Author Topic: RIP Anthony Bourdain  (Read 11 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

AJ

  • Administrator
  • Legendary Basement Rat
  • *****
  • Posts: 2628
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • Your Humble Host
  • Location: Third Stone From The Sun
RIP Anthony Bourdain
« on: June 08, 2018, 10:56:09 pm »
...I was floored when I turned on the news this morning at 6 to hear of Anthony Bourdain's passing....Even more floored and really saddened that it was apparently by his own hand.

He was a really unique voice in the TV wasteland. I'd seen him when he was on the Travel Channel and dug his approach. I guess I knew he had a cooking show on the Food Channel, but never caught that, so i was really not tuned into him from the culinary aspect, even though cooking and food were the conduit he used for his glimpses into the lives of people he found interesting and real just for who they were, where, and how they lived.

I was totally onboard when he moved to CNN and watched religiously as he traveled and opened windows into other cultures. He was never overtly political, but didn't whitewash or sugarcoat any of the struggles people in other countries had in keeping their lifestyles and traditions alive.

He was real to me. The kind of guy I just wanted to meet. He seemed to take pleasure in the humblest of surroundings, in strange and humble foods, with folks that lived in moments of each day with what they had available.

There were several episodes last season where he was smoking weed right on camera, no apologies offered at all. I thought for a guy in his sixties, working for a big network...That was pretty ballsy and damned cool too.

I cannot imagine the pain he was feeling...Pain so great he felt he could not live anymore.

I just hope the following weeks don't show he had some great embarrassment coming, one so great he felt he could not stand the heat from it. Or that it is discovered he got knowledge of some horrid disease upon him and didn't want to face a slow painful decline.

I just am really sad in his passing. Sincerely....On a John Lennon, Robert Kennedy level.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter


indigo_dave

  • Heroic Basement Rat
  • ****
  • Posts: 492
  • Karma: +5/-0
Re: RIP Anthony Bourdain
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2018, 07:41:21 am »

Bourdain was on my radar too. I was more familiar with him for 15-20 years ago, probably on the Travel Channel. I think I recall him traveling on one show up to some remote mountain village in Viet Nam,  squatting on the floor with his hosts, and sharing food with them.  No question about it, he was real.

After hearing he'd hanged himself (I'd figured he died of heart failure or such) ,  I theorized that he'd found out he had something like the big C (cancer) and wanted to exit strong.  I remember his heavy cigarette smoking in the old episodes.  Add to that the heroin addiction from his youth, and who knows what else. 

Whatever the case,  the guy led a fascinating life.

AJ

  • Administrator
  • Legendary Basement Rat
  • *****
  • Posts: 2628
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • Your Humble Host
  • Location: Third Stone From The Sun
Re: RIP Anthony Bourdain
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2018, 07:46:32 pm »
They had a "No Reservations" marathon on the Travel Channel today. Taking breaks from hanging several new light fixtures in the garage, I caught several episodes I had not seen. Got all the new wiring in and the new fixtures hung, but took several water breaks. Despite having a big blower going in the garage it's still hot as hell out there.

Still really bummed about Tony...... :'( :'(