did those shaking exercise things all these things and I I never remember seeing sexual stuff but I do remember walking into a room and seeing my kids watch that stuff

and it was like iCarly with the other girl Jeanette McCready right and I remember they're just like standing there're just standing there and they're talking about a boyfriend cheated and this and that. And I'm like, why are these girls acting like it's an episode of Friends? Like they're 12. Nobody who's 12 has blonde, long hair extensions, full eyelashes, and they're like, you know, have their little boobs. They're like not even teenagers yet. And I thought that was so, and I was like, I don't like these shows.

I remember being like, I don't like these shows. And I didn't even see the sexual stuff. I just thought the storylines were like too mature, but the sexual stuff. This episode is brought to you by Secret. Secret deodorant gives you 72 hours of clinically proven odor protection, free of aluminum, parabens, dyes, talc, and baking soda. It's made with pH balancing minerals and crafted with skin conditioning oils. So whether you're going for a run or just running late, do what life throws your way and smell like you didn't.

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Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss. Kraken's registration details at kraken.com slash legal slash ca dash pru dash disclaimer. Did you see the Ray Romano part in the film? Yeah. Yeah. So Ray Romano is like a guest star. Maybe this was maybe first season of whatever.

Everyone loves Raymond or whatever. And the pedophile who assaulted Drake Bell, they're like, he's the pickle boy. He had a small part on the show and he's all about pickles. And then they have Ray Romano sitting in a bathroom with no doorknob. And they're like, ah, would you like a pickle? And they pull, they push the pickle through the glory hole. It's literally like through the glory hole. And then they have Ray Romano holding it like a dick with two hands and like eating it. Which I wonder like Ray Romano must be dying. I'm sure like dying right now because a did he think about it at the time at all but was like whatever it's a gig. Maybe

it was before he had his own show and was like, hey, we're not turning down anything. This is what they want me to do. I'm just so grateful that my tiny part had no weirdness in it, which my episode of Drake and Josh was I played a mom. It was probably five and under. But it was a guest star. Maybe it was just a guest star, but it was small.

And I was supposed to have this kid. And they're waiting to go on a roller coaster ride. And I was like, hey, stop. you know, the kid is bugging them. And then I'm like, hey, stop being like that to my kid. Like I'm being an annoying mom and Drake and Josh are there. So I didn't see anything weird. The wardrobe girl was someone I knew from my neighborhood.

And so I happened to be working on it. And he, the only thing I remember is I was like, oh, I go, you know, my son, he's 21 now. So my son was like a baby. I go, my son is named Drake too. And Josh is like, oh, that's cool. And Drake goes, actually, that's not my real name. And this is like fourth season of the show. And Josh is like, it isn't. And he goes, no, it's Jared Drake or whatever. Drake is his middle name. And I remember going, that's kind of weird, like that he wouldn't know that.

But then at the other hand, but now I'm like, boys don't ask each other questions. So it's not that weird. Yeah, I don't, that whole thing. Yeah, I mean, I didn't, I kept up with it and watched it, but to me it just took away from the bullying. I'm like, let's not lose focus on the fact that he's a tormenting bully.

Diane Schneider is. Yes. Like I, all of that. So forget about the dumb, inappropriate jokes. Well, and I don't mean forget about it. Just meaning. But there are no accounts of him doing anything to any kids. No.

And people look at Amanda Bynes and they're like, was she a victim of something? Maybe not him, maybe someone. You know, people think that about Britney Spears. They were both child actors. Who knows who. When you think about all the stuff they did, all the movies, all the acting, all the agent. And you know, one of the things that is so sad about the Drake Bell thing, which is like

what pedophiles do, whether they're a priest or a coach, they find the kid that, you know, maybe is from a broken home or a single mom. And if the single mom is a nurse with five other kids and they're like, I'll take the kid to and from swim practice. That is what's that's been going on for 50 years. Like since the very beginning it was, you know, they and sure enough, Drake Bell was still was working with this guy before he had his regular series. So he's going on auditions from Orange County and the acting coach pedophile said, well, I'll take him from Orange County to

Hollywood. And then when he'll be so tired, we won't do the two hour drive back. He could spend the night at my house. And the mom trusted it. And I always thought and I thought this about the moms in leaving Neverland too. Let's just pray for those moms because they did not know they did not think about it. Like the, and you see Drake's dad cry, but I also really feel for the mom who was not featured like. She's embarrassed and terrified. And also I want to say what's great about today is self tape.

Like my God, if this kid, if this was now, this kid would, yeah, maybe occasionally go to LA, but not until it's like the final round. I constantly, from when Johnny was young, my son, have said, you know, because he's got lots of coaches and stuff. He's never alone with them, you know, for too long. But you know, if something seems inappropriate to you, let us know. And you know, his, his pediatrician from when let us know, and you know, his pediatrician from when he was a baby, like I just,

I mean, we're pretty vigilant about things like that, and have been since he was little, because I just, I mean, it's a nightmare anyway, but to go on that long and have him say nothing, I just, that just breaks my heart, it just breaks my heart. I mean, the whole story is like every aspect of it but I just the fact that he didn't feel like he could tell someone or I don't know and I'm always a nice kid like those kids were all very nice. I remember my brother was in a private school and you know for so long my mom would be

like oh you know he didn't want to stay at that school because he said the typing teacher was always getting everybody massages and so you know he went out and went to the public school and it turned out 30 years later he was the totalophile, the typing teacher. Oh my gosh. And, you know, that's the thing. Again, did my parents believe him? No, they didn't. But he kind of got like such bad grades that they had to put him into the public school.

Okay. But he just thought it or saw it or whatever. And then those people would, you people would go after the kid that had to be there early in the morning because they were getting free tuition. It was always something like they'd find a moment where they could be alone. But let's talk more about other experiences

like in the business that we have found with women and the stuff that we would put up with that I want to congratulate the millennials and the Gen Zers that don't put up with it and that are better and more open men and women today than the Gen Xers and the Boomers. Yep. The fact that if you are running a show and you're a millennial, guess what? You don't care, you're not just like, there's not one part for a woman. There's not one room spot for a woman. And I can remember being like-

There's more than one. You mean like, but there's only like, we can have one, we can have one, yeah. Right, back in the day, it would be, hey, I'd ask my agent, hey, I'd love to work on such and such. Oh, they already have their woman. Not all the shows, not all of them.

But, and can I just say, when you are the only woman or the only low level, which that doesn't happen anymore either, you, your confidence, and I don't wanna say everybody, for me, it took a while to get that confidence. Cause the confidence is 80% of it. Cause there's a lot of pitches, there's a lot of whatever, and you've

got to have the confidence to just pitch it, come what may. And if there aren't a lot of people like you in a room, it's not going to get traction, it's not going to get momentum, you're not going to get confidence. And that took a while. But like I say, nowadays, it is women, men, people of color, people of different backgrounds. And you want that as a group of writers.

You want all the different perspectives. Now, yes, sometimes these Gen Zers can whine about stuff. And I'm like, you know what? Take several seats. Like, there's a line where, how do I say this? There is a line, but we haven't crossed it yet. I know, I know where that line is. I've lived in that line.

But yes, and I felt, and this is another thing we talked about earlier, the Me Too movement was awesome. And I am so grateful to it. I and all those women that came forward with just harrowing harrowing tales. I wished the movement also included those of us who not necessarily were sexually harassed because nobody's hit on me inappropriately. Right. None of that. But I

it just kind of stayed there and then the men were like oh can I, I, it just kind of stayed there. And then the men were like, Oh, can I, can I give you a compliment? Can I? And I'm like, yes, of course you can say I look nice. Like this, like let's, you know, let's. So I, I wished and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason wrote a wonderful op-ed. I think it was in the reporter. It was about Les Moonves and it wasn't about him hitting on her or whatever, but it was about the reporter. It was about Les Moonves and it wasn't about him hitting on her or whatever But it was about him being discriminatory against her and her female driven show and I was like yay This is what I'm talking about. Like let's write keep this narrative or let's include this narrative rather and You know, I I don't think it it it did but but I but like I say it doesn't matter because those old-school

I don't think it did. But like I say, it doesn't matter because those old school folks are retiring. Well, it's like, and I don't recall who's story this was, but it was during that time about a female writer and the guy came up behind her and like laid his dick on her shoulder. That's right. On, it's Gary Shandling's show. Yeah. And I just want people to know, like, that is the way an insecure guy acts to embarrass and make a woman be smaller. Like, that is what it is. It is not, because it's funny. And I want to also say, like, we don't also give the guys enough credit that are not pervs that go up to the perv and go, fucking, dude, stop it. Knock it off. There aren't a lot of those guys that do that.

And there were a few people in my career that I always recognized. And then there's women that don't stick up for other women. You know, and I've seen it where women, like a woman showrunner or something, is kind of jealous of you. The last showrunner I worked with was a woman, and I'll tell you, every other day, she would tell me how funny I was.

Every, like, she's the only showrunner who has asked me to work for her again. And there's just something to that when someone says, oh, you're funny and you like, there's a light airiness and you get to, you know, in fact, my last, no, anyway, I've had female female showrunners who have told me to my face that they thought I was funny. And I don't know that any of the males, and maybe, and to be fair, like I said, it took me a while to get to where I could,

I knew what I was doing or could, had my own comedic take. It took me a while. So I don't wanna make it sound like, you know, I deserved all of this stuff right away. But I feel like I'm glad that it is not only more open to women to do different things in the business, but also women's stories and women's point of view on things. And I mean it's a terrible time in the business right now, like a terrible, which is why like... Because a lot of things are

not going into production even though the strike which is why like. Cause a lot of things are not going into production even though the strike is over. So there's a lot of people that are really struggling on all levels of production. That's right. It used to be these legacy companies ran things and now you have these tech companies running things. And then I don't know how it's legal

that like a studio could buy another studio. Like that seems weird, but whatever, the government approved it, it's fine. So there's this strange like contraction happening because of all of these sort of deals, which makes me think like, are they just planning on not having television anymore? Well, whatever, I decided to make this short because there's here's the difference between film and television. And television, you have to have these gatekeepers, and it's a long list of them, to say yes. And they wanna keep their jobs.

So if I walk in and Mindy Kaling walks in, and we both have ideas that are, let's just say, equal and all, they're gonna pick Mindy's because she's got a track record, because she can do several different shows in a year, because now shows are only eight episodes. They're not, the orders are bigger, or the orders are smaller, so the same people can be doing everything.

And, or they'll make a deal with someone and just buy from them. And so anyway, the difference between television and film is with film, all you need is money. That's it, that's all you need. Now that's a big thing. Like I tried to, I'm like, I'm gonna raise a million dollars to make my movie.

And I couldn't even raise 32,000 But for the short, but it was at least very freeing and and making choices and and Getting to I mean, you know, there's nothing like doing your own thing. There's nothing like it and I don't know I know I mean it is great because I you know when you talk about when you're on a show and having to ask to do something, when you bring that up, and I remember,

I would be leading up to how I was gonna ask whether it was an audition or something or to be with my kid or whatever. And I was like, how do I say it? When do I say it? Do I go to the main, the top, top person or do I go to the second tier person? Do I do an email? Do I knock on the door?

I would stress about that so fucking much. And I'd be so jealous of my male counterparts that were like, hey, my son has a baseball game at three o'clock today, so I'm gonna leave around 2.15. And they're like, great, I hope he gets a home run. I'm like, what? I have been just freaking out because I'm so, that's part of my persona too.

I just am a scaredy cat and other people have more confidence. Well, that's part of my persona too. Like I just am the security cat and other people have more confidence. Well that's our generation too. Yeah. And I, that's again one of the reasons I wanted to do this short was cause I don't feel like we have had our coming of age story. Here's the deal. As Gen X, we had loads of independence,

but little confidence. We relied on ourselves, but we didn't believe in ourselves. And that doesn't surprise me. That's very interesting, yeah. And I think that, not that people don't still enter a room and get nervous and all of that, but it's not like, I mean, the millennials and Gen Zers aren't crippled with that kind of fear and all of that.

Well, there are some funny things that I've seen that I'm like, oh my God, this is so true about Gen X and why we raise our Gen Z kids the way we do. And it's because it's like, all of a sudden, you know, moms should all go work. And so now we're latchkey kids. Yes. And you're supposed to answer the phone, but then you're supposed to act like someone's there.

So we had to answer the phone and be like, hello, McDonald's residence. Is your mom there? You know, whatever. And be like, well, she is, but she's in the shower. Like, we had a whole thing so we wouldn't be, you know, I mean, I have a story about being flashed twice on the way home from school. Like we were always on our own. There was always about like, there were people that there were girls, there was a kidnapping

thing that happened. It was horrible. I mean, all these things that like just make us like, we don't realize it, you know? And so then it's just, it's like, yeah, like we were able to do these things and we were independent, but you're right, we didn't have the... Right, like that confidence that should have come with being able to take care of ourselves. Yeah. It just didn't, you know, it wasn't...

Yeah, it's very, it's very, it's very interesting. When you were saying the thing about him giving you money to go do something that would be for his entertainment, I remember a story, and again, I'm remembering it, so I can't say it's like 100% true, that when Roseanne and Tom Arnold were a couple and they were in the tablets all the time, there was a story about how she offered an assistant,

the two of them offered an assistant or somebody 10 grand to shave their head. And I think maybe the girl did it, but it was like this weird like power thing that sometimes could happen with TV and comedy and like, oh, let me just see if I can like get away with this or, you know, like a food fight. You're like, why are we doing a food fight? Or like, you know, it's just, it's

weird. Like, I remember, like, you know, I'll take two nice things about Chelsea. One is the first week I was there, she came in and we pitched things and she texted me and she's like, I'm so glad you're on this show. Your ideas are really funny. I totally love that. The other one, which I didn't think was, I didn't mind it, it never happened to me, but we would be like, she would do this thing where we'd be in bathing suits or whatever. You're on your yacht and then she'd go sit on somebody's lap that's her friend and someone would take a photo and then she would just like pee on them.

And I'm only telling it because it's in books, the lies Chelsea Hale told me she has told about. She thought it was funny. I don't even know if people didn't really mind it because you could just jump in the water, I guess, but it is sort of a weird power thing that I'm not saying she would do it now and I'm not saying somebody was traumatized or a file a lawsuit from it, but it was, it's a power thing where you are like the court jester type of thing for the king or queen. And you're

like, I just have to stay in this. I just don't want to be the one that's on the outs. Right. I don't want to be the one that's like the one that's not going to do the cold open where like, anytime like I haven't had like a camel toe. Like, there was this lady, this was funny, this stuff I didn't mind though. And there was nothing I did on that show that I was against. But there was somebody else that was like,

I don't really wanna do that. It was like making fun of like, oh, she's slutty or whatever. And she was a writer and she was like, I do live with my boyfriend. I don't know that he would like that. And then it was like, there was this kind of like, that's annoying. Because everybody does whatever it is.

Chewie rolls around, I have a camel toe, you know. Chris Francholi, Chris Francholi is acting like some weird dude. Like we all did. And so then the one person that's like, very respectfully, like, could we think of something else? Then you're just like, so it's then they're like, now she stayed and everything. But like, I just think that's just it's a weird comedy world.

And then I think it got then I remember we at NBC, we had to talk to everybody about, you know, sexual harassment, whatever, and they told that Supreme Court case about the Friends Room, which was, I believe, an intern or a writer's assistant sued and said there was such crass, dirty language and things, not necessarily directed at her, but she had to be subjected to it because her job was to be in the room that she wanted to sue for that. And then it went to like the Supreme Court and it was like, this is a creative space

and therefore it is okay. Yeah. And it is a weird thing, especially now, cause that was like 15, 20 years ago that that case happened. It's just, if it's directed at you, if it's just talk around the room and whatever. Like it just it's different when it's just people telling dick jokes or whatever.

One show I was on, the beginning of every single day, a junior writer would come and talk about the girl he slept with the night before in graphic detail. And one time she started her period in her bed, in that gross, oh gross, gross, gross, gross, gross. This story. Sorry that we bleed once a month for 40 years. But this was day after day after day after day,

and I was fired from that show too. Did you ever say anything about it? No, no. I wouldn't either. Yeah, I mean, it's like there's nothing actionable. It's just like, no. Yeah, I wouldn't either. Yeah, I mean, it's like there's nothing actionable. It's just like, ew. No, I would be in a room too where I would say, oh, I was with this girl and she had like a full bush and I came back with a razor and all this.

And I'm like, oh my god. I kind of respected that they were, there was something that felt cool that they didn't care that I was there. Right. That I was like, I can't, that's when I really got to learn how guys are so different than girls too, and how they see girls that they screw,

and girls that they actually love. And I saw how many people cheated. And that was sort of heartbreaking because I was like, wait, he's married with two kids. And this story was only two years ago. So this couldn't, the story of him cheating could not have been 12 years ago. Right.

And I was just like, oh, okay, well, now I know. It was, it's very... But you hit on something that like, yeah, it is sometimes fun to be the girl in the boys' place. One of the guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, people I know have written about that or whatever. And again, it's only when it kind of turns on you or makes you uncomfortable and who knows what that line is until, you know, until it's crossed. And then if it is, then like you just, all right, you reset and all of that. It, you know. Now you told me a story and it's

kind of an intricate story, but how weeks or many time after you left the Amanda Show, you found out that two of the main people, Dan and a writer, were trying to sabotage my, like it was like a Craigslist or something. I was selling stuff because I had no money and yeah, and I had confirmation. And they were able to go in as like, you know, a fake account and kind of screw it up and mess with you. And I remember there was a, somebody wrote something about a writer's room and they're like, well, a writer's room usually begins with the first hour,

everybody talks about the one writer that is no longer there. Like rips on them. And then they talk about whatever other things they, you know, it's so and so really this age. And then you finally start, you know, pitching your stuff. But everybody is down to procrastinate for as long as possible. And that's really left up to the head writer or whatever. Okay, let's start pitching. Yeah. And you should be able to feel free to say things or bring things up or ask questions or you know you want even if it's not important to what you're doing there is some leeway

you and you should be granted and I just want to make sure that this is very clear that you know I don't think there should be no curse words or no this in a room. One thing you said about, and I remember when the Writers Guild was on strike and all that, that to save money, they want to just give one person a script. It's not as much of a collaborative room. There's not the pre-production of breaking down, you know,

the season where you'd have several weeks before you ever shoot the first episode, whether it's in front of a live audience or, you know, like a whatever, like a modern family, which is not, and they don't, they didn't want to pay for that. And then they're like, but that there's no way for then for a, for it to be as funny as possible. But secondly, that someone can then learn. If they're not around it, if a junior writer is not around it,

they're not gonna get better. And it's the same way I feel about when some big TikToker who could do a lot of funny impressions and stuff. I'm like, they may not even wanna be on SNL because they're like, well, I can make so much money on my own. But I'm like, but you're never going to go to the next level

and be a great actor if you can't work with other people. Right. Because that, by the way, that is a skill that is learned. Being able and I, I during the strike, I taught a summer class at the University of Florida, which is my alma mater. And it was all about just the room, about working in a writer's room, how you pitch the and all of that. And because it used to be I mean, King of the Hill, the room about working in a writer's room, how you pitch, and all of that. And because it used to be, I mean, King of the Hill, we had 15 writers or something like

that. And what was great, which great about having a big staff, is you can split rooms and get more done. Because you don't put 15 writers in a room, that's crazy. Well nowadays, these shows, and there are a lot of monies behind them and their prestige and it's like one person and I'm sorry but I mean some people can do it and pull it off so I don't want to I don't want to whatever Mike White this is his process he's a genius it's all good I just think that this the thought that one person can make something real good,

it's just, I don't know, I, there are very few of those people. And I, to me it's wasted money, whereas you get a room full of people and you have debate and you have, oh, here is something funny that happened to me that we could put in the story. And then, oh my gosh, and it's, and this, oh, like, you know what, people don't say that anymore or whatever like you have um and and it's and i don't know like there's

there's something great about it and even on on zoom zoom was a good stopgap like it was fine too because i was on a show that was on season two so we we zoomed and it was fine but then starting a new show when you're on zoom, it's, there's something about having that. You start a joke and someone else completes it or, ooh, like it's this great thing and I don't know why. It's sad, I'm afraid like it's not gonna be a thing anymore. I'm hopeful, Heather, that with the strikes done

and people figuring out who's gonna buy what company and whatever, that that's gonna kinda settle and then they're gonna realize like, oh, we've gotta have content. Like, what are we doing? We can't just buy from overseas, those shows are great, but people aren't gonna keep your channel if you're not gonna give them something fresh

and interesting and new. And yes, the people who have deals with you are gonna kick ass and do great. But I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful. For close, I just wanna do a little bit of a followup. So Dan Schneider has done a small interview, it was like 20 minutes, in which he apologizes.

I think he also went on a Zempik. So good for him for that. And he's like, I want to apologize to anybody that I made give me a massage or made uncomfortable or whatever. And I do think that there's something interesting in that, like any tyrant, sometimes they get mad and they try it,

like if it's your kid or yourself or your husband, and someone lets you get away with it, I do think it can, I'm not saying it's the people's fault, but I'm like, I think he had it in him. And then I think he was able to every year just keep doing this and acting horribly with no repercussions or anything. Until finally, I guess, I think it was the I can't I can't remember from the

show what was the impetus to finally have him go, oh, we have mutually decided to say goodbye and I'm going to take $7 million. And there were, I think there was enough complaints or something, you know, because, and then he goes, well, look, all these jokes about Pickleboy and this and that, the network approved it and these people approved it. And I also think, yes, that could have been it. Also, I think, whoever approving it is a little bit lazy. He's doing good work. They're probably more focused on the show that's not getting the ratings. So they're kind of like, whatever, kids love it, you know, and because no like parent was or maybe. And then I felt bad for the one boy from all

that whose mom was like, stuck and was like, what the hell's going on? And then they said, we don't want to ask him back. And then she said that was a big problem for then she and her son because he sort of blamed her for being the person that like, oh, you complain too much. That I was having to do humiliating things and he was black. So there was that element that he felt like he was being, you know, cast and put in costumes. He was part of all that. So there was like, you know, some weird humiliating, you know, sketches that didn't have to be

that, you know. And so there was all, so I thought that whole thing was an interesting thing. The Brian Peck pedophile of, you know, of Drake, he gets out and then he gets another job on Disney, a Suite Life of Zack and Cody, who are twin boys, like a pedophile's dream, right? And somehow, somebody finally, hopefully before anything happened, I don't know how long grooming takes, but I guess it hadn't come to it, and got him kicked off. And they're like, okay, I guess we'll do background checks, background checks on people who are also freelancers.

They were only doing it for people that were like, I guess, full-time employees, and not checking when you have a children's show. Right. I can't, but like if it was happened now, that guy would be ostracized forever. It would be all over the news. But the fact that a friend of mine

who worked on one of these shows, there was a party like it was, and he said that it was after that guy got out of prison and he was at the party. And my friend was like, what is, is this just, are we gonna? But that's Hollywood for you. That is Hollywood for you where people are like,

la la la la la la. I don't wanna know, I'll just get my drink. I won't leave my kid alone with them. Sure. But if my kid gets a job and he's there, I'll just make sure that we don't leave my kid alone with them. Sure. But if my kid gets a job and he's there, I'll just make sure that we don't leave my kid alone with him, but I don't wanna not have the job. I don't wanna be the person who makes the waves

and then jeopardize our career or a kid's career or my career. And it still happens today with adults. They don't stand up for what's right in this business. And they are like, well, he was always nice to me. You know, and even with Jeffrey Epstein, he had dinner parties after he did his weekend, his first stint of prison. When he was in Florida on the weekends, when that was all over, he was having dinner parties

with a lot of people in Hollywood, you know, and elites in New York were going to his dinner parties with this weird art and everything else in his townhome. And some of the people were like, oh, that was some weird art. I don't know. But I got invited and I'm like, sure, I'll go. And maybe they never went back. But they didn't go, you guys, this is fucking weird. Like they didn't.

They didn't. Yeah. And it's just like, oh my God. Yeah, please. Like, it's just like, oh my God, yeah, please. It's so few people stick up. Yeah, so those were the things I thought. I mean, is Dan Schneider working on anything? Well, I would posit that if he hadn't done that puff piece

in the New York Times, I think it was in 2021. What was that? Well, it was a that puff piece in the New York Times, I think it was in 2021. What was that? Well, it was a total puff piece and it was like he's pictured like sitting in a tree and it was all about like Dan Schneider is ready for his comeback. And the whole thing was just puff, puff, puff, puff, puff. There was no negative like, oh, he can be tough. And there were several of us writers who had worked with him and are tweeting, like, what is this? What is going on?

Like, he is a monster. And even the one writer who was quoted was like, I included all of the stuff I said about him. And they just didn't put that in. So he must have gotten a publicist. Because at the end of it, it said, he's got a pilot somewhere. And we were like, no, no, this is not gonna happen.

And so then I think after that, the Business Insider woman, because we were contacted, Rolling Stone was gonna do a thing, but then the Business Insider article came out. And anyway, just one thing kind of led to the other to the other, but I bet if that hadn't happened,

he would have just gone off into the sunset with his millions. But he wanted to come back, and enough people were like, all right, let's delve into this. Let's delve into this just being mean. And Jenny ended up because she was asked back for season two.

And they touched on this. She was asked back for season two. Dan said, oh, you don't have to split us out. We're gonna give you $100 a week raise or something like this. But this is how we're gonna do it. You have to, you'll be paid for 27 weeks

and then not paid for 11 weeks. And yet he hired a male writer who had no credits at full salary and she lasted four days. And that, the bravery that it took her to, and then that's in the special where she walked in a room, all the guys were sitting, there was no seats. And so she's standing there with a pad and he says, do you ever done phone sex? And she was like, or something about phone sex. Have you ever done phone sex?

Or worked at a phone sex place? Didn't you do phone sex? Something about phone sex. Where it was, you know, and she's there with her pad. And so she went home and looked in the phone book for a lawyer, bless her. And she got this lawyer and they filed for sexual discrimination.

And I'll never forget, I'm temping, she calls me, she goes, I know I'm the last person you wanna hear from, because they all abandoned me. Right. To your point about like when you have the stink on you. Yeah. And so I wrote a letter and that's why we were able to use certain stories is because it was documented

in this letter of this suit, which they settled. I believe that, you know, that's. She settled and then, so we don't know what she settled for, but she left the business. She did. She moved to New York to be with her family. And she knew, she goes, I know if I sue, it better be for enough because I know I'm going to be fucked.

The blackballing and what I've always said about the Louis CK, how he treated those two women that he masturbated in front of at a comedy festival. And then they couldn't get work. And I'm like, yeah, because he doesn't want them to be in a room where you start telling your juicy stories. Because if more people know what a creepy is, so, and I always, that's the always, I tell that story over and over again because I'm like, I want people to know like how fucked

that is. Yeah. It's like you think, well, I won't sue you and I won't do anything. But they're like, like oh yeah but I behaved badly in front of her so let's just make sure nobody works with her because I don't want that story out about me so I'll just blackball them. And Jenny is a great writer she she was at the time definitely better than me. Like she was just funnier. She had a, and I'm hoping that she will be able to,

you know, use this to try to, you know, get some screenplay out there. And then when they approached you to be on this, were you hesitant? Yes, I, cause it's not that Dan could hurt my career. I was worried at like, oh, does he know where I live? Is he gonna, you know, kill my plants? Like I, we, everyone was so scared.

And that's why I say in the thing that that's why no, and people who have worked with him have gone on to the stratosphere, but everyone's afraid of him and what he would do in retaliation because something's coming. Like I know something's coming, but. Something's coming bigger about it. No, no, no, meaning like I feel like he's not gonna just let this go. Okay.

That's just my feeling. He's gonna try to redeem himself. He went after me so hard 25 years ago. No, maybe he's matured. To be fair, I know I'm more mature than I was back then, but I was back then. But everyone was just afraid, even the people that have left the business,

I'm like, come on, you know we can't be, two women can't be believed unless a man, unless Hannibal Buress comes and, like with the whole Cosby thing. But I'm happy to say that we've gotten nothing, I don't wanna say nothing but positive, but it's been lovely how people have reached out and been great, and I'm like,

you don't even know the worst stuff. You don't even know it. So everyone was afraid, and I knew Jenny wanted to do it. And I was not about to let her do it by herself. I just wasn't. Like I would have loved to have just said it by herself. I just wasn't. Like I would have loved to have just said no. But then I thought if it happened and I wasn't a part of it, I would regret it.

Yeah. So. But a lot of people I'm sure got offered and was like, Oh, everyone. Yeah. Everyone. Everyone he worked with. And it's like, yeah, are you gonna talk?

Are you gonna, you know, and then piss off somebody for, you know, who knows how much they'll use of it and that type of thing. I've been part of documentaries as well. And I'm always happy with what I say and do because I've already said it here. So I'm like, sure, you know, I've got nothing to lose. But I understand with other people in their careers

or whatever, they're like, no, but when the right, when it's the right thing, I think that you should stick by your friend when you know they're telling the truth and not just act like, oh, I didn't know. I don't know the story. You're like, but I told you the entire story. And I show you the proof, receipts, everything. I've showed it to you. And the people that were actually there with you, and then you know, they didn't participate, but then you'd hear from them after, like, good job. Yeah.

Thanks. Yeah, thanks. Like, I'm glad you went out there and told the story. I'm not gonna, you know, say, sign off on it publicly, but here's this text. And yeah, that is Hollywood, which is just different than other industries, you know? And it's different because if you have credentials to whatever, be a dentist, a surgeon, a mechanic, someone doesn't like you, whatever,

you take your resume and you go, and you can still work at this garage. It's like Hollywood, someone doesn't like you for a reason that they think could affect them and they can fuck you up or make you go away. And I'm not talking about necessarily murder, though I'm sure that's happened. But I mean, like, just make it difficult. Alienate you. Ostracize. Make it that you, you're trouble. Right. You're trouble. I will say it's different now than it was 25 years ago because there's such executive turnover. Like no one has, everyone's just fighting to keep their jobs in any aspect. So I will say I don't I feel like that may

be lessening. I feel that I really do think a lawsuit is really interesting because you know you remember when Nicolette Sheridan of Desperate Housewives sued Mark Cherry. Yes. Have we seen her in much sense. No we have not. Okay, then there's other people that I remember Kristin Shanoff had this awful thing happen on her on the set. A light like fell on her head and I remember going, oh my god, she's like, oh I couldn't do my tour, I lost a million dollars because I sing and I used to do cartwheels and all this stuff. She was always, you know, like this entertainer. And I go, well, aren't you going to like Sue?

And she was like, well, no, because I mean, I'm hoping to get like this variety show. And this is just my recollection of the conversation. Okay. But I have a pretty great recollection, but whatever. And you know, so they sort of promised her that. Do you remember Kristin Chenoweth's ride? No, it never happened. It never happened. Oh, that's right. It never happened. And of course, she's done great. And she's actually doing the Broadway version of The Queen of Versailles, which I think is going to be so

amazing. And I know The Queen of Versailles,, I know Kristen, and I think this is great. Everything happens the way it's supposed to be. But you are, there is a, do I sue and possibly never work again, but then get this chunk of money I think I deserve? And maybe do the right thing and show what's wrong and maybe prevent someone else from being hurt? Or do I play along in the hopes that they know

that I'm an easy person to work with? Yeah. It's like a very hard thing. Yes. I mean, if you're a certain, have achieved a certain level, they will turn a blind eye to things because money. Like if you're difficult, no one cares if you're a star.

Like I, I mean there are plenty of people who are deemed difficult that like, oh, will that get my movie made? Great, you're in. Right. But I mean, I joke kind of, but yeah. Yeah, yeah. But we're in this new age now where nothing's getting done.

So who and what moves the needle and all of that? I'm hoping that at the other end of the things that there'll be some sort of a reckoning. Yes. Oh, one more thing I was going to say about the emancipation of kids. Yeah. And it's so hard because you hear like, oh, these parents

took the money. But there are laws to protect them. So then it's like Amanda tried to emancipate, Drew Barrymore emancipated, then Drake, you know, had his dad removed as his manager Drake Bell because the Brian Peck was like, I think he's taking money. And I thought about it too. He saddled up to his mom because the parents were divorced. And I'm just saying, you know, he was an out gay man. And I think he probably charmed the mom and was like, your ex doesn't know what the fuck he's doing.

This kid's gonna be a star. And so then the mom took over. And then he knew that the mom didn't wanna drive. Like it's very, very planned out. And I just saw this girl who was a correctional officer, and she's like, I was a correctional officer for many years, but when I would go to the unit, because they'd have to have their own unit for pedophiles,

she's like, they were the nicest, most polite, most charming, can I help you with anything? They were the most normal looking people. And so that is the warning. But then she would go and like look up what they did to get them in. And she was just horrified. The other people that were robbery and whatever, they're what you think they would be,

like, you know, crass and thug-like. Pedophiles are like, salt of the earth. Nicest guy in the world. And then when those letters happened, so the letters of what happened was when he was, you know, I think he, you know, he was convicted, but I think it was almost like, let's have everybody write letters so maybe he'll get less time.

Yes. Character letters. And there are a lot of other male actors that have done this. Not Leonardo DiCaprio, but Leonardo DiCaprio was someone that he was a coach for on set. Yes. Which is interesting because, you know, Leo's had a interesting love life and you never know what could happen to someone's childhood that could perpetuate them to have to be into younger women, whatever.

Not saying anything happened, but it's just an interesting correlation. He did not write this guy a letter, but these other people did. And, you know, only Joanna Kearns from Growing Pains has said, I am, you know, horrified. I didn't have all the information. I wrote this letter 15 years ago. But the letters that were highlighted in the special were like, he must have been tempted. Oh, yeah, that's how they framed it, like jail bait. Like he must have been tempted. And of course at this time they didn't, Drake Bell's identity was sealed at the time,

but they knew it was a child. So I'm like, and they knew, I think, I don't know if they knew it was a boy, but they knew it was a child. And I'm like, oh my God. And they all said it and they were all like actors and everything. And I don't begrudge some of them not making a statement today because like James Marsden

and stuff, because it's like, I get how this game is played. And if James Marsden just stays quiet about his letter, we probably won't be talking about this in two weeks. Right. But he could also say the same thing she said, like, my agent or manager told me to write that letter. But maybe not. Maybe he really did write it.

Or he could say, I had a great experience with him. Or maybe he's scared too. And he did it because he, I'm not saying he, or he knows something or whatever. But when Drake said the reason I didn't tell is because I was like, if all of a sudden I act like I don't want to see this guy anymore, they're going to wonder why and they're going to figure it out. And I'm so embarrassed.

I don't want anybody to know. Anyway, so I thought, you know, it's a very hard thing for parents, very hard position for parents to be in, you know, and hopefully that won't happen anymore either. I, yes, I'm sure it won't, by the way. I got the most lovely email from one of the moms of the kids that I directed the short, and she's like, oh, I'm sorry this happened to you. I think this was just when the trailer was out.

And she says, oh, I'm so sorry this happened to you, you know you you made the set so warm and welcoming and it was just it was very nice And I'm like, that's what I want that was worth it for me And I gal that and a show I ran was like you ran such a great room or whatever it was just to me of all the Like it's all been very I don don't wanna use the word triggering. Like I don't wanna make like, but it's been an emotional couple of days. But when in hearing those things and then like, oh good,

I took that bad experience and I made it into something, I learned from that. I learned how to not treat people and how to, you know, I mean, how do you not? Like, how does anyone come out of that and go like, oh, I can't be a dick. Right. But yeah.

Well, I have thoroughly enjoyed this. I think the show is very juicy. You can watch it on Macs or ID Network, quiet on set, it's four episodes. You're mostly in episode two or one? One. One. And, Christy, tell everybody where they can follow you and look for your stuff.

Great. I am on Insta, Christy Stratton. I'm on Twitter, but I don't really tweet. And I think I'm like, I don't even know where I am. Let's just stick with the Instagram. Let's just Instagram. And I have a short that is going gonna premiere at the Florida Film Festival, world premiere, and then I'm gonna be,

the short is called The Runt, and it is a proof of concept, I wanna make this movie. But I got into an LA festival in the summer that I can't say, like they don't, until they give all the invites, they don't want you to say, because they don't wanna, you know, whatever, but that's gonna be in LA in the summertime and so I'd love... Can you say what the

shorts about? Yes. Okay. Well the film is about... Just say what the film would be about. Well the Shoot the Duck is about a teen, a tween, and a single mom who all come of age one night in a roller rink in 1979 and the short is the the tween story. I just pulled her story and she has been labeled, she's a seventh grade starts on Monday and it's Friday and she has heard the eighth grade girls have picked her to be the runt. And the runt means what? Like the dork? Like the target? Right, like someone that they make like sit on an egg or like it's this ominous thing like you are the runt. And so she decides that if she's gonna skate with a boy

by the end of the night to prove that she's mature and doesn't deserve their derision. So it's her quest to try to skate with a boy by the end of the night is what the short is. I think I would love that because I was roller skating in the rinks in 1979 too. Yeah, there's not many roller skating things and it was popular in people's lives. Yeah.

Certain people, not everybody, but our generation. I love those little moments in time too and history and all that. Well, thank you so much. I loved catching up with you. Same, girl, same. Yeah. Bye.