It’s amazing Emily Cooper survived so long in Chicago, considering our disgusting food, fat residents and basic accessories.

Actress Lily Collins plays Cooper, a Chicago marketing executive who gets a one-year assignment with a French luxury marketing company, on the Netflix series “Emily in Paris,” due out Friday. This is one of the first conversations she has at her new office, with her boss and the company founder.

Founder: “I was in Chicago once, and I ate the deep-dish pizza.”

Cooper: “That is our specialty. We take a lot of pride.”

Founder: “It was ... how do you say?"

Boss: “Disgusting.”

Founder: "Like a quiche made of cement.”

Cooper: “Oh no, you must have gone to Lou Malnati’s.”

Founder: “And the people are so fat. Why are they all so fat?”

A Lou Malnati’s representative declined to comment to the Tribune. Meanwhile, a study published in September found the adult obesity rate for Illinois is 31.6%, compared to 42.4% for the nation. Illinois ranks 30th among states with the highest adult obesity rates.

But facts are not — how do you say? — importante on this 10-episode series from Darren Star, who created “Sex and the City,” “Melrose Place” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” When a famous couture designer takes one look at Cooper’s purse and calls her basic, she agrees and explains that she picked up the offensive accessory at an outlet mall in Winnetka after being inspired by “Gossip Girl.” Good luck trying to track down the store.

Cooper seems to be a lifelong Illinoisan. She tells a friend she grew up in the same suburban town as her parents and went to the high school where her mom taught math. “Every day was the same. I didn’t get on a plane until I was 12 and hadn’t been to Europe until now. God, you must think that I am so boring.”

The French men on the show are cultured, worldly, intelligent. The Chicago men are Cubs obsessed. Cooper is dating a Chicagoan when she moves to Paris, and the long-distance relationship faces its toughest test when he makes excuses not to hop on a plane to see her.

“Wait, is this about the Cubs?” Cooper asks. “Because we can watch the playoffs on the Slingbox. You won’t have to miss a game.” It’s not about the Cubs — but the series takes swings at the team’s base. In another scene, Cooper’s colleague compares excited Cubs fans spraying Champagne to apes.

Though Chicago is not painted in the best light, at least the Chicago scenes were filmed here. Other Netflix productions set in Chicago haven’t come near the city. “Emily in Paris” was in Chicago last fall. Cooper is shown running along the lakefront and walking in the Loop. And she did it all without a “Chicago” hat, which is what was fashionable in the “Chicago” portrayed on Netflix’s “The Princess Switch.” Perhaps the hat came from that “outlet mall” in Winnetka.

tswartz@tribpub.com

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