Nell Scovell

Nell Scovell (born Helen Vivian Scovell in 1960, Newton, Massachusetts) is a highly respected American screenwriter, journalist, television producer, and author. A Harvard University graduate, she began her career as the first staff writer for Spy magazine before joining Vanity Fair as a contributing editor +15+15+15. Scovell went on to write for iconic shows like Late Night with David Letterman, The Simpsons (notably the episode “One Fish, Two Fish…”), Monk, Murphy Brown, Newhart, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which she created and executive produced +8+8Wikipédia+8.

As an author, Nell Scovell penned the memoir Just the Funny Parts: My 30 Years on the Hollywood Jungle Gym (2018), which combines her sharp humor with candid reflections on sexism in the entertainment industry, particularly in late-night television writers’ rooms +15Vogue+15Goodreads+15. She also co‑wrote Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In, contributing to conversations around gender and leadership in the workplace Wikipédia+2+2Vogue+2. Her literary voice remains known for blending wit, honest critique, and a call for inclusion and equity in creative spaces.

Scovell’s quotes showcase her incisive humor and powerful insights. For example:

“If necessity is the mother of invention, urgency is the uncle of change. Without it, progress slows and then stops and then reverses.” Vogue+2Quotes and statuses+2TIME+2Quotes and statuses+2BrainyQuote+2BrainyQuote+2
“The only way to move forward creatively is to allow yourself to be judged.” Goodreads+1QuoteFancy+1
“If everyone else in the room is working on their next pitch, then fixating on the previous one puts you a step behind.” Goodreads+2QuoteFancy+2myquotes.co+2
These reflections illustrate Scovell’s philosophy of resilience, ambition, and the importance of pushing boundaries—values that have defined her lasting influence in both writing and cultural commentary.