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You may recognize Nicole Drespel from her roles on female-led comedies like Broad City and 30 Rock. But she's also a prominent writer in rooms filled with dudes. On this week's episode of The Ladies Room, Drespel reflects on writing for Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer post-Times Up and how she's managed to find all the feminist men in the industry to work with. It's worth recognizing that Drespel cut her teeth at Upright Citizens Brigade, where she's still an improv coach. Back in the day, she starred in the feminist web series Vag Magazine alongside Kate McKinnon. Please watch the clip for a tongue-in-cheek take on feminist media companies. One of the biggest takeaways for me from my time with Drespel was her memory of working on 30 Rock:
"It was season 6 so by that time, they had a pretty tightly-run ship," Drespel said. "What I was so impressed by was how efficient it was but also how happy it was. I've been on so many sets...it was mostly men...and I think that there's an environment that was, 'if you're not stressed, you're not trying.' The biggest thing on the [30 Rock] set is that it should be a good experience as well as produce good work. Sometimes we act like those things can't go together."
The Ladies Room is a weekly Facebook Live show that happens every week in the Refinery29's women's bathroom because that's where all good revolutions start. You can follow along here.