In Memoriam: Entertainment Industry Celebrity Deaths

[AntiBeeSpray]

Some of his favorite music to remember him by:

https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/my-favorite-songs-anthony-bourdain-20140411

 

 

If you don't want to join in, just look up the songs via Youtube. (I'll be going that route, since I'm not a big fan of it (Spotify).)

 

http://sparepartsunknown.tumblr.com/

 

https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2014/11/awesome-tumblr-features-the-music-of-anthony-bourdain-parts-unknown

 

Sources: rolling stone, spotify, sparepartsunknown.tumblr.com and firstwefeast.com

[Giselle]

I really enjoyed Anthony Bourdain. I bought his cookbooks, his fiction, his nonfiction. I watched his shows and interviews. What I loved most was how he opened us to cultures very different from our own through food to show that we are all more alike than we think and how history, including familial and cultural history, plays a part in food. How when people offer you the best of what they have, be it pig anus in the bush or grandma making a simple home dish, you accept it with humbleness and gratefulness. It was interesting to see how he had evolved over the years, how becoming a father, and having all those experiences behind him strengthened and/or changed his ideas. I'm saddened by his death, sad that he found himself in a place where he could entertain the idea of suicide and act on it  but I still find it a very selfish act. I think of his young preteen daughter who could have learned so, so much from her father.

It's a waste. A pure waste of a gifted man. 

Edited June 8, 2018 by Giselle

[BW Manilowe]

A couple more things to note about Anthony Bourdain:

The marriage which produced his daughter (& apparently his only child) was actually his second. His first marriage lasted 2 decades, 1985-2005.

When he died today, he was (sadly, to me) only about 2 1/2 weeks (17 days) short of his 62nd birthday (which would've been on June 25th, according to Wikipedia).

[Giselle]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

 A couple of people were interested in my earlier post about a Memoriam for a child actor from yesteryear. Some may not recall who she is.   Anissa Jones was one of my favorite child actors from childhood. (Show Family Affair)  I  ran across it and found it touching.  Truly, a life taken too soon.  I hope it's okay to place here. I wonder if we might start a thread on celebrity deaths from the past.  ??

 

Buffy! I remember her from watching old reruns of Family Affair as a really young kid. I think she had already passed when I was watching. 

[WritinMan]

Bourdain's suicide is just so shocking to me. He really seemed to enjoy what he did--going to foreign, exotic places and meeting all sorts of new people. I really enjoyed his TV shows. It was interesting to see how he evolved as a host and interviewer throughout the span of those shows.

I read an interview from last year where he said he felt bad about the way he acted when he was younger. He seemed to be trying to make up for some of mean things he had said about people.

This is very sad.

Time to re-read Kitchen Confidential, I think.

[GHScorpiosRule]

4 hours ago, riley702 said:

Anthony Bourdain has committed suicide at 61.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/08/us/anthony-bourdain-obit/index.html

?? I am completely shocked and saddened by this news. RIP.

4 hours ago, BW Manilowe said:

ABC's GMA & CNN are confirming the death, apparently by suicide (really, we need to start an F--- Suicide thing now

Why? Suicide isn’t the disease or illness. It’s the only option those suffering from illness (physical or mental) think they have to relieve their pain.

[Spartan Girl]

First Kate Spade, now Anthony Bourdain?!  What the hell is happening?!  This is all horrible.

[BW Manilowe]

23 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

?? I am completely shocked and saddened by this news. RIP.

Why? Suicide isn’t the disease or illness. It’s the only option those suffering from illness (physical or mental) think they have to relieve their pain.

I guess it was my, probably misguided, reaction to it seeming like suicide was taking a perhaps disproportionately large number of our creative/artsy/celebrity types (definitely this week, or at least definitely coming to light this week), though it was really only 3--Kate Spade, the sister of Queen Maxima (whose country I can't remember right now), & now Anthony Bourdain--as it seems cancer often does; at least judging by the number of obits we seem to post here which list some form of cancer as being the celebrity's cause of death. That's all. I really didn't mean anything intentionally out of line by it. And I probably shouldn't have said it, but sometimes stuff just comes out that probably shouldn't have--both verbally & online. Apologies to anyone who was/might've been offended.

[VCRTracking]

[spiderpig]

One thing I will always remember about Anthony Bourdain is how vigorously he defended restaurant servers and kitchen workers, saying how hard they work and how underappreciated they are.

Remember his epic smackdown of Justin Bieber when Bieb, while exiting a restaurant through the kitchen, defaced a wall photo of JFK and peed in a janitorial mopbucket?

Bourdain was awesome and will be sorely missed.

[Colorado David]

2 hours ago, Giselle said:

I really enjoyed Anthony Bourdain. I bought his cookbooks, his fiction, his nonfiction. I watched his shows and interviews. What I loved most was how he opened us to cultures very different from our own through food to show that we are all more alike than we think and how history, including familial and cultural history, plays a part in food. How when people offer you the best of what they have, be it pig anus in the bush or grandma making a simple home dish, you accept it with humbleness and gratefulness. It was interesting to see how he had evolved over the years, how becoming a father, and having all those experiences behind him strengthened and/or changed his ideas. I'm saddened by his death, sad that he found himself in a place where he could entertain the idea of suicide and act on it  but I still find it a very selfish act. I think of his young preteen daughter who could have learned so, so much from her father.

It's a waste. A pure waste of a gifted man. 

 

beautifully said, thank you. i can't say selfish because when you're depressed, you take actions and the impacts are not in your head at all. it's not willful selfishness at all, it's life on top of you and you are crushed and see an out while not pleasant seems reasonable. 

Edited June 8, 2018 by Colorado David

[Silver Raven]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

First Kate Spade, now Anthony Bourdain?!  What the hell is happening?!  This is all horrible.

And in between, the sister of the Queen of the Netherlands

[WhosThatGirl]

Yeah I know some people view the choice of suicide as selfish, I am not one of those people. Depression and mental health issues are something that are still to this day not treated the way they should be and while we are getting to a place of being able to talk about them more openly, some people can’t get out of this place and it’s the only option because the pain is so unbearable for them. And yeah it is terrible for the family, but I can’t see it as selfish. I feel for everyone in the situation. It’s awful.

[SunnyBeBe]

When exactly was he discovered? Does anyone know if he knew Kate Spade? Had he read about her suicide at the time of his death?  I hate to sound morbid, I'm just searching for answers....I suppose when there are none. 

Edited June 8, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[Bastet]

With several comments here about the importance, far beyond food, of Bourdain's work, I want to share this tribute by John Nichols in The Nation, with the subheading "The chef and author demanded that we consider the humanity of so many who were misportrayed by the rest of the media."  It begins:

Quote

 

Anthony Bourdain took his Emmy-award winning CNN series “Parts Unknown” to places where most media does not go. He was, ostensibly, telling stories about the preparation and eating of food. But Bourdain was most truly fascinated by, and engaged with, diverse cultures and the human experience reflected in them. That involvement was professional, and personal, and political.

He said he was not a storyteller, not a journalist. But Bourdain was often a clearer commentator on geopolitics than the politicians and the pundits who intrigue to narrow understandings of our shared humanity.

The chef and author, who has died at age 61, sought to expand those understandings. He did so by traveling to conflict zones and by inviting viewers to go with him to the markets, the kitchens and the tables of families whose kindness and decency was rarely reflected in media coverage of countries that are at odds with themselves, with their neighbors and with the United States.

 

[TVFan17]

I have not yet read any of the stories about what Anthony Bourdain might have been going through recently, or if there were any specific circumstances leading up to this horrible event.  So I am probably uninformed.   But I am shocked and dismayed over this news.    I follow him on Instagram, and his last post was just a few days ago.    It seemed like he was very happy with his love, Asia, and he was extremely supportive of her as she became a prominent face and voice in the MeToo movement.  I had no idea he was struggling so much.

I remember stumbling upon No Reservations in its first season, back in the days when the Travel Channel was still great and when there were a lot of fun, different travel shows and specials for a wider variety of viewers to enjoy (side note:  what happened to the Travel Channel, and when it did it become so one-note, redundant and blah?).   Anthony was a breath of fresh air -- smart, blunt, funny, edgy and adventurous.    I didn't necessarily always agree with all of his harsh opinions of other chefs, home cooks and fellow travel show hosts, but he stayed true to himself and his opinions and never really softened.  

I also really enjoyed his ABC show, The Taste, and was so annoyed at ABC for cancelling it.  It had some weak points that could have been fixed, but Anthony was not one of them.  He was one of the highlights.

It's just so, so sad that another bright light in the world has been extinguished, when it seems like it could have been avoided.   

[Bastet]

Here's Eric Ripert's Facebook post:

[HunterHunted]

10 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

When exactly was he discovered? Does anyone know if he knew Kate Spade? Had he read about her suicide at the time of his death?  I hate to sound morbid, I'm just searching for answers....I suppose when there are none. 

He was discovered this morning by his best friend Eric Ripert. They were working on upcoming episodes of Bourdain's show, Parts Unknown.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/08/us/anthony-bourdain-obit/index.html

Besides being New Yorkers and well known professionals in their fields, I don't believe Bourdain and Spade knew each other.

People need to remember that there's a lot that we don't see or know about. Kate Spade had a lifelong struggle with depression. Bourdain had substance use issues earlier in his life. Phillip Seymour Hoffman relapsed after more than 20 years of sobriety. And that was my first thought when I heard that Bourdain had died-- that he had relapsed. Or it could be like Robin Williams; his long history of depression coupled with his substance use issues and diagnosis of diffuse Lewy body dementia was enough to prompt him to suicidal thoughts and action.

We just don't know yet and it's probably best not to speculate until more info comes out. 

[blueray]

I heard about Anthony Bourdain on the radio on the way to work  :(. I was completed shocked and thought maybe I misheard, but then realized I didn't by the tone of the DJ's.  It sounded like his french friend found him, was this the French one that has been on his shows? Edit: well that confirms it, it was Eric Ripert  :(.  That is really hard as they seemed like the were really close at least on screen.

 

I really enjoyed Anthony's shows and was really sad to hear this. I know that he had a history of drug use, not sure about depression. Anyhow, my heart goes out to his family and may he rest in peace.

Edited June 8, 2018 by blueray

[SunnyBeBe]

I was not very informed about Anthony, but, this article covers a lot of information that may help some who are like me.  It provides at least some glimpse as to where he came from and what issues he has dealt with for a while.

http://www.mashed.com/94441/untold-truth-anthony-bourdain/

Edited June 8, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[WritinMan]

In memory of Anthony Bourdain:

Tony goes to the Waffle House. A fine example of why I enjoyed his TV shows so much.

[OtterMommy]

I am just heartbroken over the death of Anthony Bourdain (and my husband woke up to me yelling, "HOLY SHIT!" when I read the news).  We were talking about our favorite Bourdain's episodes.  My husband's was when his travel show did Portland and Seattle (we live in the Portland area and my husband is from the Seattle area).  For me, it was the Romania episode from his travel channel show.  It was just so quintessentially Bourdain.  All that being said, though, there wasn't a single show of his that I thought was sub-par.  

I was also deeply moved at how he became such a #metoo advocate--and he wasn't a fair-weather advocate.  When his friend, Mario Batali, was accused, Bourdain did not excuse him.

[spankydoll]

I saw him speak a few years ago. He was so witty - He has some tried and true lines like "I looked into the dead shark eyes of Sandra Lee" and "What kind of crack house are they running>" but he was fast with the comebacks in the Q&A session. He was a major crush of mine too. So sad. I am so sad.

[Annber03]

9 hours ago, roamyn said:

Anthony Bourdain's death comes as a complete shock!

I'll admit I don't know who Kate Spade is (I don't collect/wear hundreds of different shoes or purses), so that one didn't really connect with me.  But Bourdain?  Suicide?

Pretty much my thoughts. 

Tragic news all around this week. Condolences to the family/friends/fans of both Bourdain and Spade. 

[UYI]

[Annber03]

3 hours ago, WhosThatGirl said:

Yeah I know some people view the choice of suicide as selfish, I am not one of those people. Depression and mental health issues are something that are still to this day not treated the way they should be and while we are getting to a place of being able to talk about them more openly, some people can’t get out of this place and it’s the only option because the pain is so unbearable for them. And yeah it is terrible for the family, but I can’t see it as selfish. I feel for everyone in the situation. It’s awful.

Fully agreed on all of this. I've never been in that situation, so I don't feel I can judge, or have any right or place to judge. I can perhaps understand family and friends saying such things in the heat of the moment or something, because they're grieving and may lash out in anger and hurt and whatnot. But if you (general "you") don't know the person who died, I feel it's best to just offer condolences and leave it at that. 

[WhosThatGirl]

15 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Fully agreed on all of this. I've never been in that situation, so I don't feel I can judge, or have any right or place to judge. I can perhaps understand family and friends saying such things in the heat of the moment or something, because they're grieving and may lash out in anger and hurt and whatnot. But if you (general "you") don't know the person who died, I feel it's best to just offer condolences and leave it at that. 

Yeah, I’ve never viewed it as a selfish decision. Is it a hasty awful decision? Sometimes. Depression is a pain that I don’t think anyone can ever describe how it feels and for certain people, it’s so unbearable. I also view depression as a disease/illness. 

Edited June 8, 2018 by WhosThatGirl

[BW Manilowe]

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

When exactly was he discovered? Does anyone know if he knew Kate Spade? Had he read about her suicide at the time of his death?  I hate to sound morbid, I'm just searching for answers....I suppose when there are none. 

He was discovered, even with the France/US time difference, in time for his death to be announced as a breaking news story in either the 7:30 or 8AM Eastern half hours of the morning news/talk shows on CBS, ABC, & NBC, then actually covered, after the announcement, as if it were a previously scheduled segment of the broadcast. I think at least GMA had some sort of a mental health type specialist on the show talking about Kate Spade's suicide, before Bourdain's death was announced, & I think they brought her back to talk about Bourdain instead, after his suicide was announced (though maybe she had been previously scheduled to do another segment on Kate Spade's suicide; I don't know for sure).

[VCRTracking]

[callie lee 29]

50 minutes ago, VCRTracking said:

This is what made me like Anthony Bourdain. I saw some interviews with him and he always came across as kind of a dick (and after reading his book he may have agreed with that), but I loved that not only did he come to this woman's defense he admitted that yeah, maybe the coastal areas can be a little pretentious to the middle of the country people. I actually really appreciated that he copped to it. I thought it showed a lot of character and self-reflection.

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, BW Manilowe said:

He was discovered, even with the France/US time difference, in time for his death to be announced as a breaking news story in either the 7:30 or 8AM Eastern half hours of the morning news/talk shows on CBS, ABC, & NBC, then actually covered, after the announcement, as if it were a previously scheduled segment of the broadcast. I think at least GMA had some sort of a mental health type specialist on the show talking about Kate Spade's suicide, before Bourdain's death was announced, & I think they brought her back to talk about Bourdain instead, after his suicide was announced (though maybe she had been previously scheduled to do another segment on Kate Spade's suicide; I don't know for sure).

He was also discovered in time for his family and close friends to be notified before the announcement was made.  My guess is that it was early in the morning, as they were currently in production and days tend to be long when filming.

[Giselle]

6 hours ago, Colorado David said:

beautifully said, thank you. i can't say selfish because when you're depressed, you take actions and the impacts are not in your head at all. it's not willful selfishness at all, it's life on top of you and you are crushed and see an out while not pleasant seems reasonable. 

 

I understand you see it that way but I see it differently and see it as a very selfish act. I think of all those who would give anything and would love to have just one more precious day of life, or those who's days are painful or limited but still want to continue to fight to live despite their hard circumstances.

 His "suffering" is over and it has just begun for those he's abandoned. I think of those who are left to live through the pain and the questions. 

Edited June 9, 2018 by Giselle

[SmithW6079]

Rose McGowan, making someone else's grief all about her. As usual.

Anthony Bourdain Dead at 61: Rose McGowan Fights Tears as She Opens Up About Celebrity Chef's Death

Edited June 9, 2018 by SmithW6079

[Irlandesa]

I too am shocked by Anthony's death.  I went into work early this morning and heard them talking about his death.  They didn't say his name but I quickly guessed who it was.  I have complicated feelings about him.  I always appreciated his appreciation of food and the way he could be caustic, snarky and then surprisingly thoughtful and nice.  His show is probably the closest I'll ever get to experiencing these parts of the world.  I appreciate his support of the #metoo movement even if I side eyed some of the first people's responses he chose to criticize....especially given how rampant the problem is in the industry he loved so much.

But because he seemed so much larger than life, it's hard to wrap my head around the idea that he'd take his.

9 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

First Kate Spade, now Anthony Bourdain?!  What the hell is happening?! 

I can't help wonder about the supposed (and controversial) phenomenon that exists called "suicide contagion" where suicides spike when a suicide, especially a celebrity suicide, makes the news.  It was the first thing I thought of when I learned that Bourdain's death was a suicide. 

[SmithW6079]

1 minute ago, Irlandesa said:

I can't help wonder about the supposed (and controversial) phenomenon that exists called "suicide contagion" where suicides spike when a suicide, especially a celebrity suicide, makes the news.  It was the first thing I thought of when I learned that Bourdain's death was a suicide.

I was always under the impression that it was more that "regular" people (i.e., non-celebrities) would be inclined to take their own lives after reading about a famous person, not one celebrity "copycatting" about another, but maybe that doesn't matter.

[praeceptrix]

Brazilian tennis star Maria Esther Bueno has died.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44422258

[Irlandesa]

14 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I was always under the impression that it was more that "regular" people (i.e., non-celebrities) would be inclined to take their own lives after reading about a famous person, not one celebrity "copycatting" about another, but maybe that doesn't matter.

It depends on what they hear. I've read there are different theories behind it. One of them is that some suicidal people might decide to go through with it because they see all the celebrity/ alleged glamor/drama of it all.  But I've also read another theory that a focus on the deceased potentially finally finding peace could be a compelling reason to finally give into their suicidal thoughts.  And I don't know that celebs would be immune to that temptation.

[praeceptrix]

102 year old photojournalist David Douglas Duncan has died. He had quite the impressive career!

https://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-44412575

[legaleagle53]

16 hours ago, Giselle said:

His "suffering" is over and it has just begun for those he's abandoned. I think of those who are left to live through the pain and the questions. 

 

The worst question for the survivors isn't "Why?"  They know that only Anthony himself could have answered that one, if he even could have answered it.  No, the worst question, and the one that will always haunt them forever, is "Was there something I could have done or should have seen or known that might have prevented it from happening?"

But I do not consider it my place to judge Anthony or anyone else who chooses to end his or her own life because that life has simply become too painful to bear.  I leave that judgment to God.  My only prayer is that the survivors of Anthony and Kate's suicides will come to understand that it was Anthony and Kate's choice alone to take their own lives and that because they made that choice, it doesn't mean that the survivors were at fault or that they failed them in any way.

Edited June 9, 2018 by legaleagle53

[WarnerCL45]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/wellness/val-kilmer-sparks-outrage-after-calling-anthony-bourdains-suicide-selfish/ar-AAyoX7M?li=AAggNb9&ocid=mailsignout

[legaleagle53]

8 minutes ago, WarnerCL45 said:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/wellness/val-kilmer-sparks-outrage-after-calling-anthony-bourdains-suicide-selfish/ar-AAyoX7M?li=AAggNb9&ocid=mailsignout

And thank you, Val, for proving my point.  It is not your place or anyone else's to judge Anthony for what he chose to do.  Since you yourself know that level of suffering, if anything, you should be showing empathy and compassion instead of making it all about you (and yes, I'm looking at you, too, Rose McGowan!). And you most certainly should be showing compassion for Anthony's loved ones -- trust me, THIS ISN'T HELPING.

[UYI]

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

I was always under the impression that it was more that "regular" people (i.e., non-celebrities) would be inclined to take their own lives after reading about a famous person, not one celebrity "copycatting" about another, but maybe that doesn't matter.

It doesn't even always have to be a celebrity who committed suicide, either. After Princess Diana's death in 1997, there was apparently an uptick in suicides by young women...even though Diana's death was the result of her injuries in a car crash. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, WarnerCL45 said:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/wellness/val-kilmer-sparks-outrage-after-calling-anthony-bourdains-suicide-selfish/ar-AAyoX7M?li=AAggNb9&ocid=mailsignout

Piss up a rope, Val Kilmer.  If your physical illness got so bad that your life utterly sucked and no end to that suffering was in sight, so that suicide was or seemed to be the best of the available bad options, would you want people bloviating on how you should have embraced life and endured because of reasons?  No?  Then shut up; it's not any different if it was mental illness that brought Bourdain to that place, and, whatever your personal relationship, you don't know what his mindset was (obviously pretty bad since he, you know, killed himself).

I'm so sick of the "Well, I have chronic pain, and I manage without anything stronger than OTC meds/didn't get addicted to the stronger stuff, so those who do otherwise are weak," "I'm battling/dying from a terminal illness, and I'll cling to every last minute, so those who opt to end their suffering are losers who gave up," "I've been depressed, but wouldn't ever put my loved ones through my loss, so those who commit suicide are selfish assholes" pontificating that one way of dealing with awful, debilitating circumstances is morally superior to others.

[Nordly Beaumont]

4 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Piss up a rope, Val Kilmer.  If your physical illness got so bad that your life utterly sucked and no end to that suffering was in sight, so that suicide was or seemed to be the best of the available bad options, would you want people bloviating on how you should have embraced life and endured because of reasons?  No?  Then shut up; it's not any different if it was mental illness that brought Bourdain to that place, and, whatever your personal relationship, you don't know what his mindset was (obviously pretty bad since he, you know, killed himself).

I'm so sick of the "Well, I have chronic pain, and I manage without anything stronger than OTC meds/didn't get addicted to the stronger stuff, so those who do otherwise are weak," "I'm battling/dying from a terminal illness, and I'll cling to every last minute, so those who opt to end their suffering are losers who gave up," "I've been depressed, but wouldn't ever put my loved ones through my loss, so those who commit suicide are selfish assholes" pontificating that one way of dealing with awful, debilitating circumstances is morally superior to others.

Is there a way I can "like" this a million times? You can't walk a mile in someone else's shoes. You don't know. So stop encouraging the stigma of mental illness that makes people feel weak and wrong for feeling something they can't help feeling!

[TVFan17]

You know... don't yell at me for saying this, but I am not mad at Val Kilmer for expressing his thoughts.    I am not saying that I agree with all of his points, obviously, but I appreciate that he took the time to convey them in such a passionate way.   He is clearly feeling a lot of raw emotion about it, having also lost his friend Chris Cornell to suicide last year (another death that came completely out of nowhere and seemed to make no sense).     I think that a lot of people that know or knew those who take their own lives are going to be angry and feel that the person who was suffering was selfish.   Val is not the only one who will have that opinion.

People are hurting over deaths of people they loved, respected, admired, cared for, etc.  Some of them will lash out and say irrational things (sounds like Val was starting to babble a bit).  But I'd rather read a passionate speech rooted in emotion and anger over someone's death than just another "How sad...RIP" tweet on Twitter or something.    At least Val is feeling something about this horrible event.

After the death of INXS front man Michael Hutchence in 1997 (wasn't it 1997?), I remember my friend coldly stating that she didn't feel bad for him at all as far as what he was going through because he was selfish to leave behind his loved ones.    Whereas, I was on the side of feeling sadness for Michael because he was obviously suffering so much that he had passed the point of no return.  I felt bad that he was so distraught and no one could help him.   My friend was having none of it, though.     To her, he was selfish and that was all that mattered -- not that he was struggling and needed help.

Edited June 9, 2018 by TVFan17

[merylinkid]

I don't think we can solve the "is suicide selfish?" debate.    However, we can say "fuck depression."    It really messes with your head so that you think ending your life is the best solution.

The suicide hotline is being posted all over twitter now.   (it is periodically but this like EVERYONE posting it), one person posted "WHen I was in that dark place there was no way I would have called a number.   If someone hadn't reached out who knows what would have happened."   Paraphrasing a bit.   

We want answers.   We want to know WHY.   We don't always get that.   Good grief Bourdain was filming a NEW EPISODE when he decided this was it.   If when things are looking good and someone STILL decides we can never understand that thought process.   

Just do your best folks.   

[shapeshifter]

16 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

 

16 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

When exactly was he discovered? Does anyone know if he knew Kate Spade? Had he read about her suicide at the time of his death?  I hate to sound morbid, I'm just searching for answers....I suppose when there are none. 

 

He was discovered this morning by his best friend Eric Ripert. They were working on upcoming episodes of Bourdain's show, Parts Unknown.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/08/us/anthony-bourdain-obit/index.html

Besides being New Yorkers and well known professionals in their fields, I don't believe Bourdain and Spade knew each other.

People need to remember that there's a lot that we don't see or know about. Kate Spade had a lifelong struggle with depression. Bourdain had substance use issues earlier in his life. Phillip Seymour Hoffman relapsed after more than 20 years of sobriety. And that was my first thought when I heard that Bourdain had died-- that he had relapsed. Or it could be like Robin Williams; his long history of depression coupled with his substance use issues and diagnosis of diffuse Lewy body dementia was enough to prompt him to suicidal thoughts and action.

We just don't know yet and it's probably best not to speculate until more info comes out. 

 

42 years ago I survived what should have been suicide. At the time I was taking anti-depressants that are now known to trigger suicide in deeply depressed young people. Maybe there's some new "treatment" that has yet to be labeled fatal.

[BW Manilowe]

2 hours ago, merylinkid said:

I don't think we can solve the "is suicide selfish?" debate.    However, we can say "fuck depression."    It really messes with your head so that you think ending your life is the best solution.

The suicide hotline is being posted all over twitter now.   (it is periodically but this like EVERYONE posting it), one person posted "WHen I was in that dark place there was no way I would have called a number.   If someone hadn't reached out who knows what would have happened."   Paraphrasing a bit.   

We want answers.   We want to know WHY.   We don't always get that.   Good grief Bourdain was filming a NEW EPISODE when he decided this was it.   If when things are looking good and someone STILL decides we can never understand that thought process.   

Just do your best folks.   

Perhaps I shouldn't bring this up again, but the bolded is what I was trying to say (at least I think it is) yesterday, when I brought up the thought of (perhaps soon) needing to use a "Fuck depression" comment in response to a celebrity's death as often as we seem to say "Fuck cancer" in response to a celebrity's death.

[BW Manilowe]

Someone upthread brought up how Eric Ripert must be feeling, having been the 1 to discover his friend & colleague's lifeless body. Having been put in a similar position (luckily I found the person--my co-worker in my dad's office, who decided to do this in the office while we were the only 2 there--while they were still alive), I can tell you it's not fun, which I suppose goes without saying, & I don't wanna go through that kind of thing ever again.

I also have to say that, rightfully or not, I was really angry at her for knowing me like I thought she did (she worked for my dad for years before I started & was like family, or close to it) & still leaving me to be the person who found her (luckily still alive). Again rightfully or not, I was still really pissed at her over it for awhile after she came back to work.

[SunnyBeBe]

CNN had a very touching coverage of the death of Anthony Bourdain last night, including interviews with his friends and colleagues.  They showed a lot of clips and really paid tribute to the man.  I found Anderson Cooper to be especially emotional.  (Anderson lost his brother to suicide almost 30 years ago and says he still can't give a reason.) He was no doubt loved and respected by his colleagues there.  It gave me a lot to reflect upon.  In those clips, he seemed so vital, so wise,.......it's just difficult to process.