Now, I’m crazy about Anthony Bourdain–love, love him–but I had to laugh out loud when I read what he had to say about Rachael Ray in this article this on MSNBC:
“She’s got a magazine, a TV empire, all these best-selling books–I’m guessing she’s not hurting for money,” Anthony ranted re Rachael in a portion of the interview republished in the New York Post’s Page Six. “She’s hugely influential, particularly with children. And she’s endorsing Dunkin’ Donuts. It’s like endorsing crack for kids.”
The crotchety cook made it clear he’s not coming from some moral high ground. “I’m not a very ethical guy,” Anthony said. “I don’t have a lot of principles. But somehow that seems to me over the line. Juvenile diabetes has exploded. Half of Americans don’t have necks. And (Rachael’s) up there saying, ‘Eat some [bleeping] Dunkin’ Donuts. You look great in that swimsuit — eat another doughnut!’ That’s evil.”
The reason I laughed is because I’ve read his books. Here’s a Wikipedia excerpt:
Bourdain is an unrepentant smoker and drinker, and a former user of cocaine, heroin, and LSD. In Kitchen Confidential he writes: “We were high all the time, sneaking off to the walk-in [refrigerator] at every opportunity to ‘conceptualize.’ Hardly a decision was made without drugs. Pot, quaaludes, cocaine, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms soaked in honey and used to sweeten tea, Seconal, Tuinal, speed, codeine and, increasingly, heroin, which we’d send a Spanish-speaking busboy over to Alphabet City to get.”
And finding this picture just made my day…
Call it Other
Responses to “Hmm. Heroin or doughnuts?”
October 12th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
I love Tony, too! I think he has a valid point, though. No foodie should be shilling crap like Dunkin’ Donuts. And while he did do a plethora of drugs back in the day, he didn’t sign an endorsement deal encouraging people to do the same.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Meh, Rachael Ray’s voice makes me want to punch something warm and fuzzy….well, not really, but you get the idea.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
Well, if Mr. Bourdain would have paid attention he would know that Rachael Ray isn’t pushing fatty donuts on kids. The press release from Dunkin Donuts says it all:
“As its new brand representative, Ray will appear in a multi-platform marketing campaign for Dunkin’ Donuts. Ray will also lend her perspective to the Dunkin’ Donuts culinary team in the development of new, “better for you” food and beverage options. In recent years, the company has introduced several new products that provide customers with additional on-the-go options, including Smoothies, Latte Lite and the reduced carb bagel; in addition, the company has been working since 2004 to remove trans-fats from all of its menu offerings.”
I have more respect for Racheal Ray than for Mr. Bourdain whose shows include him getting drunk on vodka on air. What does that teach our kids about Alcoholism!
October 13th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Kids shouldn’t be watching No Reservations. Before every segment of the show, there is a warning that the show is not suitable for all viewers.
October 13th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Jennifer:
Thanks for exposing the hypocrisy of Mr. Bourdain. He’s a bit too intense for me.
RE: Doughnuts. In a segment on Big Ideas,a cable show that celebrates people who have found a way to turn their ideas into products to sell, a traditional doughnut maker said he’s come up with a way of making doughnuts without frying. It greatly reduces their fat and calorie content.
He’s trying to market the method now and, who knows, he may be negotiating with Dunkin’ Donuts. I will be watching for them.
I’m not a huge fan of Rachael Ray’s but I do like the way she encourages people to cook at home and gives them quick recipes and methods for doing it.
October 14th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
This is the Anthony Bourdain who said “Is there anything better than a maple bacon donut?” (See interview at http://www.powells.com/authors/bourdain2006.html)
I know that foodies consider Bourdain an authentic epicurean provocateur and Ray a mass market ditz who is not a “real” chef. But if I had to choose one to have dinner with, I’d pick Ray who got where she is by years of hard work and entrepreneurial savvy rather then the morally questionable “baby daddy” Bourdain with his history of drug use.
October 14th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
As much as Rachael Ray can get on my nerves, I also have to admire the fact that she made it on her own & tells her audience that she is NOT a chef. I also like Anthony Bourdain’s show, but I don’t know if I would like Anthony Bourdain as a person. I have also read & enjoyed his books, but it really makes you wonder how much of the type thing he writes about goes on in restaurants routinely. This is somewhat a case of the pot calling the kettle black, in my opinion. He has actually criticized Rachael by saying she has no knife skills. I beg to differ on that point.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:43 am
Anthony Bourdain is the bomb… I watch him every chance I get… Rachael is hot, but listening to her makes me want to shove a ice pick into my ears…
October 15th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Also, I don’t believe Anthony endorsed the maple bacon donut for kids…
October 15th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Rachael Ray annoys the heck out of me. This is particularly due to the fact that every time she uses “EVOO” as an abbreviation, she follows it up with “Extra Virgin Olive Oil”. The whole point of an abbreviation is to avoid saying the entire phrase.
Her voice is equally grating.
Give me Anthony Bourdain over her any day, thanks.
October 15th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
“Mr. Bourdain whose shows include him getting drunk on vodka on air.”
Are you kidding? That’s classic television. Personally I thought the Paris episode with him drunk on absinthe and wandering the city was priceless. I am finally going to visit Paris based on that show alone. In this age of PC ninniness I can see how Bourdain would bother some individuals but for those that love food and live relatively unapologeticly, Tony is a throw-back. I welcome his gonzo traveling ways.
For those that question the drug use…I suggest you look closer to the back rooms of some of your favorite local establishments. It’s not my way of life but if you think drugs arn’t floating around you might be fooling yourself.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Strangely enough, I like both of them. Tony has a point about her shilling donuts; on the other hand, people seem to use her recipes and love them.
They appeal to two entirely different groups, folks, and that’s part of why I enjoy both.
As for Tony’s drug use, well, he doesn’t try to hide it, doesn’t get all fake about it, but it’s also pretty obvious that he doesn’t do it any more, or he would be dead.
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