Sunday, June 10, 2018

Anthony Bourdain, RIP

Been trying to figure out why I was affected as I was upon hearing of Anthony Bourdain's death. Since I don't have cable, I can count the number of Parts Unknown episodes I've seen on both hands. But I will miss him for several reasons, on the most superficial, he proved that someone past fifty could remain not only culturally relevant, but even relatively cool- and that, he most certainly was, without overdoing it in the most vacant and obvious of ways most people of a certain age are so wont to do. Hell, an American over sixty who wasn't... obese- practically deserved a TV show just for that!

On a more serious note, he had that rare, low key self assurance and panache that comes only with a certain amount of self awareness, the kind of introspection that accepts that one doesn't, and can't possibly know it all (like most insecure fools will insist). And (like most New Yorkers) while not suffering fools gladly, he still (unlike most people of any age or place) opened himself to the new, at least willing to see where it would lead. His programs, his very life, was all about that- till the very end...

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