Nickelodeon veteran and current MTV “Deliciousness” host Kel Mitchell applauded fellow actor Jennette McCurdy for talking about her unpleasant experiences in the network. The “Sam & Cat” actress released her memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” where she talked about her abuse at the hands of her mother and someone she described as “The Creator.”
While promoting his new show, “Deliciousness,” Mitchell talked about his relationship with the former Nickelodeon actress and acknowledged the effort she put in releasing her story. He went on to encourage people to be more and go after whatever they chose to.
The 46-year-old is currently the co-host of MTV’s “Deliciousness” and is starring alongside Tiffani Thiessen, Tim Chantarangsu, and Angela Kinsey. The show is a spin-off of “Ridiculousness” and is set to release its third season.
Kel Mitchell Calls Jennette McCurdy ‘Courageous’
Mitchell recently described former Nickelodeon star McCurdy as “courageous” for her book “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” where she talked about the abuse she suffered in the network and why she left the show for good.
According to Page Six, “Game Shakers” star acknowledged that not everyone had good experiences, and being able to tell their stories was important. “Everyone has a different story, and the way that they want to tell their story and express themselves — and to get it out — that’s definitely important.”
While talking about his time with McCurdy on “Sam & Cat,” Mitchell spoke about how the former actress handled her mother’s passing and how he appreciated her courage in talking about her experiences. The 43-year-old, “I remember what she went through when her mom passed around that time. So [I love] hearing her tell her story and being courageous within that.”
Kel Mitchell Loved Working With Jennette McCurdy
Further in his interview with Page Six, Mitchell revealed that one of his fondest memories of his long stay at Nickelodeon was when he acted alongside McCurdy. The actor was a part of Nickelodeon as far back as the ‘90s when the two shows that shot him to fame were released, “Kenan & Kel” and “All That.”
The 46-year-old said, “Jennette’s amazing. I got to work with her on ’Sam & Cat,’ which was super awesome. Me and my wife [Asia Lee] got to hang out with Jennette as well. She played my assistant on ‘Sam & Cat,’ and we just had a blast. She was cracking up. She’s a very, very talented actress and comedian as well.”
The actress eventually left acting towards the end of 2010 after receiving therapy. Mitchell commended her for the move and advised people not to box themselves in one position and instead, “Do many things. Go after many different things.” The actor added, “I love seeing that: actors becoming authors, becoming pastors, all these different things.”
Jennette McCurdy Said She Was Offered ‘Hush Money’
In her famous memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” the “iCarly” actress shed light on her mother, Debra McCurdy, and her actions when she was alive. According to the 30-year-old, Debra allegedly subjected her to abuse and did not allow her to make any independent moves of her own.
The actress also alleged in the memoir that she was offered “hush money” by Nickelodeon. The Blast shared that the stated amount was $300,000, and it was reportedly in a bid to stop McCurdy from talking about her experience in the network publicly.
The “Sam & Cat” star was also asked not to reveal the abuse she allegedly suffered from someone she called “The Creator,” who she worked with on the network. McCurdy revealed that she did not accept the offer.
Dan Schneider Left Nickelodeon In 2018
McCurdy’s “The Creator” reference could possibly be referring to Schneider, the creator of several Nickelodeon shows for the past decades and coincidentally the brains behind “iCarly” and “Sam & Cat.”
After Nickelodeon conducted an internal investigation, the network announced that Schneider was no longer under their employ. The probe reportedly revealed that the “Game Shakers” creator was verbally abusive at times.
According to Deadline, the network and Schneider released a joint statement that read, “Following many conversations together about next directions and future opportunities, Nickelodeon and our long-time creative partner Dan Schneider/Schneider’s Bakery have agreed to not extend the current deal.”
The statement further revealed that the series creator’s works were coming to a close, so their decision to part ways was understandable. The network thanked Schneider for his input in the company over the years and wished them well in their future pursuits.