*By Alyssa Caverley*
When your approach to life is to always look for the joke, you're bound to find the funny things along the way, even on the bumpy road into the Hollywood Boys Club, said Nell Scovell, a comedy writer and the author of a new memoir.
"My story is kind of like this 'Lean In' case study, but with this pop culture background," said Scovell, a writer for "The Simpsons" and creater of the teen comedy "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."
"I tell people 'come for *The Simpsons*, stay for the feminism'," she said in an interview Wednesday with Cheddar.
Scovell helped Sheryl Sandberg write her book, "Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead." In Scovell's new memoir, "Just the Funny Parts: And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boy's Club," she details her experiences navigating the entertainment industry at a time when she had to fight to be heard as a woman. The #MeToo movement and TimesUp campaign have made some of her experiences more resonant, she said, and easier to tell.
"I went from being anxious to tell my story and then October hits and just all the stories are exploding and then I was like, I couldn't wait for my book to come out at the end of March," she said. "Because I wanted to add my voice to that chorus because I know not everyone can speak out, but I feel like those of us who can have a responsibility to do it."
Scovell, who has also written for publications such as Vanity Fair, is sharing her experiences in the hope that other women will find inspiration from her story and strive to help one another succeed.
"I do share a #MeToo story, but I think it's funny and I did work with some of the funniest people on the planet," she said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nell-scovell-is-combatting-sexism-in-hollywood-with-humor).
The Chinese government brought the sitcom "Friends" back to its streaming services. However, it had instances of LGBTQ+ references left out, after the series had been banned on Chinese streaming platforms for years.
Season 13 "Shark Tank" contestant Tania Speaks secured a $400,000 deal for her Speaks Organic Skincare brand with "Shark" Mark Cuban while also being named one of the best pitches in the history of the show — all at 19 years old. Now 20, Speaks joined Cheddar News to talk about the skincare line, the clean beauty industry, and the moment that host Cuban was moved by her pitch. "I couldn't believe that he got emotional. I'm surprised I held back my tears that long," the young entrepreneur revealed. "It's just amazing for someone else to be inspired by your story, especially Mark Cuban himself."
The media giant formerly known as ViacomCBS has officially rebranded itself as Paramount Global with a focus on its streaming service, Paramount Plus. Naveen Chopra, chief financial officer at Paramount, joined Cheddar to discuss the company’s name change and streaming wars. "There are components of content licensing that we continue to do, either historical arrangements or opportunities to license content that don't really impinge on what we're trying to do with our owned and operated services and that continues to be an important ingredient in our broader financial model," he said. "But our number one priority is putting our best assets on Paramount Plus." Chopra also discussed theatrical release windows before feature films hit its service and the platform's subscription goals.
In efforts to help support black-owned brands. Ulta Beauty says it will make a commitment to not only give these brand shelf space but also help them navigate the ins and outs of growing a business. Last week, the beauty retailer announced in order to reach those goals, the company will spend $50 million on diversity and inclusion programs, including an accelerated program to mentor entrepreneurs of color. CEO of Ulta Beauty, Dave Kimbell, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
For black history month, Cheddar is highlighting black business leaders who are driving the need for representation forward. On February 10, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called 'Developing the Black-Owned Business Ecosystem.' The virtual event was organized under the lobbying group's two initiatives -- the Equality of Opportunity Initiative, and the Coalition to Back Black Businesses. The event highlighted the developments needed to develop more black-owned businesses in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Wilbon, Dean of the School of Business at Howard University, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss his experience as a speaker at the event.
