Anthony Bourdain Dishes On ‘Smug’ Bill Maher And Trump Voters
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain is slamming fellow liberals like Bill Maher for living in a bubble and demeaning Donald Trump voters instead of seeking common ground with them.
The host of Parts Unknown on CNN, the foodie and author is no fan of President-elect Trump, particularly his policies on illegal immigration or what he claims are the new president’s authoritarian tendencies.
In a sense, Bourdain may be suggesting that red states, or what is often called flyover country, are “parts unknown” to the liberal elite.
Trump’s election came as a shock to many news outlets, media pundits, and celebrities who were apparently relying on flawed polls rather than the facts on the ground in states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, or Pennsylvania.
That being said, the self-described privileged New York City liberal apparently thinks that the disdainful, out-of-touch attitude by those on his side of the ideological spectrum led to the populist, nationalistic wave that elected Trump as the 45th president, as he explained in a post-election interview published by Reason that took place the day after the Electoral College confirmed Trump’s victory.
“The utter contempt with which privileged Eastern liberals such as myself discuss red-state, gun-country, working-class America as ridiculous and morons and rubes is largely responsible for the upswell of rage and contempt and desire to pull down the temple that we’re seeing now.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in gun-country, God-fearing America. There are a hell of a lot of nice people out there, who are doing what everyone else in this world is trying to do: the best they can to get by, and take care of themselves and the people they love. When we deny them their basic humanity and legitimacy of their views, however different they may be than ours, when we mock them at every turn, and treat them with contempt, we do no one any good. Nothing nauseates me more than preaching to the converted. The self-congratulatory tone of the privileged left—just repeating and repeating and repeating the outrages of the opposition—this does not win hearts and minds…”
The CNN star and Emmy winner also called out Real Time host and Obama/Clinton supporter Bill Maher, describing him as “insufferably smug.”
“Really the worst of the smug, self-congratulatory left. I have a low opinion of him. I did not have an enjoyable experience on his show. Not a show I plan to do again. He’s a classic example of the smirking, contemptuous, privileged guy who lives in a bubble. And he is in no way looking to reach outside, or even look outside, that bubble, in an empathetic way.”
On the subject of political correctness, Bourdain noted that he wouldn’t attend in person or watch on TV a comedian who traffics in racist or offensive content, while underscoring at the same time that “I’m not going to try to put you out of work. I’m not going to start a boycott, or a hashtag, looking to get you driven out of the business.” Demonization of these comedians in the PC environment such as college campuses is unspeakable, he declared.
Bourdain expressed similar sentiments about red state voters in an interview with Eater, in which he also expressed doubts that President-elect Trump is a good person, noting that he has an unfavorable impression of his NYC neighbor who he maintains will dismantle American institutions. The TV chef also vowed never to eat in the restaurant at Trump’s new D.C. hotel.
“But nobody wants to hear some successful Hollywood actor or TV person’s opinion on politics. I certainly don’t. It’s enraging,” Bourdain added.
Back in 2014, Anthony Bourdain chided MSNBC for “shrieking” at Republicans constantly rather than seeking some common ground or engaging in outreach.
[Featured Image Andy Kropa/Invision/AP Images]
