What a treat to hear someone speak, someone unencumbered by today’s worries, political correctness and Twitterati mob opinions. It made me hark back to school debate clubs, because I swear even at 18 years old, we were having far more constructive debates than what is currently unfolding on social media. Imagine having to debate both sides of an issue and being penalised for not basing your opinion on facts…

What it is about

“Wander the New York City streets and fascinating mind of wry writer, humorist and raconteur Fran Lebowitz as she sits down with Martin Scorsese.”

The positive

Fran is grumpy, delightful, intelligent, scathing, and most of all, unapologetic in her views. She sees it as her job as writer and speaker, to have opinions, opinions on New York, phones, holidays, real estate, and especially smoking. But underneath the sly humour, the self-effacing wit, lies intelligence, vast knowledge, and a curiosity. Watch her take on Spike Lee and sports. She argues her point. She does not rely on thumb-sucking, half-truths, or grandstanding, or rather, grandstanding without an argument to back it up.

The format of the series is great. Seven short episodes gives you enough time to get to know Fran, but it does not bore you. Marty mostly stays behind the camera, so it feels like you are looking over his shoulder, like you are at a dinner party having a scintillating conversation with an old friend.

The negative

You would have to find Fran charming to enjoy the series. She can be smug at times and make incendiary statements to get the conversation going. I appreciate that. You might not.

The recommendation

Try it! If you find Fran as intriguing as I do, it will be a refreshing experience. We need more opinions based on intelligence, curiosity and sometimes personal whim. For instance, why do people go on holidays? Are their normal lives that boring?