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'The Umbrella Academy' Showrunner Accused of 'Toxic, Bullying, Manipulative, and Retaliatory Behavior'

‘The Umbrella Academy’ showrunner Steve Blackman was accused of 'toxic, bullying, manipulative, and retaliatory behavior' by 12 staffers.

A year earlier, writers under Nickelodeon’s Dan Schneider, who helmed kids’ shows such as iCarly and Drake & Josh, detailed how he allegedly refused them bathroom breaks and tormented women with misogynistic jokes. The January 2023 HR complaint details at least five separate instances in which Blackman allegedly retaliated against his staffers, including his Season Four co-showrunner Jesse McKeown, who claims his role was diminished after he backed a writer in a payment dispute. Throughout the show’s four seasons, sources claim to Rolling Stone, Blackman would make what they viewed as homophobic and transphobic comments, including juvenile and perverse commentary on individuals’ sexualities and wondering aloud about people’s anatomies.

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