S11.E07: Cajun Mardi Gras 2018.06.17

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

In this celebration of Louisiana’s Cajun culture, complete with Zydeco music and a crawfish boil, Bourdain goes off the beaten path and takes part in the less familiar Mardi Gras traditions of the region’s history stemming from the French Middle Ages. Donning a conical hat, mask and colorful fringed costume, the host participates in the day long Courir de Mardi Gras in Mamou. Meals include a home cooked meal in Grand Coteau, lunch at Laura’s 2 in Lafayette with creole cowboys, and boudin & cracklings at Billy’s in Opelousas.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Bourdain's blog on southern Louisiana

Parts Unknown links

[SunnyBeBe]

I'm shocked at so few comments about last night's episode.  It was good to see Tony, but, I kept thinking about things as I watched.  It was pretty good, I guess.  Nothing against the wonderful people of Louisiana, but, I've never seen anything that made me want to attend Mardi Gras and this episode didn't change that. 

[MaryHedwig]

10 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I'm shocked at so few comments about last night's episode.   

I have kept coming back to this site to see if there were any comments. The episode was good enough but I kept looking into Anthony's eyes to see if I could determine  deep sadness. Was it me or did Anthony seemed not as invested in this one? Especially when he was hunting for pig and when he was in costume, it look like he wanted to be anywhere else but there.

That Mari Gras parade (run?) seemed really dangerous. I felt sorry for the town merchants who had to board up their stores. Also, those costumes were creepy, the head coverings looked like colorful KKK hoods. 

Were those chickens being treated humanly?

As you can see, I was a touch critical and judgy.  I never have experienced that before in any Anthony Bourdain series. Am I in the anger stage of grief for his passing or was I taking in judginess he was feeling?  

I loved the drive-through ashes. I can't wait to suggest that to my priest.

[SunnyBeBe]

I think your feelings are valid.  I've never been impressed with that whole thing.  It's just never appealed to me. Maybe, Tony didn't care for it either. 

I noticed the camera zoomed off Tony when that group were dancing in the mud with the band after the cookout.  It was with a family he had visited before and returned this time.  I take it that he must have left.  I don't blame him.  It didn't seem like fun to me.  And that hammer game while drinking alcohol in the rain.....I don't think Tony was impressed. It just seemed ridiculous.  But, if they love it.......

Edited June 18, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[MaryHedwig]

50 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I noticed the camera zoomed off Tony when that group were dancing in the mud with the band after the cookout.  

Didn't a clown knock him on the ground? It was shown quickly but It really looked like the man knocked down had Anthony's clothes on.

Speaking of leaving quickly, I was surprised that we did not see the barbeque after the parade where the chickens are roasted. Isn't that the whole point of Mardi Gras to have one great feast before a season of restraint and fasting? 

[SunnyBeBe]

Oh, I saw some people knocked down in the mud, but, I didn't think it was Tony.  If it was, I would imagine that he got a big laugh out of it or he wasn't too amused.  Not sure how he would have taken it, but, I didn't see the point. 

[GoldenGirl90]

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

And that hammer game while drinking alcohol in the rain.....I don't think Tony was impressed.

Yeah, he didn't seem impressed at all.

6 hours ago, MaryHedwig said:

I have kept coming back to this site to see if there were any comments. The episode was good enough but I kept looking into Anthony's eyes to see if I could determine  deep sadness. Was it me or did Anthony seemed not as invested in this one?

Same here. I kept looking and listening for clues, anything, that may give us some insight into his psyche. It was a good episode though. 

6 hours ago, MaryHedwig said:

Also, those costumes were creepy,

Very! Imagine seeing someone dressed like that at night in some back alley.

[biakbiak]

Tradition not withstanding at the end of the day it’s a group of all white men wearing hoods and mask drunkenly taking over a town and committing animal abuse and other than making an off hand comment that not allowing women to participate was like Saudi Arabia he didn’t really talk about that and the segment with the Creole men at the meat and two place felt shoehorned in to the overall show to make the entire episode not be only white. 

Edited June 19, 2018 by biakbiak

[Ohmo]

On 6/18/2018 at 10:37 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

Oh, I saw some people knocked down in the mud, but, I didn't think it was Tony.  If it was, I would imagine that he got a big laugh out of it or he wasn't too amused.  Not sure how he would have taken it, but, I didn't see the point. 

I don't think it was Tony, either.  I had the sense that he was standing near the fringes of the group on purpose so he could participate a little but not get involved enough to be knocked down.  I thought when he said that he would feel it in the morning, he was kind of done with the whole thing, and his costume was pretty clean at that point.

While I appreciated the history of how the tradition began and thought it was interesting to see the time and skill that went into the costumes, I wasn't that impressed with the modern-day event.  Men who are completely blitzed by 9 am and rolling around in mud, so drunk they fall off the hoods of cars, etc. just doesn't do it for me.

I did think Tony's Halloween candy analogy was amusing, though...the last peanut butter cup on Earth.  Ha!

[MzTori77]

I'm from Louisiana, and while I've heard about and seen video of Cajun Mardi Gras, I've never experienced it. I have to say I was horrified at what I saw in this episode. I was really looking forward to it, but as the show went on, I found myself cringing and wanting to turn it off. I was truly embarrassed at the words and actions of these drunken, barbaric fools. Cajuns are known for their love of food, drink, and a good party, but this was an ugly side that I found disgusting.