Nell Scovell, Ex-Writer For David Letterman: I Left Show Partly Because Of Sexual Atmosphere

Vanity Fair:

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.

Here's what I did: I walked away from my dream job.

Read the whole story: Vanity Fair

Comments

[mexamerican]

whatever.

[HDR]

Is Nell's contention that Letterman should be obligated to hire women writers? If so, how many? 50% to be fair? Or should any show be allowed to hire any writers they damn well please? Sexual harrassment in any workplace should not be tolerated but I am not sure how hiring more women writers solves that in this situation. She may not want monetary compensation but she does want payback.

[GatorGrrrl]

There was a Variety story recently about 30 Rock that noted that Tina Fey's writing staff is among the most diverse in television (maybe that accounts for all those Emmys?) of both women and minorities. I wish these white guys running these comedy shows would realize that women and people of color bring a different element to the show that enhances it. Maybe Jay Leno would be funny if he tried such an experiment

[Burkelbile]

Sexual harrassment in the workplace (male OR female) stinks and should be reported to HR immediately.

However - I just watched an msnbc clip of this person, charging a "hostile sexually-charged workplace" at nbc when she worked for Letterman for a few months NEARLY 20 YEARS ago.

Each to his / her own, watch the clip yourself,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33530033#33530033

but imo I suspect Nell might be an opportunist and / or minor headcase.

I'm extremely disgusted with Matt Lauer / msnbc for running with this like they have a "scoop" on some immense smoking Letterman harrassment gun - which it is not.

Just because fox is a joke doesn't mean nbc needs to become one.

[countfloyd]

"I don’t want compensation. I don’t want revenge. I don’t want Dave to go down (oh, grow up, people)". Those claims start to ring hollow now that she is making the TV rounds especially with NBC who stands to gain financially if Letterman is forced off the air.

[GatorGrrrl]

The "20 years years" ago complaint is lame when you consider nothing has changed. There are still no women staff writers and the top bosses are still sleeping with the staff

[countfloyd]

After Letterman almost all the top bosses are women.

[blimie]

It's one thing to have affairs at work, it's another for the men to give their underqualified mistresses undeserved power and business information. These women feel free to tell you how to do your job. It does create a very unprofessional atmosphere that makes it harder to do your job. These women report everything back to their sugar daddy and if they don't like you they can make slant things against you. Shame on you Dave.

[countfloyd]

At the time in question NBC owned the show and were in charge. If Ms Scovell had a problem she should have talked to somebody at the network and not Letterman. I doubt the women reported anything back to Letterman. Everyone on the show was a paid employee of NBC.

[mexamerican]

where is the proof of this? shame on you.

[tmo7734]

Ms. Scovell needs to see a shrink. Just another opportunist seeking her 15 minutes of fame. She worked for Letterman 20 years ago. 20 YEARS AGO. Did Letterman hit on her? NO. Scovell said she heard "RUMORS" of Letterman's behavior. Rumors? That's not much evidence to smear Letterman's career.

[countfloyd]

Ms Scovell was on HLN with Joy Behar last night. How long before the Today Show?

[cinemaven]

Reading Scovell's article, I felt she really didn't deal with the sexual atmosphere in the workplace so much as she dealt with why she wasn't a good fit as a writer for Letterman. (she's the one who provided the lame perfume prop for the article)

I've been an advocate for equity for most of my adult life but there are some (albeit few) instances where a man is a better fit for a job... writing for a male comedian, in a man's voice, words that will be delivered by a man seems to be one of them. I'd expect that it would be a woman who'd be the best fit writing for a female.

Wasn't Letterman one of the few people who were able to reach an agreement with their writers before the end of the writers strike? I remember the show being in reruns right up until they were able to reach the agreement... I'm guessing Letterman's writers don't feel the same as Scovell.

[clearpepsi]

Yeah., I to would like to hear of the specifics, we all know these environments exist without there being official harassment – it’s a very tricky personal sensibility type of thing… and a lot of women get defensive when they can’t compete in sexual terms… (as they should) it isn’t fair, but a fact of many environments, there are safer environments – which it sounds like she choose……

[TruEngineHearing]

Interesting comments. These programs have an audience of men in thrall to the idea of men in a "man's world". It's not hard to imagine the paucity of encouragement to a woman pursuing personal success.

[cinemaven]

Actually, there are many women associated with the show who have achieved success professionally. Although the writers (who are tasked with writing material which will be performed in Letterman's voice) are predominantly male, women make up over 50% of his staff and are represented at the very top level. 3 executive producers are women who have been with the organization over 20 years each. Not a shabby track record.

[LincolnParkAnarchist]

She doesn't give any details about what happened that created a "demeaning" and "hostile" environment. She acknowledges that no one ever harassed her. Her complaint is that when she worked for Late Night she heard rumors that Dave was having an affair with a female staffer and that other executives were having affairs with female staffers, and that she believed that "these female staffers were benefiting professionally from their personal relationships". She does not elaborate on this at all. But the end result was that she quit the show because she felt the environment was hostile (because it was such a "soap opera!" ) and that she would not thrive in it. When asked to describe what it was that made her uncomfortable at the show, she deflected the question and instead said that "I didn't get the memo as a young girl that said that I should have low self esteem and put up with crap." (But she doesn't say at all what crap she was asked to put up with.)

So in other words, although none of the men who worked at the show harassed her at all, she felt demeaned because there were women on the show that slept with executives and she believed they received an unfair advantage because of this (although she declines to say how), and because she had such low self-esteem, she then had to quit her job. This is more than just a tad ridiculous, I think.

[AnnfromCA]

That is the definition of a hostile work environment. And Dave continued that tactic right up to the end by awarding his mistress perks.

[countfloyd]

What kind of perks?

[mexamerican]

where is the proof of this or are you pulling it out of your ....

[SethBLiNK]

Scovell makes some very good points in the second page of her piece, but her attempt to tie what's going on in the writers room to what's going on in the bedroom hurts her case.

I first heard about Scovell and her article watching a very annoying excerpt of her interview with Joy Beyar where she threw around harsh accusation with no anecdotal evidence. Saying that certain things happened without providing some examples makes your claims suspect.

However, the real point, the important point of her article is that these shows are boys clubs with little creative diversity and that perhaps is why the comedy has suffered in recent years. Hearing a writer express fear that females in the writers room will change him is like hearing military people complain that mixing races (and now sexual orientations) will hurt morale. Yeah, maybe, but deal with it and progress will be made.

But by making vague accusations of sexual harrassment and mixing the two together, her point gets obscured. Yes, the sexual harrassment claim mixed with the timeliness of the accusation makes it newsworthy, but it really only amounts to piling on and doesn't invite a solution.

[Lindy222]

There's not much to go on here. On the one hand, everything I've heard about comedy shows in general, including SNL, is that the atmosphere is sexually charged and oriented toward males. On the other hand, I can't get a grasp on what this woman is saying other than it was all too much for her.

[philly282]

the environment at Late show sounds like KBR in iraq.

I'm still perplexed by commentators (barbara walters) who thought he handled this 'with class'

[countfloyd]

Yes that's right




Yes gang rapes, kidnapping, and murder are comparable to office affairs.

[RTIII]

Thank you.
.

[clearpepsi]

yes.. thank you for saying that... there can be a lot of kookyness on these things...

[victorvelasco]

I wouldn't give Dave's troubles to a monkey on a rock

[vandegrasse]

It's funny how having a baby with a woman makes you want to have affairs.

[vandegrasse]

Yea, he really had a thing for Bonny Hunt! But then so do I.

[Jerry York]

He wanted Julia Roberts also, but she was too old for him.