# Anthony Bourdain dead at 61 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 8, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672 "2018-06-08T11:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/1 "2018-06-08T11:33:37Z")
[https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/06/08/us/anthony-bourdain-obit/index.html](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/06/08/us/anthony-bourdain-obit/index.html) RIP. You will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/2 "2018-06-08T11:36:55Z")
Damn. That is a surprising shock. Suicide is a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/3 "2018-06-08T11:43:04Z")
Aw man, he had such a lust for life. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/4 "2018-06-08T11:47:02Z")
Shocked. Never saw that coming. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/5 "2018-06-08T11:47:55Z")
I yelled, “Holy God! Anthony Bourdain died!” on the red line train when I found out, and nobody even blinked. I know suicidal thoughts can be well hidden in a person, but I never would’ve expected him to do that. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/6 "2018-06-08T11:48:30Z")
This is just terrible. I used to love watching No Reservations, and Parts Unknown was a good re-brand. If I recall correctly, he had a history of drug problems when he was younger, and he sort of straightened himself out by cooking, which ultimately beget his stardom. Like many public figures, he probably led a complex private life. It’s sad that he couldn’t find a way to deal with his demons, whatever they were. ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/7 "2018-06-08T11:51:46Z")
Shocked and saddened. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/8 "2018-06-08T12:02:01Z")
I would bet my last dollar that this was an opiate overdose, most likely Fentanyl, possibly also involving alcohol. I’ve read all of Bourdain’s books watched all of his shows, and think he was one of the coolest guys on earth. But he’s been very open about his past struggles with heroin. If you’ve struggled with that in an ongoing way for any period of time in the past, there is ALWAYS the possibility of slipping up at any time later, and as I have said before, the opiates on the street now are SO strong that there is NO margin for error anymore. My own friends are falling left and right to this shit over the past 5 years…now a guy who had such an engaging public persona that I feel like was my friend, is gone too. No matter how bad my life may get, I am never going to go back to alcohol or even dabbling in opiates. Never. Of course I could be proven wrong and it turns out that he deliberately committed suicide in some other manner, but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/9 "2018-06-08T12:05:30Z")
He always had that tortured artist lurking inside of him. It’s so sad to hear he’s gone. He was one of my husband’s idols. (My husband’s a chef.) Can’t believe it, but honestly, not 100% surprised. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/10 "2018-06-08T12:07:31Z")
Kate Spade and now this. Please, people, CALL SOMEONE! You are not alone! ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/11 "2018-06-08T12:07:35Z")
As sad as I am about his death (and I am very sad - I learned a lot from his writings and his travelogues), I am even sadder that Eric Ripert is the one who found him. It was obvious that they were very good friends despite (or because of?) their very different outward personalities. I feel awful for him. RIP, Chef. Thanks for helping a fellow New Jerseyan get out there and experience the world. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bruce\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/12 "2018-06-08T12:11:39Z")
From an outsiders perspective, it seemed like he lived such a charmed life. Depression sucks. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/13 "2018-06-08T12:17:07Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > Of course I could be proven wrong and it turns out that he deliberately committed suicide in some other manner, but I doubt it. TMZ is reporting he hanged himself. > **[Celebrity News | Entertainment News | TMZ.com](https://www.tmz.com/)** > > Breaking the biggest stories in celebrity and entertainment news. Get exclusive access to the latest stories, photos, and video as only TMZ can. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/14 "2018-06-08T12:20:30Z")
Ah fuck. Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/15 "2018-06-08T12:21:40Z")
Shit shit shit ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/16 "2018-06-08T12:23:05Z")
> [@Bruce\_Wayne](#): > > From an outsiders perspective, it seemed like he lived such a charmed life. Depression sucks. R.I.P. He got really lucky that he worked his way up through the cooking ranks to get his own show and travel around the world eating great food and being a professional cool guy. But if you’ve read his books, he’s been very public about his struggles with drug addiction and alcohol. Either he slipped up with too strong of a dose (easier now to do than ever), or the various demons of depression and anxiety that accompany addiction got to him. It’s all part of the same issue. He could have done it deliberately. Every time people talk about being depressed because of the shit in life that they lack, that they think they need, I tell them: rock stars who get millions of dollars to play music in front of huge screaming crowds who adore them, who can point to a radio and say “that’s me”, who have the coolest shit in the world, Ferraris, huge collections of the most awesome guitars, have the hottest women in the world available to them sexually, all of it…these guys routinely kill themselves, either accidentally or deliberately, because of the emptiness in their lives. You cannot buy your way out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/17 "2018-06-08T12:26:11Z")
Devastated. Biggest celebrity death to me in a long while. I know some didn’t like his style, but I did. I don’t know how I’ll be able to watch Parts Unknown or No Reservations without wanting to reach through the screen and help him. ������ ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/18 "2018-06-08T12:27:22Z")
I have been a fan since his first book, Kitchen Confidential. Over the years he became less of a food guy and more of a spokesman for humanism. He really seemed to be someone intensely focused on understanding himself and people everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/19 "2018-06-08T12:29:00Z")
It does no good to speculate about why. His demons were his own. All we can do is express sorrow over the loss and hang on to fond memories. The world is a little poorer for his passing. Things are so much worse today and for many days to come for his family and loved ones. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672/20 "2018-06-08T12:34:05Z")
> [@Bruce\_Wayne](#): > > From an outsiders perspective, it seemed like he lived such a charmed life. Depression sucks. R.I.P. This. I envied his lifestyle. What a tragedy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-bourdain-dead-at-61/815672.md?page=2)