Nickelodeon Fires ‘The Loud House’ Creator Chris Savino After Sexual Harassment Allegations Surface

I’m a ’90s kid, and I still believe that ’90s cartoons are the best that have ever existed. You can’t beat ’em. I was ecstatic when my parents finally got cable. I spent a good chunk of my younger years watching whatever came in on the stupid antenna. Funny story, actually. It wasn’t just any antenna. My dad was and is a go big or go home kind of person. So he purchased a MONSTER antenna and set it up outside. It towered over our roof. He named it the “Screaming Eagle.” It was one of those bad boys that you had to spin around. Some of my most hilarious(ly tragic) childhood memories involve sticking my body halfway out the living room window and listening to my little sister yell, “STILL CAN’T SEE IT! WAIT NO. GO BACK! RIGHT THERE! CLIFFORD WAS CLEAR FOR A SECOND!” It’s funny looking back on it now, but man. I hated it. It’s so weird to think that my future, currently non-existent kids will have NO IDEA what I’m talking about when I tell them that story in the future.

Needless to say, I was super excited for cable. The cable cartoons were OFF THE CHAIN man. Nickelodeon’s especially. Old school “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Rugrats,” “Hey Arnold!,” “The Angry Beavers,” “Doug,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” – you name it. There’s nothing like ’em to this day. I stand by that.

Now kids are stuck with crap like “The Loud House.” Speaking of, Nickelodeon has fired the creator, Chris Savino, amid pending sexual harassment allegations.

Loud House creator Chris Savino’s time at Nickelodeon has come to an end.

The Viacom-owned cable network has fired Savino days after multiple women came forward with sexual harassment allegations against the animator.

About 12 women, to be exact.

Up to a dozen women have accused Savino, 46, of sexual harassment, unwanted advances and inappropriate behavior as well as threats of blacklisting female colleagues who were no longer in consensual relationships with him, according to Cartoon Brew, which was first with the news.

“Chris Savino is no longer working with Nickelodeon. We take allegations of misconduct very seriously, and we are committed to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment that is free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct,” a Nickelodeon spokesperson said Thursday in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. The Loud House, which is currently in its second season, will continue to air on Nickelodeon and be in production. Season three is scheduled to premiere in early 2018.

 

Savino was suspended Wednesday as Viacom has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment. Nickelodeon Group president Cyma Zarghami also issued a memo to staff on Thursday after news of Savino’s dismissal, encouraging employees to speak out. “In the current climate, it feels necessary to say that if you should encounter an uncomfortable situation at work, or witness one, you are safe to speak up,” she wrote. “If you hear something, and are unsure of what to do, you are safe to tell your supervisor or Human Resources. If you need help, in any way, you are safe to ask for it.”

And it’s not like this is some “nobody” show. I know it seems that way, but it’s not. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the show is the network’s No. 2 series among kids 2-11. (SpongeBob is still the champ.)

Nickelodeon Group president Cyma Zarghami released the following memo to staffers:

Nickelodeon is incredibly successful at the moment and continues to thrive because of the people who work here. You put your heart and soul into what you do. And we are committed to giving you the tools and resources you need to succeed and thrive here.

 

Something we have long provided, as has the whole of Viacom, is a commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment. It is one of our foundational principles, and it is non-negotiable.

 

This principle is not an idea that can be pushed solely from the top down. It is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to our culture, to value one another, and to promote inclusivity and respect on all levels.

 

I have been at the company for more than 30 years, and since the beginning of my time here, I have come into the office, and left it every day, feeling that we are doing good work, that we are good people, and that it is a privilege and responsibility to create great characters and stories for kids.

 

In the current climate, it feels necessary to say that if you should encounter an uncomfortable situation at work, or witness one, you are safe to speak up. If you hear something, and are unsure of what to do, you are safe to tell your supervisor or Human Resources. If you need help, in any way, you are safe to ask for it.

 

We value each and every one of you just as much as we collectively value our audience, and I am proud of the incredible brand and business we have built.

 

–Cyma

It’s great that they have a no-tolerance policy for sexual harassment.

About freaking time, honestly.

h/t Hollywood Reporter