Politics and the Dinner Table

By Anthony Bourdain on July 26, 2008 9:41 PM | Permalink | 115 Comments

"Look," said Ali, an Egyptian/American chef, pointing at a plateful of traditional Alexandrian food in his Queens restaurant. "The history of the world."
He had just put in extraordinarily succinct terms what any well traveled eater, student of ethnic or national food ways -- or serious food nerd has come to know: that what is on your plate, the choice or selection, or preferences -- or ingredients -- almost any place you are eating, are the end result of movements of people and resources, the punch line of a story usually involving (at some point in history), deprivation, starvation, colonialism, slavery, greed, and warfare. No need for us to get all depressed about that.

The end result of the above -- at least (and only) as far as cuisine -- is more often than not, good.

People eat what they eat for a reason. And they tend to cook well for a reason. That reason may no longer exist as a prime motivator -- but it's there if you care to go back and look.

People may not have to eat salt cod in Portugal or "stock fish" in the Caribbean anymore. The days of conquest for one -- and slavery for the other, are long gone. But they do (Cause it's good. Or they've managed to make it good.) The relatively non-perishable, seige-friendly cuisine of Fez, Morocco, the delicious one-time scraps and beans of Brazilian feijouda, the Spam cults of Korea and Hawaii, the bony delights of Malaysian sup tulang, the simple act of coffee drinking relate directly to the collision of cultures and, usually, to people doing bad things to each other.

No reason to fight the Battle of Hastings -- or Dien Bien Phu over and over again, or wring our hands, particularly, over who was right and who was wrong. But it's certainly useful and appropriate when visiting a country, I think, to acknowledge that wars, for instance, happened, and to take note of who won -- and who lost. More often than not, it's why there are still potatoes on your plate -- instead of a starchy farinaceous product, couscous or rice.

I'm not a pundit, an activist, an advocate for anybody. My political views are my own -- and I try -- really try, to keep them to myself. The last person I want to hear talk about politics or the nation's conscience or obligation to the world is some Hollywood ****tard. Some well-paid douchebag who lives in a compound in Malibu has, to my mind, very little of value or interest to say to anyone who's worried about the price of milk.
Neither you (nor I) should have to be preached to by Sean Penn or Leonardo DiCaprio -- from between the legs of a beautiful actress -- (even if I agree with them much of the time). Ditto, anyone lucky enough, like me, to have a job writing and making self-indulgent television.

That said, there are certain things one cannot help but notice when making food and travel television. One tends to notice -- as in Laos -- when one has to be careful about where one steps on the way to one's meal. Or (as in Laos and Cambodia when the people one encounters at meals are missing limbs. To not mention these screamingly obvious features -- how they might have occurred and how they remain factors in every day life, would feel ... bizarre.

It is no slight, for instance, against those Americans who fought along side of the Hmong people -- to mention the final outcome of what happened there. Just as it is useful and appropriate to remind people that the Hmong, our allies, who lost so much in that struggle, still exist. Nothing "political" about acknowledging history. Particularly, when you are about to sit down and eat with it.

On a slightly different front, my crew and I spend a LOT of time in countries where the government's attitude towards human rights is not what you (presumably) or I or the residents of a comfortable, well fed community in say ... the Berkeley area, might find appropriate or acceptable. If -- as has been suggested by some viewers, we have an obligation to avoid ANY country where human rights are routinely violated or where equality of the sexes is not respected, the list of shows we would NOT have shown you at all might include China, Laos, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Russia, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia and on and on.

If you wanted to put a really fine point on it, you could argue that even Colombia or sybaritic Brazil, don't stand the test of Political Correctness. I doubt, for that matter, that even we do these days. So ... what then? Take this argument to its logical extreme and we'd end up making shows exclusively in Sweden and Iceland.

"How can you make TV in China and NOT mention the oppression of the Tibetan people?!" - Goes one argument. And it's a pretty compelling one. But once committed to shooting in a country, one becomes very aware of those one will leave behind. The people who open their homes to our cameras, who guide us, drive us, feed us -- they LIVE in the places I'm talking blithely about on camera. If I start asking them questions like "So ...How was that re-education camp?" It could put all involved with us in a very tough spot long after me and the crew have gone and are comfortably back in New York.

It's a fine line we have to walk sometimes. But what you should know about the leader whose biquitous and unsmiling portrait hangs on the walls of every home and business in Country X will always be mentioned -- and the fact that it's on every wall should tell you plenty.

Conversely, I believe it to be useless, counterproductive and just ... willfully ignorant to demonize everyone in a country because one finds their national policies or cultural beliefs repellent. The very last thing any of us aspire to do when making "No Reservations" is show you a definitive portrait of a nation, a culture or a religion -- or even a city. It's not the "Best" or "Worst" of anything. It's not even the "typical", necessarily -- though we try and show everyday foods and life as much as we can. This is as true of the Saudi Arabia show as it is of ... the Cleveland show.

At their best, our shows go like this:

I encounter some people -- or take them along. They show me their lives. We go some places --meet some friends. I tell you how that felt to me. THAT'S what we do. Now, if I've managed to convey those things in entertaining -- and possibly informative fashion (good or bad), then I've succeeded. If, inadvertently, I've found -- once again -- that people around the world, more often than not -- are actually pretty nice -- and not THAT different than you and me? Well, great. Score one for optimism. I'm not, however, in the feel good business. But if you're genuinely nice to me and my crew, hospitable and I actually have a good time in your home? I'll make every effort to reflect that feeling.

Defining the "character" of a people is a complex matter. I have had many a warm and wonderful time in places where -- just across town, it is likely that someone was getting their testicles twisted by some very unpleasant policemen. Just as I have been places where Very Bad Things have happened to Very Nice People, I have also met many Very Nice People who have done Very Bad Things.

Where we, as Americans, fall within those parameters, is open to debate. Personally, I embrace that grey zone -- where morality, such as it is, is defined by how we, as individuals, can -- given the opportunity -- treat each other at the table. If nothing else, it's a start.

On "No Reservations," I've sat down to eat with many different kinds of people over the years: Miguel Cotto punches people in the head until they become unconscious -- for a living. Nice guy. Really knows a good place for roast pork. For much of his life, Victor Cherkashin was in charge of all KGB operations against the USA -- and personally oversaw some of our worst and most destructive traitors. Sweetest old man you'd ever hope to meet. And good pickled mushrooms! Ted Nugent (coming soon) holds political views which would make Ghengis Khan blanche. He also knows good brisket. I really like all of them. And I think you should too.

Oh yeah ... Uruguay was really cool. NOT a good place to be a vegetarian.

Tags: blog , anthony bourdain , anthony bourdains blog , laos , no reservations , travel channel , travel , tony bourdain

115 Comments

1

sd - July 26 2008 @ 10:14 pm the nuge? oh jesus. he took charlton hestons place of who i thought was the weirdest living american. im glad youre going places other people wont. i dont think i'll ever find myself in laos (who knows, maybe i will) but its nice to see it from the inside.
2

DogsDontPurr - July 26 2008 @ 11:26 pm Great post. I wish everybody could see the world with an open mind. Love your show!
3

Smalltown Mom - July 27 2008 @ 12:05 am Damn, I love you. My kids have had some great opportunities to travel with People to People (studentamb&%$adors.org). To quote YOU, "I've found -- once again -- that people around the world, more often than not -- are actually pretty nice -- and not THAT different than you and me" and that's exactly what they have found on their trips. Kudos, for making the world a little friendlier.
4

Laurie - July 27 2008 @ 12:15 am The table certainly has the ability to make us all amiable towards one another. I say we should practice partaking often.
5

ChefLJAmes - July 27 2008 @ 12:58 am Very well put Chef...I hate to say it but the changes in the US of late may be some of the best things to happen to America. Our "importance" and "specialism" has equalized and we are again nearing equality with the rest of the world...
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Senorita Mandita - July 27 2008 @ 1:07 am I applaud you and the No Reservations crew for the work that you do. You shed light on cultures that the majority of Americans will never get to see. With every episode I find myself intrigued to learn more about the culture as well as the food. This has inspired me to follow my heart and go to culinary school. Thank you Tony for being such a great chef, writer, and informer. You truly are my hero!
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gamdopa - July 27 2008 @ 1:08 am it all comes down to this, Tony (to quote a favorite show of yours in a recent interview): "there's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy!" children have a way of levelling the field, don't they? when the going gets weird, the weird eat pork!
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Trash&Vaudeville - July 27 2008 @ 1:14 am I kind of had a feeling you'd say pretty much exactly what you said (and said so well, of course.) You definitely showed us what seemed like very nice people, having a good time and showing you one as well. And I was thinking that by NOT saying a lot of things on the show, as well as not showing us a lot of things, you were (either intentionally or not) showing us those things quite clearly somehow. And thanks for reminding us that in the end, after you and the crew leave, ALL those things, and all those people, whether shown or not, are still there. Great post, Tony, and I can't wait to see the proof that you and The Nuge exist in the same universe. And, of course, Uruguay.
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scott acorn - July 27 2008 @ 2:50 am tony and the nuge agree on one basic point for those who dont know "if you are slower than me dumber than me and taste good p&%$ the salt" welcome to the top of the food chain mutha f***a
10

caligal - July 27 2008 @ 3:00 am As soon as you started promoting the "travel with a fan" episode I suggested you find a celeb. who was born and raised in a foreign country and go to their homeland and see it through their eyes. That might have been more interesting than Danya. She was sweet and nice enough, but not enough of a "character" to spark the Saudi show into life. I think perhaps because of (govt.?) restrictions and non-alcohol policies, etc., you were out of your comfort zone, your audience knew it, and that really made the show drag. That being said, every other episode I've seen I have loved....well, maybe the Cleveland episode left me not exactly chomping at the bit to book a flight there.....but your overall record is stellar. I still remember halfway through your Lebanon episode thinking, "I smell an award - this is AMAZING." That was truly outstanding television. Keep up the good work. It saddens me to see someone on a cooking or travel show start out amazingly, just by being themselves....and then their managers and producers and show execs make subtle changes that turn them into people you don't want to watch anymore, because they are just not being true to themselves. Rest easy, you haven't sold out or anything like it; your show is still light years above the rest. Always look forward to what you present. Even if things occasionally fall off the track, just get back up and running and keep it real.
11

Jennie Tikka - July 27 2008 @ 3:49 am Tony - I think you're saying what I've been saying for years: Someone doesn't have to have my exact point of view for me to like them. Like you, I don't require seeing my own reflection in someone to find something to like about them. That being said, I will offer this. I watch the show because I like watching you experience a place - that won't change. But I think there are a couple of things going on with the show that I've noticed over the years. Firstly - the group of people out there who just can't get over the fact that the Tony who wrote "Kitchen Confidential" was years ago and things have changed. You've evolved since then - and that's a good thing. You haven't (and won't ever) morph into Michael Ruhlman so, don't worry! But there is a segment of the fans out there who are always going to find something to gripe about when an epi doesn't look like a KC redux. Secondly, sometimes the concept of the show seems a little murky.....because, I believe, you are unconsciously editorialising. There is a definite type of person and place that you like and its now entirely predictable to know who you'll think is cool versus who you'll find boring or somehow unpalatable. The same goes for food, too. If you were offered two dinners on the same night and could only go to one, and the choice was between the Dalai Lama and John Gotti, I'd be willing to bet my last Skittle you'd pick Gotti. If you were offered two locations for that dinner - Pasadena or Danzig......I think I know which one you'd pick. I luv ya, Tony - I really do, but I think you need to ask yourself the question if you are truly objective or not; and if not, what does that do to the concept of your show (or is that, in a nutshell - the actual concept of your show?) The show is 100% about how you experience a place....but in that experience is an ever clearer judgment. You have indicted an entire type of person without a clear explanation as to why, save that they apparently bore you with their lack of dark tendencies, horrendous tragedies, or anti-establishment rhetoric. Now, I'm not p&%$ing judgement - that would truly be hypocrisy coming from someone who finds Marilyn Manson amusing - so I'll leave that by saying, "Takes one to know one." But does that really belong in a program about food? Are you reviewing the food or the people? Are you a journalist or a former chef looking for good food? Is your show an Op Ed piece or a search for indigenous cuisines?? Is Tony about reinforcing his existing opinions or is he open-minded?? I think you need to tighten up your show's concept. Still luv ya and hope to see you on a book tour some time soon. Jen P.S. I adore the Nuge (which is not to say I agree with him 100% - I've just always loved his music). P.P.S. If you ever come back to So. Cal. I've got a 10th degree Kenpo blackbelt friend that Ottavia would probably get a kick out of. She's welcome to visit the studio.
12

DannyH - July 27 2008 @ 8:32 am Thanks again Tony for the thought provoking blog! Woody Allen and Roman Polanski are two examples of people who I think are wonderfully talented and yet have done some horrible things in their personal lives. This duality is pretty true of most human beings I find.
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Misselle - July 27 2008 @ 12:24 pm Your visit with the Nuge should be interesting - he is from my home state and moved to Texas, just like me. Fortunately they tend to like hiim here :) I agree with you - the show should be about the food and culture, not the politics. I for one never took your visit to any country as an endorsement of any political issue or party. As always, we look forward to seeing the new show tomorrow!
14

Chris - July 27 2008 @ 12:30 pm Thanks Tony for changing my outlook on food and the world and NOT messing with my politics.
15

Kate in the NW - July 27 2008 @ 2:01 pm ***sigh***. Can I just reiterate how pleased I am that SOMEone is doing something worthwhile with TV dollars and broadcast time? Nice to know it's not just PBS and HBO. Please, please write more. Like, in the Op-Ed section of the Times? An opinionated column about openmindedness and not letting opinions get in the way of travel, friendship, food, life... YEAH, yeah, I know - the whole point is that celebrity is no excuse for pontificating on weighty world matters. On the other hand, isn't there a certain...responsibility that goes with all that priveledge, with your job, your opportunities, with having such a big audience? It's nice to see places and food porn, but what does it all MEAN? Though I fully acknowledge the many layers of irony here, I think the world would probably benefit from hearing a lot more of the sort of thing you've said in this blog. Thanks for writing about this.
16

Jon D - July 27 2008 @ 5:45 pm Good grief! Charlton Heston the wierdest person in America--hmm, what about Larry Flynt, Madonna, and Al Gore? They have to be at the very top of the charts.
17

Preston Morgan - July 27 2008 @ 6:39 pm Tony, Thanks for your honesty and keen wit. You bring a smile to my face. I am a fellow CIA grad. (cl&%$ of '88) I have spent the last two years working with at-risk kids and teaching them to cook. When people ask me whom my favorite chef is, the answer is simple, Anthony Bourdain. I can see your p&%$ion. Thank you for your time and hours of entertainment. Have a blessed day. Preston "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi
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T.S. - July 27 2008 @ 6:46 pm Entertainment folks, not education. If this show is changing your perspective or outlook on the world then you need to put down the remote and step away from the television. I happen to like the show, but I take it for what it is, entertainment. Find your own world view, read.
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Anonymous - July 27 2008 @ 7:44 pm I write horror for a living. The number 1 criticism I get is: Your words carry power-- you have a social obligation to censor your writing. My response? It's fiction, people. Deal with it. That said, the last time I was in Colombia was to identify the body of a friend who was brutally killed, thanks to ignorance and politics. I read your blog entry, but had a very difficult time reconciling your experiences with the Colombia I know. When the time came to watch the episode, I walked away from the television. My choice, my experience. Under no circumstances should this impact your choice, your experiences, your right to produce your show.
20

Eugenia - July 27 2008 @ 8:50 pm As much as I love your show and books (and evolving persona -- well said, Jennie Tikka), I do think it's a bit disingenuous to claim you keep your political views to yourself while dissing Hollywood ***tards and rich people in Berkeley, Mr. Bourdain. Not that I have a problem with that. It's funny. But I do think the line one draws in regards to activism and advocacy is a difficult one when you're dealing with international politics at street level. I think you're a bit more subtle with it than you're claiming here, and I hope other people see that too. Respectfully, Eugenia
21

minnieinpdx - July 28 2008 @ 12:31 am Tony shows us a place with a unique view. It's not the same old spots you see over and over. He meets real people, goes to their homes, goes to places they enjoy and has meal or two with them. That is what makes his show unique. We have CNN & Fox to tell us about the bad stuff in the world, it's nice to the good stuff and that we are more alike than we want to believe.
22

june-baby - July 28 2008 @ 2:36 am Tony takes us to places where we may never get to travel to. He checks his political views at the door, so he won't upset the locals. Jennietikka you nailed it. To quote my daughter's orchestra director before we left for the Czech Republic and Austria in 2004 "Don't be an ugly American" The high light of that trip was hanging out with the locals and getting to know them, of course it was in the local taverns and resturants. As a traveler I believe those are the places to go too, so a traveler can get the feel of the local culture and lifestyle ("Be a traveler not a tourist"). Put your political views aside when you travel your trip will be more enjoyable.
23

Samantha - July 28 2008 @ 3:50 am RE: TN. I was working a delayed flight (in a past life, when I worked for a major air carrier) and trying to keep the mood light... Joking, snarking, etc... When I finally got the clearance to board the flight, TN (who was on my flight, unknown to me) came up to me and, in front of everyone, excitedly declared that I was one "WILD AND CRAZY WOMAN!" That's all. That's my Ted Nugent story.
24

Prisana - July 28 2008 @ 8:32 am I've never seen your show nor even heard of you until this morning when my Google alert for Hmong stories and blogs included your link. Your blog was intriguing...a strange buffet of thoughts and opinions. I'm curious to see your show, because it feels like I just sat at a dinner table where everyone has eaten your meal except moi and I am a bit hungry having missed even the sticky rice and mango, along with the mouthwatering authentic spicy green chicken curry... I will share one story about dinner and politics...I was in the Philippines and our crew had been invited by a Filipino Governor to eat dinner with him and his staff on some island (the name escapes me)....Upon seeing a caged sea eagle at the Governor's home, my American Eco-boss declared quite strongly: "I will not eat with these heathens." I apologized to our hosts after my boss had left the room and sat down to eat a wonderful meal. I was taught to respect your hosts even if you may not agree with them. We were their guests and not there to insult them. Could you imagine if the tables were turned how an American host would react if a Filipino dinner guest called him a "heathen"? Could you imagine if the Hmong had left their American allies to die...hard to imagine.
25

Maria - July 28 2008 @ 10:02 am Dear Tony: As you wrote in one of your books, one could say that "No Reservations" is a show about "traveling on an empty stomach". Its a "food culture", getting to know a country (or city) and its people, their history from the food and the people you encounter on your trips. Its informative, educative and entertaining. I found your work and your personnal history a remarkable success and I really wish you to keep the good work and keep living your life happy and joyously. Looking forward to tonigh's show! Love to you and the "No Reservations" crew.
26

kcray - July 28 2008 @ 11:33 am Great blog entry, Anthony. Screaming at and judging each other gets us no where. Every culture--no matter how "enlightened" or "civilized"--has its own planks in its own eyes. That doesn't mean that we have to ignore injustice. But making blanket stereotypes of every member of a culture doesn't seem very productive. Share a meal, some drinks and a few laughs and you've probably done more for world peace than any UN conference. That's the way I see it, at least.
27

michelle - July 28 2008 @ 11:40 am Political dissent is a luxury few can or choose to afford. But "What's for dinner?" is a pretty universal topic no matter if you live in China, Uruguay, or Saudi Arabia. This is why I love watching No Res, and why I will continue to watch and to read your books and your blog... You have enough integrity to say that even if you agree with the Hollywood ****tards, they are irrelevant at the basic "counting up coins to buy milk for the kids" level.
28

Ursula Deljanin - July 28 2008 @ 1:31 pm Hey Tony, WHERE'S THE SNARK? As a fellow NYer, would love to know where the Egyptian restaurant in Queens mentioned above is located?? Love the show and I think its important to show the facts, but not to become consumed by them. Everyone has political views although it doesn't always show good taste to push your agenda.
29

Annonymous - July 28 2008 @ 1:41 pm If, for whatever reason, I was to be interviewed by James Lipton and asked what my favorite swearword would be.... I swear I would answer ****tard.
30

Robert - July 28 2008 @ 1:47 pm I think Michelle has it a bit backwards about political dissent being a luxury few can or would choose--actually it seems closer to reality to say that ignoring politics is a luxury few in the world can choose. Americans by and large are very privileged in that they can and do consistently ignore the politics of their own government or foreign governments when it suits them, like when they want "entertainment." Surely many people in the world cannot afford to ignore local politics or how political reality shapes their choices. Not sure what you in the context of your show would do with this fact, except maybe acknowledge your own privilege from time to time. There is certainly room for non-political encounters--despite all that is wrong with the Saudi government, I did like your episode there for showing how full of humor people in the Middle East can be (and a good balance to those who tend to think of all Muslims as terrorists). And while you may find "Hollywood ****tards" boring or hypocritical, do you really think they are more deserving of criticism than apolitical viewers or KGB types?
31

Ladymissgailo - July 28 2008 @ 1:49 pm Bourdainalitious post!
32

Tommy Salami - July 28 2008 @ 2:23 pm Tony, once again a thoughtful and poignant essay. I'm sure you caught a lot of %$#^ over the Saudi Arabia episode, put I thought it was great that you went there. No matter how abhorrent the leadership of a country, it would do us well to remember that demonizing every last one of their subjects is something only propagandists would want.
33

Shoody - July 28 2008 @ 2:45 pm Delightfully cynical and refreshingly pragmatic...although viewing may be an acquired taste, I haven't enjoyed a show or individual so much in such a long time. It's easy to develop an addiction to Anthony Bourdain. A bit disheartened about his recent divorce, new marriage because god knows along with his charasmatic verbiage, there's a physical attraction that basically boils down to..."I'd do him." Realizing at age 45, any man in my age group wants a twenty something, I have no choice but look in the 70-80 age bracket... preferably rich, old with a cough. I have not given up on the opposite sex nor have I decided to become a lesbian. Tony, however, is quite endearing. As much as I would love to send him a compilation of music - ABBA & The Ramones and along with a prescription for Chanitx, on this blog I can only send my sincere appreciation and thanks to Mr. Bourdain and the travel channel. Kudos
34

Fitzy831 - July 28 2008 @ 2:57 pm Tony, If NR ever became political I'd never watch another episode. With politics come [unwanted] complications, and your show's premise is simple...travel, food, and the people you meet along the way. I cannot think of a better combination. I only wish you had the cameras down in Miami for the Golden Clog awards...I'd pay damn good money to see that one! Pay-per-view!! -DS
35

John Stavely - July 28 2008 @ 3:47 pm Go Tony! The Table brings us together in ways that governments could never understand. No, you're not sounding the horn for political correctness and thank goodness. You are helping us to understand the world a lot better by inviting us to dine with you. Cheers!
36

John - July 28 2008 @ 3:47 pm I watch Tony to see where he is next, to find something that looks good, and which maybe, just maybe, I'll play around with one night in the Kitchen, and see if I can make something. Now, I'm even at the stage of recognising some of the treats from my own travels.
It is not Tony's place to be political. If you want that, go watch Ted Koppel's series of shows on China, or watch the BBC World Service, or CNN, or whatever.
37

john - July 28 2008 @ 3:55 pm Tony, I loved the program on Cleveland. It was a magnificent pretrial of real people. I did not even think they knew the camera was on. Fantastic. No religion, politics only a cities pride coming through the people and the food that represented in its culture. Great show! I would NOW love to see you do a program in Texas. The last was far too political. It did not even cover well, most everything great that is Texas. If you do not know or your producers do not know then they are free to call me anytime. The coast, the mountains, BBQ, Tex Mex, German and others please call. Please do not bring personal politics and opinion into the process. Just like the original colonies, Texas was a country given birth by a people wanting to be free. That means Tejano’s also. John
38

smokey - July 28 2008 @ 4:24 pm To me your show is "People to People" happily meeting over food. This is what keeps me watching. However, when you and your crew talk to me about their lives, their problems, you know what, I say thank you I needed that. There is so much to learn, so little exposure or time. Thank you.
39

pcbaga - July 28 2008 @ 4:42 pm Those who expect this show to espouse a political viewpoint just don't get it...This is, at base, a food show. I tune in to see Tony's take on the food & the people...not his political opinion...Go to Fox or CNN for that please. The Saudi Arabian show is a perfect example...I never expected to be so charmed by the people encountered during that episode...or to laugh so much.
40

big guy - July 28 2008 @ 5:34 pm Stick it to the haters and idiots who think any commentary on history equals partisan politics, Tony! I had no idea there were people out there refuting the basic realities of the conflict in SE Asia on the level of Holocaust deniers until I read the comments on the Laos show. Pathetic and sad. To the vet who wouldn't stop blathering about how we didn't indiscriminately drop extra bombs on Laos: Just because you were there doesn't mean you knew what went on or the reasons why. Soliders are necessarily pawns and are fed lots of misinformation to keep them motivated.
41

Roland - July 28 2008 @ 6:07 pm "I embrace that grey zone -- where morality, such as it is, is defined by how we, as individuals, can -- given the opportunity -- treat each other at the table." That's the whole of morality, right there. Nations and cultures don't have morals. They don't even have principles. They have policies. Morality and decency are individual traits based on individual actions. Every nation has something to indict it. What makes life worth living is the fact that most people, to any real degree, do not.
42

Clifford - July 28 2008 @ 6:17 pm My comments align with many of the others listed here. Your show provides me with an hour of escapism by introducing me to cultures and cuisine which are completely foreign to me. Political analysis should be left in the inept hands of anchors at CNN or Fox News. By the way - I tried Fergus Henderson's technique for bone marrow. Food of the gods! Now I understand why this was your death row meal (or still is).
43

Ken - July 28 2008 @ 7:42 pm Tony, I completely agree with your approach -- leave the handwringing to the Katie Courics of the world. I appreciate NR staying within scope and highlighting the people and their cultures. I notice you try to avoid government-hangers on if possible (ie Vietnam), but even then it's interesting when their human qualities come out. Yes, alcohol is the Great Arbitrator! Keep up the good work, look forward to tonight's episode. Ken
44

Annonymous - July 28 2008 @ 8:06 pm Hey Bourdain, I guess this means you're Hispanic, because you have family from Uruguay. Whether they were Spanish, French, Chinese, etc doesn't matter. A person of any race but has ancestors that lived in Latin America is Hispanic.
45

mahavishnu - July 28 2008 @ 8:21 pm I love Tony's shows and Blog. I do not love the fact I need to use a magnifying gl&%$ to see the reader comments however. Trying to read this tiny text is like reading a handwritten menu in a tent by candlelight. Would the webmaster consider increasing the text size? I know Tony's fans have insightful things to say...
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Bob Ogden - July 28 2008 @ 9:31 pm I like the Nuge, But then I am Canadian. I hunt, I have been saying for years, even to my relatives, to respect the food. Yes even that plastic wrapped stuff. It died so you could eat, maybe thats why I loved the Quebec episode. Not for the squeamish. But its HONEST food, not for fun but for requirement. My Mother is Half Indian, and I must say a much better shot than my White Father. That may be a girl thing though. Anyways Tony, Enjoying the show. You have changed in your years, Beirut, Father hood, world travel. One thing though, don't think of the world as such a huge place just think of it as a Section of NYC you just haven't caught a cab to yet. Take Care Bob
47

Kelly - July 28 2008 @ 10:16 pm Correction: There is more slavery in the world today than ever before . Love your show. I'm depressed that I can't afford cable anymore. Please put out more dvd's! Loyal Fan, Kelly
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Marcella - July 28 2008 @ 10:42 pm I love your show!
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Leonardo (not Di Caprio) - July 28 2008 @ 11:52 pm Great show and view of life in general. You have gift, use it, enjoy it and keep on doing that great show. As for political views everyone has their opinion just like religion. But in the end respect and tolerance for everybody views is what makes a human being civilized. From the land of Miguel Cotto my best wishes. Leonardo from Puerto Rico.
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Anthony Jackson - July 29 2008 @ 12:03 am You know I been holding back on this post for a while because I was never really sure how to say it.... Ok #%&@ this #%&@, Anthony You friggin rock man, your one of the few shows I will watch becuase of the fact you do so much in the show you have. I amazes me that you can keep my intrest in culinary arts even when I swear I want to throw the towel in and tell my boss to #%&@ himself. I have to admit I have alot of respect for you and please do not stop this show, you are giving most people a culture experience that normaly they would never ever get a chance to see for themselves. Ok my #%& kissing is done now, but I had to say it to you non-the-less. Cheers!
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enigma4ever - July 29 2008 @ 12:04 am This a great post...you made really valid points ....but the thing is that sharing of food is where politics can dissappear...where people can just talk and be people...and share...( well, except mayb some really uncomfortable Thanksgiving Dinners...) but the point is that food is a place where people can just be people...and if people want to talk politics during a meal- there is usually not enough liquor or mylanta.... On another note - I loved the Uruguay show...really wonderful ....showed a Country that remains so mysterious and yet intriguing.....Loved that you wove your family history into this trip... The readers at my blog Watergate Summer love your show- you have us all hooked...thank you.
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Heather - July 29 2008 @ 12:31 am First, I just want to say I really enjoy and respect Mr. Bourdain. Of course, when a comment starts like that.....so, I typically can handle live caged animals ready to go into the frying pan, Tony's eyes welling up when he had to be the "honorary pig sticker", but his new episode on Uruguay, I regret to say made me naseous when the little boy caught an armadillo for dinner....in particular when Tony mentioned the armadillo appeared to be trembling in fear, and the boy said that he is (trembling in fear). I'm from Oklahoma originally, and I've seen those things squashed all over the roads, but there was something very creepy and "child of the corn" happened when that kid said that. Know whut I mean? We all know something's usually gonna get it, but that scene just came off weird to me.
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Scott - July 29 2008 @ 12:44 am haha.. "farinaceous". I have a decent vocabulary but had to look that one up. The Keith Richard's regimine hasn't hurt Tony's writing skills yet. I agree with Tony, we need some morally flexibility for to other cultures. After all our own country probably had worse human rights a short while ago than most of these places the hollywood actresses are harping on about now. And they will catch up eventually. Threatening to kick their a-ss or boycott them for whatever the latest hollywood human rights trend is never accomplishes anything but probably makes things worse. If Tony helps out a few people wherever he visits, and shows Americans that the food in Kazakhistan is actually pretty good, and the people are a bit like us, that at least is a step in the right direction.
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Brooke - July 29 2008 @ 12:45 am Reading the previous comments, I felt the need to mention the fact that at no point is a "fair and balanced," or even objective, opinion of the countries or their inhabitants advertised on No Reservations. I'm sure Mr. Bourdain knows that he's too opinionated to approach these situations completely open-mindedly, after all, he is only human. Recently, someone mentioned that even for members of the press, complete objectivity is impossible because events that affect a person will, by human nature, cause that person to have some type of opinion. Frankly, if Mr. Bourdain's opinions were purely objective, I could read some silly review of a restaurant by Joe Schoe, learn less, and not be nearly as entertained. I watch him because I'm curious as to his take on the location, and I enjoy "following" him to places the normal travel guides won't take me. If anything, one should be encouraged to learn more about these countries and perhaps travel there as well, rather than &%$uming a television show is the be all and end all of the country's story. Or, like a lot of viewers, one can just watch what happens to Tony and enjoy the ride he takes us on.
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enigma4ever - July 29 2008 @ 12:50 am Heather I was grossed out by it too..but I think in South America, well small animals are eaten - like guinea pigs so maybe it is like in the Appalacia here- where they eat road kill...??? ( I don't know...I too was really sad for that little Armadillo...I don't think I could eat it...) Sadly I think the show just showed the truth..what really happens there....
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Sarah, Gainesville FL - July 29 2008 @ 1:08 am Tony, I know you don't ordinarily respond to posters, so I'm not sure to what degree this is futile, but, I'm compelled to speak up. As a graduate student in Anthropology, I appreciate your (and the show's) commitment to ethical treatment of the people with whom you interact in faraway locales. What you've said here about the program's accountabilty for not creating trouble with the state for the folks who've been charitable enough to work with the program is really essential and a very good reason to stifle (as much as possible) one's own political views when in the field. As much as your program is about food, it's an anthropological venture as well. Jamaica is where I work when in the field, and I really appreciated your program there. I liked that you focused on the east end of the island, where life is bare and gritty. You showed Kingston to be both a tough town and home to kind, hospitable people. This has been my experience, too. Every time I go back, I run through the full range of emotion--not too many places I have been can do that to me--and this is one of the many reasons I love Jamaica. I am thankful you could capture this essence in the program. Rock on!
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Jennie Tikka - July 29 2008 @ 2:00 am I'm gonna comment a second time based on some of the comments I've read. I have to be brutally honest at this point - I don't need Tony Bourdain to enlighten me as to what some foreign country is "all about." I live in L.A. and in most cases can say that I know somebody who came from a country that Tony has been to, with few exceptions. My first and foremost opinions of a country are from people actually from those countries, and people who cook their own culture's cuisines for me - either in their homes or in a restaurant around here. I've been fascinated with food experimentation since well before deciding to go to culinary school. I've had homemade Ethiopian food with homemade Mead and coffee from beans roasted while I ate my dinner (served with incense and much ceremony). I've been to three hour Ethiopian Orthodox weddings where you aren't allowed to sit down until the ceremony is completed and you don't eat dinner until well after midnight. I've had Peruvian bbq, Argentinian bbq - complete with blood sausage and all the squishy internal bits. I've had Russian food made for me by a Polish/Russian woman who was in Treblinka during World War II, in her home, where the time there STILL affects her to this day and she only allows 1 lightbulb to be burning in her house at a time. I've had more Lebanese-Armenian food than I can recount at the dinner table of a family who got out of Beirut during the fighting and moved to L.A.and were my landlords and friends for a long while. It is from THEM that I learned what Beirut was all about. Now, I love Tony and his show - but he is not a substitute for your own personal excursions into Life. If he is, something is not right. Beyond that, anybody who's either worked in or knows a civil or structural engineer can probably tell you lots and lots of stories of what it was like to live in Saudi while they completed a major project. I've worked at 2 major engineering firms and temporary residency in Saudi is just routine for engineers helping with large water projects (which is why I will most likely wind up in Jordan for a while with my spouse). Besides that I have two parents who were in the foreign service and lived abroad for decades in places like Manchurian China, Germany, England, etc., so, I definitely do not relate to "Bourdain as Anthropology 101, plus snark." What the hell happened to geography cl&%$es if this is the first you're hearing or seeing of a foreign culture?? By 6th grade I was having to identify any country on a blank world map my teacher pointed to - and say something intelligent about it's culture. My spouse is from Canada, my neighbors are from Turkey, one block over is a lovely family from Taiwan who I eat with routinely.....see where I'm going with this??
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caligal - July 29 2008 @ 2:35 am Ugh, thanks Heather for the warning about the armadillo. I'm setting the tivo and fast forwarding through...that's the kind of thing I can't handle watching. Gotta do the same on Bizarre Foods, too. How many times have you ended up in the ER, Tony? Your stomach must be cast iron. Haven't watched the Uruguay episode yet - been getting spoiled and watching it when it's on the HD channel. NR makes Mondays a lot easier to handle!
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martin, Coral Gables Fl - July 29 2008 @ 2:40 am Anthony, I first of all want to thank you for showing URUGUAY for what it is. A great place to live in. Being from Uruguay it has always been hard to show my american friends what the country is about. I feel that I could not have done a better job than you and your people did. Other facts about Uruguay that the readers might be interested in are for example that medical care and all of your studies are FREE!!! That includes university or college. To bad that the chivito sandwich did not air. As you said on the video clip "king of sandwiches". Before I go a comment about the poor poor little armadillo, I guess that all of the cows or pigs and chickens that are killed in the States do not feel any pain or tremble like that poor little armadillo did in Uruguay rite? hey enigma4ever, heather (hyprocrites) ps: when the cows out number people 3 to 1 I guess people do not have to eat armadillos to survive. They eat then because they like to eat then. enigma4ever learn something about a country before you write thing that can offend someone.
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IP Guy - July 29 2008 @ 8:39 am No Reservations is my favorite show, and I've loved every episode but one -- and that was Saudi Arabia. It was the only episode that seemed dishonest about the place itself, in a substantive way. Every one of the other places you've gone has really hit the spot in terms of balance. You understand, for example, why things are the way they are in Laos, or Uzbekistan, or China without feeling as though something has been hidden, or a "side" has been taken -- in that your blog entry above is spot on. In Saudi Arabia, however, a critical element of your visit remained hidden. Saudi Arabia is not a "typical" Islamic nation -- only Sudan and Yemen feature more dire circumstances for average women -- yet a female narrator was permitted to present a very different story without any context. I agree that it is important to allow the people to tell their own stories, but this was a contest winner -- a western educated woman seeking to provide cover for the poor treatment of women in Saudi Arabia, not an "authentic" voice.
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jai - July 29 2008 @ 10:14 am what you do is fantastic.... wouldn't change a thing.... can't say as I would want to have been on the Saudi trip with you, but will watch it, and learn something new..... using your Charleston show as a guide of where to eat for my own excursion there in a couple of weeks.
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irritablevowel - July 29 2008 @ 11:38 am This? Is the kind of stuff that gets a man laid. Men around the world should take notes.
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Claudia - July 29 2008 @ 11:44 am So, Tony . . . Burma (Myanmar) next? Tibet? (This is not meant as snark or a challenge, by the way - I could certainly see NR as not wishing to fund a totalitarian regime through tourist dollars and therefore abstaining from visiting countries with such blatent oppression, so I am gratified to see the necessity of some flexibility in considering the production of the NR episodes). Sitting down for brunch with, say, a professional political &%$asin, might just be a political reality in the context of what NR does. You don't have to like the guy or what he does - you just have to p&%$ the rot gut and keep rolling. Such is the nature of journalism, food or otherwise . . . (!)
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Ann - July 29 2008 @ 12:47 pm T, I'm a new viewer, love the show, but seriously, you went to Jamaica and ate beef patties, jerk chicken and fish?!! That's like going to NY and having hamburgers and fried chicken. Where was the cow cod(genitals)soup, curried goat, or goat head soup, even oxtails? No reference to the strong Middle Eastern and Asian influences on their culture, nor a mention of the first Jewish settlers. Next time ditch the guano-covered caves (boring), go see the flaming waters, or the waterfalls. I'll catch Saudi Arabia next time it airs. A.
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Feisty Bourbon Girl - July 29 2008 @ 1:08 pm Back when I was teaching 8th grade English, I would always preach that good writing contains truth, and voice. Tony, this has so much voice I can hear you talking. Nice work. It would make a great introduction to your next book...
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MessyONE - July 29 2008 @ 2:59 pm IP Guy... I didn't get that from the show, and my highly unscientific straw poll concurs. No one tried to "hide" anything. It was more a matter of taking the circumstances in Saudi Arabia as a given and then moving on to what No Reservations is really about - people and food. Let's face it, people are the same everywhere you go - some nice, some nasty, some annoying and some downright scary. Sharing food is something that almost all cultures take extremely seriously. Rules of hospitality are generally understood to be that the guest is to be made welcome and fed until they can't move. Quarrels are to be put aside. Even Miss Manners and Emily Post would agree with that. Essentially, when people welcome you into their home, you simply don't do anything to upset them. For most people in any country, including this one, politics just doesn't impact on everyday life, or at least, not so you'd notice. No matter who's in power the world continues to rotate, a living must be earned and food put on the table. That last is what the show is about - the seemingly small things that have the largest impact on life.
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IP Guy - July 29 2008 @ 3:52 pm MessyONE, Make no mistake, I love the show (I've read just about everything that Bourdain has written, too) which is why the Saudi episode so stuck in my craw. This was clearly an effort by the Saudi establishment to excuse its appalling behavior towards women -- we had almost no interaction with real Saudi women (who need chaparones to be outside) or, even more importantly, the hundreds of thousands of foreign laborers who actually do most of the work in the country. If this woman had been an authentic voice, I would have eaten it up (pun intended). She had never even tried any of the foods that she encouraged Bourdain to eat. It was an effort at deception, not an honest viewpoint of a different culture where we can all feel free to disagree.
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Bob - July 29 2008 @ 3:59 pm Thought the Saudi Episode was fine. Wonder if "IP Guy" has been to Saudi Arabia... or if he's just reading the usual Lib-propa-crap-zines and that is the source of his verbage. Blech. Go start yet-another-blog-without-real-facts with Alec Barrrrwin.
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Alicia - July 29 2008 @ 4:07 pm Man, I was just thinking about slowly removing meat from my diet and then you had to go and show the Uruguay episode. OMG!! I gotta have some steak, chops, chorizo...NOW! P.S. I don't think anyone liked the armadillo thing. I mean, it was unnecessary, being that there were a gazillion more things to eat there, but you couldn't offend your hosts. We understand.
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edy burak - July 29 2008 @ 4:36 pm Tony im original from Argentina living in Florida for more that 7 years my father is 240 pounds.... i can take to some places in Bs.as that you can never will visit for barbecue , old locals , ja ja not for tourists
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Deborah - July 29 2008 @ 4:58 pm Your show is great. Anyone who doesn't realize that a gov't is not the sum of a country has never been anywhere. People in other countries may hate George Bush and want the US out of Iraq and to rectify plenty of other things but I hope they don't take it out on me personally or stop visiting. Your love and respect for people and cultures is what makes your show so great. Yay Tony!!!
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Mr. News - July 29 2008 @ 5:18 pm I have to say, No Reservations is now some of the most interesting programming on television. You never know what Tony is going to do, say, or eat next. He captures the essential facets of travel: finding the unusual, the indigenous, and the tasty. As for the attitude, well, I spent five years in New Jersey one night (most of it in Madison, but one evening in a jail in Essex County), so I have an inkling where he's coming from. Inkling is very good with hoisin sauce, by the way. My mother and step-father travelled all over the world; their trips were mainly recounted via the meals they ate and the people they met. Mom kept a visitors log in her guestroom in Michigan, and most of the entries over 34 years revolved around what wonderful meals got eaten. On the website in her memory, we have included recipes. Food is such a powerful memory. www.edithgomberg.com/recipes Keep up the excellent work, Mr. Bourdain. We enjoy every moment.
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MessyONE - July 29 2008 @ 5:22 pm IP Guy. Agreed. On the other hand, just to be allowed to go to some places, I suspect they have to go along to get along. Like the man himself said, if he concerned himself with every political nuance of every country, he wouldn't be going anywhere. As it is, Mr. Bourdain and the crew managed to see at least some of life in Saudi Arabia that most people would never get close to. In fact, Danya, by virtue of being educated in the West and accepted in her home country was able to at least partially bridge some of the gap. Besides, she's a nice lady with a good sense of humor and I'm sure she opened as many doors as she was allowed to. Actually, the saddest scene of any show for me was when he was eating with the family of the disabled man in Laos. I'm not a weeper, but I almost cried when I saw that they had served their guest more food than they likely see in a week. It must have been terrible to feel helpless in the face of the suffering that that family has to contend with every day. That is what's meant by the laws of hospitality. The guest is sacrosanct.
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judith sacheck - July 29 2008 @ 6:10 pm thanks, tony, for being able to sneak into american viewers the horror we left in laos and other countries and are doing again. our short memories let us believe it's all over when we leave. a dose of reality along with great view and food (wish i were there) is something we should all have in our diets. maybe fatherhood has given you a greater world and historical view. life is politics and not a bowl of cherries.
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helena - July 29 2008 @ 6:21 pm You outta go to places where human rights violations occur, I agree. In fact, come to my town in Centralia, SW Washington, where our cops profile the male Mexican population probably every night. But then there was a Hispanic festival at the community college last weekend with Mexican food, so, the sentence is clear: Tony must travel here, there and everywhere. Loved your LA show, last night's Uruguay with your brother was funny, interesting. And thanks also for sparring us, say, your choice of country to move to if your candidate is not elected in November. It would only attract bad vibes from the thousands like me who would whine, "Oh, gawd, Chef Tony Bourdain, middle cl&%$ multimillionaire, can live anywhere he wishes if this boat sinks!" Really, thanks. My husband is right this minute reading your new book. We got it at the library. He's on a roll and might read all of them. Trondheim, Norway. Don't dismiss too quickly as I have heard you say, Norse= bland. Trondheim: A friend from Olympia, Wa was living with a woman, in college housing, also with an Alsatian dog and a baby. Our host, AnnRita, made up amazing things with fresh ingredients. Simple but wonderful. Beer with dinner, sweet brown cheese, berries, perfect thin pancakes with homemade jam, thick bacon, did I say homemade jams? - and some sort of fish eggs on top of homemade brown bread, cured meats, more cheese. She made the same things all the time, had only one cookbook! So she was good at making her menu! Just because there is no spicy curry and everyone is white, is that why you move on to somewhere else? Andrew Zimmern did a great show on Greenland. But around Trondheim was beautiful country, too, that area of Norway. The very best way to see a place is to know someone there. Your show gives us a bit of that and we watch them all. We really thank you for that - that and the laughter, snark, wit. I've written a bloody essay. Cheers, helena
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DENNNIS BYRD - July 29 2008 @ 7:01 pm HI MY FRIEND,WATCH YOUR SHOW WITHOUT FAIL,GREAT HAIR BY THE WAY,,GODS BLESSING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY(NEW SON,CONGRAD),,VISIT ST.LOUIS YOU,RE ALLWAY,S WELCOME,,WE,RE A MIX OF SO MANY CULTURE,S,THE BEAST OF MANY KINDS OF FOOD,YOU,LL LOVE IT..DENNIS
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J Peters - July 29 2008 @ 8:10 pm Uruguay with your brother was by far the best show. The best stories are the ones that are not contrived. Now what I want to see is Ruhlman chowing down on warthog rectum, http://criticafterdark.blogspot.com/2007/01/anthony-bourdain-bitter-end.html
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AitchDove - July 30 2008 @ 2:35 am .... I'm that jaded traveler; seen that, done this, gotten cute with the locals. roasted bone in Argentina, burned meat in Uruguay, crusty camel in Arabia, so what?! So What?! I've been spit roasted, braised to agony. Where does the real MEAT come from? Does the US really make good rib eye? Is it another cut or another provenance that I need to explore? Oh Explorer of realms... dropeth thy wisdom.
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AitchDove - July 30 2008 @ 2:41 am this blog functionality? Free Software Foundation will have a look.. good luck capitalists. Sorry chef... not your fault after all.
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Ariana - July 30 2008 @ 3:12 am Excellent incorporation of sybaritic; thanks for not dumbing it down.
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Renie - July 30 2008 @ 3:48 am I have multi-faceted, sincere adoration for you Anthony. My respect for you as a learner, admirer, adventurer, and advisor (did you see all those "a"s?) transcends my shout-outs to all who enjoy organs and dark meats. I like you like I like liver, and intrinsically I think you may feel the deep sentiment within my statement. Your show is about the harmony of food and people all over the world, not an expose on the atrocities that occur in their countries. Other shows showcase the unspeakable truths of a region or country and do an important service as does yours, though it serves a different purpose. There are times you can't avoid it because people you've met have been affected by hardships, but we want to hear these people and sit down with them to. It's a beautiful thing... and so are many Hollywood douchebags, which brings up your point about character. That's where I should slip into the grey zone as well. Buenas Noches y Besa Mi Culo, Cabron ~Renie
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Martha - July 31 2008 @ 2:40 pm For anyone reading this comment just a thought... I have traveled and have friends here in America who are immigrants from Europe and Mexico. Many people on this post have commented on how we shouldn't judge others by their government. I don't think many Americans are aware of how we are perceived around the world. We are judged just as much for our leaders actions. My friends have said they used to think all Americans were rich elitists, power hungry, and self consumed. They had no idea of the poverty or lack of wealth that exist for some people here. My point is this... before you get upset at No reservations for showing a politically incorrect country, remember that to the rest of the world, we just may be a politically incorrect country too. Thank you, Tony, for giving us insight into the real people in this world, no matter how uncomfortable it makes others feel.
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milo - July 31 2008 @ 3:47 pm "T.S. said: Entertainment folks, not education." Why must be the two be mutually exclusive? Obviously, if the show were the *only* thing shaping your world view, that would be pretty sad. But is the idea of a TV show teaching you something you didn't know, or influencing you in some way such a horrible notion? Of course the intention of the show is entertainment, but if it inadvertently educates the audience a bit, that's a good thing. "Jennie Tikka said: What the hell happened to geography cl&%$es if this is the first you're hearing or seeing of a foreign culture??" Who ever said that? Even if you are a geography expert, that's not the same experience as seeing what a people and country look like, how they act, and what they eat. If you have neighbors from a country, that's great. But regardless of how much they've told you, you're still going to gain more from seeing footage of the country, and seeing interactions of people within the country. Not to mention that how many people are able to know people from every country TB has visited and eaten their cooking? People absolutely should learn about other countries, meet people from them, and visit them. But in the case of a country you haven't had those opportunities with (yet), what's wrong with watching a show about it, and getting something out of that? It's not like people are posting on here "Yay, now I don't have to get off my %#$ and find out anything else about Uruguay!"
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Annonymous - August 01 2008 @ 5:35 pm I could not agree with you more about expressing opinions about the state of the countries and their lack of human rights. We can see for ourselves which areas seem to be more blighted and can see the lack of concern for that in the eyes of your more well off hosts. However, I and others watch your show to get the feeling and history of the cuisine-not to explore and examine the downfall of civil liberties. If I want to know all that, I will watch Democracy Now-but because I am a foodie-I enjoy your show immensely and also appreciate the humor you bring to it. Happy trails out there and keep showing us how great and unique a world we have we are at the kitchen table with one another.
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AL - August 04 2008 @ 2:52 am I love your show, Tony. It combines two things that I love...travel with a flare for the local scene and food. I don't think we can judge the world based on our values. Your show connects your viewers with real people, living their real lives, and eating their real food. The unfiltered honesty of your show is refreshing. We all have our own political views, I applaud you for not using your show as a political platform. I wish the "news-wannabes" could leave their personal politics at home and be as honest in portraying real people and the real world as you do.
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Julianne - August 05 2008 @ 6:19 pm It's refreshing to hear someone else who recognizes the "grey area" of humanity.
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David - August 05 2008 @ 9:52 pm Jesus...Stop with the America bashing already!!!
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Brandon - August 06 2008 @ 12:17 am So the world really is at your fingertips. Thank you Anthony for making Television entertaining and informative the way it should be. You make me want to travel to places I never thought I would.
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rations of lady fingers - August 06 2008 @ 4:30 pm Excellent, as always, Mr. Bourdain. Upon finishing reading this blog, I immediately went to Wikipedia to look up Ted Nugent, since his name had sounded familiar to me. He has quite a colorful personality to say the least. It would be interesting to read a blog containing his views on "Politics and the Dinner Table." I doubt that they would be as conciliatory as yours.... Anyhow, I anxiously await your blog about Mr. Nugent.
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rations of lady fingers - August 06 2008 @ 4:48 pm It's me again. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the point you made about humanity and cultures. Civilizations are built upon the shoulders of other civilizations. Humans will continue to screw each other over in one way or another. Cultures will continue to be integrated by other cultures, either p&%$ively or aggressively. And delicious culinary concoctions will continue to be created in the process.
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Jennifer - August 07 2008 @ 10:43 pm Well, maybe you'd be a better diplomat than me. Even if I managed to keep my comments to myself in front of someone who worked for the KGB, I'd still be unintentionally making weird faces. But maybe he'd be used to that.
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Sherry - August 08 2008 @ 11:34 pm The reason I love your show is that you have the uncanny ability to show common ground between people around the world. I suspect under that snarky attitude beats the heart of an optimist and it shows through on your program.
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Thomas Atoni - August 18 2008 @ 5:33 pm Typical comments from a liberal. You don't care how many people a country imprisons and tortures, as long as you get ratings. Maybe when this show is canceled you can get a show on the History Channel and go around the world and cook for people in reeducation camps while asking them "so how do you like living here?"
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Zimm - August 21 2008 @ 3:02 am Hey you menial little turds, have Tony give me a call. Zimm
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Mike Tom - August 21 2008 @ 10:42 pm I am not sure if I want to look at the world with such an open mind. Once, someone told me of someone who's mind was so open, that it was closed. That nothing was wrong. On the other hand, this show has the chance to let us go past politics and governments, and go to the people. We are a government by the people, for the people, so that should be most important. In a way, this show gives us permission to get past our media-fed world views, and view the people as people.
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chat - November 18 2008 @ 8:25 pm
Thanks
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tala karınca yumurtası yağı - January 02 2009 @ 8:22 pm
thank
karınca yumurtası, tala, tala yağı, karınca yumurtası satış
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Kimberley Cruises - January 07 2009 @ 1:07 am
Great post, it's true that one society may never be able to appreciate anothers culture or cooking/eating habits - even so, they should not look down on them.
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Kyrstyn - January 07 2009 @ 4:35 pm
Well said.

And yeah, Uruguay (and Argentina) would not be fun places for a vegetarian. I ate red meat every single day of my three weeks there.
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Young Writers - January 19 2009 @ 12:07 pm
s for the attitude, well, I spent five years in New Jersey one night (most of it in Madison, but one evening in a jail in Essex County), so I have an inkling where he's coming from. Inkling is very good with hoisin sauce, by the way. My mother and step-father travelled all over the world; their trips were mainly recounted via the meals they ate and the people they met.
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mobile phone contracts - January 19 2009 @ 12:09 pm
As it is, Mr. Bourdain and the crew managed to see at least some of life in Saudi Arabia that most people would never get close to. In fact, Danya, by virtue of being educated in the West and accepted in her home country was able to at least partially bridge some of the gap. Besides, she's a nice lady with a good sense of humor and I'm sure she opened as many doors as she was allowed to. Actually, the saddest scene of any show for me was when he was eating with the family of the disabled man in Laos. I'm not a weeper, but I almost cried when I saw that they had served their guest more food than they likely see in a week.
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David - January 28 2009 @ 4:58 pm
The only downside of your job is your fame. Now I know the fame u grow, only obliges u to more of the same show, it's so hard to be original, the ones u copy the ones u know, now it's all about the food u know.
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Is Bronchitis Contagious - April 24 2009 @ 2:57 am
You did a show on Indonesia ? Got to look up on that
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MovieReviews4u - May 17 2009 @ 12:09 am
Anthony, I love the show, really. This is a very unique genre that you started, as I do not remember of anyone else doing such a mix of food, travel and culture. I am a well traveled eater myself and I visited quite a few of the countries that you showed. Great work
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Sherry Alongi - July 13 2009 @ 5:43 pm
I really enjoy your show. I would consider myself leaning more conservative in politics, but for whatever reason I find myself agreeing with your outlook on things than I do either liberals or conservatives.

My husband loves your show too. One of the few things on TV decent to watch
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Bilety lotnicze - July 17 2009 @ 11:04 am
Commenting on political issues should be left to the activists, this is a "food show" not a political debate on whats right and wrong. The commentaries themselves are pointless when the camera shows more than words can express at a time. If we boycotted the countries according to "western" values I guess we would be limited only to part of europe and the usa. Not to mention that opening our minds to different cultures (and foods) can give us a different perspective on our lives and culture.
107

muhabbet - August 17 2009 @ 6:19 pm
thank you.
108

JT - August 25 2009 @ 7:46 pm
evidence of Sean hannity's brain from Montana show? Yeah, nice try with staying out of politics. Why must you crazy libs (anthony bourdain) always find a way to insult conservatives any way you can. Now I am aware of your severe liberal bias and I will never watch no reservations again. I watch the Travel Channel and Food network to get away from the political snipes like that. If I want to watch hatchet insults about conservatives I will watch the gutter mouth stuff on MSNBC. 50% of this country is conservative. You are so tolerant of other countries traditions and values, yet you mock those that live in your own country. The same country that has provided you with this cushy high paying job. Nothing new, all you crazy libs push tolerance except when it comes to conservatives. Nice double standard.
109

chat - September 10 2009 @ 5:37 am
thank you for sharing
110

oyunlar - September 12 2009 @ 7:04 pm
Cant wait to hear and see your suggestions. Thanks for making my weekends a calculated adventure in food...especially Chicagosince I live here!
111

oyun - September 12 2009 @ 7:05 pm
If we boycotted the countries according to "western" values I guess we would be limited only to part of europe and the usa. Not to mention that opening our minds to different cultures (and foods) can give us a different perspective on our lives and culture.
112

özel ders - September 25 2009 @ 8:45 pm
I really enjoy your show. I would consider myself leaning more conservative in politics, but for whatever reason I find myself agreeing with your outlook on things than I do either liberals or conservatives.
113

Matt - September 28 2009 @ 5:32 pm
I just saw the Laos episode for the first time. How INSPIRING! Said more in one hour than all the protests of the war combined.
114

auto - October 17 2009 @ 12:15 pm
Great blog entry, Anthony. Screaming at and judging each other gets us no where. Every culture--no matter how "enlightened" or "civilized"--has its own planks in its own eyes. That doesn't mean that we have to ignore injustice. But making blanket stereotypes of every member of a culture doesn't seem very productive. Share a meal, some drinks and a few laughs and you've probably done more for world peace than any UN conference. That's the way I see it, at least.
115

stainless steel pipe - October 27 2009 @ 5:29 am
Great blog entry, Anthony.

Anthony Bourdain

Meet Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain is a 28-year veteran of professional kitchens, having worked as a dishwasher, line cook and chef in places good, bad and horrible -- most of them in New York City. Read Anthony Bourdain's full biography.

About No Reservations

"No Reservations" dives headfirst into life's colorful and rich pageant. Join Anthony Bourdain as he circumnavigates the globe on his conquest to discover the cities, villages and countries that provide life's truest surprises. Learn more about the show.

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