It’s kind of interesting how Nell Scovell, a former writer for the David Letterman Show, seems to take credit for the MeToo movement when it would seem that others might claim it started way back in 2006. It’s also interesting how Katherine Stinson of ScreenRant tells the tale of how Scovell seems to think that people apologizing when they’ve been caught doing something wrong is in any way a surprise. It’s very true that during her time on the Letterman show that she was possibly discriminated against for being a woman and that sexism was a very big issue. But replying to the actual person that she wrote about when he told her that he had read her piece on him with ‘It took you long enough’ doesn’t really help her argument and makes her look a bit childish. In an era when female empowerment is one of the biggest things around and sexism is almost a crime in the workplace it would seem that women might stand on the moral high ground with a bit more grace than a lot of men are capable of, but in truth a lot of women that think the same as Scovell tend to cock a hip, gain an attitude, and state that it took long enough to make these things happen.
The unfortunate truth is that sexism in the workplace was ignored for a long time and people seemed to get by as though it didn’t exist. This obviously didn’t make things easier and it created a great deal of frustration and anxiety that continued to build throughout the years. David Letterman was obviously one of the many men that was found to be guilty of these behaviors and in this new ‘woke’ era he’s taking a look at what he did years before and apologizing for it. As a society our attitudes can change on a dime unfortunately and what this means is that we’re bound to go with the flow as the majority of public opinion will sway our feelings and emotions in whatever direction is pertinent at the given time. Those of us that don’t go with the flow and stand our ground are often ostracized in many ways and called out as being difficult or obstinate or many other unflattering things that only get worse as time goes on. What a lot of people don’t seem to realize is that those who are considered as allies to causes such as the MeToo movement were at one time those who went against the flow, even if they’re now those that go with the flow while thinking that they’re individuals with a unique voice. Back in the day Letterman was one of those that went with the flow, and he is today as well. A large number of entertainers have fallen in line with the MeToo and TimesUp movements so as to voice their concerns and their beliefs when in truth a lot of them couldn’t have cared less back in the day. They’re being called out for behavior that was wrong back then, that much is true, but they’re also being kept in line since otherwise their careers are bound to be ruined if they don’t, much as would have happened to the many women that spoke up in recent years when they were first subjected to the ill treatment that they’ve claimed.
It’s a giant mess to be honest, with a lot of he said she said and conjecture and hurt feelings muddying up what could be factual data that might be useful if it had been brought to light a long time ago. The truth of the matter is that women have had the short end of the metaphorical stick for a long time when it comes to the workplace and a lot of times they’ve been overlooked, passed over, and forced to endure treatment that is far less than satisfactory. It’s up to the individuals that perpetrated this culture to recognize it and decide if they want to apologize or not, or simply change as the years continue to roll by. Letterman has obviously decided to change his ways and has seen just how his treatment of women back then was anything but allowable, but his apology seems somehow less required than it is desired. For all intents and purposes Scovell has moved on and made a name for herself as a writer and has found success, but the mere mention of an article such as this seems to indicate that all is still not well in the business place. Women have assumed much more dominant roles in entertainment, as Kay M. from Vocal would hopefully agree with, throughout the years and as of now are doing quite well it would seem, and yet the attitude seems to increasingly be that it’s not enough, that they wish to dominate as men have done for so long. Good luck with that, as pushing men aside or making them apologize en masse for anything and everything isn’t bound to happen.
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