Fran Lebowitz wasn't an actor before she landed the job as Judge Janice Goldberg on "Law & Order," but she knew she'd be great at the job.
She elaborated at a lecture Thursday night.
"'Fran, why are you so good at that job?' Well, I'm judgmental," she said as the audience laughed. "And I make snap judgments, so I'm fast."
The well-known humorist, social critic and author from New York City fielded questions from a large audience at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, offering unapologetic insight on issues such as the recent election season, Superstorm Sandy pummeling New York and New Jersey, publishing books electronically, her love of smoking, country-wide unemployment, her sense of style and Hollywood culture overtaking society.
Ms. Lebowitz's talk was the fourth annual American Masters Lecture, organized by the Lackawanna County Library System.
"My profession is saying things you're not allowed to say," Ms. Lebowitz quipped, prompting applause and chuckles from onlookers and she took on subjects like sexism and war with wit and frankness.
"We have governors who are sons of governors. We have presidents who are the sons of presidents. That's not supposed to happen," she said. "I know you have that here, too."
After the question-and-answer style lecture she signed books and took pictures with fans, sporting her classic look of round, red-rimmed glasses, a pin-striped blue blazer and jeans cuffed to show off a pair of self-designed brown cowboy boots.
Admirers clutching books she authored and documentary DVDs in which she was featured waited to meet Ms. Lebowitz.
Judy Zane, from the Peckville section of Blakely, was impressed and entertained by the speaker's candor and humor.
"Honest. Fun. To the point," Ms. Zane grinned.
Contact the writer: ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter