I was deeply saddened when I learned of Anthony Bourdain’s suicide yesterday. Despite the nasty things he said about vegetarians and his enthusiasm for eating disgusting meaty bits, I could not help myself from admiring him. Like a moth to a flame.
I’ve followed Bourdain for many years. Watched his shows in all their incarnations, read his books and been to his lectures. His gift of edgy storytelling and exploring all the nooks and crannies around the world, using food as his entry point, was endlessly inspiring to me as a travel writer.
His open discussion of his challenges and addictions made me admire him all the more. He had clawed his way out of that hole and risen to the top of his profession. He continuously reinvented his career and wrote his own rules. He seemed to have found happiness and success. The darkness he must have privately wrestled with now appears to have been too strong, even for him. Those left behind search for the courage to continue on as another hero opts out.
I like this tribute from Anderson Cooper last night. The two had genuine affection for each other and I enjoyed watching their banter. Some context, too, for those who don’t know, Cooper lost his brother to suicide while he was still young so Bourdains’s death must trigger all that pain as well. Additionally, Cooper has some of the strangest food habits, superstitions and is extremely picky, even more so than Moz. To see Bourdain getting/tricking him into eatting so many things is extraordinary and I’m sure why it’s included in these clips.