Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of child abuse and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
Leon Frierson from Nickelodeon’s All That, who appeared in ID’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, recalled being cast as Nose Boy. According to Today.com, Frierson claimed he had to wear flesh-colored tights and underwear for the costume of the superhero character. His costume also included a large brown prosthetic nose on his face and shoulders that allegedly resembled male genitals.
Quiet on Set delves into allegations against one-time Nickelodeon producer and creator Dan Schneider. Several former child actors and crew members alleged that Schneider’s behavior on set was abusive and that he created a toxic environment. The docuseries also explores allegations of sexual assault against former dialogue coach Brian Peck and production assistant Jason Handy. Both Peck and Handy have registered as sex offenders following their convictions on sex crimes against children.
Investigation Discovery’s four-part series premiered on Sunday, March 17, 2024, in a two-night event. The docuseries will re-air on the network this Friday, March 22, starting at 10 p.m. ET. Besides Leon Frierson, other actors who participated in the doc are Drake Bell (Drake & Josh), Alexa Nikolas (Zoey 101), Bryan Hearne and Giovonnie Samuels (All That), and many more.
What did Leon Frierson reveal about his Nickelodeon experience in Quiet on Set?
According to UNILAD, rapper and former child actor Leon Frierson, now 37, revealed disturbing details about his Nickelodeon experience. Frierson was in All That from 1997 until 2000, between seasons 4 and 6.
However, specific sketches left Frierson feeling extremely uncomfortable. He said, “On All That, what really made me feel the most uncomfortable were the leotards. I was just a growing boy trying to fit into my body. He stated that he felt “exposed” because “it was just out there for everyone to kind of look at and judge me.”
Per the outlet, Leon Frierson talked about his experience playing the character of Nose Boy. He recalled, “One week we get a new script, there’s a character for me on All That named Nose Boy. Naturally, I’m in a superhero costume, which is just tights and underwear. What was different about this, they gave me a prosthetic nose, an enlarged nose.” He said they also “put this same nose on the costume.”
The former child actor further added, “You can’t help but notice that it looks like penis and testicles on my shoulders.” E! News stated that in one sketch, Nose Boy sneezed, and a white substance, seemingly a glob of snot, hit a girl in the face.
NBC News reported that Dan Schneider, who was head writer and executive producer on All That, played favorites per allegations. Leon Frierson said that while his experience was “uncomfortable,” nobody would complain to Schneider, per E! News.
Today.com further reported that Frierson said, “Frankly, it was just uncomfortable. But I always did my best to be a trooper, never complained. We knew being close to Dan could mean an extra level of success. It was important to be on his good side, and he made it known who was on his good side.”
In an email to NBC News, Frierson wrote that he hopes the audience view those who spoke out in Quiet on Set as “brave souls.” He claimed that they were “willing to forgo their career aspirations and industry favor to tell the truth.”
Leon Frierson further said, “Our industry’s child stars are endangered and our advocacy is an attempt to preserve the physical and mental health of all those involved.” Additionally, the rapper believes his participation in the ID docuseries “is not an indictment on Nickelodeon.” He says, “It’s an indictment on immoral people that prey on children.”
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV will re-air on ID this Friday, March 22, 2024.
