The first trailer for Tony dropped recently, with Dominic Sessa showing the world his take on the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. I was originally excited to see this upcoming A24 movie highlight the early years of Bourdain and his rise to fame, but a thought entered my mind while watching that now gives me pause.

There was a part of me very tempted to say I had "No Reservations" about watching previously, but I realized that Bourdain would've rolled his eyes so hard at me if he witnessed me doing so, I would've felt it on my deathbed. This brings me to Tony, a movie with a trailer that, at its midpoint, had me wondering how the world traveler would've felt about it.

I'm Not Sure Anthony Bourdain Would Like A24's Movie Tony

Once the thought entered my head that Anthony Bourdain would likely hate a biopic made about himself, I couldn't help but wonder if it was a betrayal for me to watch Tony. I was an avid watcher of Bourdain's shows, and while he surprised me occasionally with his list of things he loved in the world of food and movies, I can't imagine he'd be anything less than critical of a film that evaluated his own life.

I do take solace in the fact that Anthony Bourdain was idolized by many, both in the food entertainment industry and worldwide. This is to say, if Bourdain isn't around to discuss whether Tony is a film worthy of telling his story, perhaps those left behind will feel the same way and hold it to the same standard that he would.

Tony Is An "Interpretation" Of The Chef's Life

The Bourdain family released a statement recently about Tony, and while they offered their support, there was another message that stuck out (via The Hollywood Reporter). The movie is an "interpretation" of a summer he spent in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and not based on anything covered in his previous written works about his own life.

While the family appreciates that Tony highlights the complexities of Anthony Bourdain as an individual, they explicitly say that this portion of the famous chef/writer will always be "somewhat unknown." So, it's a work of fiction, based on a real individual, with true elements of his personality and character worked in.

All this to say, Bourdain did have a short-lived television series called Kitchen Confidential, based on his famous book of the same name. Fans of Bourdain who watched the series have said the show has almost nothing to do with him, outside of a character played by a young Bradley Cooper sharing the same surname. Perhaps I'm overestimating how much he would care about a fictional work of art made about himself, and will be able to watch guilt-free.

Tony is set to release in theaters in August of 2026. I'll continue wrestling back and forth in the meantime about whether or not I'll check it out, and remain on the fence for the time being.

In case you haven’t heard, Dominic Sessa, the breakout star of The Holdovers, is being eyed to lead Tony, the upcoming A24 movie about the late celebrity chef and author Anthony Bourdain. I hear about casting news all the time, and rarely do I get as excited about an actor in talks for a role as I am right now. Upon hearing the news, I thought to myself, “Yeah, that makes perfect sense.”

Though Sessa is new to the Hollywood scene (The Holdovers was his first film role), I cannot think of a better person to play Bourdain, especially if the movie follows his Kitchen Confidential days when he was getting started and making a name for himself as a rebellious, motivated and unorthodox chef in the New York scene. And no, it’s not just because the young actor looks almost identical to the man he’s tapped to portray. Let me explain.

Dominic Sessa's Holdovers Performance Was A Revelation

The Holdovers is one of Paul Giamatti’s best movies, and it featured an emotionally gripping Da’Vine Joy Randolph performance. However, the turn that fascinated me the most was that of Dominic Sessa with his portrayal of Angus Tully. Sessa’s breakout performance as a young and intelligent, yet broken prep school student being abandoned by his family over the holidays was a revelation, if I’m being perfectly honest.

Here was Sessa, a young and inexperienced actor, holding his own against two highly decorated co-stars, both of whom went on to win Oscars, Golden Globes and various other accolades. The way the up-and-coming star was able to handle complex emotional scenes one minute and then jump to others requiring great comedic timing was something to behold and added so much to an already great movie.

Alexander Payne’s coming-of-age dramedy was essentially Sessa’s coming out part and introduction to the world, and it was just the beginning.

Sessa Has Proven He Can Be Witty And Sarcastic, Which Is A Must To Play Anthony Bourdain 

Anthony Bourdain was an incredible chef and brilliant writer, and he had a personality that drew you in better than most. A lot of that has to do with the fact that he had a great sense of sarcasm and a unique wit about him. He even famously appeared in an episode of The Simpsons where he poked fun at himself and his signature personality.

When Dominic Sessa plays Bourdain in Tony, he’ll need to be able to capture that sarcasm, wit and unique sense of comedy that made the late chef something more than a cook, but instead one of the great minds of modern American culture. But this shouldn’t be a problem for the actor, as his feature film debut saw him trading barbs with Paul Giamatti’s Paul Hunham from start to finish, several of which were teased in the Holdovers trailer.

It will be remarkable to see Sessa channel the spirit and energy of Bourdain when playing a younger version of the late chef, especially now he will have a few more performances under his belt to better fine-tune those skills before then.

At The Same Time, He Has A Certain Tenderness That'll Be Perfect For His Portrayal Of The Late Chef

One thing that made Anthony Bourdain so endearing was the tenderness, vulnerability and soulfulness of his personality. Were there better chefs? Yes. Were there better travel writers and TV hosts? Also yes. But few, if any, captured the hearts, souls and imaginations of restaurant guests, readers and viewers better than Bourdain. He had a way with words, a way with humans and a way about him that felt both raw and real. I think Dominic Sessa has proven that he can accomplish that in a performance.

If you look back on some of the most tender scenes in The Holdovers, you’ll find more than a few where Sessa looks less like an actor playing a high schooler grappling with the pain and confusion of teenage life and a broken home, and more like a real-life teenager trying to make sense of it all. That innate ability will be key to his portrayal of Bourdain because at the end of the day, he was just trying to make sense of life… and the universal awesomeness of Waffle House.

Like A Young Bourdain, Sessa Is An Up-And-Coming Star With Something To Prove

Much like Anthony Bourdain getting his start in restaurants in New York City back in his younger days, Dominic Sessa is a young and hungry actor with something to prove while also making a name for himself. I would love to see how he could channel that energy and use it to make his portrayal of Bourdain even better. Using the performance as an analog for himself, Sessa could use all the praise, criticism, desires, and doubts to give audiences one of the great portrayals of our time.

This could be that next step in Sessa’s career and cement him as one of the great contemporary actors, one we’ll be talking about for years, if not decades, to come. Who knows, we could be seeing Sessa’s name come up whenever early Oscar predictions are discussed for the foreseeable future.

Okay, Sessa Does Look Remarkably Similar To Bourdain

I know I said Dominic Sessa would be perfect to play a young Anthony Bourdain for reasons besides their similar appearances, but that comparison does help. While they don’t look like identical twins or brothers, Sessa and Bourdain look like they could be cousins or not-so-distant relatives with similar facial features, hair and physicality, especially when looking at old photos of the late chef.

All of the best biographical dramas over the years have seen actors who either look identical to the famous people they’re playing (such is the case in Timothee Chalmet’s A Complete Unknown) or at least somewhat similar. And again, Sessa looks eerily similar to the man he’s being tapped to play.

I, for one, cannot wait to hear more about Tony and how Dominic Sessa will portray the iconic and dearly missed Anthony Bourdain. But while we wait, there are some promising upcoming 2024 movies to hold us over, including one of the most anticipated music biopics in some time.

It's been years since the unexpected passing of world traveler and chef Anthony Bourdain, and it seems like Hollywood is finally getting around to creating a biopic that will, hopefully, do him justice. A24 is in negotiations to make a biopic titled Tony, and it has a big star from The Holdovers in the mix for the star role.

Critics loved The Holdovers, and having seen it recently, I think it's already in the conversation to be one of the best Christmas movies of all time. Now, Deadline reports one of its standout stars, Dominic Sessa, is reportedly in conversations about playing Anthony Bourdain, and I couldn't love the idea any more than I currently do.

Dominic Sessa Is In Talks To Play Anthony Bourdain, Presumably During His Early Career As A Chef

Based on the title of this project, it seems like it could be centered on Anthony Bourdain's early days as a chef. He got his start working in Manhattan restaurants, but it was his writing about the restaurant scene that really skyrocketed his profile. His personality elevated him to a status as a travel show host that even other food show presenters were envious of, but many of us know that part of Bourdain well. I'd be thrilled to see something that tackled his early career, especially with someone like Dominic Sessa in the mix to play him.

Sessa Was Great In The Holdovers, And Could Be The Definitive Young Talent To Bring The Larger Than Life Bourdain To Life

The Holdovers was one of CinemaBlend's best movies of 2023, and Dominic Sessa played a big part in its success. After seeing him play the angsty Angus stuck at boarding school for the holidays, I don't think it's too hard to see him playing the smoking, cocky and cynical Anthony Bourdain. He admittedly isn't a person I think of as Bourdain when looking at him, but I'll never doubt Hollywood's ability to transform any actor.

If there is any hesitation I have about Tony, it would be whether or not it's too soon to revisit Anthony Bourdain's life. Many celebrities and chefs mourned Bourdain after his passing, and I think it's fair to say there will be a lot of eyes following this project. How many celebrities are memorialized by former Presidents of the United States?

The answer is not many, but based on all I've seen so far, Tony is on the right track. While it's still in conversations at the moment and nowhere close to theaters like some of the upcoming 2024 movies, I think this is one we should all be watching for more updates about.

I, for one, am eager to hear more details on Tony and any other projects that may highlight the life of Anthony Bourdain. Hopefully, they do him justice, and if not, at least there's no shortage of his shows we can watch to remember the icon.

Very few series have been on the air anywhere near as long as The Simpsons has, which means very few TV shows come close to being on the same level when it comes to guest stars. Beloved characters like Sideshow Bob and Fat Tony wouldn’t exist without recurring guest actors like Kelsey Grammer and Joe Mantegna, but we’re here to appreciate a smaller sub-section of Springfield visitors: celebrities who have played themselves.

Though The Simpsons has relied far more on famous folks playing fictional characters, the series has also boasted a wide variety of celebs from the worlds of art, entertainment, sports and literature across the past 30+ years. (Speaking of Mantegna, he actually voiced himself during Fat Tony’s first episode “Bart the Murderer.”) Now let’s look at a bunch of famous faces who popped up in 2D alongside the Simpson family and other characters. All but one episode noted below is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Tony Bennett

With a career that spanned 70 years, Tony Bennett earned innumerable accolades including a whopping 20 Grammy wins. One of his more noteworthy feats, at least for animation fans, is that he was the very first Simpsons guest star to play themself. Even if it wasn’t the meatiest of Bennett's many film and TV cameos, it still opened the door for others to follow in his crooning footsteps.

Appears As Himself In: Season 2’s “Dancin’ Homer” Also can be heard singing “Capital City” in Season 14’s “Bart Vs. Lisa Vs. the 3rd Grade” and Season 24’s “Whiskey Business”

Betty White

National treasure Betty White first made her way into The Simpsons’ universe in Season 11 as a pledge drive host, though the role was initially offered to her former co-star Mary Tyler Moore. She was presumably the first choice for her second appearance seven seasons later, however, in which she plays up the fact that she and Homer had met before. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 11’s “Missionary: Impossible” and Season 18’s “Homerazzi”

Anthony Bourdain

Celebrity chef and “food bad boy” Anthony Bourdain was no stranger to hosting his own TV shows, which played into his Simpsons cameo in one of Marge’s food-centric dreams. The award-winning chef and author wasn’t the only foodie guest star in that ep, as it also featured Gordon Ramsey and Mario Batali. 

Appears As Himself In: Season 23’s “The Food Wife”

Halle Berry

Academy Award winner Halle Berry graced the animated Oscars stage for her big Simpsons guest spot as the presenter announcing “Angry Dad” as the Best Animated Short winner. Though not before she introduced the show’s cracking Wallace & Gromit parody, nor before she confessed to dreaming about her teeth flying out of her mouth.

Appears As Herself In: Season 22’s “Angry Dad: The Movie”

Paul And Linda McCartney

Paul McCartney is one of three founding Beatles members to guest star on The Simpsons, and the only one to be accompanied by his wife, Linda McCartney. Their appearance came out under the specific condition that Lisa Simpson remain a vegetarian throughout the rest of the show’s run, and she’s stuck to her sustenance-minded guns since.

Appear As Themselves In: Season 7’s “Lisa the Vegetarian,” which also uses the song “Maybe I’m Amazed” over the end credits

Drew Barrymore

Multi-hyphenate celeb Drew Barrymore first popped up on The Simpsons back in 2000 as Krusty the Clown's daughter from a one-night stand, and it took another 24 years for her to return, this time as herself from the set of her daytime talk show.

Appears As Herself In: Season 34’s “The King of Nice,” and as Sophie Krustopfsky in Season 12’s “Insane Clown Poppy”

Stephen King

The King of Horror appeared on The Simpsons in 2000, which was the rare year in which Stephen King didn’t publish any finalized fictional works. (He did release the nonfiction memoir On Writing and the incomplete serialized e-book The Plant.) King turned down the offer to reprise himself for 2022’s Halloween parody special “Not It.”

Appears As Himself In: Season 12’s “Insane Clown Poppy”

• RELATED: Building The Ultimate Stephen King Collection: Every Book, Movie And TV Series A True King Fan Should Own

Britney Spears

In the months before the release of her second mega-popular album Oops!...I Did It Again, as well as her first Grammy nomination, the fictional version of pop star Britney Spears took on some low-hanging job fruit by co-hosting the annual Springfield Pride Awards opposite Kent Brockman. She also aided in the death of 108-year-old Cornelius Chapman, as her kiss sent him to the Circus in the sky.

Appears As Herself In: Season 11’s “The Mansion Family” 

Gal Gadot

A year after her blockbuster leading role in Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot attempted to land an acting gig playing Lisa Simpson for a faith-based movie sourced to Bart’s fabricated story about seeing heaven after a serious injury. The episode also featured a jokey reference to her handing out hamburgers at the 2018 Oscars.

Appears As Herself In: Season 30’s “Bart’s Not Dead”

Cheech And Chong

The comedic duo of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong teamed up once more in animated form for a Simpsons episode dating back to 2011, and one that didn’t hinge upon the leafy plant that fueled their early careers. Also noteworthy: even though Cheech and Chong technically first appeared on South Park, those cameos were recorded separately years before they formally reunited.

Appear As Themselves In: Season 22’s “A Midsummer’s Nice Dream”

Carmen Electra

Baywatch and Scary Movie fave Carmen Electra popped up in one of The Simpsons’ more bizarro celebrity cameos. After Marge and Homer were blamed and jailed for the death of an elderly woman (voiced by Frances Sternhagen), it was all revealed to be part of a new Fox prank show, and not only was the woman still alive, but she was actually Electra in disguise. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 13’s “The Frying Game”

Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter vet Daniel Radcliffe poked fun at his own massive fame when he appeared as himself following two previous Simpsons guest spots, running into Homer at a video game convention while in costume, though he immediately gave himself away, only to be consumed by a group of nearby fans. 

Appears As Himself In: Season 29’s “No Good Read Goes Unpunished,” as vampire Edmund in Season 22’s “Treehouse of Horror XXI,” and as Bart’s new friend Diggs in Season 25’s “Diggs”

50 Cent

Grammy winner 50 Cent appeared in one of The Simpsons’ music-centric episodes paying homage to hip-hop, though he didn’t contribute to the musical side of things, and instead tried to make inspiring Bart count as community service. The episode is also notable for inspiring the “Thursday the 20th” necklace meme.

Appears As Himself In: Season 16's "Pranksta Rap"

Suzanne Somers

While still in the midst of her run as a TGIF fan-favorite character in Step By Step, Suzanne Somers appeared as herself opposite an animated David Brinkley as the commentator hosts for the Itchy & Scratchy Show-themed parade. But while the Three’s Company vet did indeed provide her voice for the gags, Brinkley was voiced by Simpsons vet Harry Shearer. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 7’s “The Day the Violence Died”

Matt Groening

The Simpsons’ co-creator Matt Groening is one of the few guest stars whose celebrity status was directly influenced by the existence and success of the show itself. He first appeared as a featured celeb in the show’s Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con, and could be seen gloating about his wealth while loading comics into a truck in the Season 21 premiere, with both eps revolving around Comic Book Guy plots.

Appears As Himself In: Season 15’s “My Big Fat Geek Wedding” Season 21’s “Homer the Whopper” as an announcer in Season 23’s “Holidays of Future Passed”

Lady Gaga

The Season 23 finale stands out as a special one, in that Lady Gaga’s appearance as herself was a core part of the main narrative, as opposed to just a limited cameo. The episode’s focus on unhappiness wasn’t so well-received, but it’s still a great send-up of the singer-songwriter and American Horror Story vet.

Appears As Herself In: Season 23’s “Lisa Goes Gaga”

"Weird" Al Yankovic

Parody mastermind “Weird” Al Yankovic is always dependable for a great cameo, and his first Simpsons appearance featured the faux parody “Homer and Marge,” spoofing the John Mellencamp hit “Jack & Diane.” He next showed up in flashback form (with glasses and curly hair galore) for the layered parody “Brain Freeze,” sending up Homer’s Nirvana-spoofing grunge song “Shave Me.” He then showed up as himself to sing and play the opening theme for a Season 34 couch gag.

Appears As Himself In: Season 14’s “Three Gays of the Condo” Season 19’s “That 90s Show” Season 34’s “Hostile Kirk Place”

• RELATED: Weird Al Yankovic's Greatest Parodies And Other Songs About Movies

Bette Midler

A winner of multiple Grammys and Emmys, Bette Midler showed up in one of The Simpsons’ most eclectic batch of guest stars, many of whom were portrayed to be quasi-friends of Krusty the Clown. (Including Johnny Carson, Elizabeth Taylor, Hugh Hefner, and more.) In a callback to a similar performance devoted to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, Midler sings “Wind Beneath My Wings” to Krusty, which is quite the surreal (and unearned) sight.

Appears As Herself In: Season 4’s “Krusty Gets Kancelled”

Jim Parsons

Less than a year after bidding adieu to The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parsons achieved further geek cred by appearing as himself on The Simpsons for a fun educational-esque video about cryptocurrency.

Appears As Himself In: Season 31's "Frinkcoin"

Dolly Parton

Country music legend Dolly Parton was one of seven different guest stars who voiced themselves for the 1999 episode that aired following Super Bowl XXXIII, including NFL vets Dan Marino and John Madden. (And Rupert Murdoch, because why not?) But as the animated halftime entertainment, Parton is the only one who helped break Homer & Co. out of their stadium cell, so she gets the glory. 

Appears As Herself In: Season 10’s  “Sunday, Cruddy Sunday”

Mary-Kate And Ashley Olsen

Before they turned down reprising the role of Michelle Tanner for Fuller House, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen appeared as themselves for a 2004 ep in quite a savvy way: as the voices beyond the audiobook for Marge’s torrid romance novel The Harpooned Heart.  

Appear As Themselves In: Season 15’s “Diatribe of a Mad Housewife”

Yo-Yo Ma

One of the most accomplished cellists in existence, Yo-Yo Ma made his official vocal and musical debut on The Simpsons in 2015, decades after he and co-creator Matt Groening lived in the same Harvard dorm. Yo-Yo Ma had the unenviable task of helping woo Marge's mom for Mr. Burns. The accolade-laden Grammy winner also performed the Simpsons theme song for the closing credits.

Appeared As Himself In: Season 27's "Puffless"

Eartha Kitt

William Daniels provided the voice of Knight Rider's KITT twice on The Simpsons, but here we're talking about the wildly talented singer, actress, and Broadway luminary Eartha Kitt. She appeared in Season 21 as one of Krusty's former wives, who notably didn't make it beyond six hours before getting divorced. 

Appeared As Herself In: Season 21's "Once Upon a Time in Springfield"

Paul Rudd

Paul Rudd is the rare celeb who seems to age better than his animated self, and there are multiple versions to look back on. The MCU vet first brought his Rudd-ity to The Simpsons in the faux biographical film Streaming Valor alongside occasional cohorts Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow. He next appeared as a version of himself who wanted little to do with a judgmental Comic Book Guy in an airport. 

Appeared As Himself In: Season 25's “Steal This Episode,” Season 32's “Three Dreams Denied,” and as therapist Dr. Zander in Season 22's "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing"

Martha Stewart

Homemaker extraordinaire Martha Stewart showed up as herself, or at least a fantasized version of herself, during Marge's dream sequence in Season 22's segmented Christmas episode. She didn't exactly save the holidays, but then nothing can with this family.

Appears As Herself In: Season 22's "The Fight Before Christmas"

Ringo Starr

One of The Simpsons’ earliest guest stars was also one of its most noteworthy. Ringo Starr was the first of the Beatles to appear as a guest star, as well as the subject of several paintings from Marge’s youth. He specifically chose for his Simpson-ized look to resemble his animated look in the 1968 film Yellow Submarine.

Appeared As Himself In: Season 2’s “Brush with Greatness”

Kylie Jenner

The first member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan to make it into the world of The Simpsons in an official capacity, Kylie Jenner lent her voice for the tech-based segment "Wild Barts Can't Be Token" in the 2023 "Treehouse" installment. Though she appeared alongside Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Fallon, she was the only guest star to provide her own voicework.

Appears As Herself In: Season 35's "Treehouse of Horror XXXIV"

Bob The Drag Queen

Bob the Drag Queen became a household name after he took the grand prize in Season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race, and then reached a whole other kind of icon status by getting Simpson-ized alongside drag sister Monét X Change in Season 34 for a fabulous final "viral vid" scene depicting a Waffle House faceoff between the pair, which George R.R. Martin watches instead of working on his next book.

Appears As Himself In: Season 34's "My Life as a Vlog"

Alan Moore

Comic book master Alan Moore has built up a reputation as one of the industry’s more prickly creatives, which makes it all the more incredible that The Simpsons not only landed him, but used him for an amusing Watchmen Babies gag two years before Zack Snyder’s Watchman film was released. The ep also featured cameos from another pair of brilliant comic creators in Art Spiegelman and Daniel Clowes.

Appears As Himself In: Season 19’s “Husbands and Knives”

The ever-energetic pianist Little Richard showed up on The Simpsons in all his gloriousness to present Edna with the Teacher of the Year Award. Though not before having to tell Homer to shut up for getting him confused with Prince (and Michael Jackson). 

Appears As Himself In: Season 14's "Special Edna"

Judy Blume

Four years before her famed book was adapted into the acclaimed film Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, bestselling author Judy Blume appeared as herself in a vision Lisa has that reignites her appreciation for America. If anyone has the power to inspire one of animation's smartest schoolgirls, it's Blume.

Appears As Herself In: Season 30's "D'Oh Canada"

Adam West

Years before he started voicing himself as the Mayor of Quahog in Family Guy, Adam West appeared as himself at the Springfield car show where Homer buys the snowplow that lends itself to the episode's title. The cameo is a fun one for Batman fans, with the camera angle slowly skewing diagonal in reference to the live-action series' villain shots. 

Appears As Himself In: Season 4's "Mr. Plow," and as Batman in Season 14's "Large Marge"

Anthony Bourdain has been in the news again of late thanks to a new book detailing his life, but also some of his final moments. As part of this, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain had recently made headlines thanks to reportedly revealing intimate texts and details from the days leading up to the Parts Unknown host dying at the age of 61. Some of the texts reportedly came from ex Asia Argento, who now has seemingly commented in an Instagram Stories post. 

Down and Out in Paradise reportedly detailed an exchange Bourdain had with Argento shortly before his death. The two had been dating for some time but were on the outs after papparazzi photos had emerged with the Italian actress spending time with another man. In the texts, he got candid with his feelings, reportedly noting:

He then asked the actress if there was anything that he could do, to which she reportedly texted back: 

In a new Instagram Stories post (via People) that reportedly dropped after the Down and Out in Paradise news broke, Asia Argento wore a t-shirt with Ronnie Coleman on it that read “stop busting my balls.” The post went live on Thursday after reports had rolled around about the content in the book, including the newly released text message exchanges. 

She’d allegedly sent the same message, as detailed above the night that Anthony Bourdain died by suicide. He had been on location in France filming for his CNN series Parts Unknown and had spent recent days filming with French Chef Eric Ripert, a longtime friend. 

The upcoming book, written by Charles Leerhsen, has come under fire for releasing the text exchanges.  Down and Out in Paradise’s publisher has already released a statement about the Anthony Bourdain texts, saying the material was not “defamatory” as had been alleged by Bourdain’s brother, Christopher, and that it was part of the story when it came to the television host’s life and impact.

Previously, Asia Argento shared her thoughts about getting bad press over what happened with Bourdain. She even said she hears that people feel his death was her fault. In 2018 she spoke out about what she’s heard, also saying "in a way" she sort of understands where people are coming from.

It’s difficult to believe that Anthony Bourdain has been gone for over four years, as his spirit has lived on in reruns of Parts Unknown and No Reservations, and through projects like Roadrunner, which explored his early career and all of the major moments and milestones piecing together his patchwork life, a life filled with travel and spontaneity, a life filled with food and learning. The new book, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, releases on October 11. 

The tragic death of Anthony Bourdain was one that stunned the world, and left many wondering what exactly led to his tragic death. Unfortunately, that quest for answers is impacting his loved ones, as a new book being categorized as an unauthorized biography on the chef and TV host will publicize texts from his final days, among a large amount of alleged details about his final details. Some of those who were closest to him are claming not all the details in the work are necessarily accurate, with potential issues over what was allowed to be put into the book. Now, the publisher has responded to those criticisms, sidestepping claims that it contains defamatory information. 

Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain reportedly contains intimate details about the iconic writer and chef's life, as well as messages he sent to his ex-wife and confidante Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, and to his girlfriend, Asia Argento. The New York Times reported that journalist Charles Leerhsen compiled the upcoming book from 80 different interviews, and after utilizing files, texts, and emails from Bourdain’s personal phone and laptop. With that, Leershen intended to put together an account helped add context to what happened near the end of Bourdain's life, and what might have led him to end it in the way he did. 

Ahead of the book’s release, some of Anthony Bourdain’s closest friends and family (who continue to celebrate his life after his death) are speaking out against its release and claiming it contains many inaccuracies. Christopher Bourdain, his brother, sent the publisher Simon & Schuster emails calling the work “defamatory,” and received the following response back: 

As mentioned, the upcoming book details Anthony Bourdain’s intimate conversations with Ottavia Busia-Bourdain as well as his girlfriend he was traveling with when he died, Asia Argento. Most notably, the book allegedly contains the final text exchange between Bourdain and Argento, which happened not long before he hung himself. (CNN temporarily removed episodes featuring Argento after his death.) Obviously, there are some troubling messages displayed in the book, which may be why Bourdain’s family and friends are committed to ensuring the correct details are what's being revealed to the masses. 

It’s noted that while there are critics of Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, who spoke out against its release, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain hasn’t. It’s also noted that Charles Leerhsen was allegedly able to obtain some of his interviews from various people in Bourdain's life because they were angry about how the television personality left things with his now-15-year-old daughter, Ariane. 

Beyond some alleged details surrounding his death, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain will also dive into his early years, detailing his relationship with his parents as well as his first wife, Nancy Putkoski. There will also be sections dedicated to his long-spanning career that started in the restaurant industry and, of course, spun into a continuous writing gig, which led to him traveling the world as a television host, and giving viewers an inside look at countries they may not have seen otherwise. 

Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain will be available for purchase on October 11th. Those looking to just experience more of Anthony Bourdain might use their HBO Max subscription to binge Parts Unknown, and reminisce while watching some of the award-winning moments from Bourdain’s life. 

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Anthony Bourdain revolutionized the way Americans view cooking shows. He highlighted cultures, countries, and cuisines that were not popularized on American television. Shows like Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations were popular among foodies, cooks, and chefs because of Bourdain’s passion for bringing food stories and authenticity to his audiences. When Bourdain died in 2018, he was mourned not only by his close friends and family, but globally by those who he connected with on his journey and his fans from all around the world.

In 2021, Focus Features released a documentary called Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain. It explores Bourdain’s life beyond how viewers got to know him on his cooking programs and through his writing. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain may have made you nostalgic about some of Bourdain’s past programs, or it may have just introduced you to him, and now you want to watch some of his shows. Luckily for you, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and other series are available to stream on various platforms.

Let’s look at a view Anthony Bourdain shows you can stream or rent now.

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (HBO Max)

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown began airing on CNN in 2013. It aired for 12 seasons through 2018. The series won Bourdain and team numerous Emmy awards. In Parts Unknown, Bourdain traveled to lesser-known areas around the world to highlight their culture and cuisine. It was a way for viewers to learn a little bit more about countries that may have not been on their radar.

Bourdain explored these parts of the world by going to their restaurants, kitchens, and whatever other places he felt fit to give some history of the country and its culture. Parts Unknown was one of Bourdain’s most popular shows. The series is currently available to stream on HBO Max, but was once one of the best cooking shows on Netflix to watch. It may return to Netflix in the near future, so if you don’t have HBO Max, you may be able to stream it on Netflix again one day soon.

Stream Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on HBO Max.

Buy Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on Amazon.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations took Bourdain across the country and to other countries to explore traditions, customs, and local practices of various locations. The series aired on the Travel Channel for nine seasons. It began in 2005 and concluded in 2012.

Bourdain brought his own brand of humor and curiosity to the series. In Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, he would genuinely be open to learning about a country or place’s traditions, but he wasn’t afraid to make fun of something if he thought it was a little strange, but he would also make sure to try to understand and explain why it was important to that culture.

Stream Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Discovery+.

Buy Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Amazon.

A Cook’s Tour (Tubi)

A Cook’s Tour aired for two seasons on Food Network. It lasted from 2002 to 2003. The first season of A Cook’s Tour had 22 episodes and the second one aired 13 episodes. A Cook’s Tour focused on Anthony Bourdain traveling to different countries to try local cuisines. It also featured renowned chefs, like Gordon Ramsay, showing off their skills in their restaurants as they cooked delicious meals for Bourdain.

The purpose of A Cook’s Tour seemed to be for Bourdain to go deeper into certain cuisines and dissect and analyze how those dishes help define the country’s culture. The premise of the show was inspired by Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential.

Stream A Cook’s Tour on Tubi.

Buy A Cook’s Tour on Amazon.

The Taste (ABC)

The Taste is a reality TV show that aired on ABC from 2013 to 2015. The primetime reality show combined a lot of different reality TV formats. It was partially like American Idol, The Voice, and America’s Got Talent. A panel of judges picked a team of cooks to mentor. The Season 1 judges were Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre, and Brian Malarkey. For Seasons 2 and 3, Marcus Samuelsson joined the mentor and judging panel.

What made The Taste a little different from other reality shows is that the contestants were judged based on one bite, at least in the first round. Later, the judges still judged the dishes through blind taste tests. Bourdain was also an Executive producer on The Taste.

Stream The Taste on ABC.

Buy The Taste on Amazon.

The Layover with Anthony Bourdain (Discovery+)

The Layover with Anthony Bourdain is another Travel Channel original series that follows Bourdain as he travels to different cities around the world exploring their food and culture. What makes this series a little different is that it’s about experiencing the city within a 24 to 48-hour timeframe--a layover timeline.

If you only have a day or two in another country, these are the must eat, see, or experience things to do. The Layover with Anthony Bourdain aired for two seasons from 2011 to 2013. It was a fast-paced series that gave you a quick but exciting glance of a foreign or local city.

Stream The Layover with Anthony Bourdain on Discovery+.

Buy The Layover with Anthony Bourdain on Amazon.

Raw Craft (Youtube)

Raw Craft is a Youtube series by Balvenie US, a malt whiskey company. Anthony Bourdain hosts the show and interviews and highlights individuals who use their hands to make items. This includes famous tailors and snare drums makers. Raw Crafts has 14 episodes total, many under 10 minutes.

Raw Craft gives Bourdain fans the same style and personality of Bourdain just in a different format. You also get to experience some of his other passions that aren’t food-related.

Stream Raw Craft on Youtube.

Top Chef (Hulu)

Top Chef is a culinary competition series that puts several up-and-coming chefs against one another to win a grand prize. Each week contestants compete in two individual or group challenges. Top Chef began in 2006 and concluded its 18th season in July 2021. The Bravo series hasn’t announced, as of July 2021, if the 19th season will be on the 2021 fall TV schedule.

According to IMDB, Anthony Bourdain made 12 appearances as a guest judge from 2006 to 2011, including as a main judge on the Season 4 Restaurant Wars episode. Whenever he appeared on Top Chef, the contestants were both excited and scared of how tough he would judge their food. For a while, he was a staple on the Top Chef franchise. Viewers looked forward to seeing his guest appearances.

Stream Top Chef on Hulu.

Buy Top Chef on Amazon.

You can catch the Anthony Bourdain documentary Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain currently playing at select theaters.

The new documentary, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, sounds like it is in many ways exactly what fans might expect. Filmmaker Morgan Neville tracks the life and career of the beloved celebrity chef, author and TV host and provides some insights into his perspective on his adventures around the world. However, one aspect of the film has caused some eyebrows to raise -- elements of the film’s voice over, seemingly from Bourdain himself, are actually the result of a deepfake.

Morgan Neville recently explained that a lot of thought and attention to detail went into creating Roadrunner’s computer-generated Bourdain narrative. And during his recent interview with GQ, he revealed that initially, the voice over wasn’t even going to be part of the documentary:

Anthony Bourdain’s narrative style, voice and personality were always very strong, and fans became well-acquainted with it after he hosted series like No Reservations. Neville also explained how they were able to accomplish recreating Bourdain’s voice for Roadrunner, and the kinds of decisions that went into what the end result would sound like:

Making a documentary about someone’s life is always a challenge, but there’s a particular sensitivity that's involved when the subject has passed away. An added layer of scrutiny comes into play when the person in question was, like Bourdain, loved by so many.

It’s good to hear that Neville and his team sought permission from Bourdain’s family and thought carefully about how to incorporate the AI voice. According to The New York Times, the film features approximately 45 seconds of Bourdain’s artificially-derived voice -- though some will likely continue to question the ethics of Neville’s decision to include it at all.

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain is currently playing in theaters.

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In the past, CinemaBlend has teamed up with Plex to break down everything from the best romantic movies to thrilling action flicks and more that can be found on the free, yet incredibly versatile streaming service. Once again, we’re partnering up with Plex, this time to shed light on all the great travel shows to fuel your wanderlust, whether you're actively planning a trip somewhere or just daydreaming about your next adventure.

So, whether you’re looking to explore a side of the United States you never knew existed, set off on a grand adventure of some far away land, or maybe follow a few of the world’s best chefs dive into the complicated history of your favorite cuisine, there is something for you. After that, stick around to read more about the different travel-focused channels on Free Live TV on Plex.

Check out Plex's streaming platform here.

Southern Uncovered With The Lee Brothers

If you have ever wanted to venture to the American South but the thought of stifling heat and inescapable humidity have made you wary, then Southern Uncovered with the Lee Brothers will serve as a great substitute. Over the course of six episodes, James Beard Award-winning food and travel writers Matt and Ted Lee take viewers on an epic journey through the heart of the region, exploring what some of the best cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, and their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina have to offer. This deep-dive into the culinary legacy of each of these cities is impressive, to say the very least.

Stream Southern Uncovered With The Lee Brothers on Plex.

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

One of the best aspects of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations was the way in which the late chef/author/tireless traveler immersed himself in the culture of whichever city his show brought him that week. This is especially true about the show’s eighth and final season (which is on Plex alongside Season 7), which saw Bourdain venture everywhere from Mozambique to Austin, Texas, where he fell in love with Texas cookin’ so good Guy Clark would have written a song about it. Seriously, we lost one of culinary world’s greatest minds with Bourdain’s 2018 death, but at least we can still watch the brilliant writer doing what he does best: eat and fall in love with culture.

Stream Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Plex.

The Hairy Bikers’ Asian Adventure

The Hairy Bikers (David Myers and Si King) have spent the past 15 years or so entertaining and educating BBC viewers with their unique presentation style that combines elements of traditional cooking television with a travelogue format, creating a remarkable and exhilarating adventure that has taken them all over the globe. One of the best examples of this is their 2014 travel series The Hairy Bikers’ Asian Adventure, which explored the origins of Asian dishes that have become increasingly popular in the West. From Hong Kong to Bangkok and Tokyo to South Korea, the lovable pair spend six episodes diving into the legacy of each area’s cuisine before preparing several dishes of their own.

Stream The Hairy Bikers’ Asian Adventure on Plex.

David Rocco’s Dolce Vita

Best-selling author, celebrity chef, and world-traveler David Rocco has made a career out exploring the culture, history, and culinary legacy of locations all over the world. One of his most prolific series, David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, sees the eager chef learn about the various regions of one of the world’s culinary powerhouses. In the show’s fifth season (which is available on Plex), Rocco even spends the Fourth of July just outside of Siena. As someone who also spent Independence Day in Italy one year, this episode takes me back to my travels and plans for my next grand adventure.

Stream David Rocco’s Dolce Vita on Plex.

David Rocco’s Dolce Africa

Another one of David Rocco’s great culinary travel shows is Dolce Africa, which leaves Italy and instead spends 13 episodes documenting the chef and author’s journey through the African continent. With stops in Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, and more, Rocco (along with his audience) falls in love with the people, culture, and rich dishes of the various the countries.

Stream David Rocco’s Dolce Africa on Plex.

Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom

The travel/food documentary series Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom follows the chef, restauranteur, and documentarian as he sets off for a culinary exploration of the Untied Kingdom, shedding light on the variety of dishes that have come from or found a new home on the historic island. Similar to his previous series, which were set in France and Vietnam, each episode is dedicated to a different country or region of the United Kingdom, giving audiences a well-rounded look at its culinary wonders.

Stream Luke Nguyen’s United Kingdom on Plex.

Joanna Lumley In The Land Of The Northern Lights

Those lucky enough to have seen the Northern Lights describe them as one of the most beautiful wonders of the natural world. And while the rest of us typically have to take their word for it, there is another option: Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights. This 2008 documentary follows the Absolutely Fabulous star as she travels to Norway in pursuit of seeing the magical phenomenon for herself which she describes as “the true wonder of the world.”

Stream Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights on Plex.

Raw Travel

There are your standard travel shows and then there are those like Raw Travel, which instead of sticking to the beaten path, takes viewers on a series of wild and often times off-the-grid adventures. Throughout the series, host Robert Rose explains the importance of ecotourism and what he calls “voluntourism,” a form of traveling that includes giving back on your journeys. Although every episode of Raw Travel isn’t available on Plex, the available episodes explore locations like Port of Spain, Trinidad, rural Colombia, Mexico City, Belize, and much more.

Stream Raw Travel on Plex.

Travel Man: 48 Hours In…

Celebrity travel shows can be a mixed bag, but one of the best has to be Travel Man: 48 Hours In… which follows Richard Ayoade (who appeared in the Soul cast) as he and different friends explore the world around them. As the name suggests, each episode features Ayoade as he spends 48 hours in cities like Barcelona, Istanbul, Moscow, Paris, and others. The show’s blend of humor and education makes this an unlikely addition to the list of great travel series.

Stream Travel Man: 48 Hours In… on Plex.

Travel Channels Available Through Live TV On Plex

In addition to all those great travel shows, there are also plenty of amazing and diverse channels on Live TV on Plex. Here is a quick rundown of a few of those channels and where to watch them.

Go Traveler features an impressive collection of professional travelers including Anthony Bourdain, Rick Steves, and Rudy Maxa. Stream Go Traveler on Live TV on Plex.

Journy takes a unique approach to the travel show genre by combining it with elements of art and culture, creating and immersive experience that is like nothing else. Stream Journy on Live TV on Plex.

GoUSA is the perfect option for anyone who wants to see what the United States of America and its diverse landscape has to offer. Stream GoUSA on Live TV on Plex.

Wonder offers a different take on the travel-based channel by offering an assortment of emotional, eye-opening, and oftentimes weird explorations of the world around us. Stream Wonder on Live TV on Plex.

Pattern takes the idea of exploration to the next level with a collection of shows, documentaries, and other specials that touch on everything from the evolution of foods through science, sustainable living practices, and much more. Stream Pattern on Live TV on Plex.

This is barely scratching the surface of what Plex has to offer in terms of travel shows. Like filmmakers, cooks, and travelers featured in each of the shows up above, the best way to find something to new is to explore for yourself…

When constructing a new story about the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Stephen Strange, there are multiple famous personalities you can draw on for inspiration. But I’m not sure how far down the list you would get before you landed on the late restaurateur, chef and globetrotter Anthony Bourdain. And yet, that is the name that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness head writer Michael Waldron coughed up when talking about his approach to Marvel’s top sorcerer as he teased out tonal details for the sequel.

Michael Waldron is starting to make the Marvel press rounds on behalf of the Disney+ series Loki, on which he also served as the head writer. But in a new Vanity Fair profile, Waldron opened up about the work that he did on the Doctor Strange sequel that recently wrapped production in the UK, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. When discussing real-life inspirations for his Marvel characters, Waldron compared Loki to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, then compared Strange to Anthony Bourdain, explaining:

When you explain it that way, it makes sense. Anthony Bourdain did project a “been there” coolness that Benedict Cumberbatch has brought to several of his interactions with fellow Marvel characters. Sometimes mistaken as aloof, Strange is merely observing far more than can be processed by most, but stops short of “punching down,” as Michael Waldron puts it.

Speaking of punching, Waldron referred to another silver screen icon when it comes to Doctor Strange’s physicality, saying:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also is expected to peel back the onion on the multiverse, as a whole, potentially creating bridges to other worlds (and alternate universes) that can lead to more problems for the main MCU characters. Might this also begin in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which reaches theaters in December, three whole months before Strange gets his movie dropped? Really, you need to be checking our guide to Upcoming Marvel Movies, because stories will be dropping at a serious clip now, and you won’t want to miss a single one.

Popular celebrity chef, author, and documentarian Anthony Bourdain died on June 8, 2018, and his legacy has not been forgotten over the two years since his death. Fans of Bourdain and his work through the years have shared touching tributes marking the anniversary of his death, and the messages come from all corners of the internet.

Anthony Bourdain's death in 2018 shocked the world. Known for his work on the small screen on shows like No Reservations and Parts Unknown, the host died by suicide during production of a Parts Unknown episode being filmed in France.

In the immediate aftermath of Anthony Bourdain's death in 2018, celebrities ranging from the former President of the United States to chefs who knew Bourdain well shared their own messages of shock and sadness, and Travel Channel found a way to honor him as well. As popular food show host Phil Rosenthal commented, Bourdain was more than just a popular food show host.

Now, two years after his death, fans are hitting social media to celebrate his life.

Despite his status as an expert chef who could seemingly make something delicious out of anything, Anthony Bourdain was more than a food personality as he journeyed all over the world and showcased new people, places, and cultures. Viewers were able to take something away from his shows, even if it wasn't how to make something more than a grilled cheese.

Another person on social media learned some important life lessons from watching Anthony Bourdain, and they didn't mince any words in paying tribute to him two years after his death. For somebody else, a specific quote and a famous photo were enough to honor Bourdain:

President Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain shared a meal of noodles and beer in Vietnam back in 2016, and the result was a photo that widely circulated (and was posted by Obama himself) in the days following Bourdain's death in 2018. The tweet also honors Bourdain for spreading awareness about racism in the food industry.

Author and food history podcaster Simon Majumdar commented on Anthony Bourdain's legacy while also revealing how Bourdain's death impacted him to the point that he hasn't yet been able to rewatch one of Bourdain's shows. Another person on Twitter may have summed up the prevailing feeling about Anthony Bordain on the two-year anniversary of his death:

Fans of Anthony Bourdain from his TV shows and books weren't the only ones thinking about him on the two-year anniversary. Bourdain's friend Joe Rogan took to Instagram to share a personal story and honor him:

Anthony Bourdain's legacy clearly endures two years following his death, and several of his shows are currently available streaming for viewers to relive the work that meant so much to so many people. Two seasons of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations are streaming on Hulu, and Amazon Prime is home to Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour and Anthony Bourdain Explains Everything.

If you're still in the market for some new and returning TV options, be sure to check out our 2020 summer premiere schedule.

Gordon Ramsay is not known for holding anything back, and the celebrity chef is at it again while promoting his new show Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted. This time, Ramsay is speaking out regarding the critical assertions some have made that Uncharted is cribbing from Anthony Bourdain’s award-winning series, Parts Unknown.

While taking part in the Uncharted panel for the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Gordon Ramsay spoke out about the issue, saying this:

There you have it. Not that Gordon Ramsay was expected to deliver a 20-minute admission about secretly copying Anthony Bourdain's work, though it would have made his answer (per Deadline) as spicy as some of the food he eats during his various series.

Will this be the last time the Hell’s Kitchen star has to weigh in about his show's comparative qualities to Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown? Probably not. Last year, Ramsay addressed the critique with some pretty strong words, but that was before Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted had even gotten a chance to air.

The series recently premiered on Nat Geo, though, which has accordingly renewed the conversation. For those who don't even understand why the comparisons between Gordon Ramsay’s new show and Anthony Bourdain’s final series exist, it's because Ramsay travels to locations far and wide on his series, testing out local delicacies that are vastly different from what many people are used to. Essentially, it's a travel show that focuses on food, putting it squarely in the same genre as Bourdain’s series.

In his latest statement addressing his critics, Gordon Ramsay did acknowledge his respect for Anthony Bourdain, as well as for how the chef-turned-author-turned-host crafted Parts Unknown. However, Ramsay points out that “this journey” that got him to Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, began back in 2004. Why does that matter?

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown premiered almost a decade later in 2013. Making it impossible for Gordon Ramsay to have just cut, copied, and pasted Parts Unknown’s formula for himself. The same goes for Bourdain's earlier series No Reservations, which debuted in 2005.

In Ramsay’s previous statement addressing the comparisons, the chef also asserted how his activities pre-dated Bourdain’s on his series.

Anthony Bourdain passed away last year at the age of 61. His show concluded after airing one more season on CNN following his death. At the time, Ramsay told EW that his friend would be “happy and impressed” with the amount of jeopardy taken on in Uncharted.

Gordon Ramsay also urged people to reserve judgment until they had seen his new show. Now that curious minds are able to do so, the tide may change regarding comparative feedback.

If you are ready to enjoy the excitement of travel and cuisine, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted is currently airing its first season. Nat Geo has already renewed the series for Season 2. So, there will be even more episodes to look forward to in the future.

New episodes of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted premieres air Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on Nat Geo, which will soon be home to The Right Stuff series aka the television adaptation. You can still watch Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on Netflix with a side dish of upcoming premieres. Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted airs on National Geographic,

The world is still coming to terms with the tragic death of Anthony Bourdain. The celebrated chef, best-selling author, and world-known television personality passed away a few months earlier, leaving behind a lasting legacy of food fans and travel lovers in the midst of mourning. It is hard to process, and the grief has proven to be extremely difficult for Asia Argento, the girlfriend of the late celebrity. As she revealed in a recent interview, the first one she has allowed about the difficult subject since Bourdain passed away, she is being blamed for the death of Anthony Bourdain by a number of different people. She also got very honest and open about the difficulties she has faced in the aftermath of her late boyfriend's death.

The exclusive interview was conducted by The Daily Mail, and it was during this conversation that she discussed how people have cast blame on her.

The feelings Asia Argento holds for Anthony Bourdain's death are understandably conflicted. Argento claims to be angry at him for leaving both her and her children, but also feels guilt about the pain he carried inside him. In the end, she claims he didn't share that pain, to the point where he took it with him to his end. The two-part interview will talk about a variety of different topics which relate to the actress and filmmaker, including Asia Argento's decision to return to The X-Factor shortly after Anthony Bourdain's death. It will also reportedly address the sexual allegations against Asia Argento, which claim the #MeToo activist slept with Jimmy Bennett when he was 17. Argento claims these allegations have "destroyed her life."

Anthony Bourdain was recently remembered and celebrated during this month's annual Emmy awards, where the late television personality walked away with six posthumous Emmys. For his work on CNN's Parts Unknown, including Best Non-Fiction Writing for the series. In addition to his work on television, Bourdain is also remembered as an author, notably for the best-selling confessional memoir, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, the book which propelled Bourdain into superstardom, among other achievements throughout his career. He is undoubtedly missed today.

If you or someone you know have thoughts about suicide, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK, which is available 24/7 across the United States.

Anthony Bourdain may be gone, but the Emmys have not forgotten his impact on television. The winners for the Creative Arts Emmys were announced last night (September 9) and Anthony Bourdain's CNN series, Parts Unknown, was among the winners. The series won six awards with one perhaps particularly bittersweet and long-awaited victory among them. The celebrity chef and television host was finally honored with the award for Best Non-Fiction Writing for his work on Parts Unknown.

Anthony Bourdain had been nominated for the award eight times during his career, only to have victory escape him each time. Parts Unknown producer, Lydia Tenaglia, accepted the award on his behalf while noting the "tremendous bittersweetness" in accepting it possessed. The victory comes a brief time after Bourdain died while filming the series in France. He passed away roughly three months ago in early June. He won Emmys for best informational series or special, writing for non-fiction program, picture editing for a non-fiction program, sound editing for a non-fiction program, and sound mixing for a non-fiction program, all for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. The sixth Emmy came due to a win in the best short-form non-fiction or reality category for his series Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown.

His legacy lives on. Among the awards, Parts Unknown won last night was the one for Best Informational Series or Special. The series will have an opportunity to add to its awards wins next year. CNN recently announced that Parts Unknown would return for a twelfth and final season. The show will feature Anthony Bourdain, who had filmed enough content before his death to create a season that brings the series to an end. Only one episode of Season 12 had been entirely completed before Bourdain's death.

That episode will feature Anthony Bourdain's written narration, and it will be the last one to do so. That installment of Parts Unknown will follow Bourdain's trip to Kenya alongside CNN's United Shades of America host W. Kamau Bell. The final episode of the series will be a tribute to its star. Just last year, the host had been on the red carpet of the Emmys alongside, fellow celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey.

What a sad difference a year makes. Anthony Bourdain's posthumous Emmy wins join his four other awards for his work on the series in years past. Throughout the evening, his Parts Unknown colleagues accepted the numerous awards wins on behalf of Bourdain while paying tribute to Bourdain in their acceptance speeches. Backstage, executive producer of Explore Parts Unknown, Nathan Thornburgh, acknowledged how crucial the public's support has been in getting through the time since Bourdain's death, per Variety.

Despite the show initially being set to expire on the streaming service, you can still check out Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on Netflix, along with other series. As for the twelfth and final season of the CNN series, it will join a multitude of other shows that are set to air this fall. And fans will not have to wait much longer to see it. Parts Unknown Season 12 will premiere Sunday, September 23 at 9 p.m. ET on CNN.

Gordon Ramsay has been an outspoken TV personality for a long time, and when he wants to speak up on a topic, he is going to speak up on a topic. Speaking of, the chef has a new show Uncharted coming to TV, which will feature the popular chef traveling around the world in the search for new and exciting food. The show has already drawn comparisons to the late Anthony Bourdain's brand of food travel, but Gordon Ramsay says the criticism is wildly off-base. In fact, he says his show is certainly not ripping off Bourdain's famous shows. As Ramsay put it,

So, according to Gordon Ramsay, for more than a decade the chef has spent time traveling around the world to influence his culinary tastes and to have new experiences.

Furthermore, Gordon Ramsay says that he was pals with Anthony Bourdain and would never have deigned to do anything to try to shoehorn himself exactly into the space Bourdain occupied in the culinary world. He also told EW in the interview about the controversy:

All in all Gordon Ramsay is not mincing words, either when it comes to defending his new show or his pal's memory. In fact, Ramsay was one of the major celebrities who came out to bring suicide awareness after Anthony Bourdain took his own life back in June. In the time since, both CNN and the Travel Channel paid tribute to the chef and travel expert and the final episodes of his series are set to hit the schedule later this year. According to Ramsay, Uncharted is not supposed to be like No Reservations or Parts Unknown.

Food-related travel shows (or travel-related food shows?) on television are fairly common, but no one did them quite like Anthony Bourdain. It seems like Gordon Ramsay has no desire to try to compete with his old "mate," but like most controversies that arise before new programs air, we'll have to wait and see what Uncharted is like when it hits the airwaves. The new Nat Geo series will hit the airwaves sometime in 2019. For now, you can catch Gordon Ramsay back on Fox when Hell's Kitchen returns to the schedule on September 28.

Italian actress and model Asia Argento has been a headline magnet recently, with the recent reveal that the pillar for the #MeToo movement had paid off a man who'd accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was 17. The situation already got her booted from an upcoming stint on one TV show, and now her past appearances on Anthony Bourdain's CNN travel show Parts Unknown can no longer be seen, as the network has completely removed Argento's episodes from both its website and from linear airings.

CNN made the decision to pull the two episodes of Parts Unknown that Asia Argento was featured in, which include the "Rome" installment from Season 8, and the Season 11's "Hong Kong" episode. Both eps are notable specifically for Argento's involvement, too. Anthony Bourdain's trip to Rome marked the first time he met his future girlfriend, who served as his tour guide through the non-tourist sections of the country's southern region. And it was in the "Hong Kong" installment, which was directed by Argento, that Bourdain first spoke of their relationship on the culinary series. Both episodes were among the celebrity chef's favorites, as well.

It's unclear how long the Parts Unknown episodes will remain stricken from CNN, but it likely isn't a permanent removal. Here's the statement the network provided to Buzzfeed News .

It's been reported that the "Buenos Aires" Parts Unknown episode has also apparently been removed from CNN's platforms. The episode doesn't feature Asia Argento, but does feature Anthony Bourdain speaking with a therapist about his depression. CNN had not made additional comments about why this episode was also missing.

Asia Argento, who was dating Anthony Bourdain at the time of his death in June, was revealed to have paid $380,000 to actor Jimmy Bennett as a settlement after he alleged she'd given him alcohol before sexually assaulting him when he was 17. Argento has patently denied the assault claims, but did admit to paying Bennett off, saying she and Bourdain considered him dangerous and wanted to pay him to avoid negative publicity. Since then, she has been fired from her duties on the reality competition show X Factor Italy.

Parts Unknown is obviously coming to a close in the aftermath of host Anthony Bourdain's death, with the final produced episodes set to air in the latter part of 2018. but it remains a highly popular program on CNN, which continues to regularly air repeats. Stay tuned for more info, and head to our fall TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are hitting primetime soon.

The final episodes of the eleventh season of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown aired back in June on CNN. And while that may have seemed like the end of Parts Unknown at the time, it turns out there's still more in store. Yes, there will be a twelfth season of the series, and the late Bourdain will be in it. Here is how Season 12 will come together.

Anthony Bourdain had filmed enough material before his death to create a twelfth season for Parts Unknown, according to The Los Angeles Times, which broke the news of the additional season. That said, only one episode had been completed in its entirety before Bourdain's passing. That Parts Unknown episode chronicles Bourdain's trip to Kenya with CNN's United Shades of America host W. Kamau Bell. It is the last episode of Parts Unknown that will feature Bourdain's written narration.

We also know where four of the episodes will take place. Manhattan's Lower East Side will serve as a location, along with the Big Bend area of Texas which rests alongside the border of Mexico, the Asturias region of Spain, and Indonesia. The directors from those four episodes will complete them. Despite the series losing Anthony Bourdain's signature narration, viewers will be able to hear his voice in the latter episodes thanks to the footage that was filmed prior to his death. Additional interviews are being filmed to flesh out the episodes.

There will be seven Parts Unkown episodes in Season 12 with the latter two sounding as though they will be retrospective in nature. In the second to last episode of the series, the cast and crew behind Parts Unknown will share behind-the-scenes stories about making the series. The final episode of the show will be devoted to the memory of Bourdain and his impact on the world. It will be an undoubtedly emotional send-off.

For fans of the show, it is a final chance to glimpse Anthony Bourdain in the place many viewers came to know him best. Since its premiere in 2013, Parts Unknown was a must-see for many CNN viewers. For non-CNN viewers, Netflix has provided a gateway for new viewers curious to watch the series. Incidentally, the series was initially set to expire from the streaming platform shortly following his death. Netflix eventually reached a deal to continue streaming the fan-favorite series.

Fans of the show will not have to wait too much longer to watch the final season of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. While CNN has not announced an official premiere date, Season 12 is set to begin airing on CNN this fall. For what's set to arrive late this summer, check out CinemaBlend summer premiere guide. For new television shows also set to arrive this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

Last month, renowned chef, acclaimed author and popular television personality Anthony Bourdain left this world at 61, in what was deemed a suicide. It was a shocking, sudden and deeply tragic loss for fans all around the world. And among those grieving the hardest is Asia Argento, the filmmaker and actress Bourdain was dating when he passed away. It has unquestionably been a difficult time for Argento, but this week, she provided her social media followers with a heartfelt (and heartbreaking) remembrance of the man she lost, along with a photo of the two taken mere days before he died. Take a look at Asia Argento's tribute to the late Anthony Bourdain below.

In addition to posting this private photo on her Instagram account, Asia Argento also wrote a heartfelt message in Italian, which is translated loosely into English below.

Anthony Bourdain's untimely death continues to weigh heavily on the minds of many people, particularly fans of his popular shows No Reservations and Parts Unknown. The television personality was in the midst of filming the newest season of Parts Unknown when his body was found in a hotel room in Kayerberg, France. CNN aired the final remaining episodes of the series shortly after Bourdain passed away, and Netflix renewed its contract to keep the series on the streaming platform, notably since the series was soon set to be kicked off the site before Bourdain left us. He will be remembered fondly by many for his wit, heart, talent, and persistence. That is certainly the case inside the heart of Asia Argento, as she writes here.

While Asia Argento and Anthony Bourdain were very close, they had no intentions of getting married, according to Bourdain. They were both married previously, with Bourdain still legally married to his wife and the mother of his only daughter, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, when he passed away last month. In the will, Bourdain left most of his estate to his aforementioned 11-year-old daughter, which is estimated to be near $1.2 million.

While Anthony Bourdain was troubled in his final years, the chef admitted in interviews that he was filled with contentment thanks to Asia Argento. The split between Bourdain and his wife was considered amicable, and while they were no longer romantic lovers, they remained friends until the sad end. If we see any more tributes to Anthony Bourdain's legacy, we'll be sure to post them right here at CinemaBlend.

If you or someone you know have suicidal thoughts, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK, which is available 24/7 across the United States.

Fans of late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain will get to see the final episodes of his show Parts Unknown after all. At the time of his death, three episodes had been ready for air. The first of the three was aired last Sunday. Bourdain's death was discovered on Friday. That episode of Parts Unknown featured Berlin. Now CNN has announced that the two other episodes that were completed before Bourdain's death will also air on the news network.

CNN's announcement means that the episodes will air as previously planned, per EW. There is still no word on what will become of the episode Anthony Bourdain was working on at the time of his death. That episode of Parts Unknown was being filmed in France and is unfinished. Along with the news that CNN would finish airing the completed episodes of Season 11, they also announced something else. The network's tribute to Bourdain will be rebroadcast this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on CNN, preceding the airing of the next episode of Parts Unknown.

The popular travel show has aired on CNN since 2013. In it, Anthony Bourdain traversed the world, entertaining viewers with aplomb. The final episodes of Season 11 will feature Cajun Mardi Gras and Bhutan. The beloved chef and host's loss has been mourned by fans, celebrities, and fellow chefs the world over in the past week. CNN's decision to air the rest of Season 11 comes as Netflix also made a decision concerning Parts Unknown.

The show was scheduled to leave the streaming service before Netflix announced via Twitter that they had reached an agreement to keep the series on the platform for months into the future. How many months that is remains a mystery in the tweet, as does whether the new deal means additional seasons, including the current one, will be made available to watch on the platform. Netflix is currently streaming the series' first eight seasons.

Episode 7 of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown Season 11 featuring Cajun Mardi Gras will air this Sunday, June 17 at 9 p.m. ET on CNN. The eighth and now final episode of Season 11, featuring Bhutan, will air Sunday, June 24 at 9 p.m. ET on CNN. In his final season, Anthony Bourdain traversed West Virginia, Uruguay, Newfoundland, Armenia, and Hong Kong, among other locations. Find out how his other journeys turned out when the final episodes of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown air this month.

For new upcoming and returning television shows you can anticipate watching in the coming months, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres. If you are curious about upcoming TV shows that are set to stream on Netflix, CinemaBlend has you covered with our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown as well as our guide to Amazon Prime's premiere schedule.

Many celebrities have reacted to the death of Anthony Bourdain, shared heartfelt messages and stories of his kindness, with many serving as reminders of the legacy he has left behind. And when it comes to talking about his legacy, few can approach it from the angle of Everybody Loves Raymond creator and Bourdain super-fan Phil Rosenthal, who has been living a similar experience to Bourdain for some time now as the host of Netflix's food and travel series Somebody Feed Phil. Rosenthal spoke to CinemaBlend recently, telling me what he admired about Bourdain, and why the influential celeb was far more than just a TV personality.

Phil Rosenthal hailed Anthony Bourdain's ability to continually evolve throughout his career to the point where he ended up being a world-class journalist that just so happened to use food and travel as means to an end. While Bourdain's post-restaurant journey may have started as a celebration of delectable meals in exotic locations, the chef pulled back the curtain on many under-served sections of the world to tell their stories, with much of the history lesson passed on through the food and locales Bourdain visited, which he masterfully wove into the program and kept viewers enthralled all the same.

There were times when Anthony Bourdain hit upon touchy subjects and situations that weren't exactly subtle, and those instances might have felt out of place on a show hosted by someone else. But it always felt perfectly natural with Bourdain, who always preferred candid conversation over planned-out talking points. Rosenthal mentioned that folks shouldn't take Bourdain's abilities such as these for granted, and should always appreciate those skills, in addition to the entertainment provided by shows such as No Reservations and Parts Unknown. Not to mention his written works.

Not everyone fully appreciated everything Anthony Bourdain was doing, but critics and Hollywood seemed to love it. Bourdain was showered with Emmys and various other awards throughout his career for his work on Parts Unknown, along with his contributions to the food industry as a whole, so there were definitely more people taking notice of his abilities beyond Phil Rosenthal. That said, it's certainly high praise from Rosenthal, considering he also took on widespread praise from the same overall audience, not only for Netflix's Somebody Feed Phil, but also for its PBS-set docu-series I'll Have What Phil's Having, which even won the host a James Beard Award.

Somebody Feed Phil: The Second Course is headed to Netflix on Friday, July 6, at 12:01 a.m. PT. For more on Anthony Bourdain, check out the one celebrity cook the former chef always wanted to cook with. To see how Rosenthal feels about doing more Everybody Loves Raymond, check out what he told us. For a look at other things headed to Netflix before and after that, be sure to visit our Netflix premiere guide. Those who are just interested in everything coming to television over the next couple of months should visit our summer premiere guide.

On Friday, it was revealed that Anthony Bourdain tragically took his own life. The author, chef and television personality left an undeniable mark on many people around the world, and the late 61-year-old celebrity's untimely death has inspired many people to come forward and be more open with their own struggles with mental illness. Bourdain is remembered by his girlfriend, Asia Argento, and by his 11-year-old daughter, Ariane Bourdain. He is also remembered by his wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain. The couple was still legally married when Anthony Bourdain tragically took his own life, although they amicably split in 2016, shortly after Anthony started dating his actress/director/activist girlfriend. Nevertheless, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain is the chef's legal next of kin, and therefore she is now in charge of decision-making for her late husband, which includes what will happen with his remains.

As reported by Page Six, Anthony Bourdain's marriage to Ottavia Busia-Bourdain was never officially finalized before his death. However, Anthony Bourdain wasn't planning to marry his girlfriend, Asia Argento. Anthony Bourdain and Ottavia Busia-Bourdain were married in 2007. Anthony was also previously married to Nancy Putkowski. Nancy and Anthony were married in 1985 before they were legally separated in 2005. They shared no children.

Anthony Bourdain admitted in a recent interview with People that he wasn't interested in getting married a third time. Nor was Asia Argento. But the celebrity couple wanted to make it work in their own way. Here's the quote from the late chef and travel documentarian.

In a separate interview with People in 2016, Anthony Bourdain remained confessional about the broken state of his relationship with Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, admitting that they have not been close with each other for quite some time, but noting there was no drama between them.

It's not yet known what will happen in regards to Anthony Bourdain's funeral arrangements. Pascal Lohr, the mayor of Kayserberg, France -- where Anthony Bourdain's body was found -- said the town is "awaiting the wishes of the family." He also said that when those wishes are received, everything will be done "as quickly as possible."

If you or someone you know have thoughts about suicide, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK, which is available 24/7 across the United States.

UPDATE: After this story was posted, Netflix sent out a tweet stating it extended its agreement with CNN to keep Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on the service for the near future.

The tragic passing of Anthony Bourdain has led many fans of the acclaimed chef and world traveler to memorialize his work in various ways. Some have shared personal stories, some have engaged in one-of-a-kind meals, and others have simply hopped on Netflix and spent hours upon hours binging his most current (and arguably most celebrated) television series Parts Unknown. Unfortunately, it looks as though subscribers will only be able to binge CNN's food and travel series for just a short while longer, as Netflix is set to kick the series off its service Saturday, June 16.

Netflix's decision to remove Parts Unknown from its lineup was announced in late May, as part of its usual content change-ups, which was weeks before Bourdain's' death just last week. Netflix has not announced any plans to leave the series on its platform, which is understandable, since it's not simply a yes-or-no decision to make. That means fans only have a few short days to binge all eight seasons that are currently available on the streaming service before they're gone for good. It's a feat that's certainly attainable especially for those who've already watched a few, although perhaps not as viable for folks whose jobs and other responsibilities are more attention-demanding.

In an attempt to keep Anthony Bourdain central to Netflix for a while longer, the show's fans have started a petition to convince the service to work out a deal with CNN to allow the series to remain on the platform. As of writing, the petition has gotten over 5,000 signatures, but there's no telling how many would need to sign to convince the platform to try and negotiate a deal, assuming any amount would work. 2018 has already proven fan movements do impact the television industry, although encouraging a streaming service to renew licensing on a currently produced show it doesn't own is a different beast than wanting it to renew a cancelled series. As stated, Netflix announced this decision prior to Bourdain's death, and the show's vanishing date point is coming too soon for them to do anything about it.

Netflix losing its claim to Parts Unknown is potentially advantageous to CNN, which can then broker a new deal with Netflix or another streaming service for the rights to all the episodes that have been released. Bourdain's series has always been popular, and with tragedy often comes renewed interest from an audience with an increased appreciation and appetite for applicable entertainment. A streaming service like Hulu, Amazon, or even Netflix may wish to capitalize that, and CNN in turn may be able to up its price for the privilege to stream Parts Unknown.

Unless Netflix jumps in and saves Parts Unknown the series is scheduled to leave the service on Saturday, June 16. Netflix subscribers that may be looking for another series to binge in its place, or just wanting to see what's on the way can find out all they need to know with our Netflix premiere guide. For a more generalized breakdown of new and returning programming headed to television over the next few months, visit our summer premiere guide.

News of beloved chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain's death broke on the morning of June 8, leaving fans and celebrities alike stricken and mourning at the sudden loss. He died in an apparent suicide, which only adds to the tragedy of the situation. In the wake of his passing, Travel Channel has found a touching way to honor him after he spent years hosting on the network. Viewers can watch a marathon of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Travel Channel this weekend.

In a tribute to Anthony Bourdain and his contributions to Travel Channel, the network will air a 12-hour marathon of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Sunday, June 10 beginning at 7 a.m. ET. Travel Channel has not specifically noted which episodes of No Reservations have been selected for the marathon, but the network has announced that viewers will watch him take them on a journey to the landscapes, cuisine and history of Laos, for one. Another episode will chronicle his trip to Costa Brava in Spain to spend some time at El Bulli. Furthermore, he'll explore the people and cuisine of the "two Maines" in another episode. What better way to honor Bourdain -- and give his fans the chance to honor him -- than with a marathon of his adventures?

No Reservations premiered back in July 2005 with an episode amusingly called "France: Why the French Don't Suck," which took him to Paris. Anthony Bourdain would revisit Paris years later in 2010 for the show's milestone 100th episode. No Reservations was a hit with fans and critics alike, and it was nominated for no fewer than 13 Emmys, winning two for Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming.

Travel Channel held on to Anthony Bourdain until No Reservations aired its final episode on November 5, 2012. The series ran for 142 episodes and nine seasons. Bourdain moved from Travel Channel to CNN after the end of No Reservations, and he would go on to host the successful series Parts Unknown on the cable news channel. Despite the fact that Bourdain ended his career on a different network, Travel Channel is going to extra mile to honor him after his tragic death.

Anthony Bourdain's death was reported on the morning of Friday, June 8. He was reportedly found hanging in his hotel room in France, and his death is being treated as a suicide. Bourdain was traveling with his production team while filming new episodes of Parts Unknown. His death was confirmed by CNN.

To honor Anthony Bourdain as host of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, be sure to tune in to Travel Channel on Sunday, June 10 at 7 a.m. ET. The marathon will run for 12 hours, so hopefully everybody who wants to will be able to sit down and watch for at least a little bit. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with Anthony Bourdain's friends, family, and loved ones in this difficult time.

The death of Anthony Bourdain has shocked the world, and chefs and celebrities alike are taking to Twitter to share their memories of the television host, as well as a message to anyone suffering. Gordon Ramsey spoke of Bourdain's importance to exposing the masses to the world around them and reminded anyone who is suicidal that help is always available:

Ramsey was joined by several others who saw the tragedy as an opportunity to use their platform to raise suicide awareness and perhaps prevent another life lost. Other celebrity chefs were simply dumbfounded by the news as Alton Brown took to Twitter, and despite having spent time with Bourdain in the past, couldn't wrap his head around what had happened:

Alton Brown couldn't find the words to describe Anthony Bourdain's impact on the world, but his colleague and Chopped host Ted Allen managed to find some things to say. Allen mentioned Bourdain's body of work, and stated that ultimately, the chef left the world a better place despite his tragic exit:

Ted Allen may have been right in his analysis of Anthony Bourdain's life, as even his oldest rival took to the internet to pay his respects. Famed chef Emeril Lagasse, who Bourdain had publicly feuded with and ridiculed years prior, went to Twitter to memorialize the man he was lucky enough to make peace with prior to:

These are only some of the messages posted on social media in the wake of Anthony Bourdain's death. For what certain celebrities had to say about his passing, head on over to the next page!

Anthony Bourdain had many chefs paying their respects to his memory online, but also had his fair share of celebrity admirers as well. Former President Barack Obama shared his recollection of the time he and Bourdain ate together in Vietnam during an episode of Parts Unknown back in 2016:

Anthony Bourdain was hailed by others in the industry for showing society that great food can exist in the most unlikely of places, and for pulling back the curtain on places most in the world may never get to experience. Somebody Feed Phil creator and host Phil Rosenthal called Bourdain a huge inspiration for his Netflix series, which is also a food and travel show:

Anthony Bourdain's shows always featured a wide array of different types of people, so it's only fitting reactions to his death are flooding in from people regardless of the industry they're a part of. Presidents, actors, and even musicians like The Roots' Questlove have a story to share about Bourdain, and how he affected their lives personally:

Many celebrities had personal messages to share upon the news of Anthony Bourdain's death, although few are as personal as that of Italian actress Asia Argento. Argento, who had been dating Bourdain since early 2017, published a brief statement regarding his passing as well as a request to respect his family's privacy:

We here at CinemaBlend are saddened by the loss of Anthony Bourdain and wish his friends and family the best in this difficult time. For a look at upcoming summer programming, visit our summer premiere guide. For more on Bourdain's meal with the President, check out our story about how much Bourdain ended up paying for the former and Commander in Chief's meal.

Anthony Bourdain, an influential chef and, later, television personality who led such shows as No Reservations and The Layover, died on Friday. Bourdain was 61 years old.

CNN reports live on their own network that Anthony Bourdain was found dead in a French hotel room, where he was traveling with his production team while filming new episodes of his original travel series, Parts Unknown. The network is reporting that Bourdain was found hanging, in an apparent suicide. In a statement, CNN says:

Anthony Bourdain was a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, establishing himself as a renowned chef while working around Manhattan, serving in kitchens such as One Fifth Avenue, the Supper Club, and the famed French restaurant, Brasserie Les Halles. Though the restaurant closed in 2017, Bourdain maintained the "chef-at-large" distinction until it shut its doors.

Though Bourdain will always be known for his culinary achievements, it was his books and, later, television shows that thrust him into the national spotlight and made him a household name. Bourdain broke into this field in 2000 with the best-selling book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. That book pulled the curtain back on the cutthroat culinary atmosphere that allegedly could be found in New York City, and his personality seemed like a natural fit for the chaos and competitiveness that drives the glut of competitive-cooking reality shows that sprung from that time and exist now.

Anthony Bourdain's television career dates back to 2002, when he teamed with the Food Network for a combination food-and-travel program in A Cook's Tour. This became Bourdain's niche on TV, taking his show on the road to unexpected locations to explore the culinary options of places like Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

From there, Anthony Bourdain expanded on his legacy as an explorer and entertainer on memorable programs like No Reservations and The Layover -- both on The Travel Channel -- and recently on CNN's Parts Unknown. A Beirut-based episode of No Reservations was nominated for an Emmy in 2007, while Parts Unknown took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series of Special every year from 2013 to 2016.

Anthony Bourdain's legacy will be one as a chef, a gifted television personality, and a brilliant storyteller. He pushed the envelope on what culinary experts could do with a travel television show, and always seemed eager to change the format of his exploratory program rather than ever seeing it get stale. His death, arriving in the wake of the apparent suicide of fashion icon Kate Spade, is being treated as a call for suicide prevention, with CNN and other media outlets sharing the telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-8255.

Part of what makes Darren Aronofksy's latest feature film, mother!, so exciting is how little information about it has been revealed despite the movie getting released in just two weeks. Now, following a pair of stylish posters, a trailer and a clip, we have a reaction from someone who has actually seen the film. It's a rather unlikely source, too, as celebrity chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain just posted the following:

Per the film's official description, mother! finds Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem a happily married couple who, for some mysterious reason, take in two strangers as houseguests. Those characters, the roles played by Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer, soon threaten to tear apart Lawrence and Bardem's peaceful existence and, judging from the film's trailer, they might not even be total strangers in the first place. Darren Aronofsky has gone to great lengths to keep the twists of mother! a secret and Anthony Bourdain's comments seem to further drive home the suggestion that the film's final plot will be very, very different than audiences expect.

While Anthony Bourdain might seem like a strange source for film criticism, he and Darren Aronofsky have a history together. Aronofsky is a big fan of Bourdain's CNN travel series Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. He reached out to Bourdain and asked if he could appear on an episode. The pair traveled together to Madagascar for a 2015 episode. They seem to have kept in touch as Bourdain was among a small group invited to a private early screening of mother! in advanced of its screenings at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. Part of the reason for the short window between the festival debut of mother! and the wide release is said to be Aronofsky's desire to keep spoilers as contained as possible.

Admittedly, it's unlikely that anyone invited to a private screening hosted by a friend would rush to Twitter to post a negative reaction. Still, Anthony Bourdain's post should nevertheless serve to fuel the anticipation Darren Aronofsky fans are feeling about the imminent arrival of his first directorial effort since Noah in early 2014. The new movie mother! is believed to be a horror thriller and boasts an impressive lineup of talent, including the aforementioned Academy Award winners Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem opposite multiple Oscar nominees Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Also set to feature roles for Kristen Wiig, Jovan Adepo, Stephen McHattie and sibling actors Brian and Domhnall Gleeson, mother! will get a wide release through Paramount Pictures on September 15. It sounds like this is one you're going to want to catch as early as possible, too, since it sounds like a case where spoilers could really affect the moviegoing experience.

In addition to mother!, check out eight other films we're looking forward to that hit theaters in September.

There's no easy way to play this one, so we're just going to tell you this: Anthony Bourdain has a very definitive opinion on Baby Driver. We honestly can't talk too much about it without giving you the skinny on the famed chef and TV personality's opinion head on, so we're just going to show you what he said.

So yeah... Chef Bourdain is apparently not a fan of Edgar Wright's latest film, unless you employ some Veep level semantics and ask whether he meant to say, "Fuck Baby Driver," or if he meant to say, "Fuck, Baby Driver." Though considering there's plenty of room for a comma, and Bourdain's penchant for hipster bashing, we're inclined to think that Baby and his crew are another symbol of everything that the Parts Unknown host despises.

It's the sort of backlash you'd see with a film like (500) Days of Summer, which was also pretty much a movie you loved or hated. If you loved it, it seemed like a breath of fresh air that wore its influences on its sleeve, and took you for a ride the likes of which you're not used to in the here and now. But if you hated it, it was a self indulgent piece of hipster bait that seriously tested your nerves with its twee soundtrack, and insistence that Zooey Deschanel is the objectively perfect manic pixie dream girl. You know the debate, as it's one that's raged for some time, and Baby Driver is the latest film to fall under the same sort of scrutiny.

No matter if you're a fan or foe of Baby Driver, you're probably wondering just what sort of films Anthony Bourdain actually enjoys. Well, as luck would have it, a list of such films is available through the magic of the internet, and there's some fantastic entries on that list. Films like Goodfellas, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, and the original Get Carter all made it, which also shows just why his disdain for Baby Driver is so strong. Crime classics such as those are hard to measure up to, so obviously anything that might seem as if it's copying those films for its own perceived smugness is going to look like tripe. Though, if you're curious, there is a more recent movie that Anthony Bourdain absolutely approves of, and he let the world know it in the following follow-up tweet:

While Bourdain may have taken to Twitter to roast Baby Driver, we can't argue with the fact that The Raid: Redemption is indeed a quality film, as well as the rest of the films on his favorites list. You can have taste, and still disagree with the common consensus when it comes to a piece of cinema. It's what makes the world of film criticism interesting. If given the chance, we'd still further discuss the finer points of film and food with Anthony Bourdain, if only to get further down to the bottom of just what his inner cinephile craves. If you're reading out there, our door's always open, Chef.

Baby Driver is in theaters now, and you can judge for yourself if you haven't already.

Anthony Bourdain is a man who is a known lover of different types of experiences. In recent years, his popular TV shows have allowed him to travel around the world and sample different types of cuisines. He's eaten with President Obama and has even seen bombs go off in Beirut near his hotel. He's lived a very active life, but there's one thing he's always wanted to do: spend time cooking and eating with Rolling Stones member Keith Richards. He explained to CBS This Morning exactly why Keith Richards is a man he'd like to spend time with, noting:

It might be super cool, but it doesn't sound like something that Keith Richards has been all that interested in... at least so far. While the man is up for occasional forays into pop culture, and even popped up in a couple of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Anthony Bourdain isn't the only person who has had trouble locking Keith Richards down for an engagement. Recent reports also indicate that James Corden has been trying to get The Rolling Stones on for his "Carpool Karaoke" segment to no avail. The man's 72; he can do what he wants at this point.

Still, a Keith Richards-filled episode of Parts Unknown actually sounds like a pretty fun episode. Along with President Obama, we've seen a slew of other celebrities pop up in Parts Unknown. That includes Bill Murray, who appeared in an episode in Charleston featuring a baseball game with the Charleston RiverDogs. Famed director Darren Aronofsky visited Madagascar with Bourdain in another episode. Plenty of food authors and famous chefs have also popped up on the show to share their love of food as well as insights into their respective cultures.

Parts Unknown has always done really well with its addition of celebrity guests, making it less about the celebrity and more about how they are feeling about the cuisine and the culture. A recent episode pulled together a whole slew of British chefs and mixed cuisine with talk about Brexit, and often Anthony Bourdain has managed to be topical while talking to us about food and culture. Other times, however, the food journalism is a little more informal, and fun. He has a good knack for working out what his guests are comfortable with. Hopefully, one day he'll be able to talk Keith Richards into joining the show.

In the meantime, Parts Unknown is currently airing its eighth season on CNN. You can catch new episodes on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, which means it competes with The Walking Dead and Westworld. We know, rough. You can also find out what is coming up in 2017 with our fall TV premiere schedule.

If you’ve paid attention to Anthony Bourdain and his long career, you know that he’s a man with strong taste buds and even stronger opinions. He’s eaten food all across the planet in the finest restaurants and in the most rural settings, but somehow hadn’t ever experienced the glowing yellow glory that is a Waffle House. Check out his first trip below.

For those of us that live in the South where any thrown rocks will land somewhere near a Waffle House parking lot, the 24-hour restaurant is a rite of culinary passage. But even those outside the region know about the crosshatched magic, and I was kind of astounded to learn that Bourdain had never been to one. That all changed thanks to his CNN series Parts Unknown and the Emmy-nominated Southern food mastermind Sean Brock.

Brock didn’t disappoint when it came to laying out exactly why Waffle House is so incredible to its patrons. (Perhaps incredible is a strong word, but I would easily leave this story half-written right now in order to go chow down on an All-Star Special.) He makes Bourdain try the pecan waffle, and positively drowns it beneath butter and syrup, which is obviously the best way to do anything.

And no trip to Waffle House can be complete without a healthy dose of hashbrowns with all the various fixins. In fact, very few trips there should be complete without a selections of cocktails taken in beforehand so that a plethora of jokes can be made about how to create the signature hashbrown dish. I personally like to go with scattered, covered, smothered, brothered, flippered, scampered, differed, trampled, clobbered and schmoozed. Things are funnier with alcohol.

The clip ends with a fantastic bit of dialogue between the two men about standout chef Thomas Keller’s most recognized restaurant.

Kind of a nerdy foodie reference there, but a funny one nonetheless.

Parts Unknown just finished off Season 6 with that trip to Charleston, South Carolina, but you can catch repeats on CNN, or just head to the website and watch the episodes there. Here’s hoping they hit up a Checkers or a Dairy Queen next season.

Anthony Bourdain is set to finally take the leap on to CNN. The frequent traveler and food connoisseur has already taped episodes of his newest program, Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, for an April 14 premiere date.

After nine seasons with No Reservations, Bourdain boldly decided to vie for a different network, leading to some big projects in the works. First, the TV personality signed on with famed chefs Nigella Lawson, Brian Malarky, and Ludo LeFebvre for ABC’s The Taste and then he sealed the deal to bring a show very much similar to No Reservations to CNN. Parts Unknown will feature Bourdain traveling and experiencing food in locations across the planet. Each episode will be a mini weekend excursion that takes a look at the local sites and plenty of the local food.

The first episode of the one-hour series will feature Bourdain in Myanmar—a country that only recently opened up to outsiders. According to Deadline, episodes have also been shot in Libya, Colombia, Tangier, the Congo, and Peru. Additionally, an episode was shot in the more accessible (for Bourdain at least) Koreatown in Los Angeles. It sounds like the same old stuff on a different channel, but cooking and traveling shows are what people like about and have come to expect from Bourdain, anyway. New episodes will air on Sunday nights with encores airing later in the night and on Saturdays.

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown will premiere on CNN on April 14 at 9 p.m. EST.

There seems to be no end to the TV cooking-competition shows. My newest favorite is probably Bravo’s Around the World in Eighty Plates, which forces chefs to traverse the globe, Amazing Race style, so they can compete in cooking challenges. However, Bravo’s newest program could be bumped off my radar now that Anthony Bourdain has decided to jump into the game with a cooking-competition show of his own.

Bourdain is teaming up with British food star Nigella Lawson to host a new cooking-competition program on ABC. According to Deadline, the show will be produced by Seven One International, and will feature a novice/mentor format similar to what we have seen on singing competitions such as The Voice. The new program, called The Taste, will follow four teams of cooks at various experience levels as they work with a mentor and compete with one another.

Eight episodes of the program have been ordered thus far, but if ABC is questioning Bourdain’s abilities more than the format, I expect the show will get picked up for more episodes at a later date. As a host of a food program, Bourdain is easy to listen to, and with his experience judging on Top Chef, he has a lot of experience to bring to the hosting table. Even if Bourdain by himself can occasionally be a bit too much, adding Lawson as a host should prove create a good balance. TV Blend will keep you posted when The Taste gets a premiere date.

Travel Channel is losing one of its best-known personalities to CNN after ten years. Emmy-winning No Reservations star Anthony Bourdain has signed a deal with the news network to head up a new show set for a 2013 premiere over at CNN as well as contributing to a variety of other yet-to-be determined projects.

No Reservations fans won’t be missing much, they’ll just need to head over to CNN to catch Bourdain’s travels, says The Hollywood Reporter. His new series, as yet untitled, will be very similar to what he’s been doing on Travel Channel for years. He’ll visit countries around the world and explored “their food, dining, and travel rituals.” The show is even produced by the same company, so it looks like it won’t be that much of a change for Bourdain. It’s likely, however, that he’ll see a bigger budget and may be able to take his show to greater lengths and perhaps more difficult locations. The new show will air new episodes on Sunday nights with repeats running on Saturdays.

With the deal in place Bourdain could show up as a contributor on CNN before the launch of the new series next year, but there’s no details on that at the moment. Bourdain’s new gig is a part of CNN’s efforts to broaden their appeal by adding more lifestyle programming; certainly he’s an opinionated personality that tends to draw attention. That seems to be just what CNN is looking for, according to CNN Worldwide executive vice president and managing editor Mark Whitaker who calls Bourdain “an outspoken commentator on social trends.” CNN will certainly give him a bigger stage on which to share that commentary.