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  3. Two fascinating new books reveal the secrets behind iconic female-centric shows

Two fascinating new books reveal the secrets behind iconic female-centric shows

Here's everything you need to know about 'Stealing the Show' and 'Just the Funny Parts'
By Clarissa Cruz March 13, 2018 at 09:00 AM EDT
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Who Run the World?

Women-Running-the-world
Credit: Mitch Haaseth/ABC; Christopher Saunders/Comedy Central; CBS/Getty Images; Saeed Adyani/Netflix

The new books Just the Funny Parts and Stealing the Show reveal the backstage machinations behind TV’s biggest female-centric shows — and how women broke into the Hollywood boys’ club, on and off screen. Click through for five key revelations from them.

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Cred: Just the Funny Parts by Nell Scovell

JUST-THE-FUNNY-PARTS---Jacket-Image
Credit: HarperCollins

The 30-year TV vet has written for Late Night With David Letterman, The Simpsons, and Murphy Brown. She also collaborated with Sheryl Sandberg on a little book called Lean In.

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Cred: Stealing the Show by Joy Press

Stealing-the-Show
Credit: Atria Books

The former entertainment editor lands juicy interviews with power showrunners, including Shonda Rhimes (Scandal), Jill Soloway (Transparent), and Lena Dunham (Girls).

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Scovell on the Glass Ceiling

iWe Summit
Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

“In Hollywood, the glass ceiling is not actually made of glass. Instead, it’s made of that Terminator metal that shatters then reconstitutes and reforms…. In Hollywood, you rise up fighting or you go down fighting. Either way, you’re fighting.”

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Press on the Glass Ceiling

Broad CitySeason 3 - gallery 2016l-r: Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson
Credit: Patrik Giardino/Comedy Central

“Lena Dunham, Mindy Kaling...Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer may impersonate women behaving badly, but behind the scenes they are hardworking perfectionists. There’s less room for reckless behavior when an entire gender is being judged.”

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Just the Funny Parts: Stress much?

2016 Vanity Fair Social Club for Oscar Week
Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images

Minutes before a crucial meeting, Scovell — who’d given birth two weeks earlier — had to bolt into a bathroom to hand-express a blocked milk duct.

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Stealing the Show: Stress much?

KERRY WASHINGTON
Credit: Richard Cartwright/ABC

Shonda Rhimes clocked the dialogue speed with a stopwatch on the Scandal set to ensure actors said their lines fast enough.

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Just the Funny Parts: Fun Fact

2017 Summer TCA Tour - NBCUniversal Press Tour - Arrivals
Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia guest-starred on Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a football player who votes for Libby as class president based on her platform of “more pizza at lunch.”

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Stealing the Show: Fun Fact

Gaby Hoffmann in Transparent
Credit: Beth Dubber/Amazon

While filming a memorable threesome scene, Transparent’s Gaby Hoffmann was actually pregnant, baby kicking, while a body double played out the more strenuous bits.

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Just the Funny Parts: Surprise Cameo

Today - Season 61
Credit: Peter Kramer/NBC/Getty Images

The “smooth and charming” Matt Lauer, who tries to cajole Scovell onto the Today show after she writes an exposé on former boss Letterman.

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Stealing the Show: Surprise Cameo

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Credit: Troy Jensen

Nineties R&B group En Vogue, whom ­Roseanne and Tom Arnold wanted to develop a sitcom about, but “none of them could talk.”

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    1 of 11 Who Run the World?
    2 of 11 Cred: Just the Funny Parts by Nell Scovell
    3 of 11 Cred: Stealing the Show by Joy Press
    4 of 11 Scovell on the Glass Ceiling
    5 of 11 Press on the Glass Ceiling
    6 of 11 Just the Funny Parts: Stress much?
    7 of 11 Stealing the Show: Stress much?
    8 of 11 Just the Funny Parts: Fun Fact
    9 of 11 Stealing the Show: Fun Fact
    10 of 11 Just the Funny Parts: Surprise Cameo
    11 of 11 Stealing the Show: Surprise Cameo

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