Dan Schneider Issues Statement on New Allegations From All That’s Lori Beth Denberg

comingsoon.net:

Former All That cast member has accused of showing her porn, initiating phone sex, and engaging in other inappropriate behavior when she was a teenager on the series.

The allegations came during a recent interview Denberg gave to Business Insider. In the interview, she claims that once she turned 19 in 1995, Schneider began asking to meet with her and showing her clips of pornography, including one of a woman performing oral sex on a donkey.

“I feel like that is the first time he preyed on me,” Denberg said.

In a statement to Variety on the matter, Schneider denied various aspects of the story as “wildly exaggerated and, in most cases, false” but did acknowledge he had made “mistakes” throughout his career.

“As I have previously stated, there were times, particularly in the early years of my career, that I made mistakes and exhibited poor judgment as a leader,” Schneider said. “If I did that with respect to Lori Beth, I sincerely apologize to her. But I cannot apologize for things I did not do.”

Schneider went on to note that the timing of the report was seemingly “more than coincidental,” noting that it happened so quickly after he filed a defamation lawsuit against the makers of the recent Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV for his portrayal.

Along with the previous allegations made against Schneider, Denberg — who joined the cast of All That when she was 17 — said that Schneider would discuss sexual topics with her over the phone and even tried to initiate phone sex with the actress in one instance.

In another situation, Denberg said there would be times when she stayed at Schneider’s house overnight, and that one night, while the pair watched Jeopardy! together, he made a bet that whoever got more questions right would win a massage. After Denberg won, she alleged that Schneider began fondling her.

“I couldn’t have been more green,” Denberg said, who recalled her “weird, abusive friendship” with Schneider. “I couldn’t have been more vulnerable.”