thoughts on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation

[charlie and algernon]

I love watching his show, especially when he gets into the common life of other countries. How ordinary people live, beyond the powerful and elite. My favorite episode is probably the one where he and his crew were caught up in the fighting in Beruit. Food was never brought up, instead it was a discussion of the futility of the conflict and conflict in general.

[grace0418]

1. A lot of people on here hate Anthony Bourdain, and before I watched this show

I thought he was smug and insufferable. Now I love him. I think that's one of the best food/culture/travel shows around. Refreshing because he's honest about his own preconceived notions as well as his true feelings about the place he's visiting. Plus, I love that he's a smart-ass.

[AwakeAtLast]

2. One of my favorite shows

I liked the Beirut episode, too. The Venice episode was also spectacular. He is very good at what he does.

I would like him to spend some time in the unknown parts of the U. S. I think he would be pleasantly surprised at what he finds.

[charlie and algernon]

4. have you seen his episode on the US-Mexico border towns?

He basically said he was shocked that he was in the heart of red state Texas and here were all these white americans speaking spanish and chowing down on Mexican food.

[AwakeAtLast]

5. I think I have it DVRd but haven't watched it.

I do find myself watching reruns a lot, especially if there's a marathon and I have nothing better to do.

[960]

3. He creeps me out. Is there a skankier more shady television personality?

I think not.

[charlie and algernon]

6. I don't see anything skanky about him?

At least he's not like that Zimmerman guy who seeks out bizarre and disgusting food. I'm watching the episode on Russia now and food has barely come up again, instead, it's visiting old russia, communist russia, now he's flying around in trainer MIGs, lol.

[mitchum]

23. He actually works the "skanky lite" angle

The old "I'm a bad boy, but a good bad boy" shtick. Tried and true.

[Reverend_Smitty]

7. I think it is one of the best travel shows on TV

[Arugula Latte]

8. I like his New Yorky smartassy 'tude.

He's snarky and smart. He could be a DUer.

[charlie and algernon]

9. heh, you never know, he very well may be a DUer, lol

[flying rabbit]

10. I could see that

hanging out in the lounge, posting rants in GD, getting the cooking and baking group all fired up...

[derby378]

11. Anthony Bourdain's my favorite smartass

But I feel that his curmudgeon status was obtained honestly. You should try reading some of his books to see what experiences he's been through in his culinary education.

I'd love to have a beer with the guy, anytime. Surely he's got to pass through Dallas once in a while, even if he doesn't make a big deal about it.

[SpartanDem]

12. Both honest and smartassy

which is why I love it so much

[LostInAnomie]

13. At his best, he's insightful and gives great commentary on the cultures...

... and social circumstances in the places he visits.

At his worst, he can be condescending and snobbish.

[OmahaBlueDog]

14. I cannot stand Bourdain

[jobycom]

15. He's sincere, insightful, and funny. He may miss the point sometimes

and sometimes the need for a compact, ratings-friendly show might make him generalize or even stereotype, but he has a genuine sense of wonder for other cultures in their own context, and he's one of the best shows on TV.

[grasswire]

16. well said

...and I think he's a terrific writer.

[petronius]

17. I would love to hang out with that dude, but there's no way I could keep up

I do enjoy the show...

[javelin]

18. I know someone who knows him personally.

He told me that he quite the ladies man and gets as many as possible in his travels. That is o.k. I would too if I had that great job of his, travelling around the world, sampling all those great foods and women, it doesn't get any better than that.

[mitchum]

22. He left his wife for a much younger woman

[Vidar]

19. I enjoy him.

[bbernardini]

20. I still get freaked out by the way he looks like Eric Bogosian.

Love the show, though.

[mitchum]

21. He had one good book in him, but unfortunately he kept on turning them out

[southpaw]

24. I'm developing a tolerance for Bourdain

Well, for his coarseness, that is. He seems like an asshole, but in a way that I'm more open to... as opposed to Bobby Flay, who is an unlikelable 'Eddie Haskell' kind of asshole.

BTW, rumor has it that Bourdain has an enormous schwanstuka.

[Phoonzang]

25. I used to think he was just a snarky ass, but after watching more

I realized that he does a pretty good job taking an insightful look at other cultures and their food, unlike certain other travel network personalities *coughZimmerncough*. Sure he's kind of smartassed, but he shows respect to the people in the countries he visits and doesn't ridicule them....even when they make him eat barely-cooked hog anus.