Remembering Anthony Bourdain

I wonder if Anthony Bourdain had any idea how much he was respected, admired, and loved before he took his life on June 8?

Anthony Bourdain

I didn't know Bourdain other than through his TV persona in his programs on The Travel Channel (No Reservations) and CNN (Parts Unknown). I hadn't read his bestselling books, although I can see how his writing skills carried over into his shows. They flowed from one scene to the next to a satisfying conclusion.

Bourdain definitely had a screen presence—a slender 6-foot-4, wavy gray hair, and tattooed torso. He exuded a self-confidence that he was willing to try most anything. A zest for making the most out of life. Perhaps because he had erased the demons of drugs and alcohol from his body.

I liked his honest and straightforward opinions. He was fresh and blunt. He didn't try curry favor. He was true to himself and his viewers. A mutual respect. 

Bourdain was an excellent interviewer, never getting in the way of interviewee and allowing them to express their thoughts because he was also a listener and learner. He didn't seek out the rich and famous as he was comfortable with everyday folks. He had a sense of humor but it wasn't meanspirited toward others.

Although he bordered on being bold and brash at times, displaying what Southerners might refer to as a New York attitude, there was an empathy inside that revealed how much he cared about others.

And Bourdain allowed viewers to experience vicariously the pleasures of travel to various destinations, taste exotic foods and drinks, observe other cultures, and, in the process, bring the world closer together because of his humanity.

Here are a few remembrances and tributes about the 61-year-old chef, raconteur, and writer:

• The Best Writing in Memoriam of Anthony Bourdain
• Celebrities react to Bourdain's passing
• Bourdain recalling his "unhappy soul" in interview
• How Anthony Bourdain inspired the careers of so many
• Val Kilmer blasts Anthony Bourdain for "selfish" suicide
• Bourdain's mother says she never thought he'd die by suicide
• North Dakota Olive Garden Reviewer Recalls How Anthony Bourdain Saved Her From Scorn
• What Anthony Bourdain understood about authenticity
• 14 Things You Didn't Know About Anthony Bourdain
• NYC Chefs mourn Anthony Bourdain with touching tributes
• Anthony Bourdain's most memorable quotes
• CNN pays tribute to Anthony Bourdain by airing last three episodes of 'Parts Unknown'

Until the next time . . .

Pete Seeger: An Influential Life

Pete Seeger lived a long and productive life that touched and influenced several generations of Americans. He passed away on Jan. 27 at the age of 94.

Mr. Seeger was at the forefront of folk music, a political activist, a voice for the common person, and an environmentalist. 

A Harvard dropout and World War II veteran, he was also a man of conviction and determination -- always true to himself and others. He wasn't afraid to speak out and stand up against McCarthyism in the 1950s. 

I can't add anything about his great man that hasn't already been said (much better) by others such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and President Obama.  Read some of the tributes by clicking here and here.

I do recall back in my college years in the 1960s that one of my friends knew Mr. Seeger. She was going to invite him to one of our protests and was confident he would be there. But things happened, then school let out for the summer, and we went on with our lives. If I could only turn back the hands of time.

Mr. Seeger will be missed but his legacy will live on in songs such as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" "If I Had a Hammer," "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy," and "Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is a Season)."

And for those involved in civil rights -- past, present, and future --"We Shall Overcome."

Here's a few videos.

Until the next time...