Veteran comedy writer Nell Scovell on 30 years of being "the only woman in the room"

Veteran comedy writer Nell Scovell on 30 years of being "the only woman in the room"

Author: Vox May 17, 2018 Duration: 51:51
Writer Nell Scovell has worked for some of the best, most popular TV shows of the past 30 years. She wrote for David Letterman. She wrote for The Simpsons. She created the '90s show Sabrina the Teenage Witch. She wrote on NCIS. And at too many of those jobs, she was the only woman working in the writers’ room, countering Hollywood’s endless boys’ club. Scovell’s new memoir, Just the Funny Parts, is an excellent chronicle of her time in the TV trenches, as well as the times she’s branched out into writing books (she co-authored the massive bestseller Lean In with Sheryl Sandberg) and writing jokes for President Obama. Above all else, the book makes the argument that having more diversity in Hollywood writers' rooms will make movies and TV shows funnier.  Scovell joins Todd for a frank and funny conversation about all those famous shows she’s worked on, her push for better representation of women behind the scenes in Hollywood, and her best Simpsons memories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Thursday, Vox’s critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff sits down for a conversation that goes beyond the usual promotional chatter. The I Think You're Interesting podcast is built on the premise that the people who make the movies, TV shows, and art we love have fascinating stories and creative processes worth exploring in detail. These are frank, uncensored talks with a wide range of guests-from household names to emerging talents and essential behind-the-scenes figures-all of whom have shaped the current landscape of entertainment and pop culture. You’ll hear them discuss not just their latest project, but the influences and inspirations that fuel their work, the pivotal moments in their careers, and the ideas they can’t stop thinking about. It’s a series of deep dives into the minds of interesting people, hosted by someone who knows how to ask the questions that get to the heart of why they do what they do. This isn't about reviews or hot takes; it's about the human element behind the art we consume. Each episode feels like eavesdropping on a great, meandering conversation between two people genuinely engaged in figuring out what makes creativity tick, all delivered with the thoughtful perspective you expect from Vox.
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I Think You're Interesting
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