Anthony Bourdain is Not Dead

Anthony Bourdain is not dead.

I heard the news this morning and was in complete shock. I learned about Kate Spade’s suicide earlier this week and many people were shocked. I believe her family stated that she did have some issues with mental illness. However, Anthony Bourdain was such an inspiration for people around the world with his show.

When I learned of his death, I immediately went to my On Demand in my Cable subscription and began watching already aired episodes of the show.

I immediately calmed down.

The work of body that Bourdain has left behind will ensure that the man will live on forever. He went to many countries around the world, putting other countries that most people didn’t know existed, on the map. I learned so much about everything with his show.

It wasn’t just about food.

It was about respect for things that Americans or other Western countries may see as strange and weird. Bourdain didn’t go to other countries and act out the Ugly American stereotype. He sat and ate with common people who would never ever get on the big stage.

His show was about respect for what is different. Respect for what may be unorthodox.

Who sets the standards for what is orthodox? Who sets the standards for anything? Most would argue that we in the West tell the rest of the world what is right. What we find disgusting. And we’re not shy about telling the rest of the world what we find acceptable and what we don’t.

Anthony Bourdain went with, “When in Rome...”

He walked down the streets of countries that some people would call shitholes and treated the local people as if he would his own family. There was nothing phony about him.

I’d like for people to think of Anthony Bourdain when you see Americans in your countries and not some of our leaders that are in control today.

Anthony Bourdain, as his friends call him Tony, is not dead. He lives on forever.

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