I recently learned about Fran Lebowitz while looking for something to watch on Netflix. And there it was: “Pretend It’s A City,” a series Martin Scorsese and Fran Lebowitz presented about New York City cultural icon Fran Lebowitz whose point of view is often eye-opening and surprising.

Fran Moved to New York City in 1970 when she was in her late teens. Her first job was working on an independent newspaper/magazine owned by Andy Warhol. Her destiny as a New Yorker was born with the counter culture, party after party and all her unlikely alliances.

My favorite parts of the series are the shots of New York and Fran walking to and from different destinations. Martin Scorsese acts as “straight man“ to Fran Lebowitz’s sarcastic dry wit. Her humorous observations about the city she loves is sometimes brutal. You have to see it to believe it.

The interview she does with Spike Lee is hysterical. I won’t give it away, but her many punch lines are worth the time watching.

Fran says she can never leave New York because no where else would ever have her.

Naturally, I don’t always agree with Fran Lebowitz, particularly regarding her distain for dogs and all other animals. But the way she explains it is funny.

Several things about Fran Lebowitz made me want to change a few things about myself, mainly to be funnier and read more books.

So far, I’ve embraced both as a winter activity.

OM