The Calamity of Fame

I’ve been debating for a long time whether to write this post. The reason is a book I read recently. It produced so many emotions within me that I felt compelled to write about it immediately. But after thinking about it for a while I decided not to since what I had to say was not going to be very positive and I would fall into the same category as the person I would write about. But after talking it over with my friend Rob I decided to do it. The book is Anthony Bourdain’s latest and its title you may find somewhere in the internet. In this book the author goes on to trash a lot of people within the food industry. There are a lot to choose from but I will concentrate on two of them, Alice Waters and Guy Fieri. Miss Waters, for those who may not know her, is the chef/owner of Chez Panisse a prestigious and award winning restaurant in Berkeley, California. She has championed locally grown organic food for most of her career and has been a very visible advocate for her cause. In simple words, she wants people to eat healthier food. She believes, and is backed by evidence, that food grown locally, less processed and with less chemicals is better for people and as a result for society as a whole. Consuming locally grown products is a great way to support your local economy, reduce pollution related to its transportation and should also have lower costs because of the savings in transportation compared to a similar product brought in from somewhere else. Her belief that a healthier society is a better society is shared by many to say the least. He trashes her for approaching the Obama administration to make nutrition a priority in its agenda. He also has a problem with her being from Berkeley which is not necessarily her fault. The point here is that she’s trying and is doing something good and relevant considering the obesity epidemic that is taking over the United States which is directly related to poor eating habits and lack of affordability, making fast food one of very few options. This is something absolutely important, but Mr. Bourdain misses the point and makes it personal which seems to be a trend. Another person who he trashes which seems incredible to comprehend is Guy Fieri, that dude with the spiked blonde hair on the Food Network. Although his comments about him are brief compared to what he says about Ms. Waters they are completely objectionable considering the times we’re in. Guy Fieri is not only providing jobs through his businesses he is in essence promoting the US economy. In his show he goes to small family owned and some individually owned restaurants in towns across the country, not only big cities, and puts them and their food in his show. He is promoting these businesses at a national level which otherwise could not possibly get this kind of attention. As a result their sales will probably increase. Now consider what Mr. Bourdain is doing that is so saintly that he feels that he has the power to judge these people who are actually having a positive effect with their efforts. I can’t think of one thing. Mr. Bourdain survived a life of addiction and was able to come out of the dead end that his career had become. The risks of addiction to heroin and crack, among others, are countless. After this experience and having been given the opportunity at a bigger and better life I would expect someone with his influence to try to at least do something good with it and not the opposite. If not, simply leave the good ones alone, they are very few and far between.