Quiet on Set viewers shocked by “sick” Amanda Show character

Following the release of Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, viewers have been left shocked over a “sick” character written into Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show. 

Nickelodeon was nothing short of a powerhouse in the 90s and 00s, with Dan Schneider helping to create some of the most popular titles of the era – from All That and The Amanda Show to Victorious and iCarly. 

But behind the scenes a sinister situation was unfolding, as is explored in ID’s latest true crime documentary, Quiet on Set. The series aired over the weekend, unveiling allegations about sexism, racism, and abuse. 

Viewers are busy poring over the details, including the adult jokes that were snuck into TV shows meant for kids. One in particular has faced heavy backlash. 

Quiet on Set viewers shocked by Amanda Show character

One of the Amanda Show characters highlighted in Quiet on Set is Penelope Taynt. “The taint is the part of the body that’s between the penis and the anus. It’s that skin there,” says former writer Jenny Kilgen. “Dan had said to us in the writers’ room, ‘Don’t tell what this word really means.’ He wanted us to keep that a secret.”

The hidden meaning behind the name has left viewers shocked, with one writing on X: “This is so creepy that Dan Schneider would call this character Penelope Tayant.” Another said, “This whole time I thought her name was Penelope Tate but TAINT? Oh Dan. You’re a sick b*stard.”

“Wait, one of Amanda’s character’s names was Penelope TAINT? I thought it was Tate. I’m beyond disturbed,” added a third, while a fourth commented, “Penelope TAINT! Dan told them don’t tell anyone… I never would’ve picked up on that as a kid! He’s a pervert!”

In the docuseries, fellow ex-writer Christy Stratton says, “I remember someone from Nickelodeon sitting with us and saying, ‘Oh does this mean, you know, this dirty thing?’ And Dan was like, ‘No, why would you think that? It’s like taint, as in, you’ve tainted something.’ And they were like, ‘Okay.’ 

“Man, that is power. That you can just say you want something and it’s done.” Kilgen adds, “It’s one of those things where it’s like, ‘Ew, it’s a young girl.’” 

This is just one of many adult-themed jokes that made it into Schneider’s shows. Elsewhere in Quiet on Set, former All That star Leon Frierson describes how uncomfortable it is looking back on a number of the sketches he had to do, including Captain Big Nose. 

As well as wearing a prosthetic nose, he had to wear a tight costume with matching noses on his shoulders. “You can’t help but notice that it looks like penises and testicles on my shoulders,” he says. 

ID

Adding to this, the skit ends with Captain Big Nose sneezing goo onto the face of a female character. Writer Scaachi Koul explains, “The joke in that sketch is effectively a cum shot joke. It’s a cum shot joke for children.”

“This Captain Big Nose sh*t is disgusting,” wrote one viewer, with another stating, “The big nose skit was wild.” A third added, “I watched both shows sometimes and I did like them but as a kid I never read into anything. But now, as an adult and things are being revealed, it definitely makes me cringe and think ‘Ok this isn’t right.’”

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is available on ID and Max, which you can sign up for here. Read more about Brian Peck’s connection to John Wayne Gacy here, and check out all of the true crime and documentaries heading to streaming this month here.