A former fashion intern describes how a specific episode of the comedy series helped her decide to leave unpaid work in the industry.
Key facts
- •The writer spent 18 months working unpaid internships in London while living in £12-a-night hostels.
- •She worked night jobs, including flyering and manning a strip club door, to pay for her accommodation.
- •A PR firm she interned for disclosed to her office that she was living in hostels.
- •The writer quit her fashion internship the day after watching the 'Kimmy Gives Up!' episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
- •She now works in the film and television industry, specifically in comedy.
In the summer of 2017, a 23-year-old intern living in a London hostel decided to quit her career path in the fashion industry after watching an episode of the television show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Despite working unpaid internships for 18 months and balancing multiple night jobs to afford basic living expenses, she had struggled to secure a full-time position. She credits a specific moment in the show with giving her the courage to walk away from the industry.
By the numbers
The Reality of Unpaid Internships
The writer, who grew up in Essex, spent 18 months working unpaid internships at major fashion magazines while living in hostels that cost £12 per night. To survive, she worked secondary jobs from 7pm to 2am, including flyering for gyms and working at a strip club. Her daily diet often consisted of bread and peanut butter, supplemented by the free breakfast provided by her hostel. She frequently carried all her belongings in a backpack because it was not safe to leave items in her shared room. During her time in the industry, she faced professional challenges, including a PR firm revealing her living situation to her office. Her boss at the time publicly gave her £100 in cash while continuing to offer only 'experience' and 'exposure' as compensation. She noted that the only interns she observed advancing in their careers appeared to already have existing industry connections.
A Turning Point in a Hostel
While watching the episode 'Kimmy Gives Up!' in a triple bunk bed, the writer heard a character named Lillian advise that sometimes the hardest thing to do is to quit and walk away. This message resonated with her own situation, where she had been working long hours for no pay with the hope of a 'big break' that never materialized. The following day, she informed her employer that she could no longer work for free due to her financial circumstances. Her boss indicated that she was replaceable, but the writer left the position regardless. She has since transitioned to a career in the film and television industry, focusing on comedy.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Guardian Culture.
