Bizarre Foods

[coastie]

I just watched the AK show. Since its my home turf......

He mispronounced many of the place names and food items.

Most of the foods were fairly true. I was particularly pleased with the eskimo ice cream - he found it inedible when he ate it the first time. I knew why it tasted bad and knew how good it can be when properly whipped so I was very glad when he ate it again in Bethel. Stinkheads - never been able to eat them, occasionally we have deaths from improperly done stinkheads. THey are amazingly overwhelming he does get bonus points for that!!

- the ptarmigan hunting actually included a scene where they turnd the bird inside out to take the feathers off. Doing that in the field and cooking it makes it a bit bizarre otherwise its just a bird....

Oh and my roomate is Yupik and from Bethel, I asked her about the eskimo kisses because I've never seen that and I'm born and raised here.......NO ONE does that.- the rubbing noses thing - why did they included this stereotype.......

So can I trust his pronounciation and explanation of the areas he's in??? Don't people tell him how to pronouce places - it is the travel channel??

I would agree that he seems a bit less like the obnoxious american touron...

I would reccomend some more fact checking and pronoucuiation corrections based on watching my home done......

[LoriZig]

I'm really looking forward to the crossover shows with AB next week!

[nonblonde007]

Coastie, that is my home turf as well, I grew up outside of Fairbanks. I noticed the mispronunciations as well, but given the odd names of everything, and difficult accent, I had to cut him some slack. I giggled at the "Eskimo Kisses" as well. But, that makes T.V. I suppose. I actually enjoyed re-living my childhood while watching the sled-dogs and dressing the ptarmigan in the field.

[BSmith]

I honestly don't see what the travesty is over this show. It's an American show. The foods he eats are bizarre to the vast majority of Americans, and Europeans and most other westerners, for that matter.

It's in no way insulting to any culture. The guy clearly has a love and respect for foods most people wouldn't consider eating, just like Bourdain.

I wouldn't be insulted if an Asian show were to come to the United States and call something I was eating bizarre, I'd accept it as an interesting cultural difference.

[mrbigjas]

the #1 problem with this show is not cultural insensitivity, or gross-out factor.

the problem is that apparently the sound guys have implanted the microphone directly into andrew zimmern's jaw, and every time he eats something, you can actually hear his TMJ clicking and popping as he chews, and you can hear his tongue mashing the food around his hard palate and his pharynx and trachea moving when he swallows. it's horrifying. it's like sitting in a silent room with someone eating, and you're not allowed to eat yourself, or talk. i shudder just thinking about it.

[JohnRov]

Bizarre is defined as "markedly unusual in appearance, style, or general character" Given the definition, that meaning has to take a cultural and knowledge context. If you havn't seen something before, it could be considered bizarre, no matter how normal to someone else.

Bizarre is not a derogatory term, nor is it intended to be in this case.

jason

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Excellent point, I came here to post the exact same thing. That said, the show has little interest to me after watching two episodes. The spitting out of food and the audio that catches every slurp and crunch that comes out of his mouth annoy me.

[Joe Blowe]

I honestly don't see what the travesty is over this show.  It's an American show.  The foods he eats are bizarre to the vast majority of Americans, and Europeans and most other westerners, for that matter.

It's in no way insulting to any culture.  The guy clearly has a love and respect for foods most people wouldn't consider eating...

As you can see, we don't have a problem with the show format. We have a problem with the show host.

[BSmith]

I honestly don't see what the travesty is over this show.  It's an American show.  The foods he eats are bizarre to the vast majority of Americans, and Europeans and most other westerners, for that matter.

It's in no way insulting to any culture.  The guy clearly has a love and respect for foods most people wouldn't consider eating...

As you can see, we don't have a problem with the show format. We have a problem with the show host.

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Several people had a problem with the entire concept of the show, I was responding to them, specifically. Did you actually read all the posts?

Edited August 8, 2007 by BSmith (log)

[Joe Blowe]

Yes, BSmith, I've been following this thread since day one -- as evidenced by Post #2.

How 'bout you, specifically, take another stroll through the thread and note the general disdain for the host rather than the show.

[BSmith]

Yes, BSmith, I've been following this thread since day one -- as evidenced by Post #2.

How 'bout you, specifically, take another stroll through the thread and note the general disdain for the host rather than the show.

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Clearly I was referring to the people who said the concept was bad, as I said nothing about Andrew Zimmern.

I'm not talking to you or anyone else who was referring to the host. At least three people had a problem with the idea of the show calling anything bizarre. That's what I made a comment about. Anything else you need pointed out?

Edited August 8, 2007 by BSmith (log)

[Dante]

I watched the ABNR crossover on Monday, mainly for Mr. Bourdain's presence. I found it interesting, and admit that I was intrigued by the tarantula (I've eaten grasshoppers, and ants too, and liked them. Never tarantulas, maggots or cockroaches).

I can't say I found it bad, or offensive in and of itself, but I can't say it's something I want to keep watching (I only watch two TV shows at all on a regular basis, and usually watch them on On Demand) . "Bizarre Foods" just didn't grab me.

But, yeah, the Egyptian restaurant was kewl. I really liked that part, and loved how they blended the close of BF with the opening of ABNR.

and it was intersting to see the NYC's Chinatown still looks essentially the same as it did when I was last there in '84 (tho I didn't see any tentacled things on rotisseries in any of the windows).

Sincerely,

Dante

[Soup]

Does any one have a list of places he and/or AB when to in NY during the two shows. I was trying to take notes but I did not get all the names.

I especially want to figure out where (and how good) the sushi place at AZ went to, the place tony went to eat Yakitory and yellowtail collar.

Soup

[MsSumida]

Does Chef ANdrew own more than a yellow shrt and a blue shirt? Was watching a marathon of his shows today..and just wondered....

Also, completely bored by this series

[Fpoint]

Finally saw this show have to say not impressed in the least. He was in Taiwan and after about a minute I got fed up him hearing about how stinky the tofu was. But he keeps going on about how bad it smelled. Then he goes to a restaurant, still talking about the smell. The proprietor cooks him a special meal. He sits in her restaurant with her food in front of him, still talking about the bad smell and saying he was grossed out by the ingredients. He then takes a bite makes a face, utters a sound and then proceeds to spit it out into his napkin and says how he can't eat it. It was like watching a, bad mannered, child eat.

I like the premise of the but if you're going to do a show on 'bizarre' foods at least have a host who has the (place your metaphor here) to eat the food in question and not act like a spoiled brat!

[LittleChef22]

Never heard of this show... I'll have to check it out.

[Vinotas]

Never heard of this show... I'll have to check it out.

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You're not missing much.

As someone said above, it's like watching a spoiled brat, and worse, I feel that he talks down to the viewer (and sometimes his hosts).

Something about the man just rubs me the wrong way, I can't stand watching his show for more than a few minutes before I need to turn away. Even my wife can't stomach him (pun intended).

Cheers!

[Dignan]

Never heard of this show... I'll have to check it out.

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You're not missing much.

As someone said above, it's like watching a spoiled brat, and worse, I feel that he talks down to the viewer (and sometimes his hosts).

Something about the man just rubs me the wrong way, I can't stand watching his show for more than a few minutes before I need to turn away. Even my wife can't stomach him (pun intended).

Cheers!

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I'm not a big fan of the show. I did have a bit of a revelation once though as I watched him and asked myself, why is he talking like we are all children? It occurred to me that he was talking so that he could be understood by the folks around him for whom english was not a first language.

[Miami Danny]

I thought I was never going to like this guy, but after he bitch-slapped Bourdain on the boardwalk, I became intrigued with this lad. Last night he had his shirt off on the beach in Mexico, so you could see his man-boobs. I though that that was as daring and bold as anything else on the show. We've all seen National Geographic's Mexico series back in 2001, so we know about grasshoppers and maggots-and guess what, they do it a hell of a lot better. But he seems to be enjoying himself, and that makes the show tolerable. Like Bourdain, he covers ground that has been beaten to death, but I find him to be a real person, like him or not, as opposed to Bourdain, who comes across as pompous and bored. Bourdain's portentous voice-overs make him sound like a reject from the Morgan Freeman school of narration. I'm going with the bald, topless, doughy guy. And didn't that abalone look spectacular?

[chappie]

I haven't seen this show much, but I watched the Mexico episode and the one that followed (I recall nutria and possom?) last night and thoroughly enjoyed them.

My big beef with this big beefy man early on in the show's run was that he seemed too squeamish, which seems to have gotten over. Also his totally embarassing retching infront of the humiliated durian farmer, which I'm sure he's caught his share of flak for ever since, and grown (well, he seems to always be growing) because of it.

So, I guess I like the show.

Haven't seen much Bourdain lately except for his guest judging appearances on Top Chef (though I'm interested in catching his episode on Beirut). I adored A Cooks Tour, much more than Kitchen Confidential, but I can see how some people find his "persona" a little self-indulgent. To be fair, though, a friend who managed a bookstore in Atlanta met him at a book signing and found him just as advertised. He was more than approachable and looking for people to grab a drink with afterward.

[Miami Danny]

I haven't seen this show much, but I watched the Mexico episode and the one that followed (I recall nutria and possom?) last night and thoroughly enjoyed them.

My big beef with this big beefy man early on in the show's run was that he seemed too squeamish, which seems to have gotten over. Also his totally embarassing retching infront of the humiliated durian farmer, which I'm sure he's caught his share of flak for ever since, and grown (well, he seems to always be growing) because of it.

So, I guess I like the show.

Haven't seen much Bourdain lately except for his guest judging appearances on Top Chef (though I'm interested in catching his episode on Beirut). I adored A Cooks Tour, much more than Kitchen Confidential, but I can see how some people find his "persona" a little self-indulgent. To be fair, though, a friend who managed a bookstore in Atlanta met him at a book signing and found him just as advertised. He was more than approachable and looking for people to grab a drink with afterward.

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I'm sure AB's a swell guy, I'm not disputing that, but that just doesn't seem to translate to his show. Zimmer, on the other hand, seems too normal-although his claim that that plate of shellfish would cost one or two hundred dollars seemed a little far-fetched.

Edited August 28, 2007 by Miami Danny (log)

[Mild Bill]

His ultra clear over-enunciating isn't simply for the benefit of non english speakers--- he does it all the time...

His ummmms and yummmms come way too quickly to be sincere...

I dislike him less than I used to, but my difficulty comes from my profound love of families, and people, and cultures, versus his...

This show shouldn't simply be about sending him to the world's wonderful cracks and crannies to watch him eat crazy things so one dimensionally...

I need to see some love, some laughter, and maybe the ocassional tear--- for this type of show where they do such a service by revealing little known cultures and customs......

Producers, fly me out for a demo taping and I'll show you what I'm talkin' about...

Edited August 29, 2007 by Mild Bill (log)

[Miami Danny]

His ultra clear over-enunciating isn't simply for the benefit of non english speakers--- he does it all the time...

His ummmms and yummmms come way too quickly to be sincere...

I dislike him less than I used to, but my difficulty comes from my profound love of families, and people, and cultures, versus his...

This show shouldn't simply be about sending him to the world's wonderful cracks and crannies to watch him eat crazy things so one dimensionally...

I need to see some love, some laughter, and maybe the ocassional tear--- for this type of show where they do such a service by revealing little known cultures and customs......

Producers, fly me out for a demo taping and I'll show you what I'm talkin' about...

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But all that's been done already by people who really know about culture, like NatGeo. This is all retreads-it's all been done before, that's why it seems so familiar. Be thankful that at least sometimes they get the food part of it right. Thank god he doesn't lecture and pontificate like Bourdain.

[BSmith]

I thought I was never going to like this guy, but after he bitch-slapped Bourdain on the boardwalk, I became intrigued with this lad.  Last night he had his shirt off on the beach in Mexico, so you could see his man-boobs.  I though that that was as daring and bold as anything else on the show.  We've all seen National Geographic's Mexico series back in 2001, so we know about grasshoppers and maggots-and guess what, they do it a hell of a lot better.  But he seems to be enjoying himself, and that makes the show tolerable.  Like Bourdain, he covers ground that has been beaten to death, but I find him to be a real person, like him or not, as opposed to Bourdain, who comes across as pompous and bored.  Bourdain's portentous voice-overs make him sound like a reject from the Morgan Freeman school of narration.  I'm going with the bald, topless, doughy guy.  And didn't that abalone look spectacular?

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I think you've got the wrong impression of Anthony. He really cares about indigenous cultures, and off-the-beaten-path foods.

If he even seems to be acting pompous, he's just joking. He doesn't take himself seriously. He's an old school punk with a sense of humor.

[GordonCooks]

What's bizarre are the sounds emanating from his mouth - he must have a microphone in his molar.

[Miami Danny]

"I think you've got the wrong impression of Anthony. He really cares about indigenous cultures, and off-the-beaten-path foods.

If he even seems to be acting pompous, he's just joking. He doesn't take himself seriously. He's an old school punk with a sense of humor."

Well, I'm not sure how you can know any of that, but, regardless, I'm talking about his TV persona here, not him personally. Sorry, his show is way too pretentious for me.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Miami Danny (log)