American cultural satirist Fran Lebowitz made the trip across the pond to visit our city's iconic Concert Hall - we stopped by to see what she had to say...
It’s very hard to describe who Fran Lebowitz is and what exactly she does. Her tour poster defines her in three words: Author, humanist and social observer. But these things alone aren’t the reasons why people admire her, nor why anyone bought a ticket to this event - it’s her capability to answer a painstakingly boring question (of which there were many) with a witty, insightful story often so distant from the question asked, but so beautifully told that you no longer care for a genuine response.
The evening began with a sit-down conversation presented by Radio 4’s Luke Jones. The topics of conversation varied from the gun culture in the USA - where, rather than a national flower, the Americans have opted for a national gun - to her early career as a cab driver and her (just one, which she’d like to reiterate) attempt at writing a pornographic book, which startles the youth of today who haven’t considered that there was such a time before the internet.
There was something very refreshing about the way in which Lebowitz spoke about politics, amongst other matters, which felt both civilised and considered in a manner those currently in politics seem to fail to conduct themselves
Throughout the night, we learnt of the famous names she’d spent time with, and how being ‘mobile phone-less’ means she isn't afraid to let us know of those she disliked - because if she was to be cancelled there’d be no way for her to find out. She spoke of her fondness for her late friend Toni Morrison, who she described as the only wise person she’s ever met - empathetic even to the villains in her books - and of ‘Marty’ [Martin Scorsese], who she credits as the reason she was in Nottingham that evening - for his insisting that she filmed a documentary for Netflix, which gave her name a global status.
There was something very refreshing about the way in which Lebowitz spoke about politics, amongst other matters, which felt both civilised and considered in a manner those currently in politics seem to fail to conduct themselves. She doesn’t care to argue, to be liked, or to be agreed with. She has spent time thinking (not feeling) and has come to her conclusion. Her description of New York had me searching for flights, and her approval of environmentalist King Charles has got me thinking, 'Maybe I will have some coronation chicken.'
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