Sabrina Carpenter Was Turned Down for The Conners Role, Whitney Cummings Says (Exclusive) [Video]

Sabrina Carpenter could’ve had a very different career path, according to Whitney Cummings.

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at ELLE’s Women in Hollywood Celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, Calif., the comedian, 42, opened up about the biggest lessons she’s learned over the course of her career.

“This business is mostly rejection,” Cummings said, detailing that she’s had to work on getting “super comfortable with rejection.”

The Two Broke Girls creator also explained that she’s learned that rejection can ultimately be a blessing, because it means there is then availability for an even better opportunity to come around.

Using Carpenter, 25, as an example, Cummings said she was once turned down for a role on the ABC sitcom The Conners, on which Cummings briefly served as showrunner.

“Sabrina Carpenter auditioned … and it wasn’t the right fit. She got a rejection that day when …