Just Trish - Alexa Nikolas on QUIET ON SET Fallout, T-Shirt Controversy & Dan Schneider

Episode Date: April 4, 2024

🚨 CW: This interview contains discussions about SA and child exploitation. Former 'Zoey 101' star Alexa Nikolas continues to speak out about her trauma as a child actor following the immense fallout from 'Quiet On Set'. After the Nickelodeon exposé shed light on the abusive and predatory world of Dan Schneider, Alexa further details his explosive behavior on set... and how he asked his young stars for feet pics. Plus, the activist reacts to backlash she received after releasing her "Sickelodeon" shirts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey guys, welcome back to the Jess Trish podcast. Today we just have a lot to cover. It's very, very popular, very polarizing, but just a sweetheart overall so far. I mean, we just met, but today we have on Alexa Nicholas. Hello. You said it right. I know.

Some people say Nichols and I'm like, close. Wait, I've been saying Nichols too. Why is that? I don't know. I think because of the K throws people off because usually Nicholas is CH. Okay. That's why I double checked. I was like, I always been calling you Alexa Nichols. No, it's okay. Don't worry. Everyone's been calling me that way. Totally okay. Yeah. There's a lot, a lot happening for like 20 years. This is crazy. I didn't even know how to do the

introduction. I'm like, do we say former child star? Do we say Zoe 101? Do we say activist? You can see all of it. I guess I'm all of it. At this point, I feel like I'm all of it. I've really had quite the journey. I feel like there's been different now phases of my life, which I'm growing to like that more and more, but it's been a lot of jumps through time. Okay. Yeah. We need to go through all those jumps. I don't know. There's so, there's so much. And like, for me, this is all new. I didn't know this was a thing. Quiet Onset obviously brought all this out for me. But you've been doing this for how many years you've been talking about it? Well, I came forward specifically about Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon in 2019. And I was also kind of hinting at it in 2018. And then I did a

live on my Instagram kind of in response to the Zoe 101 reunion where I wasn't invited, which was okay. I'm kind of used to that. But I realized that Dan Schneider was there. And then I was like, oh, I would definitely wouldn't have gone anyways because Dan Schneider, like I have not good experiences with Dan Schneider. And so I decided to go live on my Instagram to kind of say a lot of what I experienced on the set. And that was my first, I don't even know what to call it, I guess like not expose, but just kind of telling the truth about what happened to me as a child star. And then with E! Predators, though, that happened, you know, in 2022. So many years later.

Wow. So that's actually somewhat recent, though. 2019 is like pretty recent. It is. Was the reunion, it wasn't like the though. 2019 is, like, pretty recent. It is. Was the reunion, it wasn't, like, the reboot. It was just, like, the cast coming together to talk about it? I see it as, like, Dan Schneider trying to be part of a reboot and get his career back after, obviously, Nickelodeon booting him in, what was it, 2017? Yeah.

So after that happened, so you weren't invited back but you weren't vocal about it at the time so why don't you think you were invited back I left the show because of the toxic work environment and so I was bullied for the entire um every season of zoe 101 I was severely bullied and Dan Schneider was also one of my bullies. I go into I mean, we can start at many different there's so much to cover. So much. There's so much but he ended up, you know, making me cry, you know, in a in a room with all of these Nickelodeon executives at Nick on Sunset. And after that, you know, I was like, I don't want to ever go back there. And so we called Nickelodeon and my mom basically advocated for me saying, you know, after everything that's happened, if you don't let my daughter go, like, you know, we're going to sue you basically.

So they knew it ended poorly. It ended poorly. And I'll never forget, they called, my agents called my mom and we were eating pizza. And she got off the phone and she turned to me and said they released you and it was such a sad moment for me because I did want to be on the show minus the toxic work environment yeah and so sad and also kind of a relief at the same time and then she said they also said that you were banned from the kids choice awards that is wild. Why is that?

Because you had that power. They punished me. I think they – it was like punishment for advocating for myself and wanting to leave the network. They don't want you to end up mingling with people that are still within the company because they don't want anyone to find out what actually happened. So most of the time when it comes to survivors of anything, they want to isolate them away from people that are so close to the predatory behavior so that people don't know what's actually happening. And so I heard that they told people that I was fired. Most people thought I was fired from Zoey 101. Where did you hear that from? Other Nickelodeon stars. So I would go to parties when I was a teenager and people would be like, oh, wow. So you got fired from, you know, Nickelodeon. I'd be like, I didn't get fired from Nickelodeon. Like

I left Nickelodeon because of, yeah. And they were telling different, even different shows that weren't Dan Schneider shows. Nickelodeon was saying that I got fired. That is so wild. What a weird cover up. That's crazy. And at the time, none of this was out about Dan Schneider, right? So you thought, did you think you were like the only person that was dealing with this?

I definitely thought I was the only person. Like I really thought I was the only person because no one else stood up for me during that time. No one honestly said anything. No one even said they had their own personal experiences with him. So I thought, oh, wow, like, I'm just, this is what happened just to me. Okay, so let's go back. So what age do you start acting?

I know, let's go back. You're actually, but I'm like, my nerves. No, you're actually, the way you like talk about this is actually amazing how like strong you are talking about it. Cause it's a lot, like that's a lot. And for being so young. So you start Zoe 101 at what age? I started Zoe 101 at 12 years old. Okay. And you're already acting. You're already like. I was already acting. I started acting when I was three and I was in Chicago, Illinois. And then I moved out to Los Angeles when I was six years old for pilot season. It used to be called pilot season, which was like all the shows that are just

starting to come out. And so I moved out to Los Angeles and then I worked like consistently. I did 75 commercials by the time I was 12 and I was like the peak of a child's career yeah because usually the auditions you're going out for as a child is like someone's kid or it's a little mini guest star you're not getting that much screen time and for someone who really likes acting for example you want as much as many lines as possible, you know? So Nickelodeon and Disney was the place for kid stars because they gave them the biggest platform to have fun, honestly. And so when I auditioned for Zoe 101, I was like, you know, I was literally, I was Christian at the time. I was like, I was raised super religious kind of. Um, and I was literally on my knees, like, God, please,

like, this is a dream. Like like I and I loved Britney Spears also and so I was like this is Jamie Lynn Spears show you knew you knew her yes okay I didn't know Jamie but I knew Britney right and my mom was like this is Britney Spears little sister yeah it's huge oh my god I was like this would be such a dream come true wow yeah so you were like so excited about it I was I was really excited about it okay so you like how fast does it turn you like you're on the first season first episode like you're in the first two seasons were you two seasons yeah so how quickly does it turn like right away she's just like i don't like you or how does this literally the first day wait what i'm not kidding so when

i was younger i was kind of very much like my character Nicole. I was very bubbly. And all I wanted was like friends. And so when I met Jamie at Nick on Sunset, funny enough, this is like a strange note. Like I literally just started like my menstrual cycle. And I was like in the most like, I don't know, like I was just feeling like, oh, this is going to be the beginning of my teen of my teen years and this is so exciting to meet like a fellow teenagers because I was homeschooled oh and so I was like this is gonna be so exciting like this is gonna be like high school but I guess a set version of that like funner yeah happier yeah yeah I was so I was just like genuinely excited and I just remember like you know going up to her and just being like I'm so excited to be a part of this and she just did not want anything to honestly do with me it was just like a cold uh stone face

response right and I went oh and when you're a kid also you you always think it's you you know so you're not thinking like oh this person this person's mean. You're just thinking, oh, maybe I said too much or like, maybe I was too, like you're trying to figure out what you did wrong. Yeah. Why they don't like you. Yes. And so I just remember going, oh, maybe it's because she's Britney Spears' sister. And I'm sure so many people, you know, want to be around her for that specific reason. And I don't want her to think that. Like, I'm actually just genuinely excited to just be a part of this. Yeah. And you're a coworker. You're not even like a fan or anything. You're like, I'm just here. And we're going to be best friends in the show. Like you want to be friends also, you know, off screen. And so I didn't really understand it. I thought maybe it

was a mixture of her being a sister, Brittany, and then also, you know, her maybe being shy. Right. And so I tried to like dial it back kind kind of it was more just me trying to figure out what she wanted from me and that was kind of the beginning and also just kind of the trajectory of my engagement with her was just constantly walking on eggshells basically essentially there was never like a time where it was kind of okay it was just constantly like she's just ignoring you or what is it and then she would ignore me and then it started to escalate into full-on bullying where there was a girl who was actually a character that did not like nicole and her name was dana and she she was Zoe's you know we were all roommates together and she was a lot older than us I think she was like three to four years older than me and she didn't

necessarily like I guess my energy either they were like just like very cool you know and I maybe wasn't like that I was just like I want to be friends and I want to have sleepovers. And that was not them. And so then that's when they started getting very clicky. Yeah. Where it was them having sleepovers and not inviting me. And then they would talk about the sleepovers, you know. Oh my God, that's so weird. It was very strange.

That's the most, it's so odd, especially on a show. I mean, obviously I've never been on one, but it seems like all the other cast had like bonded at some point, you know, when you hear about it. So it's kind of odd, especially because you were one of like the cool especially on a show. I mean, obviously I've never been on one, but it seems like all the other cast had like bonded at some point, you know, when you hear about it. It's just kind of odd, especially because you were one of like the cool girls on the show. You were like their roommate, their friend. Yes. And I didn't feel like it. It was like the complete opposite, you know, behind the scenes.

And it started with just like not inviting me. Yeah. And then kind of showing that off that they weren't inviting me. And then it would be them like having lunch together in the trailer and not including me. Yeah. And then kind of showing that off that they weren't inviting me. And then it would be them like having lunch together in the trailer and not including me. And so then I would be like, you know, with the rest of the cast,

which was fine, but it was just so obvious that I was not welcomed or, or liked. And then they would, then it got into like, Jamie literally asked me why I smile all the time and asking me if I'm an alien. Oh, what? Yeah. What does that come? Just like meanly just being like, literally asking me why I smile all the time and asking me if I'm an alien.

What? What does that come? Just like meanly just being like, why are you smiling? Yeah. Why do you smile all the time? Like, are you an alien? And are you just like apologetic? Are you just like, I'm so sorry? Uh-huh.

Just like not. And I'm like, maybe I smile too much. Oh, my God. Just constantly crying. Like I would go to my mom in the trailer and just be like so upset. Like, why do I smile so much? You know, and it was and it was also in plain sight, like around all the cast members. And then, you know, fast forward, that was kind of it was getting worse and worse.

And then there was one point where we had an episode where we were at the beach and there was like this huge boulder in Malibu. And me and the Dana character had to be like behind the rock and run out. And I'll never forget it. I like went to go in front of her to like go run and she pushed me into the rock. And I was just like crying. And then I ran to my mom and, you know, because at that point it got physical and I was scared. I didn't want to be alone. I was like, I don't want to be alone with this person. And so, you know, because at that point it got physical. Yeah. And I was scared. And people are seeing it. I didn't want to be alone. Yeah. I was like, I don't want to be alone with this person. Oh, my gosh.

And so, you know, long story short, they end up letting her go. They end up removing her from the show. Oh, they saw it. They noticed it. Oh, yes. It was every day. Wow. And they can't obviously remove Jamie.

Right. So they thought, okay, we can remove this person and maybe hopefully that gets Jamie to stop behaving like this. Yeah. And I think they were also hoping that it was maybe her instigating it. You know what I mean? Sure. She's older.

Correct. Yeah. But that wasn't the case. So then they had to get a new roommate for the show. And, you know, I'll never forget this. They were testing all these girls to play the role of Lola on Zoey 101. And there was a network, like basically you do testing right before you get the role. And it's basically you going in front of all of like the main execs at the network. And they make the final decision. And you've already done your contract at that point,

you have lawyers involved, and it's just like the final decision. And you've already done your contract at that point. You have lawyers involved. And it's just like the final decision. And I got a call from Nickelodeon saying, you know, we would like to have Alexa come and read the lines with these actresses because of my experience. We want Alexa's input, who she feels the most comfortable with. So I'm like, oh, wow, this is really nice of them. And I'm like, oh, wow, this is really nice of them. And I'm like, yes, I'll go. And the day of, my mom gets a phone call from my uncle, my Uncle Michael, and he calls her and goes, there's a girl who is going to be testing. And I dated her mom when I was in college. And she just called me and let me know that she's going to be there.

And now when I look back and I'm like, okay, wait a minute. It's like nepotism. Totally. It's like, wait, what's going on here and I'm like, okay, wait a minute. It's like nepotism. Totally. It's like, wait, what's going on here? I'm like, how often do you even talk to her? Yeah, that's weird. Really weird. Like she literally called him to let him know, to let me know. So before showing up there, I'm thinking, oh, one of these girls, like mom dated my uncle, you know, So long ago. So long ago. And I'm like, as a kid a kid you know you don't even know what that means

really you're like okay I'm gonna like at least pay attention to this person um it's like a family friend you know right weird strange family so far removed college and so I remember going to Nick on Sunset and there was all these different girls and I went to the executive room and I started reading you know the lines with with each person who was auditioning for Lola. And then Victoria Justice comes in and she was just so nice to me. You know, like out of all the girls that came in, she like really took time to go like, my uncle, I mean, your uncle and my mom and the whole thing. And I'm like, oh my God, she's so sweet. And it made me feel so good to have somebody like pay attention to me when it came to the show. And so I read the lines with her and I also thought she was great. And when she left the room, she was, I think the last one.

And they all asked me like, who did you feel the most comfortable with? And I said, Victoria Justice. Wow. And they said, okay. And you know, the next day I got a call that she was hired. Wow. That's amazing. So they like really valued you as like a cast member. They did. Wow. They did. They did. They didn't never do anything about the bullying that happened on set, but at the end they did let me know like, this gone too far and like we want your input yeah we want you to be a part of this that's amazing which then went into season two and then me and victoria justice were like best friends we like drove to set together her mom would um like put on billy what's what's his name who has a daughter named alexa oh uh billy joel right yeah billy joel cds and like we'd be in the van and like carpooling and i would go with victoria like you know it's a set

and we were best friends and it was like a dream actually the other co-stars were still jamie never talked to me okay jamie stayed completely isolated never spoke to me whatsoever. But now I had this friend. And so it made me feel okay. And I felt like I was actually having fun for the first time. But then towards the end, just one day, it was right before the cutoff of the second season into the third season. And I walked into the makeup trailer and Victoria Justice, Jamie was sitting in the makeup chair and Victoria Justice was leaning over her and I walked in and they all like turned at me and was laughing. Did you know

what it was about? Not at all. I actually still have, to this day, I don't know what it was about. And I went, oh my God, that's my best friend. And now for some reason, her and Jamie are having some type of connection, but like it was really out of the blue for the most part. I'm like, where is this coming from? So I went all the way to the other side of the trailer to get my hair done. And they were just laughing over there together. I couldn't believe it. I was like, wow, it's happening, honestly, all over again.

I have no idea why. You know, and you're like, it's so weird. Yeah. No idea. For no reason. No. You guys are doing good in the scenes together. It looks and you're like it's so weird yeah no for no reason no you guys are doing good in scenes together it looks like your friends correct and you're like wow why can't we also all be friends like that's something i never understood was even with the girl who played dana it's like why why is this all split into like parts like why can't we all just be friendly to

one another i don't get it and your actor is like act like you like each other true that like you can act on screen like just be polite just be like cordial too like I didn't get that like that's weird no so odd so odd and so it really started to escalate those last few weeks with them and then it became the same thing all over again where they started all having lunch even with Jamie just in the trailer and then I just had to go sit alone for my trailer yeah so it's like it just happened deja vu wow it was pretty heartbreaking because I was like okay well that then you start to think like really what's wrong with you you know You're like, this is so bizarre. Yeah. That what am I doing that's wrong? Even like, am I just too nice? Do I not talk to people? So then I tried to like silence myself. And it was just a horrible environment. And then, you know, close to the last episode, we were in Malibu,

and it was like a whole Malibu mansion episode. And we were like by the water and they just started to like physically bully me like there was you know water guns and they were just spraying me and laughing and it was all on set then it there's actually footage of this where you know Aaron Sanders who plays Quinn like literally hits me and they put it in the in the show you can see me get hit and you see me react oh yeah it's horrible is that what was the scene what was even the setup that i would have got victoria justice and her are supposed to not they weren't supposed to but we're supposed to be celebrating like jumping up and down that we won okay and aaron goes to hug victoria and they start jumping up and down you see aaron go

like that right to me on purpose whoa and. And they put it in the edit. You're like, that's wild. That's like the craziest thing. And it actually went viral recently because I never even knew that that got put in. Oh, my God. And I'm watching it and I'm like, there it is. You know when you're older and you remember like your just bullying experience? And then you're seeing it on screen.

You're like, that was it. Yeah. And you're like, oh, wow. And they put it, Nickelodeon. I mean, Nickelodeon's in a lot of mess up. You know, that's the least of them. Yeah. But, you know, you're like, wow, they put that in, you know, and at least it validated

honestly a lot of my experience. For sure. And it just kind of escalated, escalated. And then the last day was really the peak of everything. And it was kind of, it was all over in the sense where I felt so isolated. No one was really talking to me per se. And I was in the trailer a lot of the time. And Ian, who was a talent coordinator, and his job is basically to take you to and from set or take you from the trailer to make up and make up back. And he's like the legal guardian during like the time that he's, you know, he has like restrictions, like he has to tell your parent exactly where he's taking you and then bring you back.

And so he would, you know, knock on the door and he knocked on the door and he said, hey, I'm going to bring Alexa to makeup and hair for touch-ups. I like touch-ups at like 13 years old. It's hilarious. But he's like, touch-ups, you know? And you're like, okay. And I remember I was walking with him. And then at some point, like between all these different trailers, he turns to me and says, Jamie and Brittany want

to talk to you in the trailer. I'm going to take you there. What's better than a well-marbled ribeye sizzling on the barbecue? A well-marbled ribeye sizzling on the barbecue that was carefully selected by an Instacart shopper and delivered to your door. A well-marbled ribeye you ordered without even leaving the kiddie pool. Whatever groceries your summer calls for, Instacart has you covered. Download the Instacart app and enjoy $0 delivery fees on your first three orders. Service fees, exclusions, and terms apply.

Instacart, groceries that over-deliver. Are you excited or are you nervous? I'd be like, oh my God, Brittany. Yeah, I would. She's like an adult and you're excited. You're like, okay. Yeah, I was like, wait. You know, it was like kind of confusion because I went, oh. I was like, oh my God, Brittany. She's like an adult and you're excited. You're like, okay. Yeah, I was like, wait.

You know, it was like kind of confusion because I went, oh. I was like, oh. Half a second thought was like, oh, maybe Brittany's going to like mediate. Yeah, yeah, right. Like finally step in and be like, you guys should be. Because I thought of Brittany as like, and I met Brittany so many times on set. And I was like, she was always so nice. Oh, so you knew her. I already knew her.

She visited often. Okay. And so I was like, oh, Brittany's going to maybe save the day because she was a hero of mine when I was younger. Yeah. So I couldn't imagine her doing anything other than that. And so I'm like, oh, Brittany wants to step in. Finally, someone's stepping in, too. For sure.

So I'm like, this is awesome. And so I went, okay. And he brings me to Jamie's trailer. And I'll never forget it. He knocked and I went, okay. And he brings me to Jamie's trailer and I'll never forget it. He knocked and I, and I opened the door and like the door, you know, like opens this way. And I remember like, you know, closing it. And I realized that he was no longer there. He just left you. He just left me there.

And I see Jamie just run to the back of the trailer. And I was like, this is weird. Oh my God. And I'm like, oh, maybe she's like embarrassed. Like maybe she doesn't want to have the convo, you know, you're not thinking like this is going to go bad. The confrontation. Right. Like,

oh, I'm just scared. We're all young too. Yeah. Like 13. That's what's crazy about this whole thing. So young. Yeah.

And so I step in and you know, the, the whole thing happens where the door gets locked and Brittany just starts yelling at me and she was like nine months pregnant at the time. Oh my gosh. And I just I remember just like like stepping backwards and sitting because I couldn't even believe

that Britney Spears was like hated me. What is she saying? What is she just right off the bat? Yeah like why are you bullying my sister? And I'm going, bullying? It was the other way around. And I'm like, oh my God.

And she's like rubbing her belly and yelling at me. And then she was like, you know, basically I'm going to make sure you don't work again, she said. She said it to you? Yes. Oh my gosh. She's like, you're not going to work again. Like you're not going to treat my sister like this.

And I'm going, I've never even heard that before. That was the first time I heard the reversal of the roles, you know? Yikes. And what do you do? It's her sister. Like, she didn't believe her sister. Of course. And also, it's Britney Spears.

Oh my God. There's, I am not going to talk back to Britney Spears. Yeah. And especially when I was that little. I was just like looking at her and it was the biggest devastation because I already was trying to figure out what it was about myself that these couple people did not like. And then it was Britney Spears. And at that time, like the epitome of everything entertainment industry. Yeah.

And like literally I stood in line, you know, when I was six years old to buy her first album. And, you know, you're just like, wow. And so I remember just I couldn't it was like tunnel vision I just remember getting up and like trying to find my way to the door and that's when I realized it was locked honestly because I it was a little red thing was locked and I'm like hitting the thing and I'm crying and I like open it and I just puke you know oh my gosh I just puked I was so that was that freaked out no one's around the town coordinator is not around no one's there for me and I just puke you know oh my god I just puked I was so I was that freaked out no one's around the town coordinator is not around no one's there for me and I'm like running through all of the trailers to get to my mom and I open the door and I go right to the bathroom and I'm literally like

holding the toilet like you know throwing up yeah and my mom's now you have to know from a mom's perspective and you're a mom like your kid comes running in like that. You don't know what happened. You just got told they went to makeup and hair. What happened? In between that time, yeah. What happened? And so I just remember crying.

My mom's screaming, just going, tell me what's wrong because she's probably thinking the worst things. Yeah, because she's aware of your bullying and stuff at this point. She doesn't know what happened. Yeah. And her mind's going in a whole bunch of – and I couldn't speak. Nothing came out. I couldn't tell her. I remember trying and I couldn't say anything.

Oh, my gosh. And then my mom like opens the trailer. I just remember and she's like screaming like come – you know, my daughter, my daughter. And the set teacher's nowhere to be found and you know and so eventually of course Dan Schneider shows up okay so he hears your mom screaming he's the first to come he's like no these two executives are the first to come from Nickelodeon that were in town from New York and then Dan Schneider comes what's he say oh my god he literally walks in and I'll never forget this.

I've said this a million times, but he walks in. I'm on the floor in the bathroom, and he just looks at me. He has his glasses. He puts them down at me, and he goes, what now? Oh, my God. Oh, my God. So then I'm like, jeez. I mean, as a kid, you're just processing you're like well

i'm the worst everyone is annoyed by me yeah and oh god no one's advocating for me really and so i just remember finally telling them you know like britney spear like ian brought me into the trailer and brittany at me. That's all I can kind of like remember mustering up basically. And he just looked at me and went, and he stepped out and there was like, we were all just like there going, where is he going? He comes back with a box that, do you remember those like portable DVD players? Yes. With the screen? Oh yeah.

He literally comes back and he goes, here. Like, you feel better? Oh, like a gift? Yes. He the screen? Oh, yeah. He literally comes back and he goes, here. Like, you feel better? Oh, like a gift? Yes. He's kind of like, okay. And I'm like,

looking at this DVD player, like... Wait, what? Has he ever done that before? Try to like bribe you to get... That's so odd. No.

It was just like... And it was the wrap gift. So everyone was already getting that, I guess, at the end of the day. Okay. But he gave it to me early because I was so upset.

He just thought that's how... Does he have children? No. Okay. And so I was like, I just think that's of the day. Okay. But he gave it to me early because I was so upset. He just thought that's how – does he have children? No. Okay. So I was like, do you think that's how you calm someone down? He's like, here's a DVD player. Right. He has – but maybe that's also why he does it. Yeah.

You're like, ah. It's probably good he does it. Yes. That's wild. It was really weird. Oh, my gosh. And I just remember going, thank you. And he goes, you have to go back on set.

Like, I know what's – like, this thing's happening, but you have to go on set set like I know what's happening like this thing's happening but you have to go on set this is the last scene of the day and my mom went no she's not and then I stood up and I was like no it's okay like because I was so worried being the problem yeah that I was like it's okay okay I can go and they were like well you have to go they reminded me like you're you have to go. Wow. So they touched me up for another 20 minutes because I was so, you know, crying for so long and throwing up. And then I went on set to film the last scene, which was the last scene I ever filmed on Zoey 101. And afterwards, they said, we'll meet with you at Nick on Sunset in a few days. And we'll have like a conversation about

everything that happened you're like okay yeah at least that yeah i guess it's good it was like a final scene it's not gonna do the rest of the season or something god yeah it all happened so weird yeah the timing the timing of it it just happened to be the last day of the second season so then maybe they're trying to push you out you think maybe that was like her trying to intimidate you like yes a little bit that's so that's as I like think about it more and more as I'm getting older the specifically the Victoria like vibe when I look back at it was very much pushing me like pushing me out of there because I do think that sadly especially in the industry everyone's taught to compete with one another.

Like everyone's competition instead of thinking about how there's enough space for everyone to do something. I did feel that a little bit towards the end. And now looking back at it, it was like, wow, it was very convenient that the last week of the second season you just turn on me. Yeah, you get yelled at by pretty serious Victoria Justice turns on you. Like, that's odd. And your mom dated my uncle. Like, how could you do this to me? Like, call your mom.

Right, call your mom. Call your uncle. Like, that was so weird that you told me that before. And then at the end, this happened. You know, it's very peculiar looking back at it. You're like, how much of that was kind of intentional? And how much was it maybe just not? Like, I have no idea, but it is weird timing. Wow.

So, okay. And then you talk about Dan Schneider also abusing you on set. Is this like verbally or physically? Okay. Never like pushing or anything? No, he never pushed me. He was just very, I never knew what version of Dan Schneider I was going to get on set. And sometimes he was nice. And then sometimes he was just mean,

like, you know, very snappy, very like not impressed by you, like walk past you, not say hello to you, just like, just not a nice person. So you just always felt a little bit, I did at least, I always felt a little bit uncomfortable showing up on set whenever he came on set because he would always be like, most of the time I noticed him not in a good mood. And I noticed him, I mean, there's a few things that were very uncomfortable was, I saw him do very inappropriate behavior on set. I saw him, you know, going around and trying to take photos of kids feet and as a child you were like this is weird I didn't think it was well he was walking around with dollar bills that's what I remember and he was telling the kids you know come out take photos

of your feet and and and give you a dollar like it was like some funny like hopes like thing and I remember my mom going no she didn't tell why she's just like no she doesn't know yeah yeah i don't take the dumb i think she was also morgan so like don't take money from him like she thought it was weird like don't take a dollar bill from him and he tried oh yeah with you oh he tried with all of them all of us and when he's coming up he's like let me take a picture of you i'll give you a dollar little digital camera and some of them did yeah i guess it's a child you don't think anything of it don't you're like feet like funny like right not like funny but you're like i think that's what's scary about the feet thing is when you're a child

you're taught what is private and it's usually things that you have to put clothes on all the time right you're not taught that something that is exposed can be seen to someone. Like a fetish thing is not, you don't process that as a kid. No one teaches you what that is. It's just the basics. Like don't let anyone do X, Y, and Z basically. Right. And so what's dangerous about him is that it was something that a child wouldn't necessarily pick up on. You would have to be an adult to understand that. Yeah. So it was like, oh, feet.

You know, if he was going around asking for something else, we'd all go, whoa. Yeah. And you're fired, you know. But that, like, makes it complicated. And so I just remember my mom not letting me. And then, you know, I just remember him being in trailers for my wardrobe fittings and watching me spin around in short skirts and him saying what skirts I was going to wear that episode and having to wear biker shorts underneath them because in case my butt shows.

He said that. Yeah. Well, the wardrobe, like he would pick the skirts. They would go shopping because that's what wardrobe like does. Yeah. Go shopping. He would pick the skirts. They would go shopping because that's what wardrobe does. They would go shopping and he would probably tell them, usually like, oh, this is the kind of vibe of the character. She would go shopping and it would be all different kinds of things.

Pants, dresses, not all skirts. But he would regularly pick the skirts. And they were so short that I was required to wear biker shorts underneath. Just in case. But the biker shorts were too long, so they had to cut them. Oh, my gosh. Were you like – did you do the fingertip rule where it was like – Yes, that's exactly – that's literally it. Is it touching?

It was like that. And you were like, oh, there's this much that they would cut them, but then they wouldn't seam them, so they would just roll all day. Oh, my gosh. So I was always – like all I remember on roll oh my gosh so I was always like all I remember on set a lot of the time was going like this to pull down these biker shorts now you look back and you're like that is inappropriate why am I having to wear what and also at least seam these things yeah right so it stays down yeah so I'm not having to sit there uncomfortably like

it's humiliating almost as a kid kid, you're just. And uncomfortable and just like how you're acting on top of that. Are you the only, are you the one wearing, because your character was somewhat, like you said, it was like for the guys,

the guys, the male gaze. So are you the one wearing the shortest skirts and the tightest shirts? Definitely. And like the lines, like the chesty one that was in the quiet on set,

like did you know at the time or did your mom, were you like, this is kind of weird or I'm uncomfortable or you just don't think about it because you're acting? Didn't even think about it because I also think that's what's really dangerous about being a child star is that you're taught that there is a big difference between pretend and reality.

And when you're on set, this is pretend. And then when it says cut it's reality and so no matter what you're doing in the pretend land doesn't really feel alarming because let's be honest like during that time of being on zoe 101 i was also auditioning for girls that were uh survivors like i was auditioning you know to catch a predator and CSI Miami you know these these roles sadly the industry especially those like CSI uh all of those CSI shows a lot of those roles were pretty intense situations they would put the kids in you know like the moms either um you know an addict or you know and so you're in already this pretend world that's wild that's dark yeah i even remember

when i was 14 i i was going out for you know um like sex workers you know like in movies i feel like that wasn't allowed remember after jodie foster to tax driver i thought you had to be like 18 to zip up pants and stuff like that or it's just no you i mean maybe to zip up the pants but you can still play like a girl and you had a sneak for those roles that's yes and dress like that i would have to be like you know it would tell me like what she looked like and you would dress like that for the audition so i have i have photos of me still to stay like with a you know my belly button showing and like a short skirt and a belt and going for um a sex worker. I mean, they have. At 14.

That's wild because they have people who are 18 to look younger, right? Like it's like Winona Ryder was 18 when she did the sex scenes with Dennis Quaid for Jerry Lewis. It's like she played a 13 year old, but she was 18. Like it's weird. They don't have that law. Like how can you play a sex worker at 14? As long as you're not doing a sex scene. So if you're just playing her and she's like let's say the detective comes you

know in the scene like you know he shows up and he's like investigate you know um interrogating you but you're in sexual situations are you saying sexual lines yeah they'll probably like reference it and then you're talking about someone who stole your money or something you know like it really depends what the but it's still on the you're's so extreme regardless that, you know, you're so taught that there's this pretend land that's set life. And when they say action, you're there. And then when they say cut, you're out of there. And so for me, when I look back at the Chesty line, I didn't even process any of it because it was pretend land. And you just don't even think

anything is weird in pretend land almost it's so hard to describe which is why it's dangerous right and you're going through puberty so are you just like totally comfortable with wearing tight shirts at 13 i wasn't so i was like when i look back at that whole time i'm like i wasn't like that until right at the end of season two. Because now I think, like, how much did Nicole influence me? Right. You know? Like, oh, I'm fine now wearing this and flirting with the guys.

Totally. And I was always put in flirting with the guys. And then the guys were always, you know, flirting with me. And so I really grew up into, like, teenage years through the through Nicole honestly yeah and so there was kind of like a blurred you know blurred line there of like who was Nicole sometimes and who was me so when I look back at that I didn't really notice it and you think oh comedy and no one was just no one was thinking about predatory behavior on sets yet. It was stranger danger era. It was always some random person you don't know.

And no one was teaching anyone on set, which is why it pisses me off that they all knew about Brian Peck. And no one was coaching anyone on set to know, hey, we've already seen this happen here multiple times, by the way. Right. Like, let's make sure the kids know

who to be wary of, that it could even be an AD, that it could even... They didn't do anything like that. What year is this? Like, season one, season two? 2004? Is this...

And then Drake Bell had his lawsuit in what year? Was it after? It was right around the same year. Oh, interesting. I'm trying to think. Like, I think it was. That's what I was thinking, too.

Like, early 2000s. I'm trying to think if it's, like, out there now that Nickelodeon's kind of sus. They knew. It was definitely past the time of him coming forward to the police, that's for sure. Okay. And Jason Handy already happened at that point. That was – no one talks about him.

I watched the full thing, and I was just like, that's wild. How come no one's talking about him kissing these girls and stuff like that? It's so weird jason handy is just i mean i mean he called himself like a straight up you know pdf file yeah in his own journal yes you know and you're like okay and now he's in you know he's in prison um he's virtual 2040 i think he's in what so he's in prison but brian peck's not for yeah well that's because brian Peck is well-connected. That's what I mean when I heard what happened with... I was like, how is he only for 16 months?

Because Jason Handy's not connected, and Brian Peck is connected. That's the difference in Hollywood. That's the issue, is if you're not connected, you're screwed. But then if you are connected you have a lot of protection people will rehire you you know brian pex was was best friends or probably still is with uh brian singer wow is he still yeah he's done i don't think he's directing anymore yeah i feel like there's certain ones that are it's pretty obvious like that's over yeah it's like you're not yeah no you're But you know when you look at what his connections were you kind of there wasn't even one article

that was published when he was like arrested. So scary. That's like terrifying. Terrifying. You're like huge dialogue coach of Leonardo DiCaprio. And not one article that he's been arrested or no even reporting that Nickelodeon has had multiple predators on sets being arrested. Until now. Yeah.

Now it's out there. Thank God. Which is wild. Okay. We're going to jump to that. But just to finish off the Zoe 101. So you had the meeting. Dan.

Yes. Yeah. The abuse. Yes. And then you had the meeting. Yes. Is he at the meeting? He's at the – yeah.

He's at the meeting. I remember going there with my agent and my lawyer, we spoke to her on the phone before going and she was like, I don't need to be there. Like everything will be fine. My agent did show up for my knowledge and it was my mom, my agent, and me all in a room. And it was like four different execs and Dan Schneider and like this huge conference table and like these black chairs and you know and I'm just looking at the adults and my mom's the right of me and then my agent and they're basically you know telling me how lucky I am to be on the show and that I'm not grateful enough and that I have to suck it up and I shouldn't be too sensitive. And I'm like a kid. And so I'm feeling under pressure.

And so I'm crying. And just- The fact that you were in the room is like crazy. With all the adults. Yeah. Like it should have, I don't know how that would work, but probably should have been related a different way. But yeah.

Very different. Intimidating. Super intimidating. And then at one point they basically go, let's talk to Alexa alone. Oh. Because I think that this is too overwhelming for her and let's just have like a one-on-one you know one-on-one like conversation

with her where she doesn't feel overwhelmed by a bunch of adults in the room and we can just tell her like what happened and we can ask her questions basically and so you know i remember my mom and i stepping outside and i remember us all calling the lawyer and the lawyer said to us, like, you know, what what's the big deal? Like you've let your daughter in auditions one on one. Like you've already she's already been in rooms with them. Oh, no. Yeah. And so the rationale is you're being paranoid to think that is where to go into a room. You know, you're like these are people you've been working with for two two years. And you know, yeah, this is not the best scenario, but

really what could happen, you know? And so I remember my agent going, I'm going to leave. Like, she's totally fine. Just let her tell them what happened, you know? And I just thought, okay. And I've also been in rooms with them. Like I've been in audition rooms. So you're not thinking what's going to happen. So when I got in, though, I was sitting there across from everyone. And Dan just lost it. So wait, it's you by yourself? Yes, here. Your mom did not come in with you?

Right outside the door. I mean, even as an adult, you just want someone to validate what's happening in the room. OK, so it's you. You're sitting across. And they're right over here. And women. Yeah, there's women execs, women execs, male exec, and Dan like right in the middle. How many, you think?

Five probably in total. So one child and five adults. Oh, my God. And I thought like, oh, they were already saying I should be grateful. But it was very calm-ish in the room. No one was yelling. And then once I was alone, he just like went full. And was like, this is not Nicole 101.

You know, this is Zoe 101. And like, you're not grateful. And all you do is complain. And like, you're so sensitive. And it was just like, oh, my, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. And to be honest with you, it was about probably only a few minutes that I was able to last in there. Yeah. And I just got up. Oh. And I ran out the room and I said, I'm never going back near them ever again. Oh.

And my mom said, okay. I remember she held me and she went, okay. And we left Nick on Sunset and called my agent and she said, we're done here. Wow. And it was just sad because I did want to do what I was doing. You know, I wanted, I did enjoy, I enjoyed being creative and being an entertainer. I actually did enjoy that, but it was everyone around that made it toxic work environment. That's like the dream job. Yeah. You're like a lead on a show in Malibu and yeah

Pepperdine University yeah it was oh my god that's devastating it was and then I was banned from the kids choice awards and so they're like we'll let you go do they not want to let you go when you said you were gonna quit they did not want to let me go that's so interesting why do you think they just I guess well Nicole was popular um also there was a Nielsen, like not a Nielsen, but they used to do those, what do they call when they put kids in a room and they basically ask them like, who's their favorite character and who's their, oh God, I really forget. And they pay you to do it. Yes.

I have totally blanking on what it is. I forgot too. Do you know what I'm talking about? Oh, totally. So they can kind of get like a read of what works and what doesn't. Totally. Yeah. And I remember one of the execs coming on set and saying that Nicole surpassed like

favorite character. Wow. But they said that in front of the kids. So then all the kids heard that I was the favorite character, which that's why you don't do that. Because that makes it like, why would you even say, who cares? That's for you guys to figure out and to know like who you're writing in. Like it's none of our business yeah like that doesn't even matter anyways to us right it matters to you so like why are you telling the kids that but I remember that day that he he told us that and was talking about like oh yeah Nicole's a favorite character in all the testings and so you're like okay well but that's not a good idea to tell the children that maybe tell Dan that sure because he knows who he's writing in the most or whatever yeah but not for us to know and so I think that also just kind of

made everything even more that's why kids shouldn't be in these scenarios yeah for sure because these these are they're too complex even adults can't handle that oh no yeah already adults hear that stuff and they're hurt yep you know like that's our you're human so to imagine a kid in that scenario can't you know can't process any of that so yeah so that was honestly my my like exit departure from from zoe 101 and then i was banned like i just wasn't even able to go anywhere near anything that was nickelodeon so why did you agree to that? Like because that's the only way they were going to let you out? Like what if you're like, but I'm an actress. I want to go to these things.

They ban you. Like you're not allowed. What does that mean? Like you can't get on the list. So you're like blacklisted from Nickelodeon. As a kid? Oh no. Yeah.

And they do that to adults. Like I talk about that all the time. That was my first experience of it though. And that's why people don't want to go up against their boss or these institutions or these networks, for example, is because they punish you when you do. They don't just like let you go. They want to make sure that you know, like you, there's consequences for you doing something like that. And are you, so then do you continue to act on other shows and stuff? I did. Okay. So it's not like Blacklist from Hollywood, just Nickelodeon. I was not.

But yeah, Disney was super stoked to pull me. This is so wild. Oh, you went to Disney? I went to Disney, but this guy would audition for Disney shows, and Disney did hire me. And this is wild. So my first Disney role that I got after Nickelodeon was Sweet Love of Zack and Cody. Oh. And it was like two weeks after I

left Zoey 101. Wow. So Disney could not wait, you know, like, ah, like I'm going to plug your person. Yeah. You're like, okay, whatever. They're using their fandom or whatever. And, and, and plucked me. Yeah. I show up on set and it was, this one was like a live audience, like set vibe, which is very different than Zoey 101. And I'm sitting there and I see someone like in the back and I'm like, who the, it was Ian. Ian, the guy who brought me into that trailer, got fired from Zoe 101 and Disney hired him and just happened to be on the show that I. That's wild.

Did you think about Brian Peck getting hired? I wonder if that's what I'm saying. Is it the same time? It was around the same time. I'm sure. Wow. Okay. So you talked It was around the same time, I'm sure. Wow. Okay. So did you talk to Ian?

I ran to my mom. Oh, no. And then they ran – she ran to them and said, like, he cannot be the talent coordinator because he just got let go at Nickelodeon for this. And my daughter was put into a very, like, horrible situation by this guy. Didn't even tell me. So they wouldn't let him – I don't know if he ever returned after my episode, but he wasn't allowed on set during – Oh. good one for Disney I guess one for Disney yeah

they were like uh we're not gonna mess with that oh my gosh so you're just doing a guest episode on it was just a guest yeah it was just a guest episode you're working at Disney and movies and yeah and I did like Walking Dead and Mad Men and and I just kind of, I went more into drama after Zoey 101. I was kind of like, I mean, I auditioned for comedy, of course, but I went more in the drama. Interesting. Okay. More in the drama direction, I guess. So you're fine acting, and when's your last acting job you've done since then? Did you retire, quit? Sadly, I was, you know, well, there's certain things you can say on YouTube. I was, you know, groomed like when I was 16 years old by a man that was, you know, 17 years older than me from the Internet.

And it spiraled into him literally grooming me until I was 18 years old and then having me go meet him in person in Berlin and all under the pretense of it being soulmates, you know, like a typical – I mean, we all heard what Drake was kind of saying about – very similar. And I went and met him for the first time in Berlin when I was 18 because when you're 18, you get your trust fund money. Okay. Is this like the Coogan account thing? Yeah.

Okay. And you can't touch it until you're 18. Okay. And you had money in there because of the honey boo-boo. Yes. And your mom stole the money and stuff. My mom did not. Okay, nice.

So I didn't have a lot of it, but I had like enough definitely. Yeah. Oh, my God. I'm very lucky. So, you know, it was exciting for me because when I was 16, actually, my mom ended up losing the house because when you're not working enough, you know it was exciting for me because I when I was 16 actually my mom ended up losing the house because when you're not working enough you know so I lost my mom in the sense where she had to go to Florida and move in with my my grandma and I stayed behind and to continue acting and I was just kind of couch surfing honestly as like a minor which you know I can't even imagine what

that what that's like it was a horrible Yeah. And so also very vulnerable to people like, you know, Michael Milosz, who was the person who groomed me when I was 16. Oh my gosh. And so anyways, fast forward, I get this money and you think you're like, what are you going to do with this money you got? And, you know, he was like, come to Berlin. And I was like, okay, I'm already going to go meet my dad for the first time. Because I'd never met my dad.

My dad left my mom when she was six months pregnant. And I found him on the internet. And I reached out to him. And I always said, when I'm 18, I'm going to reach out to my dad. And so I reached out to him. And he was in South Africa. So I was like, OK, wait. What?

What is he doing down there? Well, he's a New Zealander. He's actually born and raised in New Zealand. Oh. And so he was in South Africa working. Okay. And so he was like, if you basically want to see me, like, thanks, dad. Like, I had to pay for my own ticket.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Horrible. But, you know, whatever. So he was like, if you want to come visit me, like, this is where I'm at. And I would love to meet you. And I was just so excited to even have the finally the chance to go meet him. And so I said, Okay, I'll stop in Berlin on my way to meet my dad for the first time. So I meet

the person that like basically totally ruins my life, like on the way to meet my dad who like abandoned my mom when she was like all very strangely interconnected. Yes. And so I went to Berlin and then, you know, that was the first time that it was just a very horrible story. I was like, you know, essayed, um, like the whole, the whole thing and ended up leaving Berlin, going to meet my dad and then coming back to Los Angeles. And then he was like, I'm going to, I'm going to come visit you. Um, not my dad, but this, but this, uh, um, predator. And he's like, I'm going to come visit you. Not my dad, but this predator. And he's like, I'm going to come and visit you in Los Angeles, and I'm going to come see you, and I love you, and all this.

And I didn't even realize now that he already had all these things set up. So he had studio time set up. He was meeting with all these record labels. He was just used like using my everything that I had to live rent free while he was doing this album to have me drive him to the studio to and from and he was Canadian so he didn't have a green card and so he was like you know grooming me the whole time to also give him a green card so but I didn't know any of that I'm just thinking oh that's like a musician that's.

You're like in love though. Yeah. Because you're 18. And he was grooming me at 16. Sure. So you're like, this is love. So many years in. You don't have a dad.

So you're like, okay, this is someone that's like protecting me. Correct. Right. And I'm like, oh, this person really loves me. And also like, you know, when you're a child star, it's already grooming you into people pleasing and not knowing what your boundaries are and not knowing how to advocate for yourself. And so you're more vulnerable to predatory behavior, which is why I really am against child stars in general, because they're really, you're not told how to advocate for yourself.

And so when you meet a predator along the way, you're not looking for those same red flags, maybe necessarily. Because you're thinking, oh, if someone says they like me, it's my job to be also nice to them back. And it's this whole power dynamic thing. And they're an adult. and this is the whole thing and so I really believed that it was real but it wasn't and fast forward he you know within like one year of him using me to stay at my apartment and drive him to and from and he was broke like he had nothing wrong with that but like he wasn't yeah the 18 year old is taking care of the 40 year old yeah yeah and it's like oh he never even picked never even bought like the spinach at whole foods you know and so I'm like

paying for everything driving him to and from and fast forward he just pops the question when I was 19 and he's 17 years older than me yeah and I'm thinking this is love you know and he's like we're gonna travel the world together and I'm gonna take you here and here we're gonna live a beautiful life and uh and I'm like okay and he's like we're gonna get married in two weeks like let's just do it now and I'm like and I knew it wasn't like I was like I knew in the sense where I was like oh wow this is fast and his reasoning for that was that I have I have to leave every three months right so if we want to be together let's just go get married and we can be together so we did that and he got a green card and I found out later on that his record label wouldn't sign him if um he didn't get a green card and they wouldn out later on that his record label wouldn't sign him if he didn't get

a green card and they wouldn't pay for his artist visa so he just used me for him meet Tim's new Oreo mocha ice caps with Oreo in every sip perfect for listening to the a-side or b-side or bull side order yours on the Tim's app today at participating restaurants in Canada for a limited time. Wow. So you guys were married, we were married a long time to get a green card. Well, yeah. So he got his visa at least at first. Okay. Was able to tour and then he got his permanent. Six years. Six years. Tried to escape multiple times, but. You did. But then, so basically what happened was for every question of when was my last episode like what last um show that I ever worked on was in 2012 which was the year I got married and so once I got married he took me away from my career and and and told me like you know

he told me basically I needed to travel the world and that because I was a child star I never got to see the world and so I went and traveled the world and ended up like just honestly losing my career while traveling and he was just using me the whole time it's so bizarre he wouldn't want you to continue acting, right? Like so he could be connected in that world. He only wanted me to be dependent on him. But he was dependent on you. Was he making money at any point? He got a million dollar record deal.

So he got a million dollar record deal six months after I got married to him. So they wouldn't give him the million dollar record deal unless he married me. Okay. I guess in a weird way, you're kind of like he's supporting you now and you're not supporting him yeah but it left me desolate so then what ended up happening at the end is that every time i tried to leave he i didn't have a career now and so every time i tried to leave he would email people

and say that he was going to put me on the streets and that he wasn't going to give me alimony and that he wasn't so he put me in a very it was all very premeditated and also he's like just a predator in the in the typical sense where it's all about power and control for him and so now that he was the person in that position and your money's gone from gone yeah gone oh gosh and so that was like six years of just hell. It's abusive, yeah. Oh, it was, yeah. It was really, really bad. And that's how I learned.

I mean, that's what ended up leading me to E! Predators was because I ended up learning how these institutions cover up SA because I went with him to all of the record labels meetings. So he would bring me to Universal and bring me to all these different record labels and tell them about how he met me on MySpace when I was 16. And they would all, these huge execs, like Tom Wally and all these people, would go, wow, it's so romantic. Like, you guys are such a romantic couple. Oh, my God. So twisted. But in your head, too.

Because I was in similar situations when I was like 16, and it's like you think it's so romantic because you think my God. So twisted. But in your head too, I mean, cause I was in similar situations when I was like 16 and it's like, you think it's so romantic cause you think it's like, wow. And then there's this dream you guys got married

and he's a rock star and it's like, yeah. And you think it's like, cool. Like movies show that too. It's like, oh,

that's like amazing. And no one teaches like, you know, I didn't really know like that. I didn't know what a predator honestly really was. Like I knew like little bits of it, but he didn't look scary. You know, like it wasn't the same.

He wasn't like creepy old and fat. He was like talented and this and that. Charming. I didn't know that that was what that could be. And so it really messed up my life. But also it did teach me a lot about from Nickelodeon and then the music industry realm. You know, when I tried to escape him, he wouldn't let me get a lawyer, was giving me like DEATH like threats, text messages.

It was horrible for so many years and wouldn't let me get a lawyer. And I thought that was like so weird. So I escaped him in 2016, didn't end up getting like finally finalized the divorce until 2019 because he wouldn't let me get a lawyer and that's when his management red light was just who's owned by ticket master and live nation came into the picture and all of a sudden was controlling all the finances and giving me money monthly and telling me you know basically telling me like you need to sign these simple divorce papers and so they would send me these emails over and over simple divorce I was like I need a lawyer yeah to look over these papers and

he would not let me he would take money away fast forward I was exhausted by 2019 and I wanted out of here and so um he ended up saying what about a mediator? I'm like, a mediator? Okay. What is a mediator? You know what I'm like Googling what a mediator is? I'm like, okay, like Legally Blonde style. I'm like, what is a mediator? And I'm like, oh, it's a non-biased party who's going to like be in there.

And okay, this feels a little bit safer than just like signing a contract when red light's coming to my front door. So red light does the introduction though. Oh. To the mediator. Yeah. They have the connection. They have the connection, but they're the one hiring. I'm not thinking anything of it.

They send the introduction. I go and meet up with the mediator. Very simple. You're going to go with your jewelry and car and money, and he's going to go with his. Oh. Just not getting anything. Like, okay, I'm not fighting this also anymore. Yeah. Because I'm scared. I don't want to be anywhere near him. I want out basically.

They give you a little piece of paper, what your agreements are, gets emailed to you. I'm like, okay. Six months later, I get an email about a stipulated judgment and I'm like, what the heck is this? So then I email her back and I'm like, what is this? And she goes, oh, you know, the stipulated judgment is just what we all agreed upon, but it's just more like legal language of just like your taxes and this and that. And I'm like, okay. It's like 30 pages. I look at it. I don't see really anything at all.

It's all just like here, therefore, like hereafter. I'm like, whatever. You know, I'm like, what could possibly be in there? And so I'm like, okay. And I sign it. And you see the whole email exchange with me with her. And then I noticed that the stipulated judgment draft, red light is like accidentally CC'd in there. Oh, no.

Oh, no. And I don't think anything of it. I'm like, oh, they accidentally or maybe they just accidentally got her in there. And so I'm going, oh, that's so weird that red light's in there. Fast forward, when I sue him in the future for what he did to me, I get a call from my lawyer in January. And they're like, are you sitting down? Like, you definitely need to sit down. I'm like, what could possibly have gone wrong?

And they go, do you remember a stipulated judgment, like the typical divorce papers you get? And I said, yeah, I remember the divorce papers. And they go, oh, well, in there he had you release your child essay. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Without telling me, without anything. And I was like, how is that even possible to put a crime in a divorce agreement? I couldn't even believe what I was hearing because it was a simple divorce. That's all I kept hearing. It's just a simple divorce. You're like just separating.

And they tricked me into. Releasing child essay. In a divorce agreement. And so what does that mean? He could have hit me every single day for the entire marriage. And he even put battery in there. Oh my gosh. I mean, how is that like legal?

It's not technically legal. Did you? It's not technically legal, but it put strain on my lawyers in the sense where they never even had been in that situation before. So that was like what really opened my eyes up to record labels and institutions actively covering up because I saw it with my own eyes. Yeah. They were the ones trying to deliver those papers to my door like weekly, calling them simple divorce papers because they didn't want me to have – they wanted those things to be released so they could protect their artist and keep touring him on the backs of

me. Right. Having that even in there just shows guilt right like that just shows a criminal yeah that's not normal in divorce agreements and i started calling after that happened then i would call all these people that got divorced you know and i'd be like do you have this and you're and they went no and i'm like, I couldn't find one person that had that language. Yeah. So that was the lowest of lows in all the industries.

Like, that really – because then you can't even get just – they were like, you know. It didn't happen. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, it was just – it just like, wow, you can't even win. So when I found that out, I just ended up deciding, like, I'm going to go out in the streets and start protesting. I don't even know, like, where that happened. I don't even know how that ended up coming out.

But I was like, oh, if I can't get justice, then I'm going to go and go protest for other people. So clean access to everything. Sorry. No, no. Take your time. So then I just going to go and go protest for other people. So Kleenex is there for you. Sorry. No, no. Take your time. So then I just did that. I went and protested Diplo's. I went and protested Diplo because he was actually also best friends with my abuser.

And when I saw that Diplo was playing an all-ages show in the middle of the street, you're like, oh, this is what the music industry is doing. He has a criminal investigation. And they're just putting him in an all-ages show in the middle of Melrose, Los Angeles, in an ice cream truck. Diplo is in the middle of a criminal investigation? Oh, gosh. And they're just, that's the music industry. They don't care about anyone, you know? And so I was like, okay, what am I like i'm gonna go protest and and nip diplo

was just doing the show and it was for eat the rich and i was like i started texting some of my friends and went do you want to go protest the show because he'll see us because it was like out in the literally in the middle of melrose and i wanted to go stand up for someone else so i organized that it was like only four people ended up going. And I was trying to think of my protest sign. I never made a protest sign before. I was like, eat the rich. And so I was like, eat predators.

Oh, so that's where it started from. That's where it started from. Just you out on the street of Marlowe's by yourself with three friends? With my husband and two other people. Oh, so you had a new guy at this point. I did. I already had my daughter at this point. I didn't get to sue him until the child essay.

So I was past the statute. And then in 2018, the statute opened up for a very short window. And I was able to sue him. But then I wasn't able to because they they blocked it because when you're in the um plaintiff when you're doing like pro bono uh lawyers they they once they realize something's like more work they're you're they're not you're not in the position to be like I'll pay you keep working you know they're like oh this is now becoming a little too much and if this person

is not willing to settle by now like that's all these lawyers honestly care about is settlements so you know when they weren't seeing that happen in the first couple months and then they found that in the stipulated judgment you know that's when they were like we don't know if we can fight this much longer and so you got nothing from that you got no compensation or anything no but oh gosh yeah it was it was horrible it was and I can you know now the adult window opened up and so it's like all these different windows are now like I could go back there but it was like it was so devastating like it was so upsetting to realize that the system was even designed that people could do that, that I was like, I'm now just going to rage in a very different way. I was like, I don't even care about the court.

I want people to know what is possible, what people are doing in this industry and how it can how devastating it actually is and because no one was really advocating for me I was like well I'm gonna start advocating for other survivors because that's what I wasn't seeing and so I wanted to do that I wanted to do that and that's what I ended up doing and that's. That was the birth of that. Wow. So since 2019, basically. It was 2021. So I got divorced in 2019. So it took me six. It was 2016.

I escaped him. 2019 divorce was finalized. Then 2021, I sue him. And then 2022, I start Eat Predators. Oh, wow. This is like really new. Very new. You were talking live on Nickelodeon

or about Nickelodeon in 2019 correct so it's kind of crossing it is past so everyone so maybe some people know you from the Nickelodeon some people know you from the music protests yes I mean it's just a lot happening to you so they're just like I know and then like last year I think it was the Jonah Hill thing it's just like your life I mean it's just like trauma after trauma after trauma which is like a case for every like so many child stars yes a lot of them like don't even get to live past certain ages because they just like dana plato like all those people just you never hear their stories but yes and because these networks don't even like pay any of us like nickelodeon didn't we don't make any money off of nickelodeon not even one cent like no residuals no they just make billions of dollars and don't pay

us any residuals. Okay. This is, yeah. And people get, I saw like you got backlash for having the merch out and it's like, you're just trying to make money somehow off something that robbed you. Yeah. Well, and also it's a protest. I'm like, I've been making those t-shirts of the protest signs for the last like year. And when they're like, oh, it doesn't go to any survivors. I'm like, you're the survivor. Like it goes to you. As if I'm somebody outside of the dock.

Yeah. I'm in the dock. No, that's what's so bizarre to me. I'm like, okay, but this is, this is all you're talking about.

And all those child stars, they all get like screwed over and stuff for this same reason. Yes. And so what are they supposed to do? Like you have to like make money somehow. You have to make, yeah, that's what I started. Well, when I started the show. Cause I was like,

okay, I'm not going to be able to protest much longer without a job. And so I was like, how am I going to keep protesting, advocating if I have no job? Like, I mean, you know, if I have no money, no income. So I was like, like okay well I'll make a patreon you know like a patreon is a great way because then it's all community built and that's exciting to me personally is when everyone can like get together and be like let's go do this like let's actually especially protesting it is so exhausting it's like just organizing it alone is insane. Yeah. I can't even imagine. Organizing it and then I make all those protest signs with my husband. It's like a full time, you know, with two kids like we're up till four in the morning

like making 30 protest signs. It's just you two. It's just us two. And so Patreon, is it patreon.com slash eat predators? It is. Yeah. Okay. So people can go there.

Well, because people, I think especially after Quiet on Set, they're like, because you feel so helpless and you're like, gosh, these people like don't, and they all say the same thing. They kind of were like left hung out to dry by Nickelodeon. And so it's now as adults,

it's like, okay, you have trauma, you have all this stuff and it's like, what can you do about it to not only get it out there? Like you said, you can't do all this work without the money behind it.

You know, you can't just. Can't do anything. I mean, honestly, it's hard to just go to the grocery store. You know, like we all, it's like, it is, you know, and so you're like, okay, how, how, how is this actually going to be sustainable where I can fully dedicate my time to this? I've dedicated like literally my life to it. I forget how young you are. Cause you are doing so much. You've done so much. And Zoe 101, I was too old to watch. I forget how young you are because you are doing so much. You've done so much. And Zoe 101, I was too old to watch. I was like, wait, no, you're like really young, but you do so much. And you speak so well about everything. Thank you. Thank you. Wow. But now

with Quiet On Set coming out and being so mainstream, do you find more people coming to you? Because it really is. This is my first time hearing about your stories. Are more people now coming to you wanting to work with you and wanting to be a part of it like the movement yes the movement now people are like i feel like now people are watching the show and listening to what i have to say which has been like very rewarding because sometimes i'm like is anybody listening what i'm trying to say but now people are listening to me and supporting. And there are new Patreon members. And now there's more viewers on the show, which has been –

but I would say, you know, obviously mainstream Hollywood like still wants nothing to do. You think so. But this is pretty mainstream. I mean, quite honestly, that's the biggest thing right now. I haven't heard from anybody within Hollywood. Okay. But I have – you know obviously like there's people I've been connecting with right like you but when it comes to mainstream mainstream like

no no no they kind of stay I think other people maybe but I outside of quiet on set like I go in with a megaphone outside their offices and they get really annoying by me. Yeah, they're like, this is intense. Yeah, they're like, wait a minute. Okay, everyone but maybe her. You know, like we support her maybe over here. But like I'm a little bit – I'm a whistleblower. And very polarizing. People online definitely love and hate what you're doing, which is like so bizarre because everyone is always with the victim, right?

Yes. And then with you, it's like it does have that sort of push and pull where some people are really upset with you. But it's like, why? Like recently what happened with that t-shirt thing, for example, I like looked at them, these are all retweet accounts.

These are bot bounties. So people can do, I did a whole episode about this. So basically there's these, not WhatsApp, but whatever that other app is where you can like have group chats. I forget what it's called, but the T.

Telegram. Telegram. Thank you. Yeah, you know. Okay, Telegram. Yeah, there's these NFT bounties that you can do. And you basically give people cryptos to go and attack an account. Oh.

And so you can usually tell when someone's doing that by just going and looking at what accounts are saying it. And they'll usually be retweet accounts where they only have like 15 followers and they're just retweeting things. Like they're paid crypto to boost like NFT things. And so I did this whole uncovering of that like months ago because John Vaccaro, who's Dan Schneider's best friend, does shit like that to me, in my opinion. Like, I've followed the trail to John Vaccaro. Wow. And ever since I protested Nickelodeon, that is when I started to see these retweet accounts

coming out of nowhere. And Dan Schneider's best friend, you know, follows the person who I have a restraining order against. And no one knows who he is. Never told the world who he was. And Dan Schneider's best friend follows this random person who I have a restraining order against. Oh,

so he's doing this hate attack on you. Cause I thought it was interesting. I was like, God, there's a lot. Yeah. I was like, everyone is always with the victims,

especially no matter what. Yes. And you're not doing anything that's not truthful. So it's like, this is an odd attack. Yeah. You look at that. Yeah. And just me. No one else. Like there's so much happening on quite on set. And it's like, this is an odd attack on just you. Yeah, you look at them. Yeah, and just me.

No one else. There's so much happening quite on set. And I'm like, why is no one else? Yeah. It's so interesting. I looked at it and I was like, what is this? And then you're like, at first, you're like, what the hell is this? And then you look at them and you're like, John, look.

Like, I just knew, like, you know, yesterday I was like, oh, okay. This is, I know what this is. And that's what also you have to go through when you're doing these things. People that have random money to throw down can literally hire accounts to just trash you. Damn you, yeah. And then, for example, people are actually in my DMs, my email box, so kind and loving and supportive. So supportive. so kind and loving and supportive and all of the people who were

part of Quiet On Set are getting the t-shirt and they knew about the t-shirt before it launched and then these random people are gonna tell it's so weird

try and make it seem like something's weird because I was like usually I can like see why people get hate I'm like this is very odd that you'd be getting it especially after being

like a leader in this and getting Quiet On Set made because I'm sure like you and Jeanette McCurdy talking about this is why they made it right like you guys have talked about it for so long because why else would they all of a sudden come out with this yeah and Kate Taylor who like helps source a lot of the interviews is is a main reason I mean for example like I was the first person to sign on to the doc and I also was the first person to they like asked me to basically record why this documentary was was important when they were pitching it around oh so you're you're the only

one attached while they're pitching it there I think there was one I think well no Kay Taylor who did all the sourcing so she was the one who did the business insider expose on Dan Schneider that she's on a year yeah she's in it she's the blonde I was like is she a child star but she's just like one of the reporters she was young and she's awesome I. She's the blonde. I was like, is she a child star? But she's just like one of the reporters. No. She was young. And she's awesome. I mean, she did such an incredible job. She got those two female writers to come forward. And that was all her sourcing and reporting. And so she was attached to it. But Drake wasn't.

No, Drake wasn't. I didn't even know Drake was in it. Oh. When did you find out? Like when it was coming out? A little bit before. Yeah. Like I, yeah, before everyone else.

A little bit. Did you know his story? No. Wow. Crazy. Crazy. So, okay. Wait, but are before, yeah. Like, I, yeah, before everyone else, a little bit. Did you know his story? No. Wow. Crazy. So, okay. Wait, but are you, okay, you guys are, you guys know each other? You and Drake?

We, we, yeah. Well, he was on Zoey 101 for one episode. And I had to, like, go and, like, jump onto him and give him a kiss or whatever. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, it's already. How old is he on the show? And he was definitely over 18. Yeah.

I'm pretty sure he was 18. But it wasn't, it wasn't lips. It was on his cheek. But it, and he was supposed over 18. I'm pretty sure he was 18. But it wasn't lips. It was on his cheek. And he was supposed to be disgusted. But it was still one of those situations where Dan's making me this. Jump on a man. Yes. And I'm like, yeah.

And you're like, wow. Oh, my God. And at 14, I mean, it's so different. Like you said, you probably became the character a little bit. But it's like that's so uncomfortable anyways to be close to a boy and crazy. Especially Drake. But I remember that episode with the t-shirts, right? Yes. You guys had the merch. Exactly. I was like a little old to be close to a boy and crazy especially drinks i remember that episode with the t-shirts right you guys had the merch exactly i was like a little old to be watching it but i remember i was like oh this is like kind of it's cute it's like you know that episode yeah

i remember i was like and then it's like oh yeah that one was kind of cute actually but yeah that's okay so you knew him i knew him but you know barely you never talked because he it's interesting because i know it seems like the boys don't have any issue with Dan Schneider. He said it on Quiet on Set where he's like, Dan Schneider and I didn't have any issues. So it's kind of interesting when people – Oh, but he believes like – he does believe that Dan Schneider should be, you know, apologizing to us. And he never has. He has still not apologized to us.

Britney Spears apologizes to you but not Dan Schneider. In my DMs. Wow. She messaged me privately before she did anything publicly wow so she was like thinking about it yeah i literally said britney spears i got an alert and it was right on instagram yes wow and i thought it was like a fan account you know when you like see you know it's like okay it's you know a fan account i was like no no this is actually Britney Spears what year is this this was 2022 oh my gosh so she's going through her own shit and she's like let me apologize to her yeah and was the most it was paragraphs of just so kind to me and supporting everything that I've been doing wow and told me that my my my baby was beautiful and gave me like no,

this was an actual apology. Ugh. I love her. I love her. Like I love her and I love her even more now. The fact that she's just like DM'd you to apologize. DM'd me. And then she put a whole letter about me publicly.

Yeah. And then she put me in the book. I mean. It's like who does that? That's. That's like actual, like you're just real. Wow. Like nice person. I love that. Love. That's the only apology I've ever gotten. You think Dan would

like apologize to try and like at least smooth things over or at least get you, because once you apologize to someone, I feel like, okay, then maybe you don't have to talk as much. Right. Cause you're like, okay, I guess he apologized. Whatever. Correct. You know what I mean? But he hasn't. And that's, what's the most frustrating thing is when you don't take any accountability. But he says in the video, he's like, I owe a lot of people an apology. And you're like, well then call them. Yeah. Like DMs are open. Why are you with boogie right now? And what is going on here? The interview was wild. The interview was crazy. I was like, why, why would he do this right now? This is so weird and not apologize to the people that are so vocal about it.

And he acts like he didn't even do anything. You're like, he beats around the whole thing. Maybe it was a little bit of a shitty boss. And I had some bad days and not a good batting average. And you're like, what are you talking about, dude? Did you not see Ariana Grande? Do you not? Yeah. You are so annoying.

I wonder if it's like admitting guilt by saying, like, if he had to apologize to you, does that open up a lawsuit? I don't know. You know what I mean? That's all the, probably his lawyers are telling him that. To not apologize. Everyone's just kind of told to protect their assets. You know what I mean?

Totally, yeah. And you're like, okay. And that's why I think accountability is really hard to happen in these high-profile situations because they think about what they own and what can be taken versus doing the right thing. And then they got these people around them making money off of them really wanting them not to lose their assets. Right, right. Don't say anything. Yes, because we want your money and keep that money there. And so it just, it's really hard for accountability, especially in Hollywood or in high profile situations to happen because sadly, capitalism, you know, like these things like kind of block accountability because you're told that the only

way that people can get justice most of the time is through monetary exchange. And because that's how our system is built, it's very hard for change to happen because most likely the person doesn't want to have to hand over what they've built or whatever. And so it's just a very complicated... Accountability is so hard in these situations. And so I don't think Dan Schneider got a heart-to-heart advice. I'm sure he got a lawyer-to-team-to-Dan mind-to-heart advice, I'm sure he got a lawyer to team to Dan, mind-to-mind. Do you know what I mean? Maybe he shouldn't have said anything at all, you know? I agree.

Just. It's kind of like the Brian Peck, because where is he at? He is just like hiding. I mean, what can you say? Brian Peck is like, God, I hope he can't be around children. Like, what's scary is that he was working so often after he was arrested around children. Yeah. Look at all the letters. Yes. I know. Could you believe that? No,

that's wild to me. The letters are crazy. When people write stuff like that, I'm like, what are you thinking? Yeah. Or the fact that like a 14 year old can tempt like a grown man, like unbelievable. But the fact that people think this stuff, like also just like normal people think this stuff. I'm like, that's wild what are you doing yeah and also i love danny's like you know i uh did not write a letter to to you know for brian you're like neither did brian singer who cares brian singer's a creep and he didn't write a letter either because probably his lawyers told him not to which probably your lawyers told you not to as well but he's trying to use that as like at least i didn't write a letter it's like bro yeah that's the least of your worries honestly right now right like we see your footage I'm like because like with Dan it's like could anyone I'm trying to think like did you do anything criminal there's a little bit of criminal activity

just because when you are ever putting children in suggestive um it depends where it ends up get like let's say for example I think the only way that it would be able to become a criminal offense would be let's say if this stuff ends up on the black market like on other places where children are being exploited

because of the content that's being created and you said that's happened I haven't so basically when in 2019 I didn't know about the ariana grande material until 2019 i got sent out of nowhere everyone's like did you see this did you see this and i'm like what is this and i i clicked on it and it took me to youtube and i wasn't signed in and it said are you 18 or over and i went oh wait how is an Ariana Grande like Nickelodeon thing 18 or over and so I signed

in and then I would get messages that people were saying that they were on um CP websites okay so people were telling you you didn't actually see it I would not click on that yeah yeah I was like oh no no that is so hard how do you report stuff without right did you try to report it be like I don't even know what to do I was like I was processing I was like who to contact I'm like in my studio apartment in Los Angeles you know I'm like yeah this is what is this and and so it I think of he did do things that are on the verge but I would say that it would probably end up being more of a civil situation yeah then it will be a criminal because honestly even even look at Brian Peck.

I mean, even in the criminal situation, no one does anything. But those accounts were wild. And they showed all the charges that he was guilty of. I'm like, these are crazy. It's heartbreaking. Yeah. I mean, that's wild. That's why I was thinking with Dan, I'm like, I mean, really, what could, I guess you can't

really get him other than he's somewhat canceled. He doesn't work with Nickelodeon anymore. We said he's trying to come back. Because there was supposed to be a Zoey 101 reboot. And it happened. They did a Zoey 101 film. As adults. It was called Zoey 102.

Oh, okay. It was called Zoey 102. And it's like a wedding. It's like a whole whatever. And it was on Paramount Plus. I didn't know. And Dan was not a part of that from my knowledge because this was already after the expose happened. So Dan just kind of once that

Business Insider article came out it was over. Okay. So that did do something. It did do something because and he wouldn't respond and you know you know, it was this whole thing. And then, so, yes. So I don't, he hasn't really been able to have a comeback. But I did hear recently that he was having producer rights on, like, the Henry Danger film. And I was, like, just thinking, like, do they make shows? They don't make shows with kids anymore, right? Who, Nickelodeon? Yeah.

They do. Like, the sitcoms of it. I think, like, JoJo Siwa. Well, I don't know what they're doing now these days, but yeah, JoJo Siwa. There's that whole thing. When you were talking about the gifts, there was a Rolling Stone article about her giving gifts to parents that felt abused, the kids that felt abused.

They'd go home crying afterwards. They said in their room would be a gaming station and be like, feel better, come back to set, whatever. When he said that, I was like, oh, it's very ... It was a whole thing. Just a couple months ago, The Rolling Stone did an article on it. Really?

I did not know that. Two girls came forward at the XOMG pop. So yeah, I don't know if she's – I mean, it would make sense if they're working with her. Yeah. Wait a minute. Isn't JoJo Siwa also a person who was close with Colleen Ballinger? Mm-hmm. And you're like –

Yeah. There's a whole thing there. Yeah. What's that? She's still defending. No way. Yeah. She still defends the friendship at 13 years old.

It's crazy. Can you imagine if Dan Schneider did his own ukulele? I mean, kind of could, right? I could kind of see it. He probably should. He probably should. I mean, Colleen Ballinger also worked on a Dan Schneider show. She did one episode, Victorious.

Oh, really? Isn't that weird? You've got to pull that up. Yeah. She did one episode, Victorious. Oh, really? Isn't that weird? Oh, you got to pull that up. Yeah. Yeah. It's dark. It's so like,

what's this connection? That's what I'm saying. Like the whole connection, when you said Jojo Siwa, it's like, and I feel for her too, because she was probably a victim, right?

A child star. And getting abused on TV, where we could see it. So it's like, yeah, you kind of feel bad, but yeah, the cycle can either be repeated,

which we've seen, obviously other Nickelodeon stars, repeating it. We've seen cycle, yeah, I mean, and it's so, yeah, you kind of feel bad. But yeah, the cycle can either be repeated, which we've seen, obviously, other Nickelodeon stars repeating it. We've seen cycle, yeah, I mean, and it's so, when you, because it's childhood trauma, too. You're like, my lord, like. Are you, like, stunted? Like, did you ever feel stunted at that age? Like, the age of your trauma? You know, I think that maybe, maybe there was a little bit of that.

But I had really, my mom was, like like, just even when she had to go to Florida and, you know, obviously I made this decision to stay back. My mom was just always been so, so like loving and I've always had my mom. And so when I look back at my childhood, I think if I didn't have my mom, I wouldn't be here today. After I look back at like my whole life and I look about everything that's happened to me, the first person that comes to my mind, my mind is my mom, that she was really the rock for me. And I always knew I had someone to go to and she never, she was always there. Like no, I can call her about anything. And she's my best friend. And that existed throughout my whole life. And something about that, I think, I can call her about anything. And she's my best friend. And that existed throughout my whole life.

And something about that, I think, I don't know. It just, it did have effect on my life. Because I don't know, I would have probably crumbled a long time ago if it wasn't for my mom. Her being there. Yeah. It's weird what love can do. Oh, it's so powerful. It's the right love.

You know, obviously with your husband, you know that. It's like, yeah. So did you ever go to therapy for any of this stuff well you know therapy what I did go to some therapy actually the way the how I got out of um my my abusive marriage was because he every time I try to leave him he would say you're crazy oh you're self-worth like you don't love yourself like you don't want to accept love for me and he would send these in emails. And so he goes, and I go, fine, I'm going to go get a therapist. And so I got a therapist and this therapist ended up being the person that was like,

you got to get out of there. Oh, wonderful. So him calling me crazy. And she was like, and that's how I ended up actually escaping. Now I was only able to pay for it through him because I had no money. And he would only give me, he was making like a million dollars. I found out way later. He also didn't even show any of his preliminary documents during that process either, but he was making like a million dollars and I was only getting like, you know, $1,200 a month, you know,

to live. And I wasn't able to get any therapy whatsoever. And still, like, therapy is – that's why it's really sad when it comes to Nickelodeon just making this statement out there. Like, whoops. Like, sorry. Like, now when we make a formal complaint, like, we'll make sure to take care of it maybe kind of sort of whatever. Yeah. And you're like, the best thing they could have done was actually support us through therapy. Yeah. was actually support us through therapy. Like I think every person that worked for Nickelodeon that has come forward and said,

I have experienced deep trauma from this. And because you don't pay us residuals, I can't get the help that I deserve to guide me through this trauma. Nickelodeon, I think, should be paying for their therapy. For sure. Especially when we hear drake bell's story you're like at the very least yes him like right me him like you know go over there and post care

because then just as a cycle you know all this stuff of being you know friends with minors it's like maybe he's stunted that's the only thing i could think of i'm like okay maybe he wants to be friends with people that are young because he feels like he's still at 15 or 14 when he got abused. I don't know. I know it's like, I try to understand it because being a victim of it, you're just like, okay, maybe there's some stunted growth where he still feels like a young mind or something. I don't know. This is what also makes me a little bit annoyed. Because Nickelodeon hasn't paid us, that now a lot of people are forced into like curating their careers around the nostalgia. And I think that's dangerous because you're supposed to be able to move on after you've done like a project. Yeah.

Especially when it has to do with children. Right. Because the whole point is like the only people you should be even having book signings with are the people that watched you when you were younger. But Nickelodeon airs this shit all day, getting new children to be fans of people that are now 40 years old. And you're like, what are we doing here? It's crazy. Yeah, I think it's fine to have young fans. I think it's just like don't become friends with fans. Don't Zoom them. That's what it is.

And social media makes it seem like you're so close. And so now this girl, you know, they make it seem like they're close. And it's just like, okay, so you don't. Like don't go anywhere near minors when you're older. Okay. Yeah. You know what I mean? So we agree on that. I was just like, yeah.

What? Like don't do that because it's too, even if you're doing it in this fan professional setting, it's just why. I agree. Yeah. It's just like – or just befriending any fans. I just want my children – like, it's my children I want to be around. Right. I'm not really – you know what I mean?

Yeah. I get messages from fans all the time that you see their little, like, you know, thing and you're like, oh, they're young. I don't even open those. Yeah. It's hard to – Because who I don't even open those. Yeah. Because who am I going to talk to? Yeah. And also you don't know if their parents want you to communicate with them, like if you should be giving them advice and that could be looked at as something.

I have never, I have only spoken to fans, A, that were obviously my age and just said, thank you so much for sharing. Yeah. And that's the last message you see. Yeah, you don't want to be held accountable. When people are talking to your fans, that's weird to me. I think that too. I always think that, I'm like, I think that's a power dynamic that shouldn't be there no matter. Yeah, you don't want to be held accountable. When people are talking to your fans, that's weird to me. I think that too. I always think that.

I'm like, I think that's a power dynamic that shouldn't be there no matter what age, you know? Yeah, why are you? I got that with Justin Long. So Justin Long, he was, oh, you should watch my video about Justin Long. I didn't. I have never seen this one. I saw like all yours about everyone.

Oh my God. You gotta see this one. All of it was new to me. The Jonah Hill stuff. Everything was new. And I was just like, where was I? Because I feel like I'm so connected to this stuff. But there's so much going on all the time, honestly, with the internet too. Everything was new. And I was just like, where was I? Because I feel like I'm so connected to this stuff.

There's so much going on all the time, honestly, with the internet, too. But Justin Long, he literally was talking to a 15-year-old girl and sending him, getting haircuts at the barber. And at one point, she says to be her daddy. And he's like, will your dad let me like something like that and it's actually him and it's actually verified and it's him oh my god and you're like why and then she's calling him her be fully loaded character from the disney movie that he was when when he was younger and he's responding and you're like what the hell i don't know it's so dark james franco i mean james franco what is that i used to write letters like when i was 13 to like What the hell? I don't know. It's so dark. James Franco. James Franco. What is that? I used to write letters when I was 13 to 45, 50-year-old celebrities, and they would fly

me out to LA and stuff like that. So many. It was crazy. Yeah. It happened all the time. I was so starstruck by anyone. If they were a D-list, D-list anyone. All the way up until I was 18.

Oh, yeah. 16, I was going to visit people on set that were 50 years old. Crazy. Yeah. But it's such a scary thing. I was like 18. Oh, yeah. 16, I was going to visit people on set that were like 50 years old. Like crazy. Yeah. But it's such a scary thing. I put out some people that I've talked to, but it's such a scary thing to put out to. Also, just people don't believe a lot of times. So I don't know if you've ever experienced that, but just like, you know, things that's

unbelievable or they say, you know, or they blame. I think that's what was so triggering is with those letters about Brian Pack is saying like the 14-year-old tempted me, which is what exactly happened when I was younger. It's like, well, she wrote to me. And then you start feeling – and then your parents are like, well, why did you do that? Why did you do it behind her back? So it becomes a – like when you share your story, it's really brave because I don't think I ever would until other people started. I was like, wait.

I was like, someday someone's going to talk about this person and then maybe I can join in. But that was a different time. We don't have a digital footprint. I was like someday someone's gonna talk about this person and then maybe I can join it but that's a different time we don't have a digital footprint I was like writing letters and stuff but you know it is very scary because I would say for the most part no one believes survivors and that is why when I started protesting and once I got my megaphone for the first time which was like I don't know my fourth protest I finally got a megaphone and I was like what am I gonna say in here what am I gonna say through You know, this big Warner music group, you know? And I was like, what am I going to say?

And for so long, the slogan for, you know, empowering survivors was believe survivors. You know, you would see the t-shirts like believe survivors. And something about that going through the megaphone, like felt like I was reliant on someone else to like validate my experience. And I remember like going power to survivors and what that felt like to say versus believe survivors, like changed my whole life because it's not about, I think we're so past, you know, we've learned so much after the Me Too movement in regards to how people respond to survivorhood. And what I've really taken away from that is that the most important thing when it comes to survivor advocacy or just supporting a survivor is empowering them and making them feel like they do have the power to go seek justice.

And that's it. It's not even any more about relying on somebody to believe them. It's about us as a society making sure that everything is set up for them to be able to get the justice they deserve. And nothing should be blocking that. And if anything is blocking that, then that means us as a society has to remove those blocks. And usually that means listening to what the survivor is saying. Like, you know, these are the things that are complicated. Like me talking about red light, for example, like that law needs to change.

You know, there shouldn't be assault and battery and all this stuff in a divorce, a stipulated divorce agreement, you know? And so I think the more we listen to survivors, it's not necessarily about us believing them. It's about us empowering them. And I think the minute that we step outside of going, I needed to be there to know, it's like, does that really matter? I think what matters is empowering them and going, I want a person to go get the justice they deserve in life. And if I'm blocking that, then I'm a problem, to be honest.

Like, what is it to you to make things easier for someone just to go seek justice? Like, that's why I, that really dawned on me, you know, two years ago and it's, now I never even really say it. Like, I always say power to survivors. I never say believe survivors

because it gives too much power to the other people. And it's time for survivors to go, we got the we know what happened to us now let us go get justice and support us and we deserve it and you know what i mean like it's way more yeah yeah you feel like yeah let's go yeah you go petition have you ever gone to like congress or anything like that to try and petition i might end up doing that yeah that's like, that's my next goal. I think I've actually been talking to a lot of the people from Quiet On Set and trying to figure out a way to take this, like create some type of legislation. How does that even start? Do you like just go protest there? Anytime I can protest, I'm going to protest. But yeah, I'm sure protesting is involved

if they don't do something, if they don't accept the bill. But, you know, legislation is actually pretty simple in the sense where you do need a lawyer to write it out. And then you do need just like a legislator to help get it in front of, you know, the right people. So there's a couple steps to it. It's just really finding a lawyer that is willing to take the time to write out a proper, you know, bill, basically. And because you can't write it yourself. Right. You really need to make sure a lawyer is overseeing that. To write out a proper, you know, bill, basically. And because you can't write it yourself. Right.

You really need to make sure a lawyer is overseeing that. But it's not, it's more complicated to get people to vote yes on it. Yeah. Because usually survivor, like, for example, even the California state, the California adult essay bill that recently got opened up was a cover-up bill. And the reason why they ended up making this a cover-up act was because they realized that it was going to be a lot harder for them to get people to sign on to opening up the adult statute if it was just to open up the adult statute. Because people are like, well, you know, conserve, there's like,

you know, politics like, well, how can we believe somebody if it was like 20 years ago and like, and then these people are going to lose their assets and like, you know, that whole thing happens. But what everyone definitely agrees on is no one likes coverup of any kind. So you can always get the right and the left to

agree when cover-up is present because anyone who's like, no, cover-up's chill. That's like, who are you? So they made it the cover-up act. And that was also able to get these institutions to be exposed, honestly, for how they were covering up SA by these NDAs that are literally built into their business model. But I think it's all about the language. So it's, I think it's going to probably take at least a year for me to kind of get to that point. But it's definitely a goal of mine. Because sadly, these things are really baked into the cake. And it's going to take us collectively to pass things through to really create systemic change. Because I can sit outside all the time protesting.

And basically, I make the noise. And I'm like, go look there. Investigate, basically. You go in there, it's bad in there. You know what I mean? I'm making the noise. But eventually, what's going to have to happen is how do we make sure that they cannot get away with it anymore yeah to stop it from the future totally what's your first bill you'd want because there's like two big things you have right three four there's so many there's what where do you

start what's your first what's your what's main goal? I would probably say that the main goal right now, after really processing also Quiet on Set, like, because I thought I was the only person, even when I sat down, I didn't know how many people were going to sit down after me. You were surprised to see. I was surprised. Okay. Every person, when people would talk about Dan Schneider, I'm like, I was shocked. So many.

Yeah, he was there. I was shocked. It was like heavily about Dan Schneider too. It was heavily about Dan Schneider and I was shocked. And so after watching that, I think there really does need to be some things put into place. I would say the most important is that there needs to be a therapist on set at all times. Oh, they have those for reality shows.

They should have them for children. Do they have them for reality shows? Oh, why does Celebrity Big Brother need – they had me talk to a therapist like every 20 minutes. They're like, we have one on set. And he'd like come in and you're not supposed to have people in the house and he'd like come in and talk to me. Yeah. What? Well, that's good to know yeah it's like this should not be a problem yeah that's i think the first that should be so easy to get that is so good to know it i feel like that has to be like a union like and legislative like this you have to

have a therapist on set because also a therapist has to report if something is abusive. So they can't be bought out by the, you know, whatever, Nickelodeon or whatever it is because they have a duty to fulfill. For sure, yeah. And so I think a therapist on set for child actors is going to be the first step because it's not like child actors are going to stop anytime soon, sadly. Therapy for everybody on there for sure i think there i think therapy and also i think there should be no emancipation um or proficiency tests because for me my agent was pressuring me into taking a proficiency test so that it looked like i was graduated from high school so i could work adult hours and that's a loophole that so many networks and producers

were all allowing. Amanda Bynes did that, right? She did the emancipation. And so I think there has to be like no loopholes. Like there should be no emancipation, proficiency test, child labor laws are always set in stone, no matter what the hell is happening. You know, I don't care if like they got adopted, but you know, I don't care. They should always, child labor laws are always set in stone no matter what the hell is happening. You know, I don't care if like they got adopted. But, you know, I don't care. They should always – child labor laws should always stay put. And there shouldn't be loopholes, you know, around that. So there's a couple things that I've been thinking about. would definitely be just opening up the statutes for adult and specifically child you know CSA survivors because the average you know survive the average length of time it takes for a survivor to

come forward is 50 years oh yeah it's so long and you know if the statistics are there the facts are there you know why aren't our our laws there? You know, like, where's the laws when it comes to understanding that fact? And so I would love just to open up the statutes. I think it's really important that we don't have it close at any point, so that survivors just always feel that if and when they want to, they can, at least on the civil level. You know, criminal is another thing. But I think on the civil level. You know, criminal is another thing. But I think on the civil, there are things that the statues don't close, you know, when it comes to like, you know, murder, you know, right?

Like, why should a crime like R, you know, why is that not something that's open? Right. That is, you know, it is lifelong trauma. Like that person's never the same. I'm not the same after what happened to me. Oh my gosh, I've gone through. You're surviving. Yeah. You know, it really is lifelong trauma. Like that person's never the same. I'm not the same after what happened to me. Oh my gosh, I've gone through. You're surviving. Yeah.

You know. It really is, yeah. It's survival mode. Yeah, you're having to always, and when the memory comes in, I don't know, you know, I have days where I'm like, you know, you're just constantly, it's a lot. And so I think that statute needs to be opened because three to five years ain't cutting it. Yeah, that's wild. You don't even realize what's happened to you or if it was abuse.

You just don't know. Not at all. You're like, I think it's normal. I thought everything was normal. I was like, well, this is normal. I thought so many things were normal. Yeah. You're like, I guess this is what happens.

That's exactly. And then the Me Too movement happened and I was like, what is that word? What is this? Oh, that's that. Oh, power dynamics. I had no idea. I don't think anything that came up until recently. Now people are talking about it, but.

And thank God they are. And so since we're learning now, we got to have the statues open because so many people didn't even realize. No, for sure. That certain things were wrong and they're going to therapy. Their lives are altered for forever and they don't even have any, they can't get justice. The worst is when justice is blocked. And I think that's my main, if I were to start really getting active in that space is where, where's the blocks? Like

justice cannot be blocked. Right. And wherever justice is blocked, we got to remove the blockade because it's so, you know, I learned that from the stipulated judgment. And when there's nothing worse than something getting in the way of your justice, it is, I think, as heartbreaking or as re-traumatizing as what you experienced. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like it takes you back to that victim place where you feel helpless and you feel like frozen, honestly. And so I think that would be kind of – but there's so much to do, obviously. You really do need so much help and support.

It's like a lot for one person, especially just also your mental health and all that stuff like that. And two kids. And two kids. And you're doing this and talking about it constantly. Like hearing it just now – like we weren't watching the documentary for so long. So I'm like, I just – I can't. I would see clips on TikTok. I'm like, I don't want to. Like it's so heavy. weren't watching the documentary for so long so I'm like I just I can't I would see clips on TikTok I'm like I don't want to like it's so

heavy we watched it it's so heavy and I'm just like it's just like darkness and like you have to like and it's important you talk about your story but it's like you're living in this darkness over and over again and it's like such a toll on your mental health but like no one else is gonna do it and it's important you do just finding those people to support it well thank you I mean this is even just so nice to be able to sit down here and have people listening because I think the first step in any type of change

is just people like listening. Yeah. And making it and hopefully it gets more mainstream. I think it will. I think quiet onsets a huge thing. I know I was like, it just feel helpless at the end of the day.

It's like, what can you do? But it sounds like you are doing a lot. Thank you. And the patrons, people supporting you. It's like a huge thing. Thank you. Those are the people who's going to change it because I think like you do, but it sounds like you are doing a lot. Thank you. And the Patreons, people supporting you, it's like a huge thing. Thank you. And those are the people who are going to change it because I think, like you said, there's so much darkness in there and I think those will change it and you'll change it. There's just, I don't, I didn't know how to even prepare for this or what to say because

it's just a lot, you know, but I definitely have my support. You're so sweet. I think you have a lot of people's support. Thank you. It took a while, you know, but thankfully for this documentary and all this stuff coming out, it'll continue. And I hope you feel a little justice, at least having this come out, the validation. And above all else, Britney Spears validating you.

I think that's really it. What if I'm good? I apologize privately, publicly in her book. I think that says a lot. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for being here you guys check out alexa everywhere she has her own podcast eat predators on patreon um check her out maybe one day we'll see you uh at the capital with the bill passing all of it it has to this is how

change happens right it's gonna count all that stuff like that there'll be an alexa account i'll definitely be reaching out yeah we're excited're excited. We're excited to watch it. Come on the streets with me. Yeah. Well, thank you again. I really am. And Quiet On Set is coming out with another. Yes. Yeah. Are you in that? No, I'm not.

No, no. It's Drake. It's just kind of like a recap. Yes. It's a recap. I think it's on April 6th. Thank you. It's a lot.

Go check out our podcast because you talk about all this stuff endlessly. Ned's Declassified. Stuff we haven't even gotten to. Just so much stuff. So go check out our podcast. Oh, yeah. Thank you so much. It's wild.

You really get in. I trust you with your research. So thanks for clarifying. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, guys. We'll see you next time.