Name: Fran Drescher
Age: Celebrating my ten years well from cancer, which is the birthday I celebrate!
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Occupation: “You name it! Actress, ‘tawk show’ host, public diplomacy envoy, best-selling author, women’s health activist, producer, director, beautician, writer, and visionary.” Her new Tawk Show debuts Friday, November 26 on WNYW FOX 5, 12 p.m.
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Charlie Rose. He brings everybody that’s interesting in the world right into your living room, in a refreshing, non-biased way.
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
I love the décor of ABC Kitchen and that the menu is healthy and local. I also love the burger over at the Spotted Pig.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
Create, invent, and problem solve.
What was your first job in New York?
At age 14, I was a cashier at Olinsky’s Supermarket on Kissena Boulevard in Queens. I was very fast on the register. In those days, we bagged the groceries, and I prided myself on filling the bags as neatly and as fully as I possibly could. Looking back, after a lot of therapy, I think that was almost bordering on neurotic! I enjoyed getting to know the other kids that worked there and making my own money.
What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
Fela! I loved it. I thought the music was amazing, and the people are incredibly talented. It was uplifting, educational, and historic. Also, easy seeing a lot of really well-built, half-dressed men — very easy on the eyes.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes. If I cross paths with a homeless person and I’m able to get access to cash, I’ll usually help them out.
What’s your drink?
Hendricks with muddled cucumber.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Does reheating count?
What’s your favorite medication?
Benadryl Quick Dissolve Tongue Strips. I seem to have a low tolerance for histamines in food, so if I eat foods that are high in histamines, it helps.
What’s hanging above your sofa?
Alex Katz’s oil painting of his most celebrated subject, his wife Ada (1973). I love the artist, he’s a celebrated New Yorker. He brought portraiture into the pop genre of the art scene, which really originated in New York and shifted the direction of art history in the second half of the twentieth century.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$600 is too much.
When’s bedtime?
Usually Charlie Rose puts me to bed. Charlie goes on, I set my TV timer for an hour, and by the time the TV shuts off, so have I.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
New Times Square. Ya know, call me silly, call me crazy, but I prefer the Disney Store to Triple X Girls Girls Girls.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
I think he is a brilliant self-promoter.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
I go on sensory overload — too many great things happening all at once! It exhausts me.
Who is your mortal enemy?
Prejudice.
When’s the last time you drove a car?
Today. I drive all the time unless I’m going to the airport or an event.
How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
I am very conservative so it did not impact my own finances, but it upsets me to see all the local merchants that are closing down, and to see the level of unemployment that we are experiencing.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times.
Where do you go to be alone?
Sadly, my bed.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
A New Yorker is a person who: works too hard, plays too hard, talks too loud, eats too much, and has a heart of gold, with earrings to match!
