Mar 20, 2018

Bette Midler says she’s “one of the funniest people I know.” Sheryl Sandberg says, “Whoever says feminists aren’t funny, never met Nell.” Early in her career, Garry Shandling told her, “You write like a guy.”

Nell Scovell's words have come out of the mouths of President Barack Obama, David Letterman, Homer Simpson, Conan O’Brien, Hillary Clinton and Kermit the Frog. You’ve almost certainly laughed at Nell Scovell’s jokes — you just didn’t know it until now.

Writer, producer and director Scovell has worked behind the scenes of some of TV’s most iconic shows, including Murphy Brown, Monk, NCIS and The Muppets. She was the creator and showrunner of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and later teamed up with Sheryl Sandberg on her blockbuster book Lean In, which resulted in a worldwide movement.

John Oliver, the Emmy-award winning comedian and host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, joins Scovell to discuss her recently-published memoir — Just the Funny Parts: … And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking Into the Hollywood Boys’ Club. The book covers Scovell’s thirty-plus years in the entertainment industry and offers invaluable insights into the creative process and an insider’s look into the comedy world.