Although I don't watch either show regularly (the wife does, though, and, like Jules Winnfield and his girlfriend's vegetarianism, that means I also "watch the show"), I like Bourdain. He's got a helluva lot more personality, presence and intelligence, IMHO. Zimmerman seems like he was the kid in school who'd eat anything on a dare. He comes across as whiny and :lookatme:. What say you?
Bourdain. Hand's down. And Zimmerman's show grosses me out - 'course, I realize that's the point. Although, I saw a funny advert for Zimmerman's show recently, where a guy walks up to a hot dog vendor and orders a dawg, and Zimmerman exclaims "Gross! Do you know what is in those things!?" then proceeds to chow down on what looks like a squirrel on a stick - biting the head first!
Bourdain. Zimmerman strikes me as some chomping homo douchebag, and the little I have watched has had him actually telling his hosts how gross their food is. I've seen Bourdain eat some disgusting shit, and his monologue says it's disgusting shit, but on camera he just smiles and takes the food in the spirit it's served. Hard to be a prim a dona when you're doing that. Bourdain also makes a point to confront his own prejudices, and force himself to become a better person. He talks about it a lot in his numerous non fiction books about his life and travels. He also writes some decent little mafia/crime novels. He blogs about each show here. Speaking of blogs and prejudice, here's one of the best...
Don't forget Bourdain's Emmy nominated "Shwarma & Shrapnel" episode when he was trapped in Beirut Lebanon... [yt="Lebanon, pt.5"]UJCeMXRmHzo[/yt] ^FF ahead to the 7:00 minute mark...it's pretty thought provoking and sad stuff. He also did very perceptive episodes of both "Cook's Tour" and "No Reservations" were he examined where the Mexican cooks working in his (and may other American) kitchens came from, and on how US immigration policy effects families on both side of the border (of Mexican AND white and black - and MANY of mixed - descent) And he is one of the few TV hosts I know - of ANY TV show - who actually interviewed residents and law-enforcement workers on both sides of the US/Mexico border on THEIR thoughts on a border fence and let them speak out about it. (I was surpirised to here US law enforcement folks - a sheriff even - speak out *against* the fence, and too see how in that part of the counry, many people, of all races, have family & jobs that straddles BOTH sides of the border - how theres a whole *economy that dependeds on the free flow of people back and forth,,,and how, unfortunately, the people who try to enter *legally* often wind up suffering the most because of US policy. (The incentive is NOT to obey the law, but to break it!) And his episode of "Cook's Tour" - "Battle For The Soul Of America" - while scathingly critical of American fast food/mall food court "culture", showed how there are places all around us in the US you can get fast, cheap, *unpretentious*, and tasty, well made and nutrious meals, if we just open out eyes and look at out own cultural richness. The combine heritage we all share, as Americans - the murtt culture of cultures. Zimmerman - he just eats weird shit. Bourdain - he's a philosopher or sorts.
Bourdain without a doubt. He actually likes that funky fruit that made Zimmerman ill, cooked for disabled vets with Nugent, and when asked by two gouchos, "All cooks are either gay or alcoholic, which are you?" Drank a healthy amount of wine and said something along the lines of "What do you think?" He's got class, style, and brains - and I bet he gets more tail on one of his trips than Zimmerman gets in a decade. Oh and I'm damn glad I'm not the only one here watching his shows...
Bourdain. I've never seen anyone eat a roasted boar's anus covered in feces and dirt and THANK the person who gave it to him. Zimmerman is nice, but if I had to pick I'd rather go on a trip with Bourdain.
Guys, his last name is Zimmern. But yeah, Bourdain for the commentary, but Zimmern for the food. One show is about philosophy and the other is shock value.
My bad. I confused him with a former coworker of mine with the last name of Zimmerman. He's facing multiple counts of sex with minor boys in Florida.
OK. that's where the lack of proper cases in English makes a sentence somewhat dubious in meaning... That 'he' could refer to either man in your post...
