CELEBRITY CHEF ANTHONY BOURDAIN
HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 61 FROM
AN APPARENT SUICIDE.
HE WAS
DISCOVERED IN HIS HOTEL ROOM AND
FRANCE AND HE WAS ACTUALLY IN
FRANCE TO TAPE AN EPISODE OF HIS
HIT CNN SHOW PARTS UNKNOWN.
ERIC RIPERT, A CELEBRITY CHEF
WHO WAS ALSO A GOOD FRIEND OF
HIS APPEARED WITH BOURDAIN ON
SEVERAL OF HIS SHOWS AND FOUND
HIM UNRESPONSIVE.
THAT 
WAS THE REACTION OF A LOT
OF PEOPLE ALTHOUGH THOSE WHO
WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO HIM SAID
THAT IT DID SEEM AS THOUGH
THINGS WERE A LITTLE OFF AND
BEFORE WE GET INTO MORE DETAILS
OF THE STORY I WANT TO EMPHASIZE
FOR ANYONE WHO IS WATCHING,
ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING
WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES,
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PLEASE GET
HELP.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
A LOT
OF PEOPLE ALL OF THE WORLD ARE
SUFFERING FROM THIS AS WELL AND
THERE IS THE NATIONAL SUICIDE
PREVENTION LIFELINE IF YOU WANT
TO CALL AND GET HELP.
IT IS
1-800-273-8255.
THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY HARD
STORY FOR ME AND I HAVE NEVER
RESPONDED OR REACTED THIS WAY TO
THE PASSING OF A CELEBRITY, BUT
ANTHONY BOURDAIN HAD A HUGE
IMPACT ON MY LIFE AND I AM NOW
LEARNING ON THE LIVES OF OTHER
PEOPLE AND IT IS A STATING
STORY.
VERY RESPONSIBLE, IT IS
WEIRD, HE CHANGED VIEWED
TELEVISION BUT IT IS NOT LIKE
FOOD TELEVISION, HE CHANGED A
LOT OF THE ROLE THAT FOOD PLAYS
IN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES NOW,
CAN TRACE DIRECTLY BACK TO HIS
AFFECT ON IT.
USED TO BE, I
WORK IN TELEVISION SO I USED TO
BE, COOKING SHOWS WERE JUST
PEOPLE YELLING BAM AND THROWING
SPICE ON THINGS.
HE CHANGED IT.
HE
HAD A VOICE, A PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH NOT JUST THE
FOOD BUT THE CHEFS AND THE
PEOPLE BEHIND IT AND CULTURE,
PART OF CULTURE IS FOOD, BUT HE
BROUGHT OTHER PARTS OF CULTURE
INTO THE DISCUSSION OF FOOD AND
BROUGHT FOOD INTO THE OTHER
PARTS OF THE DISCUSSION OF
CULTURE AND WE DO THAT NEW SHOW
THAT'S ON TODAY AND THERE IS ONE
SEGMENT IN PARTICULAR WHERE I AM
DOING AN IMPRESSION.
IT SUCKS.
I AM DOING AN IMPRESSION OF HOW
HE TALKS ABOUT FOOD, I AM
TALKING ABOUT DRINKS AND IT
IS WEIRD.
IT IS REALLY INTENSE AND
SO UNEXPECTED.
IT IS A GUY WALKING AROUND
MAKING, TALKING ABOUT THE
URGENT.
THAT IS HOW SUICIDE PLAYS
OUT.
IT'S NEVER REALLY WHAT
ANYONE EXPECTS AND FOR ME EVER
SO SHOCKING BECAUSE WE ARE, IN
ONE WEEK, WE HAVE HAD TWO DEATHS
AMONGST, IN WHITE COMMUNITIES
WITH PRIVILEGE, WITH ACCESS,
WITH HEALTHCARE AND I JUST WANT
TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT OF WHAT
IS HAPPENING IN OUR MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES AND WHAT IS BEING
UNSEEN AND I KNOW BEING FROM A
SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITY, I AM
TALKING ON BEHALF OF THE BLACK
AND BROWN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE,
WE'VE A LOT OF STIGMA AROUND
MENTAL HEALTH AND WE DON'T GET
HELP WE'RE DEEP BECAUSE WE'RE
ALWAYS TOLD TO BE MORE POSITIVE,
PERK UP, YOU CAN GET THROUGH IT,
PUSH THROUGH BUT REALLY, IT IS
SUCH A HUGE HEALTH ISSUE BUT
ACCESSIBILITY IS ONE OF THE
BIGGEST THINGS IN THE BLACK AND
BROWN COMMUNITY.
HOW ARE WE
GOING TO HELP THEM PUSH THEIR
BECAUSE THESE ARE PEOPLE WITH
PRIVILEGE.
THEY HAD EVERYTHING.
AND YET, THEY HAD TO GO THIS
WAY.
TWO THINGS THAT I WANT TO
MENTION THAT I THINK NEED
TO BE DISCUSSED AND IT NEEDS TO
BE A LITTLE BIT MORE WIDESPREAD.
EVERYONE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT,
THIS IS SO UNEXPECTED, SAME
WITH KATE SPADE, HER LIFE SEEMS
SO PERFECT, HIS LIFE SEEMS
SO PERFECT.
HE HAD IT ALL, HOW
COULD THIS HAPPEN?
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT
PEOPLE'S PUBLIC LIVES AND WHAT
YOU SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT
REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT IS REALLY
HAPPENING IN THEIR LIVES.
IT IS
JUST NOT.
I REMEMBER IN 2016,
JUST GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID
ABOUT STIGMA.
IT WAS A VERY
DIFFICULT TIME FOR ME PERSONALLY
AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I
DEALT WITH DEPRESSION AND SEVERE
ANXIETY AND I OPENED UP ABOUT IT
ON THE SHOW AND I DID NOT EXPECT
PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO ME WITH
GRATITUDE BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA.
I GET ATTACKED ALL THE TIME, SO
I KIND OF SHARE THINGS ABOUT
MYSELF WITHOUT CARING WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK ARE
WORRYING ABOUT IT.
THAT IS MY
PRIVILEGE, NOT HAVING NOT
WORRY BUT I HAD NO IDEA THAT
PEOPLE FELT LIKE THEY COULD NOT
TALK ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES, THAT THEY COULD NOT OPEN
UP AND SEEK THE HELP THAT THEY
NEED BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED
THAT THEY WOULD BE STIGMATIZED.
PLEASE DON'T WORRY
ABOUT THAT STIGMA.
WE NEED TO HAVE OPEN
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEPRESSION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SUFFER FROM IT
AND IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW
SUCCESSFUL SOMEONE IS OR HOW
PERFECT SOMEONE'S LIFE
APPEARS TO BE, PEOPLE HAVE REAL
STRUGGLES BEHIND-THE-SCENES.
OR HOW FUNNY PEOPLE ARE.
I
SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION AND
CLINICAL DEPRESSION, MY MOM HAS
INTEGRAL DEPRESSION AND WHEN I
TALK ABOUT IT, TO ME IT WAS A
REALLY SAD STORY TO READ
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, BECAUSE OF
THE TIMES THAT WE ARE IN.
THERE
ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE
SPOTLIGHT THAT ARE USING IT TO
DIVIDE US AND WHEN WE LOSE
SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY USES THEIR
PLATFORM TO UNITE US AND TO
HIGHLIGHT OUR DIFFERENCES AS
POSITIVES, IT REALLY DOES FEEL
LIKE A LOSS BECAUSE ALL THE
HEADLINES ARE ALWAYS LIKE,
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AND IT
HAS BECOME SO FASHIONABLE FROM
EVERYBODY TO JUST SAY I BELONG
TO THIS GROUP, THAT GROUP IS
WRONG, JUST TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE
THIS WHO ARE ALLIES TO PEOPLE
FROM OUR BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES THAT GO HIGHLIGHT
OUR CULTURE AND SAY THIS IS
GREAT FOOD BRINGS US TOGETHER, I
AM A LITTLE BIT SHOOK BY A. I
HAVE BEEN HAVING MY OWN BOUT OF
DEPRESSION AND I WILL TELL YOU
AS A STANDUP COMEDIAN, PEOPLE
DON'T EVER THINK THAT WE ARE
DEPRESSED AND WE ARE SOME OF THE
MOST DEPRESSED PEOPLE ON THE
PLANET WHICH IS WHY WHICH IS TO
MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH BECAUSE THAT
MAKES US FEEL BETTER, BUT MONEY,
FAME, HIS MOM TALKED ABOUT HIM
AND SAID HE HAD SO MUCH MONEY
AND HE WAS SO SUCCESSFUL.
THOSE
DO NOT FILL THE VOID THAT YOU
HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE MENTAL
ILLNESS AND THE STIGMA IT IS.
I
REMEMBER TELLING MY MOM THAT I
FELT DEPRESSED AND SHE WOULD SAY
YOU ARE NOT CRAZY, DON'T SAY
THAT.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG
WITH YOU, IT'S CHEMICAL, IT IS
NOTHING I CAN SNAP OUT OF AND IT
IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME
SOMETIMES NOT WANT TO GET OUT OF
BED AND I HAVE BEEN ON THE SHOW
AND BEEN DEPRESSED AND PEOPLE
ARE LOOKING AND SAYING WHAT'S
WRONG WITH HER, WISER NOT
COMBED.
IT IS BECAUSE I HAD TO
STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF BED AND
JUST BEING HERE WITH YOU GUYS
WILL KEEP ME GOING JUST ANOTHER
MOMENT, SO I WILL SAY TO YOU
BLACK AND BROWN YOUNG PEOPLE AND
I'M SPEAKING TO EVERYONE, BUT
SPECIFICALLY THOSE OF US WHO
COMES FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES
WERE PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT IT IS
SOMETHING YOU CAN JUST GET OVER,
AND YOU ARE DEALING WITH ISSUES,
GO OUTSIDE OF YOUR VILLAGE IF
YOU NEED TO AND GO FIND THE HELP
THAT YOU NEED BECAUSE THERE
ARE A LOT OF MEASURES OUT THERE
TO HELP YOU AND IT DOES NOT
ALWAYS HAVE TO BE MEDICATION.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS
WHY I GOT A DOG AND HE REALLY
HELPED ME, BUT IT IS DIFFERENT.
I LOVE THAT YOU MENTIONED
CLINICAL DEPRESSION.
THERE ARE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEPRESSION.
FOR SOME PEOPLE IT IS A
CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL PROBLEM AND
IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND SO
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE'S
ANYTHING WRONG WITH YOU, AGAIN,
WE NEED TO HAVE OPEN, HONEST
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT.
IF YOU
ARE A PUBLIC FIGURE WHO IS
SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION, YOU
HAVE THE ABILITY TO LESSEN THE
STIGMA BY COMING FORWARD AND
TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE
DEALT WITH AND GOING BACK TO
WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING IN
REGARD TO ANTHONY BOURDAIN
TEACHING PEOPLE ABOUT CULTURE,
THAT IS THE REASON WHY THIS IS
IMPACTED ME PERSONALLY.
I DID
NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM AND
TELL ABOUT 2017, I'M SORRY 2007.
AT THAT TIME, I WAS FRESH OUT
OF COLLEGE, HAD NO INTEREST IN
THE WORLD AROUND ME AND WHAT I
MEAN BY THAT IS I THOUGHT
LA IS THE BEST PLACE IN THE
WORLD, WHY WOULD I WANT TO
GO ANYWHERE ELSE?
I HAD NOT TRAVELED OUT OF THE
COUNTRY GET ONE OF MY GOOD
FRIENDS WAS ABOUT GO TO EUROPE
AND SHE INVITED ME.
I SAID NO,
WHY WOULD I SPEND MONEY TO GO
ANYWHERE ELSE I LOVE IT HERE.
AT THAT TIME I STARTED WATCHING
HIS SHOW AND HE SPARKED THIS
CURIOSITY IN ME AND JUST SEEING
HIM SHARE OTHER CULTURES AND HOW
BEAUTIFUL THE WORLD AROUND US
REALLY IS, I WAS OBSESSED WITH
THE SHOW DIED THAT TIME HE
HOSTED A SHOW CALLED NO
RESERVATIONS ON THE TRAVEL
CHANNEL AND EVERY MEMBER CALLING
MY FRIEND UP AND SAYING I AM
GOING TO EUROPE WITH YOU AND I
WAS A FIRST TIME THAT I TRAVELED
AND I STARTED REALLY TAKING IN
OTHER CULTURES AND APPRECIATING
THEM.
I WANTED TO SHARE A VIDEO
OF ANTHONY BOURDAIN.
ONE OF HIS MOST RECENT VIDEOS
ON CNN.
I'M ARMENIAN SO
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN EPISODE
THAT MEANT A LOT TO ME
PERSONALLY, SO HERE IS HIS
RECENT TRIP TO ARMENIA.
GENOCIDE.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT REVENGE, THIS
IS ABOUT RECOGNITION.
WAR.
IF WE LOSE, WE KNOW THAT WE
WILL BE DESTROYED, ANNIHILATED.
EARTHQUAKE.
I AM THE GENERATION WHICH
REALLY LEARNED THE ALPHABET
WITH A CANDLELIGHT.
ARMENIA HAS ENDURED A LOT.
THIS IS SOME GEOPOLITICAL
CONFLICT ON A MAP.
EVERY FAMILY IS TOUCHED.
EVERY DAY A 100 PEOPLE LEAVE
ARMENIA.
BUT IT REMAINS A PLACE THAT
MILLIONS OF ARMENIANS ARE
VERY, VERY SENTIMENTAL ABOUT.
I MYSELF, I WILL
NEVER LEAVE ARMENIA.
I WAS BORN IN ARMENIA AND I
WILL DIE HERE.
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO
ARMENIA, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO
ARMENIA?
I'VE BEEN HEARING IT FOR YEARS.
FINALLY, I AM HERE.
HE WILL BE MISSED, TO SAY THE
LEAST.
