Just the Funny Parts Nell Scovell

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Start your review of Just the Funny Parts: ... And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking Into the Hollywood Boys' Club

I had never heard of Nell Scovell, who's a writer, producer and director, but somehow this book was brought to my attention and I'm glad it was. She's a talented writer who worked on some of my favorite TV shows. She's also a Democrat so we have that in common. It's a very interesting memoir.

I like her attitude - "I expect nothing, hope for something, and am delighted when my efforts are rewarded."

I recommend this book!

I had never heard of Nell Scovell, who's a writer, producer and director, but somehow this book was brought to my attention and I'm glad it was. She's a talented writer who worked on some of my favorite TV shows. She's also a Democrat so we have that in common. It's a very interesting memoir.

I like her attitude - "I expect nothing, hope for something, and am delighted when my efforts are rewarded."

I recommend this book!

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When people conclude that it must be "soooo much fun" to work on The Muppets, it's like assuming the Oompa Loompas love every minute working at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. To outsiders, it's all chocolate waterfalls and funny songs. But late at night, someone's got to clean up after all those nut-testing squirrels. And let's just say the nuts are high in fiber.

Nell Scovell hits the mark throughout this fun and spot-on inside look at Hollywood...from a female writer's point-of-view. She has

When people conclude that it must be "soooo much fun" to work on The Muppets, it's like assuming the Oompa Loompas love every minute working at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. To outsiders, it's all chocolate waterfalls and funny songs. But late at night, someone's got to clean up after all those nut-testing squirrels. And let's just say the nuts are high in fiber.

Nell Scovell hits the mark throughout this fun and spot-on inside look at Hollywood...from a female writer's point-of-view. She has written primarily for American television shows and it's her experiences which she relates here, especially working in what remains a male dominated hierarchy. She breaks the chapters into:

Who Is Nell Scovell?
Here we learn about the author, her background, and her first forays into the industry. It is in this section that she gets into the ugly part of being a sole female writer on a show where the head writer (hint: he also had several country music hits and still performs today) forced himself on her. For anyone who has followed the #MeToo campaign, this is a very disturbing part of the book. And for anyone who has ever worked in Hollywood, one that still remains prevalent today.

Get Me Nell Scovell!
Now she is established and starts getting job offers. Here, she becomes, briefly, part of the David Letterman Show, where she was, again, a sole female writer. Perhaps this explains why I never cottoned to Letterman (or Leno for that matter) as the talk show program was a basic white-male frat house. It's not a good view and Letterman's dalliances with female personnel are yucky. Kudos to Scovell for focusing on professionalism rather than blind ambition. This chapter is also where she hits on another part of the book I like, which is explaining how a good workplace, not just Hollywood, should provide opportunities for all. Specifically, she calls out the virtues of a great leader:

1. Understands the mission better than anyone in the room and can communicate it.
2. Is the hardest working person in the room.
3. Is the most generous person in the room, not just with compensation, but also with praise and credit.
4. Allows dissent and even invites it.
5. Listens and learns.

Yes, I'd call that leadership and an instructional guide to making any place more inclusive.

Get Me A Younger, Cheaper Nell Scovell
Now she starts a long rollercoaster ride, as she has become good enough to get the sole female writer positions, which means the bosses are always looking for someone who can do the same thing for less money. She also focuses on the jobs that got away, again a very instructional look at what it takes to freelance.

Who Is Nell Scovell?
Still getting work but having to work harder to get it, Scovell is at that age in Hollywood where women get moved to the wayside while men still prosper. More mature, she gets to write some of the jokes for President Obama. Yes, if you laughed at some of his self-mocking asides, that was probably Scovell's writing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It came into my hands inadvertently, as I walked into the Rancho Mirage library and was handed a copy and directed into the room where she was speaking. Some days are just fortuitous. She was flat-out hilarious and treated everyone in the room with respect, even signing our books, which surprised me. I worked in Hollywood and most big-shot women there are Queen Bees, but not Scovell. Very relatable.

This is also a good book for anyone wanting to teach their young daughters about the workplace (not just Hollywood). For instance, learning to be wary about predatory men and how keeping your values can be far more important than moving ahead, is something one doesn't hear or read about much. Scovell also does a quite terrific job in explaining how a writer works, focusing on People, Process, and Product. Again, this can be transferred to any workplace in any industry. Very well done.

Still, there's a difference between allowing people to share personal information and forcing them to.

Finally, I just liked her character. When she marries, it's not a sensationalized mass gathering, but a quiet private affair. She points out the importance of collaboration, comparing it to canoeing. A solid citizen who happens to write some very funny stuff.

Book Season = Summer (guffaws by the pool)

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Not since Bossypants have I loved and laughed over a memoir so much. This book was my heaven: a hilariously funny and frank look at writing and creativity and celebrities and TV and, lest we forget, fighting sexism in the workplace. Nell Scovell was and is a pioneer for women in Hollywood and, now, rightfully will go down as a feminist hero for co-writing Lean In. She's self-deprecating and genius and doesn't spare herself (while also dishing about Dave Letterman) in her memories of her awesome Not since Bossypants have I loved and laughed over a memoir so much. This book was my heaven: a hilariously funny and frank look at writing and creativity and celebrities and TV and, lest we forget, fighting sexism in the workplace. Nell Scovell was and is a pioneer for women in Hollywood and, now, rightfully will go down as a feminist hero for co-writing Lean In. She's self-deprecating and genius and doesn't spare herself (while also dishing about Dave Letterman) in her memories of her awesome career. Nell is one of the greats. ...more

I generally like show-biz memoirs, but this one was a bit too show-bizzy for me. I guess it doesn't help that the shows the author was involved with are not ones that I tend to watch. A lot of name-dropping; not a lot of substance. I generally like show-biz memoirs, but this one was a bit too show-bizzy for me. I guess it doesn't help that the shows the author was involved with are not ones that I tend to watch. A lot of name-dropping; not a lot of substance. ...more

Scovell provides the reader with some "inside baseball" on how challenging it is to break into comedic writing in Hollywood, especially if you are a woman. She has a long resume, so definitely has some interesting anecdotes, and she didn't shy away from naming names. But overall, I expected that as a comedy writer, the book would be wittier than it was. It also trots out the various complaints that feminists have been stating repeatedly for years, and so that component doesn't seem incredibly fr Scovell provides the reader with some "inside baseball" on how challenging it is to break into comedic writing in Hollywood, especially if you are a woman. She has a long resume, so definitely has some interesting anecdotes, and she didn't shy away from naming names. But overall, I expected that as a comedy writer, the book would be wittier than it was. It also trots out the various complaints that feminists have been stating repeatedly for years, and so that component doesn't seem incredibly fresh. Interestingly, she collaborated on Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead which I have not read, but was a huge bestseller. All in all, I enjoyed this peek into what it is to be a writer for the screen, but I guess I expected more from a person who makes their living writing comedy. ...more

"Both Nell and I look forward to the day when there are no 'female writers'—just writers. We share an unshakeable belief that having an equal number of men and women sitting at the table where decisions are made will make this world fairer and better. It will also make the world funnier."

"Wish I could shake younger me and tell her, 'If you are the only girl in the room it doesn't mean you're better. It means something is wrong.'"

I'll be honest - I didn't know who Nell Scovell was until I saw thi

"Both Nell and I look forward to the day when there are no 'female writers'—just writers. We share an unshakeable belief that having an equal number of men and women sitting at the table where decisions are made will make this world fairer and better. It will also make the world funnier."

"Wish I could shake younger me and tell her, 'If you are the only girl in the room it doesn't mean you're better. It means something is wrong.'"

I'll be honest - I didn't know who Nell Scovell was until I saw this book recommend by John Oliver (Last Week Tonight). As a fan of TV and movies, as well as comedy, I was intrigued. This memoir has so many layers. It's about the experiences of a female writer working in Hollywood and the barriers she faced. It's a call for equity in media, but in all fields and for all identities. Nell made me laugh a lot, but she also inspired me and helped me realize how I can be a better leader and continue the fight for equity. Nell also gave a glimpse into the writing room and what it means to be a producer or a director. While I didn't know who she was, I knew a lot of her works. Need a laugh or want to feel inspired or motivated? Read this book.

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Short, tightly written, sharp. And very funny. It's less a memoir than a class by the most charismatic professor you had in college, about comedy writing AND about the barriers faced by women in comedy writing. Scovell was Sheryl Sandberg's co-author (I've been a co-author; guess what, it means that Scovell wrote the book) on Lean In, and to me this was a better read on the same topic, writ small rather than sweeping. Some people criticized Lean In for being classist, victim-blame-y, and clueles Short, tightly written, sharp. And very funny. It's less a memoir than a class by the most charismatic professor you had in college, about comedy writing AND about the barriers faced by women in comedy writing. Scovell was Sheryl Sandberg's co-author (I've been a co-author; guess what, it means that Scovell wrote the book) on Lean In, and to me this was a better read on the same topic, writ small rather than sweeping. Some people criticized Lean In for being classist, victim-blame-y, and clueless about race. I think that's too much of a generalization...but there is there there. In telling her own story, Scovell evades these problems. She illustrates so many of the lessons Lean In was trying to teach, but because they're about HER (and, btw, she owns her own history of classism and failures in finding/hiring writers of color), they feel immediate and vivid and not theoretical. And not victim-blame-y, because Scovell is our protagonist and we immediately feel we get her and like her. Also, there are lots of old Jewish man jokes, which I love, because zaydes! And aw JEEZ the blows to Scovell's ego that she just keeps getting up from! And her guts in NAMING NAMES of sexist, gropey, dimwitted fuckwads!

Upshot: So instructive and helpful to me as a non-fiction book writer. (And damn, I gotta toughen up.)

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May 06, 2018 Amy rated it really liked it

This book does just what it says on the tin -- a straightforward memoir of Scovell's writing career, with a few personal-life tidbits thrown in for good measure -- and I've been recommending it to everyone for the past week or so. She really digs into what it's like and what it means to be the only woman in the room, how it happens, and how it changes. Plus: jokes! This book does just what it says on the tin -- a straightforward memoir of Scovell's writing career, with a few personal-life tidbits thrown in for good measure -- and I've been recommending it to everyone for the past week or so. She really digs into what it's like and what it means to be the only woman in the room, how it happens, and how it changes. Plus: jokes! ...more

Jun 01, 2020 Juliana rated it really liked it

I was recommended this book and I'm glad I read it! It was an interesting look into the life of Nell Scovell and how she's dealt with looking for success in Hollywood. I liked that she didn't hold anything back in terms of what went on behind the scenes of certain shows she worked on and the struggles she dealt with. It was nice to hear about the creation of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and how she pushed to keep both aunts kindhearted people. Hearing everything she has to say about David Letterma I was recommended this book and I'm glad I read it! It was an interesting look into the life of Nell Scovell and how she's dealt with looking for success in Hollywood. I liked that she didn't hold anything back in terms of what went on behind the scenes of certain shows she worked on and the struggles she dealt with. It was nice to hear about the creation of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and how she pushed to keep both aunts kindhearted people. Hearing everything she has to say about David Letterman makes me like him less. I appreciate that she's openly democrat and talks about how much she hates the current 'president'. Having her bring up jokes that weren't used in certain speeches, shows, or lists was a great touch that I enjoyed. Definitely a great insight to what is generally seen as a boy's club. ...more

Aug 27, 2019 Don rated it liked it

Scovell's origin story (essentially the first part of the book) is fun to read. Origin stories naturally have plot points and tension, and they answer intriguing questions. How did the protagonist acquire her superpower (in this case, humor)? How did she become the superhero we know and love (in this case, an established TV writer)?

But then Scovell continues chronicling her life in Hollywood, detailing how the system is stacked against women. And while I'm sure she's right, and while I agree th

Scovell's origin story (essentially the first part of the book) is fun to read. Origin stories naturally have plot points and tension, and they answer intriguing questions. How did the protagonist acquire her superpower (in this case, humor)? How did she become the superhero we know and love (in this case, an established TV writer)?

But then Scovell continues chronicling her life in Hollywood, detailing how the system is stacked against women. And while I'm sure she's right, and while I agree that this is completely unjust, this portion of the memoir lacked the narrative pull and humor of preceding sections. Had I been Scovell's editor, I would have advised her to utilize her superpower and to use her wit eviscerate the boy's club in a way that few others could.

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Jun 15, 2019 James rated it it was amazing

I have another hero! A hilarious, moving, fascinating memoir by a very smart, funny, resilient, and generous person.
After a quick tour of her childhood, the author takes us through her accomplished career as a writer, director, showrunner, and producer in journalism, movies, and TV - she has worked in just about every genre, with the one common thread being that her work has been funny everywhere she went.
At the same time, this is a frank and sometimes scathingly angry history of the misogynisti I have another hero! A hilarious, moving, fascinating memoir by a very smart, funny, resilient, and generous person.
After a quick tour of her childhood, the author takes us through her accomplished career as a writer, director, showrunner, and producer in journalism, movies, and TV - she has worked in just about every genre, with the one common thread being that her work has been funny everywhere she went.
At the same time, this is a frank and sometimes scathingly angry history of the misogynistic culture she and other women in entertainment have had to survive and struggle through. It left me both ashamed at the ugliness of some of my fellow humans - mostly men - and deeply impressed by the contrasting generosity and goodness of others, some men and many but not all women.
As a therapist I was taught that humor is the healthiest of the many coping mechanisms our species has evolved, and I can attest to that based on the role it played in my own family's awful and at times ridiculous tribulations.
BTW, a few years back I read and wrote a Goodreads review of Overcoming Autism, the memoir this author's sister, Claire LaZebnik, wrote about her family's experience with her son's autism. All I can say is that this is one strong, gifted family. ...more

If you like to read insider name dropping memoirs about late 20th century TV, this is the book for you. I don't think I realized that's what it was going to be. I thought it would be more thoughtful. I actually quit reading it about 70% through it, as I found myself dreading opening my Kindle. As soon as I stopped reading it and began reading a novel, my happiness returned.
So, I may be cheating on my book count. I'll do better, I promise. If you like to read insider name dropping memoirs about late 20th century TV, this is the book for you. I don't think I realized that's what it was going to be. I thought it would be more thoughtful. I actually quit reading it about 70% through it, as I found myself dreading opening my Kindle. As soon as I stopped reading it and began reading a novel, my happiness returned.
So, I may be cheating on my book count. I'll do better, I promise. ...more

Behind-the-scenes television gossip combined with feminist words of encouragement. Nell Scovell worked at Spy magazine, on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and many other pop culture favorites of mine. This memoir is a good read for fans of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

I only wish I knew the names behind the blind items!

Behind-the-scenes television gossip combined with feminist words of encouragement. Nell Scovell worked at Spy magazine, on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," and many other pop culture favorites of mine. This memoir is a good read for fans of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

I only wish I knew the names behind the blind items!

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Apr 25, 2018 Christal rated it really liked it

A must read for pretty much all working women, even if you're not in Hollywood. A must read for pretty much all working women, even if you're not in Hollywood. ...more

3.5

It's very eye opening to read about a woman working in Hollywood as a writer. I liked the audiobook as well (even thought it wasn't narrated by the author)

3.5

It's very eye opening to read about a woman working in Hollywood as a writer. I liked the audiobook as well (even thought it wasn't narrated by the author)

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Nov 20, 2020 Caroline rated it really liked it

a sobering, truthful look at the very real barriers to entry for women looking to write comedy. who would wanna do that to herself? haha anyways

no but really, nell scovell is such a canny, perceptive writer, and funny as hell

3.5 stars. Nell Scovell and I don't share much of a sense of humor, so this isn't an all-out rave though I suspect it would be if we were more similar that way. But after reading Scovell's book I feel like I know a lot more about how Writers' Rooms work and (depressingly) how happily those rooms have clung to absolute bare minimum diversity for as long as they could.

Most of Scovell's time pre-dates our current Prestige TV era, and I know a lot has gotten better but... also Hollywood. Scovell is

3.5 stars. Nell Scovell and I don't share much of a sense of humor, so this isn't an all-out rave though I suspect it would be if we were more similar that way. But after reading Scovell's book I feel like I know a lot more about how Writers' Rooms work and (depressingly) how happily those rooms have clung to absolute bare minimum diversity for as long as they could.

Most of Scovell's time pre-dates our current Prestige TV era, and I know a lot has gotten better but... also Hollywood. Scovell is light and personable, and the book is easy to breeze through even if it gives you the occasional rage headache. Scovell is particularly well known for being more outspoken about how heavily male the world of television is (she was a co-writer on Sheryl Sandberg's LEAN IN thanks to that reputation) and she has brought some real receipts with her. It's impossible to avoid the misogyny all around her, but you do get a lot of fun behind the scenes TV stuff. Scovell seems to want this to be a kind of guidebook and she provides a lot of things she's learned to help newer writers along the way. But you don't have to be a huge TV buff to find this interesting and to find Scovell very personable.

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I bought this book because I thought it would be cool to read a memoir from a tv/movie writer. Unfortunately it wasn't as funny as I'd hoped. In fact I didn't laugh once. I try not to be negative but I can't pretend it was hilarious because it wasn't. That said, just because I didn't find it funny doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. Everyone has a different sense of humour.

The book covers how hard it is to be a woman in the TV writing industry. I can't even imagine how hard it must be, especiall

I bought this book because I thought it would be cool to read a memoir from a tv/movie writer. Unfortunately it wasn't as funny as I'd hoped. In fact I didn't laugh once. I try not to be negative but I can't pretend it was hilarious because it wasn't. That said, just because I didn't find it funny doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. Everyone has a different sense of humour.

The book covers how hard it is to be a woman in the TV writing industry. I can't even imagine how hard it must be, especially years ago. I hope it's at least gotten better. It was interesting read how she wrote for such a wide range of characters and people such as Barack Obama and Kermit the Frog. I mean who else can say that but a comedy writer?

I enjoyed the parts where she was talking about episodes of shows or movies that I've actually seen. It's definitely more interesting when you recognize what she is talking about.

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I began reading this book thinking it would be a fun read with some juicy gossip. It was that, and so much more! This book is about chasing dreams, changing course, failing- and moving forward, finding your voice and many more career and life lessons. It shows the value of mentors and friends. It offers a look into he process of pitching, writing, re-writing, show running and directing in show biz. It let's the reader know how it feels to be the only woman in the male-centric world of TV and mov I began reading this book thinking it would be a fun read with some juicy gossip. It was that, and so much more! This book is about chasing dreams, changing course, failing- and moving forward, finding your voice and many more career and life lessons. It shows the value of mentors and friends. It offers a look into he process of pitching, writing, re-writing, show running and directing in show biz. It let's the reader know how it feels to be the only woman in the male-centric world of TV and movies. It is funny, frank and inspiring. ...more

Adored this book by Nell Scovell, creator of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch TV show, among many other things. I loved following the ascent of her career and was careful not to google because I didn't want to know what happened next. (Although we know from the start she co-authored Lean In with Sheryl Sandberg). Well-written and funny. My only complaint is that I listened to it in audio format and I wish she'd been the one to narrate. Adored this book by Nell Scovell, creator of the Sabrina the Teenage Witch TV show, among many other things. I loved following the ascent of her career and was careful not to google because I didn't want to know what happened next. (Although we know from the start she co-authored Lean In with Sheryl Sandberg). Well-written and funny. My only complaint is that I listened to it in audio format and I wish she'd been the one to narrate. ...more

Jul 12, 2020 Sharon rated it it was ok

To be perfectly honest, exhausting. She has a lot of insecurities and she needs to keep proving herself and sharing jokes that never made it onto television and making excuses. There's obviously major gender inequality in all industries and she shouldn't think that her experience is unique. A book about comedy writing does not make for enticing reading.

As someone who worked (very briefly) in "the industry," I very much enjoyed this book. Not laugh-out-loud funny but certainly insightful. Recommended for those curious to hear how things work in Hollywood--especially for women. As someone who worked (very briefly) in "the industry," I very much enjoyed this book. Not laugh-out-loud funny but certainly insightful. Recommended for those curious to hear how things work in Hollywood--especially for women. ...more

Mar 03, 2019 Davina rated it liked it

This was an interesting insider look at how comedy is written, although it was more of a straight faced memoir than I was expecting. Scovell shares some bits of her comedy writing, but the telling itself was pretty straightforward, bordering on a bit boring.

May 21, 2018 Gretchen Alice rated it really liked it

Sabrina the Teenage Witch was my first televised obsession. My first ship, my first style idol, my first time trying to rearrange plans so I didn't have to miss an episode of my favorite show. (That really happened, by the way. My parents made me go to my uncle's house for dinner anyway and I was furious at them for, like, a week.) I didn't realize this at the time, but Nell Scovell was the creator behind my tweenage love. She's also worked on Murphy Brown and The Muppets and Warehouse 13 and a Sabrina the Teenage Witch was my first televised obsession. My first ship, my first style idol, my first time trying to rearrange plans so I didn't have to miss an episode of my favorite show. (That really happened, by the way. My parents made me go to my uncle's house for dinner anyway and I was furious at them for, like, a week.) I didn't realize this at the time, but Nell Scovell was the creator behind my tweenage love. She's also worked on Murphy Brown and The Muppets and Warehouse 13 and a hundred other things. She is, in short, #goals.
Scovell tells the story of her career in a frank and obviously hilarious narrative. She doesn't shy away from the really awful parts of a Hollywood career, whether that be busting your ass for an assignment that gets passed on, or the very real fact of sexual harassment and discrimination that is still ragingly present. But the allure of getting your words on screen and having an audience laugh at a joke you wrote...that, too, is very real.
I could have read an entire other book about her life just because I'm so interested in the insider baseball aspects of TV. I loved it when Nell wrote about motherhood and her ambitions and the process of working on Lean In with Sheryl Sandberg. Read this if you're interested in show biz and/or how to work in an industry dominated by dudes. (Seriously, so many dudes.) ...more

I finished this book genuinely unsure who its audience was. I tell you one thing, though: I'm not in it.

Basically, this book offers four things:

1. Some "how I broke into the entertainment industry" advice from a Harvard-educated Boomer. In other words, this advice definitely has only historical value, and even then mostly as context for how extremely easy Boomers have had things. I do not need more context for this. I am already fully aware.

2. A career recap. I mean. This was kind of interestin

I finished this book genuinely unsure who its audience was. I tell you one thing, though: I'm not in it.

Basically, this book offers four things:

1. Some "how I broke into the entertainment industry" advice from a Harvard-educated Boomer. In other words, this advice definitely has only historical value, and even then mostly as context for how extremely easy Boomers have had things. I do not need more context for this. I am already fully aware.

2. A career recap. I mean. This was kind of interesting, I guess? But it did sort of feel like I got stuck next to Scovell at a cocktail party.

3. Some jokes that were cut from various scripts and speeches. All I'm saying is: sometimes there is a reason things were cut. Sometimes we don't need to share the contents of our editing room floor.

4. A lot of thoughts about the struggles of women in the workplace generally and in the entertainment industry specifically. I know, Nell. I know. (And this section suffers from the same problem Lean In did. It clearly outlines how the problem is systemic and there is no individual response that can address it, and then it suggests individual solutions anyway.)

None of this was quite my thing, in other words, but that would have been fine with me if the memoir had actually lived up to its title. Alas, it isn't funny. It's not even all that lighthearted. It's just a somewhat disorganized memoir that is presumably interesting to someone, but I can't quite figure out who.

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Just the Funny Parts: … and a Few Hard Truths about Sneaking Into the Hollywood Boy's Club

I Picked Up This Book Because: Someone close to me aspires to be a TV writer so I thought I'd see what she was signing up for.

The Story:

Part memoir, part advice column, part real facts about Hollywood Nell takes us on a recounting of her career from "Who is Nell Scovell" to "Who is Nell Scovell". This book is well written and pulls not punches about the sexism, racism and other flaws of

Just the Funny Parts: … and a Few Hard Truths about Sneaking Into the Hollywood Boy's Club

I Picked Up This Book Because: Someone close to me aspires to be a TV writer so I thought I'd see what she was signing up for.

The Story:

Part memoir, part advice column, part real facts about Hollywood Nell takes us on a recounting of her career from "Who is Nell Scovell" to "Who is Nell Scovell". This book is well written and pulls not punches about the sexism, racism and other flaws of a career in Hollywood. Nell had a lot to say on the subject. Sometime a bit too much. At the end when she was listing unused jokes I felt like it was more filler than anything useful. All together it was eye opening. I had no idea how short a writer's career could be. It's definitely not a field for the faint of heart.

The Random Thoughts:

The Score Card:

3.5 Stars

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Jul 26, 2019 Randee rated it liked it

This memoir by a semi-successful writer of comedy, television shows and speeches was interesting. However, she got jobs on a number of extremely successful and/or notable shows and in many, many cases she quit after one season or even sooner. Getting a writing gig on Letterman, which many would consider the apex of comedy writing, she quit, she says, after only 3 months. The reader is left with the nagging thought that she is a quitter or there is more to these tales than she is telling. Especia This memoir by a semi-successful writer of comedy, television shows and speeches was interesting. However, she got jobs on a number of extremely successful and/or notable shows and in many, many cases she quit after one season or even sooner. Getting a writing gig on Letterman, which many would consider the apex of comedy writing, she quit, she says, after only 3 months. The reader is left with the nagging thought that she is a quitter or there is more to these tales than she is telling. Especially considering how often she mentions how tough show biz is for a woman to crack, I could not understand why she would quit a show like, 'Sabrina, the Teenage Witch' which she was both running and writing episodes. The list is long of projects she left and there is not much detail on why she decided to walk away. Nonetheless, it is an interesting summary of the life of someone trying to succeed in a tough business. I won this book at my local library through a reading program and I'm glad that they give away prizes that are off the beaten track. ...more

May 03, 2020 Linda rated it liked it

Three and a half stars.

I usually only read memoirs/biographies of people I either admire a great deal, or am intensely curious about. I'm not one to pick up a random bio of someone I'm vaguely familiar with just for kicks.

I chose to read this title because of Nell's brief association with David Letterman. Happily, she also worked for other performers I like a lot, like The Smothers Brothers and Bob Newhart. She also had some famous friends and/or collaborators I was interested in, like Penn Jill

Three and a half stars.

I usually only read memoirs/biographies of people I either admire a great deal, or am intensely curious about. I'm not one to pick up a random bio of someone I'm vaguely familiar with just for kicks.

I chose to read this title because of Nell's brief association with David Letterman. Happily, she also worked for other performers I like a lot, like The Smothers Brothers and Bob Newhart. She also had some famous friends and/or collaborators I was interested in, like Penn Jillette, and Joel Hodgson. And she wrote 3 scripts for one of my favorite detective shows of all time, Monk.

Aside from those associations with people I admire, I enjoyed the parts that delved into the nuts and bolts of writing comedy for television the most. Who knew that titles like "Associate Executive Producer" actually mean "writer"?

If you enjoy Hollywood-behind-the-scenes stories from a feminist perspective, you will likely enjoy the book.

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May 01, 2018 K. Haas rated it really liked it

There are moments in "Just the Funny Parts" where you wish it was another of Nell Scovell's sitcoms, rather than an unflinching look at her real life.

If only it were a work of fiction, real-life characters like Jim Stafford — who coerced her into a sexual act when she thought her job was on the line and then essentially fired her anyway — would get some sort of fourth-act comeuppance. But, as it is in the real world, the fourth act progresses just as Scovell says it does for any aging writer bei

There are moments in "Just the Funny Parts" where you wish it was another of Nell Scovell's sitcoms, rather than an unflinching look at her real life.

If only it were a work of fiction, real-life characters like Jim Stafford — who coerced her into a sexual act when she thought her job was on the line and then essentially fired her anyway — would get some sort of fourth-act comeuppance. But, as it is in the real world, the fourth act progresses just as Scovell says it does for any aging writer being pushed off Hollywood's it-list and hoping for another shot.

The selling point for Scovell's memoir — at least how it has been marketed — is that she's the woman who came forward in 2009 to call out late-night giant David Letterman for a lack of gender diversity on the show. (She was only the second woman to write for his show.) And, given her interaction with Stafford, it could be considered her moment in the #MeToo movement. But those components — powerful as they may be — don't fairly represent how entertaining, profound and funny Scovell is throughout her memoir.

That should be no surprise. Scovell has written thousands of jokes in a career spanning more than 30 years. She's made funny people even funnier, writing for the likes of Bob Newhart, Conan O'Brien and (back when presidents attended the Correspondents' Dinner) President Barack Obama.

Years of writing 22-minute sitcoms have clearly honed Scovell's abilities to cut to the chase. There are no wasted words in this wholly entertaining read. When she's not making you laugh, you'll find yourself feeling the agony she felt when jokes got cut, drafts got rewritten, or she was just plain undermined by male bosses who held all the power in writer's rooms.

This book is not for women or feminists or men who need a wake-up call. It's for anyone who has even a passing familiarity with the concept of TV. When you flip over the final page you'll find yourself just like Scovell, in that, you're left hoping she gets another shot in Hollywood. And then another ... and another.

Oh, and as for Stafford. He now lives in Branson, Missouri. So maybe there is a real-life comeuppance.

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Books by professional Funny People are often less amusing and punchy than one expects: Authors can't help undermining their autobiographical anecdotes & name-dropping stories & life lessons with incessant puns and strained wordplay, in a desperate effort to keep the reader entertained. But Scovell is genuinely, gently, casually, conversationally hilarious. And the humor doesn't distract from her deadly serious main point, about how TV & film executives reflexively discount the value of women as Books by professional Funny People are often less amusing and punchy than one expects: Authors can't help undermining their autobiographical anecdotes & name-dropping stories & life lessons with incessant puns and strained wordplay, in a desperate effort to keep the reader entertained. But Scovell is genuinely, gently, casually, conversationally hilarious. And the humor doesn't distract from her deadly serious main point, about how TV & film executives reflexively discount the value of women as directors & showrunners & decision-makers.

Most valuably, Scovell's tales of working on shows are often scathing but—perhaps because her coauthoring Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In has made her an A-list writer in the business world as well as in Hollywood—always productive. It'd be hard for anyone to read Just the Funny Parts and not watch TV shows differently, wondering who's in the writer's room and who's making key decisions, and understanding ways in which diversity should make shows better. It's not about diversity for the sake of diversity.

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Nell Scovell is a television and magazine writer, producer and director. She is the creator of the television series 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch', which aired on ABC and The WB from 1996 until 2003. Nell Scovell is a television and magazine writer, producer and director. She is the creator of the television series 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch', which aired on ABC and The WB from 1996 until 2003. ...more

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Source: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/30531540

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