Iconic Fran Lebowitz Quotes from “Pretend It’s a City”

Remember that one "Saturday Night Live" Martin Scorsese and Fran Lebowitz skit that went viral this past winter? The one where Kyle Mooney plays an absolutely hysterical Scorsese losing his mind over every little thing Fran, comically played by Bowen Yang, says? I have to give them a lot of credit, because if you watched “Pretend It’s a City”, you know that is precisely how Scorsese reacts to every witty comment Fran makes throughout the series. Like, really, his entire body plops around when he laughs and it’s simply terrific to watch.

“Pretend It’s a City” is a Netflix docuseries directed by Martin Scorsese that gives you an in-depth look into the fascinating and brazen mind of the sardonic writer, humorist, shrewd storyteller, socialite, and true gem to NYC, Fran Lebowitz. The series consists of 7 episodes, all which wander alongside Fran as she peruses the New York City streets and sits down with Scorsese to tell stories of her life story and explain her highly idiosyncratic approaches towards working, relationships, daily routines, and being a New Yorker. Every episode is roughly a half an hour of comical yet highly contemplative opinion-spewing from the old and irritable Fran – but it’s absolutely irresistible.

For those of you who haven’t watched yet, here are four of her most iconic quotes from the series to give you a glimpse into the mind of Fran!

1. "Being a woman was the same from Eve to, like, 8 months ago."

In the series, she discusses how feminism was largely a concept out of reach to her in her more youthful days. Growing up in the NYC suburbs of northern New Jersey, if a young girl aspired to be anything other than a housewife and mother, it was simply out of the question, because, well, you were a girl. Fran reflects a lot on the recent, surprising growth of the #MeToo movement, and how a social movement like this was implausible when she was growing up.

2. On people infuriated by her: "So what? Am I making decisions for you? I’m not in charge of anything. But, of course, if I could change things, I wouldn’t be so angry. The anger is, I have no power but I’m filled with opinions."

Fran takes note of how there are a lot of people out there who simply don’t like her because of how many opinions she has. This quote embodies how fully aware she is of the disapprovals some people harbor towards her humorous and blunt commentary and the way she chooses to lead her life – and how she simply doesn’t care. Now that’s some wisdom we could all learn from.

3. "Your bad habits could kill you, but your good habits won’t save you."

There are a lot of habits Fran has that she knows aren’t good for her. As a matter of fact, she often comments on how she’s shocked she’s even made it as far as she has in life. Whether it be because she’s smoked like a chimney for her entire life or because she’s a magnet for dangerous New York City experiences (such as almost getting plowed down by Citi Bikes), this quote fully encompasses her trademark wry humor that is shockingly bona fide.

4. On New Yorkers doing yoga: "Carrying around a little rolled-up rug? You know New York used to be much more fashionable than that."

It’s great listening to somebody who has been entangled in New York City life for so many years remark on the gradual changes the city has experienced. Not just physically, but socially and mentally. One of which being: yoga.

These quotes merely offer a glimpse into the mind of Fran that the series so thoroughly examines. Unfiltered and hilarious, and also a sort of love story to New York City and the things that make New Yorkers so special – Martin Scorsese’s “Pretend It’s a City” is available to stream now on Netflix!