What episode is this? I’d love to see it.
I’ve been searching diligently since I read your post about an hour ago, but no luck. I’ll keep looking. Maybe another Bourdain fan remembers it? Not sure which show it was on.
In my searching, I was came across other episodes of his that I liked. The trip to Iceland in the winter was aptly titled, “Hello, Darkness, My Old Friend.” And then there was the chilling and surreal visit with his friend Zamir to the ruins of Chernobyl. And the visit to Uruguay to search out family history. Great shows!
As expected for a show on CNN, Parts Unknown has more of a focus on culture, politics, and big issues than his previous shows, although it certainly covers food as well. Sometimes he can get awkward when he tries to be a political reporter. I remember a scene in a fancy wine cellar in Shanghai where he’s sitting down with some nouveau-rich Chinese and was badgering them along the lines of: “What about communism, huh?”. They were looking pretty uncomfortable.
That said, I’ve liked almost everything I’ve read or seen of Bourdain’s. It’s a shame that the Singapore-style Hawker Center he was planning in NYC never got off the ground.
I’ve never found him to be smug, he seems like a good guy and genuine. He is BY FAR the least annoying food-related TV personality in existence.
From what I understand, he had an agreement on “No Reservations” that they wouldn’t ever set him up for any kind of endorsement, then reneged on the deal and there were a couple of super uncomfortable episodes where he suddenly for no reason paid for meals with a super visible Visa card. He bailed the show soon afterward. I think he calls the shots WAY more on “Parts Unknown” and has moved the focus away from food itself in favor of how food reflects the culture of the area he’s exploring–a much more organic and well rounded approach. I do slobber any time he’s in Japan though, because the man sure loves his sushi and goes to some amazing places to get it.
I enjoy all his food/travel programs, only food-tv I could ever get into. One of the local public-service channels regularly broadcasts (as in several times a week) episodes from “Parts Unknown” and the older “The layover” and “No reservations”, so I’ve got them a bit mixed up, but there’s a clear progression. In travel channels “The layover” it there was a somewhat rigid structure, like he had to recommend and describe a hotel, a breakfast place, and some guided tour whether Bourdain thought it fit in or not. And he would rebel by being passive-aggressive and choose something macabre like "See where the famous serial killers lived " and later make a remark about how his hotel room was a perfect place for hiding dead prostitutes. Still, I got a chuckle out of his narration when he said (paraphrased) “Now theres only <x> hours left … at least if you believe the bogus clock at the bottom of the screen” :-).
I remember that scene too and it’s a good example of how his programs not always benefit from the looser structure and greater freedom he has now. He is great when he examines life and culture through food making, but sometimes he puts the cart in front of the horse.
When he stays within the US it feels most organic, the people he meets are old friends or friends of an old friend, he doesn’t feel he has to gush over everything. On the other hand there are many brilliant episodes like the one in the Phillippines, with emphasis on pinoy cover bands, complete with tagalog version of “Cool rain on my shoulder” in the intro.
He has a tendency to disparage Americans for X while romanticizing other cultures’ version of X. There was a scene showing some local tribe that has a single condiment they use to season everything that had him gushing about authentic flavors, blah blah, but he sneers at Americans who put mustard or ketchup on everything.
However, he’s got a rather gritty personal background that makes him comfortable with rough-and-tumble folks and poverty stricken or working class living conditions … as seen by him diving cleanly into a strip joint while Alton stammers and blushes. It’s a nice contrast to the jawdroppingly expensive fine cuisine that he also knows & loves.
Especially sushi. Dude may have been a cat in his former life - probably an alley cat with torn ears.
I just watched an episode on Montana.
He almost seems like he’s imitating Werner Herzog. I could almost picture Herzog in the episode. I don’t think it is intentional, but I feel like there could be an influence.
Great episode. Season 7 of Parts Unknown.
Another great episode that I’m watching is the one from “Parts Unknown”, Season 9 Episode 8 where he’s in Portugal, Oporto specifically.
The freaking vulgar fishwives are HILARIOUS. Tony is walking by and they’re like “Wow, he’s tall. He must be a foreigner. All foreigners are tall. You know what they say about tall men…small dick!”
Then she breaks into a vulgar song about Tony’s penis while he’s standing there kind of in shock, and she even comes from around the counter to gesture at his groin while she’s singing. Good stuff, and the foul-mouthed fishwives make cameos throughout the show. It’s awesome.
OMG, the fishwives are amazing and hilarious and definitely a high spot in the show. Those ladies would make a whole navy full of sailors and a truck stop full of truckers blush and run. What other show would give them such a spotlight?
“My husband recently went to Brazil for a month.”
“And you let him? You know what happens there!”
“You know what they told me to do? Fill the toilet. If his balls sink then he didn’t do anything. If they float, then he’s in trouble!”
Love him/. I especially appreciated the episode where he stood up for all of the Latinos working in our restaurants kitchens for shit money, no benefits and yeah, fuck you all, a ton or them are illegal.
Are you supposed to be inside the toilet drain to watch and see? I doubt most women would fit.
Um… you’re kind of literal-minded, aren’t you? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Just watched his visit to Hanoi, season 8, episode 1.
Great episode. The part with Obama was not even the best part. It was lovely and a very touching episode about a place he obviously loves.