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NFT: Anyone else see the Bourdain - Nemtsov interview on CNN ?

njm : 3/2/2015 11:42 am
Ran for about 1/2 hour last night. It was out takes from his show that were filmed about a year ago. One of the more telling statements which I may not have exactly right went:

"There is corruption in America. There is corruption in the UK. There is even corruption in Sweden. In those places corruption is a problem. In Russia, corruption is the system."

Whichever oligarch is currently in the Russian equivilent of the "Chateau Bow-wow" better be on a plane headed towards his Manhattan or Miami condo because Putin has promised to personally find those responsible.
saw parts of it due to a wife alert  
ColHowPepper : 3/2/2015 12:52 pm : link
also interesting that CNN had to move the interview from the original venue because that restaurant wouldn't permit filming of the piece once it found out Nemstsov was the subject.

He doesn't mince words about Putin, his thuggery or the system. Also mocked the choice of Sochi for the Winter Olympiad--why select the warmest place in Russia; says the facilities built at huge cost (amid huge corruption) are virtually unusable as winter sports venue because of a typical lack of snow.

And, finally, why is Bourdain doing this interview with a serious critic of Putin (granted, maybe it was not so foreseeable that it would become a very hot topic)? Bourdain is the worst interviewer on TV; even his "dinner conversations" on "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" are anemic to unwatchable, although we do enjoy seeing the foods, the locales, etc.
Originally filmed as part of Parts Unknown  
njm : 3/2/2015 1:08 pm : link
My understanding is that a few clips were used in the series. This was the whole interview, including the outtakes. Also, that's why it was Bourdain doing the interview.
well, that explains it  
ColHowPepper : 3/2/2015 1:52 pm : link
too bad CNN wasted the access to him. I'd like to know how Bourdain got his gig--why not me? lol. I'd love to be paid as a travel writer, interviewer, going to all these marvelous, restricted access restaurants, whether high end or in the know street food or unknown family restaurants generations old down dark side streets.... sigh
RE: well, that explains it  
DanMetroMan : 3/2/2015 2:10 pm : link
In comment 12159521 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
too bad CNN wasted the access to him. I'd like to know how Bourdain got his gig--why not me? lol. I'd love to be paid as a travel writer, interviewer, going to all these marvelous, restricted access restaurants, whether high end or in the know street food or unknown family restaurants generations old down dark side streets.... sigh


Was a big time chef and wrote a best selling book on the subject. Acerbic, outspoken and people like watching him.
Bourdain was never a big-time chef, and doesn't claim he was.  
81_Great_Dane : 3/2/2015 4:10 pm : link
He has described himself with phrases like "industrial grade." He had a hit book with "Kitchen Confidential," then got a book/TV deal out of "A Cook's Tour," which set the template for his future travel/food adventures.

He's a very fine writer. His shows are uneven, but when they're good, they're great. (I might like them better if I ate more meat, especially pork. He loves his pork.)

As for the "Why not me?" argument, well, if you can do it, go do it. Not trying to be snarky -- he showed how it's done, there's plenty of TV time to be filled. If you have the chops, you too can do what he did.

But it's harder than it looks. I've been working on trying to set up a similar TV gig for years, using Bourdain's shows as an inspiration, but on a different topic. I'm making progress, but it's slow going. My books haven't been big bestsellers, and so far the related "TV" is web video. So I have even more respect for what he did than when I started. It ain't easy to get to where he is, and it's even harder to stay there.
Bourdain is great...  
Dunedin81 : 3/2/2015 4:22 pm : link
he and Zimmern made Travel Channel compelling, something more than Samantha Brown, everything is perky, or "50 best beachfront waterslides." Funny with an acceptable degree of snark, doesn't take himself too seriously.

I haven't gotten a chance to see the interview or the program that used the condensed version, but I don't think he or his producers were expecting him to be bringing a newly minted martyr for the cause of misgovernance in Russia to the American audience.
The guy was an executive chef at a pretty fancy NYC French restaurant  
schabadoo : 3/2/2015 4:40 pm : link
He's got cred.
Bourdain does have credibility,  
smshmth8690 : 3/2/2015 8:18 pm : link
but by his own admission, he's a not a famous chef, he's a famous author who used to be a chef. While Kitchen Confidential is his most famous/best book, his cookbook Les Halles is excellent.
I wouldn't consider Les Halles fancy  
sb from NYT Forum : 3/2/2015 9:42 pm : link
It's more like a neighborhood french bistro-type place.
Bourdain  
spike : 3/2/2015 10:01 pm : link
is an entertaining guy to watch on tv
The Russia - Parts Unknown was on CNN last night  
njm : 3/5/2015 1:06 pm : link
I didn't see much, only during commercial breaks and between periods of the Rangers game. I think, and it's a guess, that only about 25% of the Nemtsov interview shown Sunday night was included in the show.
RE: Bourdain does have credibility,  
BMac : 3/5/2015 1:53 pm : link
In comment 12160331 smshmth8690 said:
Quote:
but by his own admission, he's a not a famous chef, he's a famous author who used to be a chef. While Kitchen Confidential is his most famous/best book, his cookbook Les Halles is excellent.


I've read all his books, from the "Bobby Gold Stories" to "Bone in the Throat" and "Gone Bamboo" (these in addition to the more well-known food stuff).

Although he's not a top-shelf writer, he does know how to tell a story and keeps the subject matter close to what he knows about. I like his attitude and the fact, alluded to above, that he calls himself on his own bullshit.
RE: I wouldn't consider Les Halles fancy  
BMac : 3/5/2015 1:55 pm : link
In comment 12160448 sb from NYT Forum said:
Quote:
It's more like a neighborhood french bistro-type place.


It's a Brasserie. There's also one in D.C., Miami, and Tokyo.
I've always enjoyed Bourdain and Zimmern  
mrvax : 3/5/2015 2:17 pm : link
They remind me of me.
njm - I guess Putin  
section125 : 3/5/2015 2:29 pm : link
will be running from himself?
RE: well, that explains it  
Deej : 3/5/2015 2:41 pm : link
In comment 12159521 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
too bad CNN wasted the access to him. I'd like to know how Bourdain got his gig--why not me? lol. I'd love to be paid as a travel writer, interviewer, going to all these marvelous, restricted access restaurants, whether high end or in the know street food or unknown family restaurants generations old down dark side streets.... sigh


Good question. Have you taken any steps to become a travel writer or TV personality?
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