I watched this segment last night, and then read this article. I honestly can't figure out why people have so much venom for Mr. Bourdain.

His article and the show last night seemed to be pretty much free of political commentary one way or the other, but was more a "you are there" traveller's account of what happened while he and his crew were there filming a segment for a travel show with an emphasis on local food.

I'm a fan of Mr. Bourdain, regardless of the fact he once wrote pretty insulting stuff about my city in his kitchen expose, "Kitchen Confidential". (Tony- that was the Bawlmore of the 80's- come back now, you'd be surprised).

It strikes me that the apolitical Palestinians have no more control over what Hezbollah does than I do with what a Timothy McVeigh does, or a politician I didn't vote for does (not naming names;-) ). What Mr. Bourdain saw, and was saddened by, was a tolerant, culture filled city brimming with youthful energy, being destroyed in no time at all. And the average Joe local resident just has to sit by and watch. He even mentioned that although he was not in Northern Israel, he imagined that the residents of Haifa were suffering a similar fate.

I think what he conveyed was the world weary sadness of someone inadvertanly caught up in war- and that all of hope for the human race that he had aquired through all of his travels has now been tainted by the knowlege that mankind will always be inclined to fight, provoke and return fire with their fellow man no matter how much alike we all really are.

I say well done, Tony.

Everyone keep saying: Oh, I forgot, Israel was once again, attacked.

Yes, attacked and soldiers killed and kidnapped. Why, because they were Jewish. Don't keep crapping us with that Israeli occupation bullshit. Anti-Semitism is the key, and always has been.

Anthony should stick to his show and not write meaningless commentaries. His reference to Syria was largely negative, calling it "unwelcoming". Hell if they hadn't open their borders, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and hundreds of thousands of foreigners would be sitting in Lebanon being bombed to oblivion by US taxpayer provided bombs - laser guided or misguided.

What about Israel, stupid?

Anthony Bourdain, you rock. As already noted many times, this article is beautifully written. And beyond that, it gets to the heart of true journalism. It just deals with what you saw and felt. That is why the political extremists of any persuasion can't mess with this type of personal account. It is just too real.

By the way, I like your shows. Keep it up.

How touching that the international signal for progress is a shot of a woman's bare legs with her panties bunched up at her feet. Bourdain's piece was important and articulate in so many ways. Too bad his broad perspective is so often narrowed when it comes to the broads.

To a total slide of 4% in value. I guess this is the end of the world. Why are Salon readers generally so fucking dull and ill informed about just about everything?

i am journeyman chef and have traveled the world.i lived in tehran during the revolution.so many are talking and have NO CLUE what there saying. sunni,shiite.mr.bourdain went there for food not politics.i am too disgusted with the world!!!!not some dumb drunk chef, like mr.bourdain,because i am just like him!!! COOKS RULE!!! !from the streets of N.Y.C.,SEATTLE,VIRGINA BEACH,ROME,LONDON,TEHRAN,FLORENCE,HAMBURG,MIAMI,and a few years N.Y.STATE OF CORRECTIONS. NAMASTE chefcos12 COOKS RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THANK YOU ANTHONY...........

Look. I don't need someone who seems to believe that the Lebanese practice female genital mutilation telling me that I need to get in touch with reality. And frankly, I don't think I want to bicker with someone who seems overemotional to the point that you're making foolish, wide-sweeping generalizations about Muslims--it's really a little Mel Gibson of you. Back to my main point though--I still strongly question the notion that bombing the national airport, the highways, the gas stations, the hospitals, the homes of Lebanon is a good thing for Israel, as a PR move or to provide any kind of security in the future. But it's too late now--the modus operandi of the day seems to be bomb first, plan later.

Dear Salon:

It is one thing to read the occasional article or interview about Anthony Bourdain; after all, Salon, like any magazine, covers the good, the bad, the ugly...and the grotesque. However, if Mr. Bourdain has now joined Salon's payroll, please count this subscriber out. Just as I would not willingly pay a fraction of Ann Coulter's salary, neither will I pay a fraction of her cooking school cousin, Bourdain.

I have no illusions that the loss of one subscriber will change the way Salon does business, but there is a principle at stake here. Bourdain should not be a Salon contributor.

For some reason the text of my last letter was erased when I hit "publish", even though I was able to hit the 'back' button and see it (and thus copy, paste, and re-post it here now)...definitely a sign that it's time to go. But before I do, here's what I tried to write last time:

...before the inevitable smart-ass chimes in to try and "school me", I am well aware that Lebanon itself does not have oil; I started generalizing as I lost myself in my angry tirade there. I was thinking more of those fat, Bush-hand-holding Saudi "sheiks" who buy all their friends at the UN (and in the US, sad to say).

Beg pardon, and good day all.