Nell Scovell, a successful television writer with over twenty years of experience in the industry, has opened up about her time as a staff writer for David Letterman in a piece for Vanity Fair (where she’s also written for two decades). And while the entire essay is a well-balanced critique of the lack of female writers in late-night television, here’s the quote that makes Letterman look like a dick:
Did Dave hit on me? No. Did he pay me enough extra attention that it was noted by another writer? Yes. Was I aware of rumors that Dave was having sexual relationships with female staffers? Yes. Was I aware that other high-level male employees were having sexual relationships with female staffers? Yes. Did these female staffers have access to information and wield power disproportionate to their job titles? Yes. Did that create a hostile work environment? Yes. Did I believe these female staffers were benefiting professionally from their personal relationships? Yes. Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely. Did I say anything at the time? Sadly, no.
Scovell uses her experience with Letterman to call for more female writers across the spectrum of late-night television, and I think she has a good point — up to a point. I don’t want to play the “women aren’t funny” card, because I know some women who are very funny. But at the same time… c’mon. Calling for more women comedy writers is like calling for more white wide receivers in the NFL.


Is this a piece if incredibly bad writing? Yes.
Is this woman angry because no one hit on her? Yes.
Who was taking advantage of whom? The men getting sex or the women whoring to advance their careers?
Is it fun to always talk like you’re asking a question? Yes. Do I plan to now go masturbate to pictures of Meghan Fox? Yes.
Sex with female staffers? You bet. Give those girls extra attention? Of course! Cheese off the other chicks not getting any? Like Jack Nicholson after all the coke is gone. Did he ever stick a certain part of the female genitalia into that gap in his teeth? You bet your ass he did.
/Robert Evans’d
Is this a really obnoxious rhetorical technique to repeat for multiple consecutive sentences? Yes.
She’s just jealous
skew-ah in ‘da bell-aye
Tiny Fey: Brandon Stokely
Roseanne Barr: Ed McCaffrey
Phyllis Diller: Don Maynard
Does that make Tina Fey Steve Largent or Wes Welker?
Excellent analogy. Lofty analogy.
Do I think Letterman banged her? Maybe. I dont know. But I do know Letterman prob would of banged her. I dont know if i know though.
\That was my sad impression of Peter King
“Did Paul Schaeffer ask me to rub his head on a daily basis? Yes. Did I do it? Yes. Was it for professional gain? No.”
“Were the writers shacking up nightly? You bet. Was it sexy? You bet. I remember one night in ’84, I spent the night in Ted Knight’s dressing room with two other writers, six bottles of Dom and not a stitch of clothing between us. It was a top-ten night all the way, baby!”\
- Robert Evans
“Did these female staffers have access to information and wield power disproportionate to their job titles?”
Anyone else have to read that question twice?
I’d like to hear Ted Snopes’ take on this story.
Was she polygraphing herself?
I don’t know how many time I’ve told those boys, never call chicks broads.