"Calling a taxi in Texas is like calling a rabbi in Iraq"

This quote by Fran Lebowitz is a humorous method of expressing how tough it is to find something in an unanticipated location. By comparing the problem of discovering a taxi in Texas to the trouble of discovering a rabbi in Iraq, Lebowitz is highlighting the unexpectedness of the circumstance. The quote suggests that it is highly not likely to discover a taxi in Texas, just as it is highly unlikely to find a rabbi in Iraq. This comparison is suggested to be humorous, as it is an exaggeration of the problem of the situation. The quote also implies that the two circumstances are comparable because they are both unlikely to happen. By making this comparison, Lebowitz is highlighting the unexpectedness of the circumstance.