The accomplished TV host (most famed for No Reservations and Parts Unknown), author, chef, and jack-of-all-trades has died today at age 61, of an apparent suicide.
I'm really disheartened by this. Having watched the Travel Channel both with great interest and as background noise for many years, I've grown well acquainted with Bourdain's work, and I knew enough about his life and attitude to have quite a bit of respect for him. Crotchety and outspoken as he could often be, he was a man with an honest, unabiding love for exploring the world and experiencing new things. It's even more heart-wrenching because 61 is still far too soon in my book, depression and suicide are the fucking garbage of the human condition, and he had an 11-year old daughter.
The world already feels smaller without him.