Anthony Bourdain’s Final Texts Were Dark And Disturbing
A new biography releases supposed final texts from Anthony Bourdain, showing a dark state of mind.
This article is more than 2 years old
A new unauthorized biography of American chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain has revealed some disturbing final text messages leading up to his untimely death. In the text, Bourdain addresses his disdain for his career, his estranged marriage, and his relationship with actor Asia Argento. Selections are from the book Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, published today in the New York Times. The book will release on October 11th.
One text message reveals Anthony Bourdain’s dissatisfaction with his career and life. Bourdain wrote to his estranged wife Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, “I hate my fans, too. I hate being famous. I hate my job.” Bourdain also appeared to have been fearful about his future, writing, “I am lonely and living in constant uncertainty.”
Other texts reveal exchanges he had with Argento. The biography chronicles the pair’s troubled relationship and their back and forth on social media. Both expressed displeasure for one another by posting photos and spending time with another partner. One of the photos showed Argento dancing with a French reporter in the lobby of Rome’s Hotel de Russie.
Bourdain wrote, “I am okay. I am not spiteful. I am not jealous that you have been with another man. I do not own you. You are free. As I said. As I promised. As I truly meant. But you were careless. You were reckless with my heart. My life.”
According to the Times’ description of the upcoming biography, Anthony Bourdain wrote that he was hurt that “the tryst” occurred in a hotel the two spent together in. This prompted Argento to say she could no longer have a relationship with Bourdain. In the final exchange between the two, Bourdain wrote, “Is there anything I can do?” to which Argento replied, “Stop busting my balls.” Bourdain responded “Ok.” He hanged himself that day.
Anthony Bourdain was known for his first food and world-travel television show, A Cook’s Tour. The show ran for 35 seasons on the Food Network and saw the celebrity visit various countries and cities worldwide. Bourdain also wrote the 2000 New York Times best-selling nonfiction book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.
While working on an episode of the travel and food show Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain’s frequent collaborator and friend Eric Ripert discovered that the celebrity missed dinner and breakfast. He found Bourdain hanging in his room at the Le Chambard hotel in Kaysersberg near Colmar. A public prosecutor in Colmar said that the suicide was an impulsive act.
Following the news of Anthony Bourdain’s death, various celebrity chefs and public figures expressed condolences. In August 2018, CNN announced a posthumous season of Parts Unknown, with two episodes highlighting Bourdain’s life and legacy. In June 2019, Eric Ripert and Jose Andres proclaimed the first Bourdain day to celebrate the late chef’s life.
A documentary based on the life of Anthony Bourdain was announced in October 2019. The film, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11th, 2021. Focus Features released the film theatrically on July 16th, 2021.
According to the Times, the upcoming biographical book has already “drawn fire from the Bourdain family.” Anthony Bourdain’s brother, Christopher Bourdain, called the book “hurtful and defamatory fiction.” The book also reports that the late chef paid $380,000 to musician-actor Jimmy Bennett, who claimed he’d had a sexual relationship with Argento when she was 37, and he was still a minor.
