WHAT makes a great storyteller?
Perhaps a combination of a born and bred certified cynic who is also a lefty, at least that is what Anthony Bourdain describes himself as, and one I would call a star in my books.
Yes, the instinctively skeptical – especially towards unabashed and bumptious concepts, like ‘patriotism’ – individual has impacted the world around him in more profound ways than one.
So, when news broke of his untimely death back in 2018, it left a huge void that you did not know would exist prior to the loss.
I mean, how can someone you have not met personally, but just be a personality you grew up watching on the screen be so magnetic?
Just yesterday, those close to him and the communities he won over celebrated his memory.
Bourdain would have been 65 if he was still around, globe-trotting and exploring the crevasses of the planet, turning the pain of traversing through uncharted territories into joy – leaving viewers dealing with extreme FOMO (fear of missing out).
I would not have been surprised if he had taken the opportunity of being shot into space – wouldn’t that be fun?
Even with the pandemic at play, one can only imagine the amount of precious wisecracking reflections and experiences he would have jotted on his blog.
Italian actress and girlfriend Asia Argento shared a series of photos and videos to Instagram, including shots and sweet videos of her and Bourdain as a couple. She was one of those closest to the former chef, seen spending time in his last few days.
Everyone has their own introductory story to Bourdain, whether it is from seeing him as part of a judging panel on a cooking show, reading his books or from watching him host his own programs – eating things you and I will never eat, commanding conversation and meeting people you and I will never meet.
You can tell through his shows that, man… this guy truly lived.
“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.” This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him. pic.twitter.com/orEXIaEMZM
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 8, 2018
My personal fondness of Bourdain is he was able to showcase that life is truly more than work or a routine that needs to be in check. That it [life] should be hungry, thirsty, curious, honest, compassionate, rowdy and all other defined expressions of our emotions.
Watching, reading, and studying the titles with his name on and listening to all his candid monologues, you know that he had his regrets as he reflects, just like many of us. But his openness towards accepting them is what made most of us thank him and know damn well that we can still have fantastic lives even with mistakes we've made.
One will never know what drove him to allegedly take his own life, understanding the thoughts that were playing through his mind.
Even if he was a recovering addict and suffered from bouts of depression, I am sure any of the people he managed to entertain – if they had a chance to spend time with the chef turned journalist knowing what few hours they would have with him – would tell him that he is what the world needed in the form of therapy.
He was able to show culture and humanity through its soul, inspiring those looking in to push aside the prejudices and all other superficial distractions we have by identifying the commonalities of our differences with no holds barred.
Bourdain was as real as a human could get, and therefore – even after three years later – his death remains a great misfortune and a disorienting blow. – The Vibes, June 26, 2021
