The hosts of the “Ned’s Declassified” podcast, Devon Werkheiser and Lindsey Shaw, along with Daniel Curtis Lee, reflected on their journey from child actors to podcast hosts, the impact of their show, and their time on set as children with Nickelodeon.
Speaking to What’s Trending’s at Vidcon powered by PRophet, Werkheiser shared, “Actually meeting these guests again as if for the first time, I feel like I’m just meeting these people for the first time, and they’re amazing.” Shaw added, “That’s been my favorite part—reconnecting with guests from ‘Ned’s’ or other child actors who shared similar paths.”
Lee emphasized the unique niche their podcast fills, saying, “We highlight such a niche kind of nostalgia that we share with people. It’s great to hear others’ stories about their journey from child acting to adulthood.”
The group has had a large lineup of guests, including memorable episodes with Rob Pinkston, Michelle Kim, Matt Bennett, Carlie Casey, and Khleo Thomas.
As for other guests, Werkheiser’s own mother was featured on the podcast recently, and the group emphasized how she was a supportive parent on set in ways they could have never imagined at such a young age.
Werkheiser admitted, “It took convincing myself. It’s not her preferred place to be in front of the camera, but I knew she would say yes if I asked her.” Shaw added, “I almost didn’t want to share her with the internet because of the weird, dark place it can be.” However, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, celebrating Mama Werkheiser’s stories and insights.
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Shaw praised Werkheiser’s mom, Valerie, for her strong presence and protective instincts on set, recalling instances where she intervened to protect the young stars from adverse situations.
“Valerie is an incredibly strong woman and a very vibrant, serious presence. So I think just her being willing to speak up and not budge on these non-negotiables, which can be really easy to do on a set—honestly, when they’re always telling you, ‘It’s the money, money, money. You have to keep going. You have to keep going.’ And that’s easy to cave to, but I don’t think Valerie ever did that.”
Devon also praised his mother’s experience working with the young stars and touched on how the show differed from others on Nickelodeon.
Shaw admitted that Werkheiser’s mother addressed a large number of logistics problems that occurred during production.
“We were very lucky in our set and show experience. Obviously, we’ve heard a lot of awful stories coming out of that era and our generation. We know these people; we were there. It’s heartbreaking hearing this. We were very fortunate. Scott Fellows, who created our show, genuinely cared about our well-being.”
Daniel Curtis Lee even mentioned that Valerie stood up against racism on set when he didn’t understand what he was facing at a young age with another cast member.
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He admitted, “Because I didn’t know how to voice it. I’m like, ‘Why am I being treated differently?’ And it was great to have a parent there in that ecosystem to step up. My dad was there too, but she overheard something and was like, ‘No, not happening.'”
Devon chimed in, agreeing, saying, “She said she called Nickelodeon and was like, ‘Absolutely not, she’s gone.'”
Regarding the possibility of reviving “Ned’s Declassified” for television, Werkheiser and Shaw enthusiastically expressed interest, with Werkheiser mentioning, “We’ve been tinkering behind the scenes; we’ll see what happens.” They envisioned a reboot that caters to their grown-up audience, offering an “adulthood survival guide” that tackles real-life issues from roommates to taxes.
Coverage from Vidcon by What’s Trending powered by PRophet.
