Nickelodeon’s ‘Kids Pick the President’ results are in! Guess which candidate they chose?



Since 1988, Nickelodeon has been airing a special called “Kids Pick the President,” which features a mock election designed to engage the youth in the political process and determine the kids’ choice for president.

With the exception of 2004 and 2016, the children involved in the special have accurately predicted the presidential victors.

Well, this year’s results are in!

Dave Landau and the “Normal World” team discuss the kids’ verdict.


According to actual polling, “there’s no way [Trump] is not going to win,” says Dave.

Sadly, the kids disagree.

According to this year’s Nickelodeon election special, Harris received 52% of the vote while Trump received 48%. Let's hope the youngsters are as wrong about Trump this year as they were in 2016.

"It was still close,” says optimistic Angela Boggs.

“You know that somebody rigged it,” adds Dave skeptically.

Want more 'Normal World'?

To enjoy more whimsical satire, topical sketches, and comedic discussions from comedians Dave Landau and 1/4 Black Garrett, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

‘Quiet On Set’ Exposes How Pornography Inspired Abuse Of Nickelodeon Child Actors

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-17-at-2.33.16 PM-1200x675.png crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-17-at-2.33.16%5Cu202fPM-1200x675.png%22%7D" expand=1]The docuseries reveals a dark underbelly of abuse, grooming, pornography, and sexual assault in popular kids' TV shows of the '90s and 2000s.

People are saying Bill Maher's monologue rebuking pedophilia in Hollywood, gender identity politics might be his best takedown ever



Bill Maher delivered a scathing rebuke of the sexualization of children – whether it happens in Hollywood, at Disney, or during a drag queen storytime. The powerful monologue by the liberal talk show host is being heralded as his best takedown ever.

During this week's "New Rule" segment, Maher delved into the "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids" TV docuseries that explores the working conditions of child actors at Nickelodeon in the 1990s and 2000s. Producer Dan Schneider was accused of misconduct and placing children in sexualized scenes on television shows. Schneider has denied all of the allegations.

Maher prefaced his diatribe by admitting that he "doesn't like kids," but believes that it is "every adult's job to protect them."

After watching "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids," Maher noted, "Nickelodeon — it wasn’t a studio, it was Neverland Ranch with craft services."

"It is just scene after scene, clip after clip of the child stars of their day being subjected to obviously inappropriate, highly sexualized degradation,” Maher stated.

Maher said the docuseries is the "talk of the town" in Los Angeles because it not only exposed a "dangerous workplace," but also highlighted "hypocrisy."

Maher pointed out that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis accused Disney of promoting the sexualization of children due to the company's stance against parental rights in education legislation.

The "Real Time with Bill Maher" host said DeSantis was "dismissed as a hick and a bigot" for calling out Disney for the sexualization of children.

Maher asked, "But why would a kids’ content factory like Disney be all that different than the one at Nickelodeon?"

He cited a a 2014 report from CNN that found that at least 35 employees of Disney had been arrested for child sex crimes.

Maher spoke about former Disney child star Alyson Stoner – who "narrowly survived the toddler to trainwreck pipeline."

Maher added that former child star Cole Sprouse told the New York Times in 2022 that the Disney Channel heavily sexualized female actresses from an early age.

He highlighted how Brian Peck — who was convicted of sexually assaulting a Nickelodeon child actor in 2004 – was hired by Disney to work on a children’s show after serving his time in prison for child sex crimes.

"For pedophiles in Hollywood, it’s a small world after all," he said.

Maher then complimented Florida's Republican governor, "DeSantis wasn’t wrong. We’re so tribal now, the left will support child f***ing if the wrong party calls it out."

Earlier this month, DeSantis signed five bills into law enhancing criminal penalties for child-related sexual offenses and cracking down on online grooming of children.

Maher blasted Instagram moms who are "practically OnlyFans-ing" their young daughters to "build social stardom."

He then stated that drag queen storytime might not be the best thing for children.

"Not that there’s anything wrong with being a drag queen, but maybe it’s time to admit that sometimes drag queen story hour is more for the queen than the kids," he stated.

Maher brought up the time a Texas gay bar hosted a "Drag the Kids to Pride" event where drag queen dancers provocatively gyrated in front of children as young as toddlers. As Blaze News previously reported, "There are neon signs at the gay bar that read 'It's not gonna lick itself' and 'I licked it so it's mine.'"

He continued, “When I see a 5-year-old tipping at a bar under a sign that says 'It’s not going to lick itself,' do I have to pretend that’s cool in order to keep my liberal ID card? Sorry, I can’t do that."

Maher declared, "I've said it before, wokeness is not an extension of liberalism anymore. It’s more often taking something so far that it becomes the opposite."

He proclaimed, "At a certain point, inclusion becomes promotion. And contrary to current progressive dogma, children aren’t miniature adults wise beyond their years — they’re morons."

Maher asserted that children are “gullible" and only want to please grownups.

"That’s why endlessly talking about gender to 6-year-olds isn’t just inappropriate,” Maher added. "It's what the law would call ‘entrapment,’ which means enticing people into doing something they wouldn’t ordinarily do."

He pointed out that LGBTQ activists are pushing gender identity politics to children in school.

The host aired a clip of a Walt Disney Company executive producer boasting about implementing a "gay agenda" in children's content.

Maher's impactful monologue was applauded by conservatives, some saying it was his best diatribe ever.

BlazeTV host Steve Deace: "A week ago, Maher admitted abortion was murder and he was fine killing kids. A week later, he delivers one of the best takedowns of grooming kids ever seen."

Women's rights activist Riley Gaines: "'But at a certain point, inclusion becomes promotion.' One of the most powerful monologues we've seen. Watch as liberal media & progressives come after Bill Maher for daring to say this out loud."

Editor Curtis Houck: "Oh my goodness. Bill Maher has had some incredible final New Rules in recent years, but this might be his best and most important. A must listen and then one of those share with ten friends."

Gun advocate John R Lott Jr.: "Bill Maher correctly describes what is happening today with the sexualization of children as entrapment. This is a powerful discussion by Maher."

Country music singer John Rich: "Never thought I'd repost Bill Maher but this is worth watching. When a lifelong liberal is now calling out the perverse war on children, we are making some progress."

Tesla CEO Elon Musk: "Wow, Bill Maher hits the bullseye."

Legal expert Brett L. Tolman: "This is incredibly powerful. It took courage for Bill Maher to say what so many on the right have been warning about the 'woke' agenda and the harm to our children it is causing."

Radio host Chris Stigall: "Perhaps the most important monologue you’ll watch Bill Maher deliver."

Director Robby Starbuck: "This is the single most impactful, honest monologue Bill Maher has ever done. I give him a lot of credit because this is considered sacrilegious to talk about in his party now."

(WARNING: Explicit language)

New Rule: Quiet on Set | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) www.youtube.com

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former Nickelodeon star exposes the evil of the network in docu-series



By now, it’s common knowledge that Hollywood is rotten to its core with all forms of debauchery and degeneracy.

However, it’s likely even worse than you realize.

“If you're not familiar with ‘Quiet On Set,’ it's a docu-series that a lot of people are talking about right now,” says Lauren Chen.

The series covers the toxicity of popular children’s shows from the late '90s and early 2000s — specifically, those headed by Nickelodeon's Dan Schneider, who launched the careers of stars such as Drake Bell, Jamie Lynn Spears, Miranda Cosgrove, and Ariana Grande, among others.

The show covers “the unfair harassment and treatment of adult staffers” and the “sexual dog whistles sprinkled into these shows that ... were intended for children and were also acted out by child actors,” says Lauren.

However, she said, “The most egregious allegations that the documentary presents surround the idea that at least some of the child stars that Nickelodeon was promoting and featuring on their shows were actually abused and groomed by the producers and the writers, who were supposed to be helping them and guiding them through their career.”

One of those unfortunate actors was Amanda Bynes, “who has gone on to lead a very troubled and very turbulent adult life.”

While Bynes is not featured in the docu-series, there are nonetheless several disturbing incidents brought up, including “a newly resurfaced clip of Dan Schneider in a hot tub with a young tween Amanda.”

“But if the coverage of Amanda Bynes’ career is sad, what happened to Drake Bell is absolutely heartbreaking,” says Lauren.

Bell played a lead role on one of the network’s most popular shows, “Drake and Josh.”

The actor, who is interviewed in the series, reveals that he was “sexually assaulted and groomed by one of the people working at Nickelodeon” when he was 15 years old.

“Brian Peck, who Drake Bell talks about assaulting him, was actually convicted, so these aren't just allegations,” says Lauren. “This is a sentence that was handed to someone.”

However, Peck was only sentenced to “16 months in prison,” and what’s worse is that several Hollywood actors came out in support of him during the trial period.

Making matters worse, several of Peck’s supporters continued to work on the set of “Drake and Josh” even after Peck was sent to jail.

“I thought I got rid of the cancer,” said Bell. “I had no idea that for four years I was working alongside people who had supported him.”

“Just heinous stuff,” sighs Lauren, adding that Bell, like Amanda Bynes, has “gone on to do some terrible things himself,” including “continuing the cycle of abuse” that eventually led to “two years probation on child endangerment charges.”


Want more from Lauren Chen?

To enjoy more of Lauren’s pro-liberty, pro-logic, and pro-market commentary on social and political issues, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

FACT CHECK: Nickelodeon Logo Is Not The Same Shape As Epstein Island

A viral video shared on X purports the logo for children’s television channel Nickelodeon is the same shape as late financier Jeffrey Epstein’s Little St. James Island. Nickelodeon logo is the shape of Epstein Island? pic.twitter.com/didP2r4nxJ — Vision4theBlind (@Vision4theBlind) March 25, 2024 Verdict: False The claim is false. According to Roger.tv and AdWeek, Nickelodeon is […]
'It was wrong': Former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider apologizes for on-set behavior following new scathing docuseries

'It was wrong': Former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider apologizes for on-set behavior following new scathing docuseries



Former Nickelodeon writer and producer Dan Schneider conducted an interview during which he apologized for inappropriate jokes and behavior while working for the kid-centric network.

Schneider, who has long been accused of wrongdoing while writing "All That" and "The Amanda Show" starring actress Amanda Bynes, was of particular focus in the new documentary series "Quiet on Set."

The series focused on misconduct and mistreatment of children who acted on Nickelodeon shows. While multiple Nickelodeon employees were revealed in the show to have been charged with sex crimes related to children, Schneider's alleged crimes only amounted to workplace harassment and gender discrimination.

Former female writers accused Schneider of paying them less than men and asking them for massages. The producer responded to these allegations in an interview with former Nickelodeon actor Boogie, who was on the show "iCarly," a kid sitcom created by Schneider.

"It was wrong," Schneider said about the massages. "It was wrong that I ever put anybody in that position. It was the wrong thing to do. I’d never do it today. I'm embarrassed that I did it then. I apologize to anybody that I ever put in that situation. Additionally, I apologize to the people who were walking around video village, or wherever they happened, because there were lots of people there who witnessed it who also may have felt uncomfortable, so I owe them an apology as well."

As for the writers' salaries, two female staff members claimed they were forced to split a salary, with one saying her job was threatened when she complained to her union.

Schneider said he had "nothing to do with paying writers."

"I've never made a writer's deal, and of all the writers I've been in a writers' room with, I never even knew how much most of them were getting paid," he added.

Schneider also responded to allegations that jokes he put into his shows were too inappropriate for a children's program.

"All these jokes that you're speaking of that the show covered over the past two nights — every one of those jokes was written for a kid audience, because kids thought they were funny," Schneider explained. He also suggested cutting out scenes if people thought they were inappropriate.

"Now, we have some adults looking back at them 20 years later through their lens, and they're looking at them, and they’re saying, 'You know, I don’t think that's appropriate for a kids show.' I have no problem with that. If that's how anyone feels, let's cut those jokes out of the show, just like I would have done 20 years ago."

One scene that has been widely criticized on the internet starred popular actress and singer Ariana Grande. The scene from the show "Victorious" included the actress sucking on her own toe, attempting to "juice a potato," sticking a finger in her mouth, and pouring water on her face while she was upside down.

Grande was just 16 years old at the time, according to the Independent. Schneider did not directly address this scene.

Strangely, the day before Schneider's interview was released, one of his representatives spoke to Variety and took a different approach to the controversy.

"Everything that happened on the shows Dan ran was carefully scrutinized by dozens of involved adults, and approved by the network. If there was an actual problem with the scenes that some people, now years later are 'sexualizing,' they would be taken down, but they are not, they are aired constantly all over the world today still, enjoyed by both kids and parents," the unnamed person stated.

"Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" is available on HBO Max.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

'Boy Meets World' stars detail grooming and manipulation by guest-star convicted of child sex abuse

'Boy Meets World' stars detail grooming and manipulation by guest-star convicted of child sex abuse



Will Friedle and Rider Strong, along with "Boy Meets World" co-star Danielle Fishel, explained that they had a strange relationship with a former guest star on the show who was later convicted of sex offenses.

On the group's podcast "Pod Meets World," the trio discussed "the difficult subjects of grooming, childhood sexual abuse and their effects on victims," alongside a family therapist.

Friedle and Strong particularly recalled the relationship they had with actor Brian Peck ("X-Men," "Living Dead") who was convicted of sexually abusing a minor a few years after the ABC sitcom ended in 2004.

According to TMZ, Peck was accused of molesting an unidentified Nickelodeon child actor and took a plea deal to reduce his sentence, which ended up being a reported 16 months.

Friedle explained that he became close with Peck soon after joining the show. Friedle played Eric Matthews, with his real life age ranging between 16-23 years old during the course of the show's seven-year run.

"I didn’t really go to parties. I didn’t really do that stuff. But I was working a lot after ‘Boy Meets World,’ and this guy had so ingratiated himself into my life, I took him to three shows after 'Boy Meets World.'"

Strong, who played Shawn Hunter and was between 13-20 during the show, said he and Peck "hung out all the time," Variety reported, despite there being a near 20-year age difference.

Fishel, who was Topanga Lawrence on the show, did not spend as much time with Peck during her time as a 12-19-year-old actress.

"All the years of having stand-ins, no one ever, do I remember, regularly went to lunch with the cast members. But this person did and part of that’s because, when they arrived on set, they were extremely charming. They were very personable. They had a lot of jokes," she explained.

"They also, because of their many years of experience working in the entertainment industry, knew other, very successful, famous kids and young men and regularly talked about them."

Fishel also said that other adults refrained from questioning why the young actors were "going to lunch" or going to Strong's house "for a party" with Peck likely out of fear of appearing homophobic, due to Peck being gay.

"There was probably a part of them that didn’t say it because they were afraid it was going to be taken as homophobia, instead of, ‘This is a boundary, gay or not. This is a boundary about adults and kids,'" Fishel said. "I also think that’s important in the story of Rider and Will, about why he befriended the two of you so closely. And I did have lunch with him a couple of times, but only because someone else would invite me … He didn’t really make an effort to get to know me. He didn’t ingratiate himself as much into my life. I never heard from him again after the show ended," she added.

Peck also appeared in a 1999 episode of the show, when Friedle and Strong would have been adult-aged.

When Peck was accused in 2003, he reportedly called Friedle crying while "instantly spinning it to where it wasn’t his fault, it was clearly the fault of his victim," a 16-year-old male.

Feeling indebted to Peck after helping him get a movie role, Friedle agreed, along with Strong, to write letters to a judge in support of Peck.

"We’re sitting in that courtroom on the wrong side of everything … The victim’s mother turned and said, ‘Look at all the famous people you brought with you. And it doesn’t change what you did to my kid,'" Friedle recalled. "I just sat there wanting to die. It was like, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ It was horrifying all the way around."

Strong then detailed that he saw Peck years later at a party and finally realized he peddled "nonsense" by constantly referencing famous people who he thought "validate him and put him in a category of Hollywood royalty."

"He did that constantly when we were on the set of 'Boy Meets World' and I never saw it because it was so effortless. Here I was like at this party and I had to leave, I was so freaked the f*** out."

According to Variety, Friedle and Strong were contacted for a statement about Peck, likely for an upcoming docuseries called "Quiet on Set," investigating alleged abuse on Nickelodeon sets. Peck did not return the outlet's request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Young girl tips drag queen at pride event sponsored by Nickelodeon: 'Nobody’s scaring anybody, and it’s a beautiful thing'



A drag queen in women's lingerie performed a dance at a recent so-called family pride event in California, and at some point during the suggestive dance, a young girl well below the age of majority handed the drag queen a tip.

Last Friday, Burbank Pride of Burbank, California, hosted its first-ever Family Pride in the Park night, an event which featured many high-profile guests and drag queen performers. During the evening, one such drag performer held a fan as he pranced about to Lady Gaga's "A-Yo" in a lacy red crop top, high-waisted underwear, and thigh-high red stiletto boots.

According to a video shared on Twitter, at some point during the performance, a young girl with a long braid who looks no older than 10 ran up and handed the performer money. The dancer accepted the money with a brief smile and then tossed the bill to the side as the girl scampered away.

\u201cNothing like children tipping a drag queen at an event sponsored by @Nickelodeon. #burbankpride\u201d
— \ud83d\udc41 Inside The Classroom (@\ud83d\udc41 Inside The Classroom) 1664746113

It is unclear whether the dancer is one of the drag queens listed on many of the event advertisements: Ms. Knightley, Bohenne Arreaux, and Calla Faeria.

According to these same ads, the event also featured a "KIDS ZONE," though it is unclear what type of entertainment the "KIDS ZONE" offered.

Perhaps even more alarming is that the event, and indeed Burbank Pride in general, has been sponsored by Nickelodeon Animation Studios, a company ostensibly dedicated to telling "fun, playful, and sometimes quirky stories where kids can see themselves and laugh with [its] characters."

Nickelodeon did not respond to a request for comment.

Other sponsors and supporters of the event include the Trevor Project, Macy’s, Elevate Burbank and Linda Bessin, the Burbank Community YMCA, Warner Bros., Costco, Unique Vintage, Belmont Village Senior Living, the Colony Theatre, Senator Anthony Portantino, Isabel Omero, the Little White Chapel, Burbank Temple Emanu El, and Mocean.

Well-known "Big Bang Theory" actress and current "Jeopardy!" co-host Mayim Bialik, who claimed that she has been a member of the Burbank community for nearly her "entire life," also appeared at the event and addressed the audience.

"It’s a beautiful event, no matter how you identify or if you’re an ally," Bialik asserted. "I brought my kid, and we’re having a great time."

Omero, the chair of Burbank Pride Sponsorship, likewise argued that the event brought the Burbank community closer together.

"This was an opportunity to introduce the trans, LGBT community as a whole to Burbank as a whole," Omero said. “If you could get the two groups together – a lot of times people don’t know each other, they may not know their neighbor down the street – but now they can see who their neighbors are and that we can all be friends. Nobody’s scaring anybody, and it’s a beautiful thing."

To kick off the festivities, Isabella Meneses sang the national anthem. It is unknown whether anyone in attendance knelt during the performance.

A local high school drama club also made an appearance at the event, though how club members participated is unclear.

"Burbank is such a diverse community with a vibrant LGBTQIA+ population, and this is really the first time we are able to fully celebrate as a city," said Tracy Tabb, president of Burbank Pride.

"We hope this event will be the first of many more to come."

H/T: Not the Bee

Former Nickelodeon star Jenette McCurdy says children's cable network offered $300,000 in 'hush money' not to reveal offers of unwanted massages and underage alcohol



Former Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy claimed that the children's cable TV network offered her $300,000 in "hush money" so that she would not go public with damning accusations.

McCurdy was a Nickelodeon standout actress from 2007 until 2014 – when she was the star of the massively successful "iCarly" TV show and then "Sam & Cat." During that time, McCurdy said that she was the victim of an alleged abuser that she only refers to as "The Creator."

McCurdy asserted that "The Creator" pressured her to drink alcohol when she was only 18 years old.

In her upcoming memoir, McCurdy wrote that "The Creator" was "mean-spirited, controlling, and terrifying" and prone to make "grown men and women cry with his insults and degradation," according to Deadline.

McCurdy accused "The Creator" of giving unsolicited and inappropriate shoulder massages.

"My shoulders do have a lot of knots in them, but I don’t want The Creator to be the one rubbing them out," she wrote. "I want to say something, to tell him to stop, but I’m so scared of offending him."

She also claimed that she was "photographed in a bikini during a wardrobe fitting."

The childhood actress accused Nickelodeon of offering her $300,000 in "hush money."

When "Sam & Cat" was canceled, her agent informed her that Nickelodeon was "offering [her] $300,000, which she should "think of it like a thank-you gift."

She said one of her managers told her, "They're giving you $300,000 and the only thing they want you to do is never talk publicly about your experience at Nickelodeon."

McCurdy claimed that the "hush money" was "specifically related to The Creator."

The actress who played the character Sam Puckett on "iCarly" rejected the offer despite her team contending that it was "free money." McCurdy fired back, "No it's not. This isn’t free money. This feels to me like hush money…I’m not taking hush money."

"What the f**k? Nickelodeon is offering me $300,000 in hush money to not talk publicly about my experience on the show? My personal experience of The Creator’s abuse? This is a network with shows made for children,” McCurdy stated in her book. "Shouldn’t they have some sort of moral compass? Shouldn’t they at least try to report to some sort of ethical standard?"

"I lean back against the headboard of my bed and cross my legs out in front of me," she added. "I extend my arms behind my head and rest them there in a gesture of pride. Who else would have the moral strength? I just turned down $300,000."

Dan Schneider was the award-winning producer of "iCarly" and "Sam & Cat."

After 20 years, Nickelodeon and Schneider parted ways in 2018 despite him producing some of Nickelodeon's most beloved TV shows.

Deadline reported last year, "At the time, Nickelodeon was the highest-rated network on basic cable, and Schneider was the most successful producer in children’s television, with a resume that included the creation and production of such hit shows as 'iCarly,' 'Drake & Josh,' 'Victorious,' 'Kenan & Kel,' and 'Henry Danger.'"

The New York Times interviewed Schneider in 2021, and asked him about allegations that he sexualized child actors.

Schneider denied ever sexualizing child actors and called the accusations "ridiculous."

"The comedy was totally innocent," Schneider told the New York Times.

"I couldn’t, and I wouldn’t have the long-term friendships and continued loyalty from so many reputable people if I’d mistreated my actors of any age, especially minors," Schneider told the newspaper.

An investigation of workplace abuse allegations against Schneider by Nickelodeon's parent company, ViacomCBS, found that there was never any sexual misconduct.

In her new book, McCurdy also claimed that she was exploited – including by her own mother.

"My whole childhood and adolescence were very exploited," McCurdy told the New York Times. "There were cases where people had the best intentions and maybe didn’t know what they were doing. And also cases where they did — they knew exactly what they were doing."

McCurdy, 30, said that her mother "failed to protect her" when she was a child.

When McCurdy informed her mother that she was being exploited, Debra McCurdy allegedly replied that this "was the price of showbiz success."

"Everyone wants what you have," the mother allegedly told her daughter.

The Nickelodeon star had a tumultuous relationship with her mother. McCurdy's book is titled "I’m Glad My Mom Died."

Debra McCurdy died of breast cancer on Sept. 20, 2013.

'I HAVEN'T BEEN TO EUROPE': VP Harris Responds to Border Crisis | The News & Why It Matters | Ep 796

'I HAVEN'T BEEN TO EUROPE': VP Harris Responds to Border Crisis | The News & Why It Matters | Ep 796