Friend? In the "Hollywood Sense?"

What stands out in this:

"Ten Years Ago, I Called Out David Letterman. This Month, We Sat Down to Talk."| Vanity Fair

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/10/david-letterman-conversation-with-nell-scovell

What is

"... a luxury no high-level female could ever afford."

~ N. Scovell