Anthony Bourdain Dead at 61 of apparent suicide

[DOUBLELUNG]

I really enjoyed him on TV.  The biggest scare of my life was when my son (then 16) confided in a doctor that he was contemplating suicide.  We got him help and he is in a much better place, what was scary is that neither my wife or I, or his closest friends, had any idea.  I know, without any doubt, that he could have committed suicide and none of us would have been the wiser.  Shortly before he was born, a coworker's son, who to ALL appearances was doing great - funny, outgoing, good grades, popular athlete - killed himself.  It is easy to miss the signs, if there are even any.

All that said, I'm not much moved by celebrity suicides, ODs, etc.  I wish the media - and the VA -would pay as much attention to the ongoing epidemic of suicides among our veterans, to me a much larger cause for concern that does not get the attention it should.

[Curly]

I never heard of this guy until after he killed himself, and sorry to say I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for a guy who hated President Trump, and said that if given the chance he would assassinate Trump by poisoning his food. Joke, or not, I don't find that funny, and from everything else I've read about him recently it's obvious he was a typical anti-American, liberal, just like pretty much everyone employed by CNN. Really surprised to see how many thought he was such a great person.   

I never really knew his political leanings, but enjoyed his shows. 

BTW - there is a conspiracy theory out there that says the Clinton's had him wacked.

[magnanimous_j]

I never heard of this guy until after he killed himself, and sorry to say I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for a guy who hated President Trump, and said that if given the chance he would assassinate Trump by poisoning his food. Joke, or not, I don't find that funny, and from everything else I've read about him recently it's obvious he was a typical anti-American, liberal, just like pretty much everyone employed by CNN. Really surprised to see how many thought he was such a great person.   

Then you clearly don't know what you are talking about. I'd suggest you refrain from exposing others to your ignorant opinion.

[magnanimous_j]

I don't minimize the effects of depression and those things that cause some to hurt themselves. But the huge increase in suicide in the last 20 years shows me that societal changes have had a lot to do with how people deal with challenge and struggle. At a time when fewer people are being murdered, crime is down, wars are taking fewer lives and our way of life is very good, something has to be causing this and I think a lot of it is emphasis on self and not community.

I don't necessarily agree with your conclusion, but you bring up a very interesting and valid point.

[packmule]

All that said, I'm not much moved by celebrity suicides, ODs, etc.  I wish the media - and the VA -would pay as much attention to the ongoing epidemic of suicides among our veterans, to me a much larger cause for concern that does not get the attention it should.

Agreed. Also, results from a recent study show that suicide takes more teen lives now than automobile accidents....

[Angry Perch]

People that commit suicide simply have the "weak gene." and people that have the "strong gene" keep fighting till the bitter end. As the population grows expect to see the weak gene grow. Humans are a strange creature. And as with any species that over populate disease usually ends up controlling their numbers. For humans we have figured ways to combat disease. So war, genocide and suicide tend to take over.

Wow...

Insensitive comment from singleshot12, but there is kernel of truth to it.  There is a genetic link that pre-dispositions some families to be more prone to this.  I have a genetic predisposition to have high blood pressure and heart attacks so that's something I'll need to keep an eye on, other families have genetic predispositions to be obese, and other families have genetic predispositions to have high rates of cancer...and some have higher rates of suicide than other families, but I stop short of calling them "weak".

Certainly wasn't meant to be insensitive. Since we were into the psychology behind suicide I was simply stating my opinion as to why.  Strong people don't give up living.

I never took it as insensitive, it’s a good point. And it seems more and more now days, honesty or ones opinion is taken as insensitive. Suicide is a weakness, especially more for those who have everything but chose the end as an option.

Is the guy who deals with demons for years, or even decades, and finally makes the ultimate decision to kill the pain, weaker than the guy that never felt that kind of pain in the first place? All of us have been through pain and tragedy, but none of us can know what that pain feels like for someone else.

[singleshot12]

People that commit suicide simply have the "weak gene." and people that have the "strong gene" keep fighting till the bitter end. As the population grows expect to see the weak gene grow. Humans are a strange creature. And as with any species that over populate disease usually ends up controlling their numbers. For humans we have figured ways to combat disease. So war, genocide and suicide tend to take over.

Wow...

Insensitive comment from singleshot12, but there is kernel of truth to it.  There is a genetic link that pre-dispositions some families to be more prone to this.  I have a genetic predisposition to have high blood pressure and heart attacks so that's something I'll need to keep an eye on, other families have genetic predispositions to be obese, and other families have genetic predispositions to have high rates of cancer...and some have higher rates of suicide than other families, but I stop short of calling them "weak".

Certainly wasn't meant to be insensitive. Since we were into the psychology behind suicide I was simply stating my opinion as to why.  Strong people don't give up living.

I never took it as insensitive, it’s a good point. And it seems more and more now days, honesty or ones opinion is taken as insensitive. Suicide is a weakness, especially more for those who have everything but chose the end as an option.

Is the guy who deals with demons for years, or even decades, and finally makes the ultimate decision to kill the pain, weaker than the guy that never felt that kind of pain in the first place? All of us have been through pain and tragedy, but none of us can know what that pain feels like for someone else.

Demons? What are demons? You are right tho every one has been through pain and tragedy, some worse than others. But regardless as to what one has been through it is a weakness to end one's life. Suicide may be the true tragedy as far as the after life is concerned.
 

[Special T]

It is strange and seems to stretch the bounds of statistic the amount of people that have died in proximity to the Clintons and a few other people.

I never heard of this guy until after he killed himself, and sorry to say I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for a guy who hated President Trump, and said that if given the chance he would assassinate Trump by poisoning his food. Joke, or not, I don't find that funny, and from everything else I've read about him recently it's obvious he was a typical anti-American, liberal, just like pretty much everyone employed by CNN. Really surprised to see how many thought he was such a great person.   

I never really knew his political leanings, but enjoyed his shows. 

BTW - there is a conspiracy theory out there that says the Clinton's had him wacked.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Special T]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[elkaholic123]

I never heard of this guy until after he killed himself, and sorry to say I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for a guy who hated President Trump, and said that if given the chance he would assassinate Trump by poisoning his food. Joke, or not, I don't find that funny, and from everything else I've read about him recently it's obvious he was a typical anti-American, liberal, just like pretty much everyone employed by CNN. Really surprised to see how many thought he was such a great person.   

You seem to know a lot about someone you say you have never heard of?

[bobcat]

I never heard of this guy until after he killed himself, and sorry to say I'm having trouble feeling any sympathy for a guy who hated President Trump, and said that if given the chance he would assassinate Trump by poisoning his food. Joke, or not, I don't find that funny, and from everything else I've read about him recently it's obvious he was a typical anti-American, liberal, just like pretty much everyone employed by CNN. Really surprised to see how many thought he was such a great person.   

You seem to know a lot about someone you say you have never heard of?

Don't know that I know a lot. But I know enough. I know how to read. Are you a fan?

[gaddy]

Sorry Tony that you felt the need to end your life. All people have demons of some sort and deal with them in their own way. I don't think that arguing about it here is helping. He had enough, end of story. I don't know all the facts about his condition and wont judge.
I do know that my mother had health problems that could not be overcome. She elected to end her's as she was so tired and coulden't fight any more. Selfish ? NO. She went out on her own terms. We were all aware however of her decision and with her at the end.
The point is that we don't know everything about what his situation was. If you were diagnosed with something you knew was terminal and going to be extremely painful, would you head for your happy place in the hills or subject your family to watching you die a long painful death. I watched my grandfather go that way and I would bet if he had a clew how things would turn out, he would have headed for the hills.

[danderson]

I really enjoyed his shows, he took the viewer on a journey into other cultures and flavors, I know most sportman tend to cook off the wall things, one can only  imagine what people would say about some of the things I cooked and served to friends, politics aside he was very entertaining.

[Curly]

Here's what Andrew Zimmern had to say about Anthony Bordain:  Andrew Zimmern on Anthony Bourdain: ‘The Most Charismatic Man I Knew’

For those not aware of Andrew Zimmern,  you should check out his shows. They are really good. Quite  a  few of his shows have him out hunting or fishing and then cooking up the catch/kill.

[trophyhunt]

Sorry Tony that you felt the need to end your life. All people have demons of some sort and deal with them in their own way. I don't think that arguing about it here is helping. He had enough, end of story. I don't know all the facts about his condition and wont judge.
I do know that my mother had health problems that could not be overcome. She elected to end her's as she was so tired and coulden't fight any more. Selfish ? NO. She went out on her own terms. We were all aware however of her decision and with her at the end.
The point is that we don't know everything about what his situation was. If you were diagnosed with something you knew was terminal and going to be extremely painful, would you head for your happy place in the hills or subject your family to watching you die a long painful death. I watched my grandfather go that way and I would bet if he had a clew how things would turn out, he would have headed for the hills.

I feel very different about suicide when someone has a terminal, painful future. They should be able to decide that without questions, my dad has always said he would do this same thing if he was ever terminal.  I don’t think it’s the right thing to do, I’d rather he let God’s plan happen, but I can understand suicide in that senecio way more than just someone who is depressed. I am a believer in God, so in no way will I ever want someone I love to take their own life.