S11.E01: West Virginia

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Bourdain digs deep into the proud, often misunderstood culture of West Virginia as he traverses a 5,000 foot mine, observes the demolition derby–like sport of rock-bouncing, and dines on signature Appalachian dishes. Bourdain’s own preconceptions are dashed as he finds the West Virginian attitude to be a remarkable dichotomy, both resolute and open-minded. Over an assortment of local dishes – snapping turtle patties, squirrel gravy, pawpaw ice cream, spaghetti pie, and bear meat – residents candidly discuss their staunch views on the second amendment, Donald Trump, life beyond the coal industry, and the reclamation of West Virginian cuisine.

[biakbiak]

Haven't seen the episode but I am pretty sure I can already write Bourdain's narration. 

[biakbiak]

This was so hackneyed and literally such a rehash of 11 million think pieces that I lost my voice screaming at the tv. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Bourdain's blog on West Virginia

Parts Unknown links for West Virginia

[Dagny]

One of his slams against people who discuss coal as a dying industry was to mention that Walmart is the next largest employer in the State. Not to slam anyone, but Walmart is the largest employer "by number of employees" in most of America. Most of the South, a chunk of the Mid West and depending on what pictogram you are looking at, California. 

[arachne]

Bourdain follows a segment on happy West Virginians target-shooting with news footage reminding us of recent mass shootings in Vegas and Florida. Cut to black screen with logo.

So what's his point -- that this whole gun business is complicated? Meh. 

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, arachne said:

Bourdain follows a segment on happy West Virginians target-shooting with news footage reminding us of recent mass shootings in Vegas and Florida. Cut to black screen with logo.

So what's his point -- that this whole gun business is complicated? Meh. 

I haven't seen the episode yet but I do know that Bourdain's opinions on guns are a bit complicated by his own admission.

Bourdain on Guns

[susannot]

I'm sick of re-fighting these battles, but Hillary never, ever said that she would put a lot of coal miners out of work.  She MAY have said that coal mine jobs are not coming back.  Which is true but was not politically smart.  Telling the truth rarely is.

[susannot]

22 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I haven't seen the episode yet but I do know that Bourdain's opinions on guns are a bit complicated by his own admission.

Bourdain on Guns

Yeah the tacked-on part about Vegas and Parkland felt very hypocritical.  Oh really?  The West Virginian gun culture deserves misty romanticism?  And is unconnected to the deadly murderous  daily gun rampages we have in our wonderful country?

[susannot]

• Bourdain's proclamation that Democrats are dead in West Virginia is ridiculous.

[susannot]

I did love the way Tony talked about the food culture and history in W.Va.

[clod]

On 5/1/2018 at 7:57 PM, susannot said:

I'm sick of re-fighting these battles, but Hillary never, ever said that she would put a lot of coal miners out of work.  She MAY have said that coal mine jobs are not coming back.  Which is true but was not politically smart.  Telling the truth rarely is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksIXqxpQNt0

Edited May 3, 2018 by clod

[ChiCricket]

Ok..I have to give him props for going deep into that coal mine. I had trouble breathing just watching that, it made me so claustrophobic.

Edited May 6, 2018 by ChiCricket
ninja edit