A Tribute to Anthony Bourdain

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One boy’s journey to tribute his hero whilst having a lot of anxiety about the ethical considerations of it the whole time.
I have been trying to make some sense of what Anthony Bourdain meant to me ever since his devastating passing in 2018, and it only took me several months of work and creating an obnoxious 40-minute video essay to get some form of resolution to that. If you don’t know who Bourdain is, I sincerely hope the 30 seconds you watch of this video before you inevitably turn it off might prompt you to watch an episode of one of his shows or read any of his writing; I am genuinely envious of the journey you’re about to go on. If, however, you’re like me, a long-time fan of Bourdain who was still struggling to process his death, I hope you can at some level relate to what I tried to do here and like everyone we love and miss, just enjoy spending some time chatting about them again.
You can buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/ourewan
Articles
Eater, ‘Roadrunner’ and the Dismal Search for the ‘Real Bourdain’ by Maria Bustillos, July 20, 2021, www.eater.com/22583492/anthon...
New Yorker, A Haunting New Documentary About Anthony Bourdain by Helen Rosner, July 15, 2021: www.newyorker.com/culture/ann...
FilmCred, ‘Roadrunner’ Threatens to Leave Anthony Bourdain’s Legacy in Ruins by Cory Stillman, August 2, 2021: film-cred.com/roadrunner-anth...
GQ, Anthony Bourdain Was the Most Interesting Man in the World by Drew Magary, June 8, 2018: www.gq.com/story/rip-anthony-...
NPR, I Thought I Knew Anthony Bourdain. 'Roadrunner' Shows Us Who He Really Was¸ July 16, 2021: www.npr.org/2021/07/16/101653...
Music
Night Run (Demo) · Chris Greenwich courtesy of KZbin Audio Library
Visual Media
All footage from A Cooks Tour courtesy of Travel Channel via Go Traveller • Anthony Bourdain A Coo...
All footage from Parts Unknown Courtesy of CNN via All Documentary / alldocumentary
All footage from No Reservations courtesy of Travel Channel

[@suetisdale7138]

Being a fan of Anthony Bourdain was one of the first opportunities I had to really challenge my developing parasocial relationships and take a critical look at what celebrity and being in the public eye was and more importantly wasn't. His vulnerability in his writing and on screen had a profound effect on my worldview and I genuinely believe that he left the world a better place than he found it. Thank you for this incredibly thoughtful and caring tribute to a complicated public figure.

[@ourewan]

Thanks Sue!

[@jonnowocky8179]

Fantastic comment, I was going to leave something similar but I think you've voiced it better than I would've done, ty

[@paulhanrahan1672]

I don’t usually comment on videos, but this is one of the greatest KZbin short docs I’ve ever seen. Congratulations, this is a hit.

[@paulweingarten1085]

Only a guess but AB might well have appreciated this. He approached his material like a proper ethnographer, with admiration, respect, and humility. Very well done.

[@maddog1011]

This was the tribute I needed For Anthony Bourdain. I’ve never given two shits about a celebrity except for this man. Road runner left a bad taste in my mouth. This Video was done with Grace About a true gentleman. Thank you

[@october001]

He is still the one celebrity, living or dead, that I would want to spend an afternoon with, drinking, cooking, eating and talking. I miss him.

[@bennorris9277]

I was amazed that this video only had 700 views. This is some professional grade stuff. Keep up the great work man.

[@lioneldarylbassole7194]

Now it's at 29K

[@lorimiller4301]

52k now 3rd week of April.

[@Benjamin-nx7sq]

I learned English, how to eat, and how to dress watching Mr Broudain. Rest in peace sir.

[@user-zl6uz6lc8c]

Anthony Bourdain was indeed a very troubled soul.

[@evilontoast7266]

Saw this on my fyp, had to come check it out as the clip was incredible! Amazing video dude, can't wait to see what you do next!

[@humb707ldtkali7]

Completely agree I cannot wait either for your next video I'm very impressed

[@SwisstedChef2018]

Ewan, this is excellent and thank you for it. I knew Tony. I cant still not understand we lost him. Even more , why? I wrote a book, similar, but about hotels. I am in the business but I will certainly not be a bestseler, but that is not why I wrote it. Tony was a narrator like no other. Great docu.

[@robinmccullars4971]

He was a very special man. I miss him. He told me one day, "Rob, just do what you do and fuck everyone else." Sound wisdom Tony.

[@JosephVice]

This was really thoughtfully done. An introvert being an extravert due to society sounds brutal. Thanks man.

[@delve0250]

What a wonderful tribute. I miss Anthony.

[@honeypie3x3]

Outstanding! By far the best doc on Anthony Bourdain that I have seen. May he RIP.

[@Fotosynthesis858]

If you don’t suffer from depression, you’ll never fully understand it. Fragile hearts hide behind brave smiles. RIP to a legend ✌🏾

[@michellecafe5138]

"An avatar for the human experience" Nailed it. I really, really enjoyed this video, THANK YOU

[@matthemmer7114]

This is one of the greatest videos I have ever seen. This will be a hit, I can feel it. You hit the nail on the head, and spoke with such poise. I am immensely impressed, and I hope and think Tony would be too.

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

Ultimately, Anthony was the humanist that we all aspire to be. The underdog who got to the top and we all lived vicariously through him.

[@dueythawicked1528]

This was excellent dude. Well well done. Couldn't ask for a better documentary tribute to him. It feels like you put a tremendous amount of effort into this video, and it is much appreciated. I hope you win some kind of award for this.

[@lauraweiss7875]

The thing with mental health struggles is that everyone’s triggers are different. An airport hamburger would not throw me into depression but something equally mundane just might. The importance of videos like this is to remind us that we are all potentially vulnerable, regardless of what the rest of the world might assume about us.

[@thomashussey5159]

Absolutely brilliant work! Keep it up. As a massive Bourdain fan, this video really had an impact on me. Anthony showed many us places of the world that were not accessible to us. He did it with an open heart and respect for the different cultures he encountered. He will be missed.

[@keithcroissant5640]

This is the gold standard in making videos.

[@CriticalThinking-ql2hh]

I was late in the discovery of the amazing Anthony Bourdain. I've read both "Kitchen Confidential" and "Medium Raw." I have also read "Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography" by Laurie Woolever. I am currently watching, "A Cook's Tour." And I have seen "RoadRunner" a few times. Your tribute is one of the best that I have listened to and I heard it several times. Amazing job! I totally understand why his death was such a loss. We can only hope that he is resting in peace.

[@ddherself]

This was so well done. It is the best piece that I have seen about Bourdain’s life, death and meaning to the world. I have been disappointed with all other works about him since his death. This was fantastically done. One thing I will say is his darker side and both his strengths and weaknesses were always there. I was surprised that so many didn’t see it and seemed shocked that he was suffering in life with depression. My God. How did people not know? It was so apparent. The complexities of who he was were always there and not as hidden as everyone made it out to be. I think people just didn’t want to see him as a whole person. They only wanted to see the glorified versions. We are all complex. None of us are one thing or easy to figure out. Just remember, the dark side does not negate or diminish the good and vice versa. We are all made up of both.

[@arthursmith9281]

Others have said it better in their comments. I can only say how much I enjoyed this extraordinary piece on someone to whom I related so strongly while having, perhaps, only a fractionally similar reality. It took me a while before I was able to watch any of Anthony's shows again. Your video has now given me even more permission to do so. Thank you.

[@HMALDANA]

Great tribute! I followed Anthony's work for years. I feel he was a gifted writer and keen observer of the human condition. Something I noticed in him was an ever present melancholy behind his seemingly careless demeanor. He reminds me of David Foster Wallace. David's This is Water is a thing of beauty, and yet he ended up killing himself. The mind is a beautiful servant, but a terrible master, indeed. Thanks for sharing!

[@sweethoneymilk]

This was so beautifully and carefully well made. I didn't expect myself to finish the entire thing, but I'm so glad I did. The ending is particularly powerful and you've done such a great job. Well done 🙏🏾.

[@benjaminhill7785]

This is actually mad well researched and done, well on you kid.

[@AmericanPatriot1776AP]

I miss Anthony Bourdain who inspired all of us to enjoy and understand different cultures of cooking. RIP Anthony Bourdain

[@danieldussan6754]

Fantastic job!! Anthony Bourdain was and will be my ICONIC character, his dead was like loosing a friend that you’ve never meet, but was real to you and someone that admire. Respect for your work!

[@torinbradish9858]

Please make more video essays like this. This was incredible.

[@kasturiswami784]

I am from India. The most comprehensive study of what Tony meant to all of us,who did not know him personally but only through his t.v.shows. why he affected us when we do not give second thought to other inane t.v shows. He was trying to be a good human being like most of us, battling the inner enemies daily.

[@lorimiller4301]

Sloan Bella has a different story. She's a psychic medium and is very good at it. She has lots of interesting videos I hope you enjoy them 😊

[@nickday3541]

Very respectful. Great work.

[@michealewk]

Man was a legend and his Kitchen Confidenal book is sooooo true lol that's what it was like for me 20 odd years ago coming up tru the ranks in the chef world

[@seth8362]

This video deserves far more views.

[@slwtgf]

Paraphrasing one of AB’s observations shown here in your tribute, his question posed to the ignorant flippantly suggesting WV culture now forget their historical legacy in coal mining, to move onwards to new work, he asks: ‘The state’s biggest employer now is Walmart, WHAT new jobs?’ illustrates his brilliance. Despite his experience, sharp wit, and hard grit, he purposefully delivered his material in an understated, subtle + humble manner, imo. Only the cool and the wise can truly reach + teach, AND do so without a soapbox or pulpit. Anthony Bourdain was one of a few. He is missed SO MUCH

[@BigGarbage]

Holy cow man, that was insanely well done, congrats and i think Tony would enjoy watching it as well.

[@tiffsaver]

Post Script~ Just watched "Roadrunner" tonight. It was EXCELLENT, well-balanced and thought out, revealing all sides of the man. I think even Tony may have approved. Well worth watching.

[@tiffsaver]

This was a great video albeit a little long, more like a short film. That said, as a 75-year old man and a big fan of Tony's, I'd like to add my thoughts to the plethora of others, if I may. I started my own life as a child actor in the fifties. In that time, I have known many, many actors, some highly talented, others perhaps less so. So in many ways I looked at Bourdain through the lens of an actor. One of those who first come to mind was a poor boy from Bristol, England by the name of Archibald Leach, who fell in love with performing as a escape from his dreary existence. That young boy literally invented himself as "Cary Grant," first simply ACTING the part, then eventually BECOMING the part that he himself created. But unlike Cary, Tony was someone we could relate to, a real, flesh and blood human being, not an fake Marvel Comic book hero. I think Bourdain was a lot like that, creating a dynamic persona that captivated the entire world, but hiding a deeper, darker nature that he disguised perhaps too well. When he died, I found myself literally crying like a baby, as though an dear friend had suddenly passed away. In the year following his untimely passing, I have also come to realize exactly what it was that so endeared us to him, and why we still suffer his loss. In acting, it's called, "vulnerability," that rarest of abilities to reveal our innermost insecurities and demons, without artifice. In other words, showing our universal humanity, without fear of "not looking cool." Bourdain had that kind of quality, and it is the one thing that separated him from every other celebrity chef or movie star we have ever known. I still miss him.

[@johnmact5548]

You got it so right. I have played that game before. Went horribly wrong. If I could have met one person it would have been Anthony Bourdain. Read his books rewatch every episode. A real guy telling a real story wherever he went. Thanks

[@ashy2.07]

I honestly didnt know who he was and now i am going to watch his show. ♡

[@jk_____555]

i cracked up when you associated Tony to Mark Corrigan (Jesse Armstrong), just brilliant. to me, DF Wallace and Louis CK are also part of that realm. they're carriers of somewhat healthy self-deprecative, acid, gnarly but totally on point, no-bullshit minds. kindred spirits and big "noticers" conveying their impressions, like some sort of a constant "remark amusement park". good work man, keep it up!

[@paulj8726]

Excellent analysis and review. I am not one to say that that I love any on-air personality; I don't. But I loved Bourdain. He was a renaissance man - inquisitive, reverential, experimental, social, unpretentious, and sensitive. I also despise using cliches but he was a Sigma Male. I had the luck of running into (not literally) Bourdain at DFW International airport. I didn’t pull out my phone and take a pic, I didn’t ask him for an autograph. We passed each other, I gave him the nod and he gave me the nod right back. Life is complex and someone as complicated as Bourdain like had significant highs and lows. Many of have highs and lows - daily, weekly, monthly, etc. I just wish he had been willing to continue with the struggle and challenge of life. Because that is life and living.

[@Mikebible67]

Brilliant - thank you.

[@SwisstedChef2018]

That episode where he has his lonely beer in Tokyo is a moment I have lived many times in Asia. That comfortable loneliness may however been the darkness he kept in his heart and what finally drove him to do what he did. Most of us, did not know. RIP Tony

[@LINDAOZAG]

He seemed to finally have it all! You never know about the demons.

[@rarefinds8430]

The Beatles said it best - "The further you travel the less you know, the less you really know". I had this same revelation on my first trip to India which is where George Harrison got the inspiration for the song. It's called "The Inner Light".

[@OnDVD]

This video was phenomenal and clearly made with love. Glad you came by my fyp and I hope you can keep making videos!

[@destinationsunknowntheroadsles]

Parts Unknown his last series had to be one of the best travel shows ever made for television because of the filming and editing. Anthony had no issues being opinionated but knew he had to keep it within the programming guidelines. Just imagine if the show had been aired on other channels. The shows filmed in Southeast Asia were my favorites since I have lived here for over twenty years. I remember him mentioning his concerns about Laos and Myanmar and the damage mass tourism could do to a country. Well sadly he was correct Laos has forever been ruined now and sadly I will likely never return. It lost all its character and charm due to greed there are only small portions of the country now where there are few if any foreigners. Thailand is much the same. I have subscribed to your channel because of this episode alone and have to agree with you about Anthony. Little did many of us realize how depressed he was at times and after watching Road Runner I can relate to his life and his urge to travel and want to settle at the same time. Having lost a dear friend to suicide years ago and having bouts of depression myself I can at times relate. Yea the squid would have pissed me off also I hate phoniness and phony people.

[@el2995]

Definitely the Asia episodes of all four of Anthony Bourdain’s series (especially the SE Asia ones) were also my favorites, having visiting Japan and seven countries in SE Asia over the course of seven trips to the region. I’m envious that you’ve spent so much time over there, and hope to make it back to SE Asia as I still want to experience Laos (properly, not just the 45 minutes spent in a Lao border village) and Philippines, plus see more of Of the seven countries visited so far. I have subscribed to your KZbin page and look forward to watching your videos. My page predominately features my clips taken around SE Asia, most of which are linked in related travel blog posts at my travel blog enchantingseasia . blogspot . com, in addition to clips related to Asian culture here in the US (temples, festivals, Little Saigons, Chinatowns and such). Cheers, and Happy Sonkran!

[@Epicuresfan]

I think this does a really good job of putting Anthony Bourdain into context, and it's probably the best tribute I've seen. I pretty much grew up watching his shows. I actually saw him live, he came and did a show in my hometown. You have a new subscriber from me, this is really well done.

[@dbrown101272]

Thank-you Ewan, this is a fitting and moving tribute.

[@user-zl6uz6lc8c]

Yes, a great tribute, and, and so very sad that he decided to take his own life.

[@ThatMacKayFamily]

Big Bourdain fan! This is the sort of video you like 3 mins in to it! Great work! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@maryhutch6246]

great vid! glad im not the only person who has their internal monologue frequently taken over by mark corrigan

[@stephenlucier]

Greatly needed, thank you.

[@psbrayshaw]

Loved this video. Thank you Ewan. Massive Bourdain fan here. Met him twice. At at Les Halle in 2004 etc. I still think of him daily.

[@kevinmitch894]

Great video.. Anthony was just a man like the rest of us, same shit... Sad ending to a good man. RiP

[@chancethadood]

love your channel! can’t wait for your beatles video

[@Jacob_hst]

Absolute banger of a video boss. Perfect.

[@darylreed7771]

He really was the GOAT. I miss that show and his character so much. There was no other like him. He did it on his own terms. And left on his own terms. Respect.

[@hanorabrennan9202]

Loved me some Bourdain.

[@PSNRafaria]

Man, this content is absolut real, i was searching more about Bourdain and after see this, is like a door close in my head (about suic of Bourdain), congratulations from Brazil.

[@thegratefulmisha1374]

Thank you for this. I think about Bourdain everyday and am glad to see you uploaded this video a month ago, and that he’s still around for the long haul.

[@annhenry5066]

This is the most brilliant piece of criticism I have ever experienced. You have a very interesting future, young man. Thank you so much. Ever happen to hit CMDX-you can talk to my students.

[@sanjaivkovic9126]

FANTASTIC JOB THANK YOU still miss him like brother

[@cecilbatt11]

Really well done. Great commentary, you are smart and you did your homework and you put Bourdain in proper perspective IMHO. It is hard to identify exactly why Bourdain is so wildly and enduringly popular but you seem to have put your finger on it.

[@Jackdelroy1]

I sure miss him. I never met him but I felt like I knew him. Thanks for this excellent tribute. The truth about the "Fake Voice" is that only one sentence was used in the documentary. Watch the JRE interview with the woman that was on all of his travel shows.

[@Test-uj6nh]

This is awesome. Thank you for creating this video. There’s so much footage I had never seen before.

[@sgelliott]

Great job on this. I've been rewatching a lot of Bourdain episodes recently and found myself asking a lot of the same questions you raised. I especially appreciate the bit about embracing ignorance at the end. Cheers.

[@jth1200]

I am absolutely at an almost euphoric state of mind realizing that you.have the realization of the complete open aspect of.where a true and beautiful person that looks beyond the boundaries of what publicized, domesticated , literary and cinemographrical publication of individuals is released into the entire world has opened the eyes of the general public of all social societies to the realm of people of all cultures have the same influences and desires to pleasure all societies with the desire to share their love of the diversity of cultures and love of their heritage of foods that gives him the satisfaction and honor of having the honor of sharing his experiences to the world. You my friend, are what true journalists strive to reach the satisfaction of satisfying they world with the reality of life through the camera lense that seldom many, if very few, have the pleasure of satisfying!!!!!! He was a true friend that most individuals will never have the pleasure of having inspire their lives. God Bless You my friend, see you soon!

[@beargraves]

An absolutely superb short doc. Bravo

[@Boris_Chang]

Very nice work. The last frame that KZbin freezes on is how I will remember him. A big smile-amused and inquisitive.

[@Rotten_Fox]

Amazing video, thank you for sharing!

[@markturner1672]

Thank you. I really needed this. Outstanding work.

[@gouppy]

And yes this was an excellent well done clip on Tony.. thank you very much ✌

[@fareedkhan970]

A tribute worth watching again, again and again....whenever you miss this one hell of a guy. Good stuff!

[@T-tb8ho]

This is incredible, we need to share the word of your channel, this video really showed me the story behind one of my favourite chefs and got me to read his books

[@aqualamb8978]

Brilliant video. Will definitely be sharing with friends. RIP to a legend.

[@andrewwalker5384]

What a gem this video is. Thank you VERY much!

[@jacksongentile6296]

This is a fantastic tribute to a great man, thank you

[@laineylarsen245]

Thank you for this carefully nuanced approach. I was on the fence about seeing the film, and your video helped articulate my thoughts.

[@TheSelador]

This video is great man. Keep it up!

[@ourewan]

Thanks so much!

[@CharlieRTH]

This was really excellent. Thank you.

[@fearlessandfar]

This is fantastic 🔥

[@DonMauricioCastro]

Congrats, well-done video. I will miss Bourdain's videos and insights about food, and LIFE, he was thought-provoking, diverse, and fun to watch.

[@CarolK-tc5jw]

Your analysis is meticulous, logical, thorough, intelligent, and you are very articulate. Also like your accent (Irish?). You are entertaining in your own right. Thank you for this. I enjoyed it, and it certainly improved my understanding of Bourdain. Your conclusion at the end is very insightful. Awesome job!

[@patriciacarter4227]

As much as anyone could, I think you nailed it. And him.

[@Ottny]

Wow just wow, what a great thoughtful tribute. Honest and as unbiased as you can be, I think.

[@travelinrob406]

You nailed it my friend! Thank you for this. A.B. didn't really inspire me to travel, I always wanted to, he made it o.k. to go out and just be myself.

[@ryanpolley3496]

This was what I needed to hear, as a huge fan . Thank you.

[@Caramac68]

This is such an interesting watch. Amazing in fact!!!!! Thanks for posting this.

[@holopopo9462]

Great video loves every part of it, keep up the great work man, congrats!!

[@lindas2595]

Excellent. Totally enjoyed this video.

[@Silencers]

Thank you. This was a very well thought piece

[@Danisername]

You can really see the case of parasocial relationships playing out with the creator of roadrunner, and well, with everyone else who also wanted to make sense of his death even though theyd never met him irl. I think, in the making of this tribute, you realized your own parasocial relationship with bourdain and thats how you were able to go beyond it. I'm very glad i found a clip of this on my fyp, great work!!

[@audrey220]

This was a fantastic tribute. Great job. You have a knack for this. Keep going

[@ch6rpie]

Fantastic video mate, saw it on the fyp and had to check it out

[@ianjohannesakiraosole1750]

Amazing video, absolutely continue going this is a great channel in the making

[@letsgivethisago]

Just found your channel on TikTok ! It’s amazing , great job!

[@HankScorpio94]

Mate this video is fkn amazing. Thank you so much. Very keen to see what you've got coming next.

[@tonythompson5351]

Well done and insightful video. Thanks.