--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was the second female writer ever hired…" description: "\"I was the second female writer ever hired at 'Late Night.' When I applied for the job in 1988, I had no way of knowing how much the odds were stacked a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/nell-scovell-6875_job_i-was-the-second-female-writer-ever-hire_1339206.jpg" --- # I was the second female writer ever hired at 'Late Night.'… ![“I was the second female writer ever hired at 'Late Night.' When I applied for the job in 1988, I had no way of knowing how much the odds were stacked against me.” quote by Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/nell-scovell-6875_job_i-was-the-second-female-writer-ever-hire_1339206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/nell-scovell-6875_job_i-was-the-second-female-writer-ever-hire_1339206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/979/nell-scovell-6875_job_i-was-the-second-female-writer-ever-hire_1339206.jpg) > “I was the second female writer ever hired at 'Late Night.' When I applied for the job in 1988, I had no way of knowing how much the odds were stacked against me.” [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She was a rare early female hire, confronting hidden biases. **In simple terms:** She faced gender bias at a TV show. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge systemic bias. Themes gender career media industry Mood inspirational determined Type personal career When to use this quote - applying for TV jobs - career mentoring - diversity initiatives Key Concepts glass ceiling representation Questions to Reflect On - What barriers have you overcome? - How can workplaces improve equity? A Different Perspective Even with odds stacked, success is possible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Late night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late-night/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Odds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odds/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [ I do think that being the second \[female Supreme Court Justice\] is wonderful, because it is a sign that being a woman in a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/i-do-think-that-being-the-second-female-supreme-court-justice-is/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If you want help in starting to write memoirs, you don't want to fall into the clutches of a famous writer who has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-barrington/if-you-want-help-in-starting-to-write-memoirs-you-don-t-want-to-fall/) [Judith Barrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-barrington/) > [I've met Jon Glaser who has a show on Adult Swim call Delocated and he's the main writer we hired for the show. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-buck/i-ve-met-jon-glaser-who-has-a-show-on-adult-swim-call-delocated-and/) [Joe Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-buck/) > [I'm very much, like, 'We've all got to help each other.' If there's a new female writer, I'm much more likely to read her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-pinborough/i-m-very-much-like-we-ve-all-got-to-help-each-other-if-there-s-a-new/) [Sarah Pinborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-pinborough/) > [A female writer does definitely get more attention if she writes about male characters. It's true. It's considered somehow more literary, in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/a-female-writer-does-definitely-get-more-attention-if-she-writes/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [My world did not shrink because I was a black female writer. It just got bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-world-did-not-shrink-because-i-was-a-black-female-writer-it-just/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There's a female writer-performer thing going on in TV right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/there-s-a-female-writer-performer-thing-going-on-in-tv-right-now/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [My first joke that ever aired on 'Late Night' was for a list of 'Top 10 Least Popular Summer Camps.' My contribution - 'Camp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/my-first-joke-that-ever-aired-on-late-night-was-for-a-list-of-top-10/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Early on in my career, I was often the only woman in the room, writing for shows like 'Late Night with David Letterman,' 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/early-on-in-my-career-i-was-often-the-only-woman-in-the-room-writing/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [My criticisms of late-night TV blew up some old friendships and sparked some new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/my-criticisms-of-late-night-tv-blew-up-some-old-friendships-and/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [All the small things True care, truth brings I'll take one lift Your ride best trip Always I know You'll be at my show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blink-182/all-the-small-things-true-care-truth-brings-i-ll-take-one-lift-your/) Blink 182 > [Love makes you a singer love makes you a poet love makes you a fighter love makes you a forgiver love makes you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-makes-you-a-singer-love-makes-you-a-poet-love-makes-you-a/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) ## More by Nell Scovell > [The desire to keep doing what we love supersedes the desire to penalize bad behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/the-desire-to-keep-doing-what-we-love-supersedes-the-desire-to/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Blondness is a core Trump-family value: Both Donald Jr. and Eric got the memo and married blondes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/blondness-is-a-core-trump-family-value-both-donald-jr-and-eric-got/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [I realize that 'hire qualified women!' is the sort of outraged demand that's often met with a sigh. No one disagrees, and yet gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/i-realize-that-hire-qualified-women-is-the-sort-of-outraged-demand/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [We have so many great memoirs from women in front of the camera, from Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and Amy Schumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/we-have-so-many-great-memoirs-from-women-in-front-of-the-camera-from/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [My criticisms of late-night TV blew up some old friendships and sparked some new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/my-criticisms-of-late-night-tv-blew-up-some-old-friendships-and/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [The Pulitzer Prize was established when Joseph Pulitzer died in 1911, leaving a bequest to create the eponymous award. An immigrant from Hungary, Pulitzer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/the-pulitzer-prize-was-established-when-joseph-pulitzer-died-in-1911/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [If I were to write a sequel to 'Lean In' for men, I would call it 'Make Room.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/if-i-were-to-write-a-sequel-to-lean-in-for-men-i-would-call-it-make/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [I traveled to Israel in a small party assembled by Marty Peretz, the editor-in-chief of 'The New Republic.' Other guests included Senator Al Gore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/i-traveled-to-israel-in-a-small-party-assembled-by-marty-peretz-the/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [For thirty years, I've been hearing that it's getting better for women. And until I see statistical proof over enough years that that's true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/for-thirty-years-i-ve-been-hearing-that-it-s-getting-better-for-women/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [The vocabulary of my cynical world doesn't allow me to explain the success of 'Lean In.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/the-vocabulary-of-my-cynical-world-doesn-t-allow-me-to-explain-the/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [If necessity is the mother of invention, urgency is the uncle of change. Without it, progress slows and then stops and then reverses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/if-necessity-is-the-mother-of-invention-urgency-is-the-uncle-of/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [In TV, you look to make characters consistent, but in real life, we're not consistent. Sometimes we're brave, and sometimes we're not. Sometimes we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/in-tv-you-look-to-make-characters-consistent-but-in-real-life-we-re/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Misogyny - and racism - are 'hidden in plain sight,' and the burden of eliminating them should fall on the institutions, not the victims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/misogyny-and-racism-are-hidden-in-plain-sight-and-the-burden-of/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [In Hollywood, you kind of trick yourself into feeling like you have impact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/in-hollywood-you-kind-of-trick-yourself-into-feeling-like-you-have/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Trump Tower is no ordinary property: It is the jewel in Donald Trump's brass crown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/trump-tower-is-no-ordinary-property-it-is-the-jewel-in-donald-trump-s/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) [Explore all 97 Nell Scovell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) ## More Job quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. But I never came down to that level as being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/usually-male-directors-have-to-use-foul-language-to-get-the-job-done/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [My very first real job in the industry was as a production assistant on a show called 'Infinity Factory' in 1976.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/my-very-first-real-job-in-the-industry-was-as-a-production-assistant/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [As much as you want to improve or help the team, as a centre-back your job is to go under the radar and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrone-mings/as-much-as-you-want-to-improve-or-help-the-team-as-a-centre-back-your/) [Tyrone Mings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrone-mings/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [In 2008, Barack Obama did a phenomenal job of reaching out to minority groups, to younger people, and a lot of newer voters, Hispanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-2008-barack-obama-did-a-phenomenal-job-of-reaching-out-to-minority/) [George P. 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