Fran Lebowitz

Before there was David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell, or even, for crying out loud, Dave Barry, there was Fran Lebowitz, a caustic, chain-smoking New Yorker who came on like a cross between Oscar Wilde and Dorothy Parker. In the seventies, Lebowitz was nothing less than a Manhattan celebrity; her Social Studies and Metropolitan Life were best sellers, and she was frequently a hugely entertaining talk show guest. God knows what happened, but the woman clammed up and disappeared. Until we got wind of this rare surfacing, we’d assumed Lebowitz had fallen off the planet. We’re more than a little curious to hear what she’s been up to, and what she thinks of the world she seems to have left behind. And also whether she’ll light up on stage at the Fitz. 651-290-1221, www.fitzgeraldtheater.org