# Fran Lebowitz series on Netflix **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, netflix\ **Created:** [February 1, 2021, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979 "2021-02-01T10:49:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/1 "2021-02-01T10:49:54Z")
It is called “Pretend It’s a City” and directed by (and co-stars) Martin Scorsese. And it’s the best thing I’ve seen in a while. I remember Fran from her book “Social Studies” way back when, so I was semi-familiar with her perspective. The series is a seven-part series of Lebowitz’s views via various interviews, most by Scorsese, in which she offers her opinions on (mostly) New York City, but also technology, mankind, computers, books, etc. I feel like watching it again, it was that good. Anyone else see it? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/2 "2021-02-01T10:56:35Z")
Excerpt: > [@](#): > > _I’ve always been very careful about touching things. … I’ve never touched a single thing in the New York City subway system — ever. Usually I’m by myself on the subway, but a few times I remember … [I was] with someone, and he said to me, when we got out, he said, “You didn’t touch anything.” And I said, “No.” And the truth is, if I dropped the Hope Diamond on the floor of a subway car, I’d leave it there. I’d say, “Well, you know, it’s just the Hope Diamond.”_ ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/3 "2021-02-01T22:47:50Z")
I admit to not being particularly knowledgeable of her, but I have a fondness for people who are a bit cranky and are witty about it rather than annoying, and I thoroughly enjoyed the series. It made me want to read some of her books. ---
**Author:** ![FastDan1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fastdan1/32/427_2.png) [@FastDan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FastDan1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/4 "2021-02-01T23:33:32Z")
I enjoyed it a lot. I would imagine it probably doesn’t work for everyone though. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/5 "2021-02-01T23:37:46Z")
Fran Lebowitz? I thought that was Howard Stern!! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2021, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/6 "2021-02-01T23:41:51Z")
Thanks for the tip, I just watched the first episode. She’s good, but Scorsese sure had the most laughs. He really seems to enjoy what he does with her or she with him. I’m going to watch some more now. I think I am enjoying it too. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/7 "2021-02-02T01:51:53Z")
I don’t often binge, but I binged that. I love Fran ever since her two great books came out. And I loved her with the New York City model in Flushing Meadow Park. The Times article about the series said that they were worried she would kick over a bridge. She kicked over a bridge. Too bad they didn’t show it. I might watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/8 "2021-02-03T01:48:05Z")
Along with about a million other people, I think, that show made me get up to find my treasured copy of _Metropolitan Life_ on the shelf. It is gone – must have lent it to someone years ago. The mass market paperback, the one with the vibrant yellow-and-orange cover, is now going for like $400 and up. Thanks, Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/9 "2021-02-03T02:55:49Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > Along with about a million other people, I think, that show made me get up to find my treasured copy of _Metropolitan Life_ on the shelf. It is gone – must have lent it to someone years ago. Yeah, not all of it has aged really well, though. “I jot down an idea I have for an all-black version of a Shakespearean comedy to be called As You Likes It.” And complaints about “the acceptance of construction boots as suitable attire for members of the fair sex” and “girl ministers” and “Negro accountants” as societal negatives. Really? In 1978? ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/10 "2021-02-03T03:01:33Z")
Oof. I’d forgotten about that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/11 "2021-02-03T03:22:09Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Excerpt: > > > [@](#): > > > > _I’ve always been very careful about touching things. … I’ve never touched a single thing in the New York City subway system — ever. Usually I’m by myself on the subway, but a few times I remember … [I was] with someone, and he said to me, when we got out, he said, “You didn’t touch anything.” And I said, “No.” And the truth is, if I dropped the Hope Diamond on the floor of a subway car, I’d leave it there. I’d say, “Well, you know, it’s just the Hope Diamond.”_ I recently read a book called _Subwayland_ and learned about “token sucking”, a pre-Metrocard method of picking up extra pocket change. Of course, the activity was illegal and not without health risks. I try to walk a line between these two extremes of behavior. As for who she resembles, I thought the old (i.e., young) Fran looked like Oscar Wilde. It is possible she cultivated this resemblance. Of course, Wilde didn’t live long enough to compare to today’s Fran. She is by the way one of the few celebrities I ever have recognized without anyone’s having pointed her out. It was near the Strand bookstore, so I may have been on the lookout. More interesting was noticing her on the pages of a photography book called something like “Faces of Times Square”, where she was one of about a thousand. Anyway, I enjoyed the series. I also recently watched on youtube a compilation of all(?) her appearances on David Letterman’s show. She committed there the _faux pas_ of repeating a particular joke sixteen years (though just one appearance!) later. Though I guess it served to underscore her point (it was about writer’s block). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/12 "2021-02-03T11:52:41Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Thanks for the tip, I just watched the first episode. She’s good, but Scorsese sure had the most laughs. He really seems to enjoy what he does with her or she with him. I’m going to watch some more now. I think I am enjoying it too. Yeah, I enjoyed Scorsese’s reactions as much as Lebowitz’s observations. They seemed genuine, and made me laugh all the more. mmm ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fran-lebowitz-series-on-netflix/931979/13 "2021-02-09T03:18:31Z")
Just binge-watched this series. As a former New Yorker of a certain age, I’ve loved this woman forever, and remember bumping into her in a few locations. I can so identify with her point of view, even when disagreeing with it. Fran could not exist anywhere but in New York City. I’m definitely gonna watch it again.