Yes, Bourdain presents your city, or for that matter any place he films, in such away to support the episode being filmed. Hey, it,s entertainment. Baltimore was not on my, or anyone else,s radar prior to the show. The truth hurts. I view my city with rose colored glasses too (Tucson, which he hates!). For what it,s worth, I,m more inclined to visit after viewing the show!

bourdain has absolutely no talent what so ever !

just one more chance for him to show what a jerk he is.

do not be concerned about his opinion.....most people know him to be a simple minded twit

While it certainly wasn't my favorite show he's done, what exactly wasn't true about it? It's not always about the fru-fru eateries...

That show was awful. Shameful and lazy. He took his very limited knowledge of a fine TV show and used it to sum up an entire city. The Wire is much better than that and Baltimore is much, much better than that. At least Jay Landsman tried to explain Baltimore in a thoughtful, realistic way. It was telling of the host how he really didn't listen to Jay.

It's an f'n food show.

It's funny that you mention Bourdain's myopic focus on The Wire & its violence filled Baltimore less than 24 hours after 18 people are shot in Baltimore's streets.

Baltimore can get better civic boosters once this becomes a more civil & civic minded city.

No, no, no, my friend. Bourdain doesn't present No Reservations as just a food show, he wants to be a sociologist talking about Baltimore in the context of the "wreckage of a million Horatio Alger stories." By the way, that is some of the worst writing this side of NBC's the Wanted. Thanks. Z

I missed some of the great restaurants in Baltimore, i.e., Corks and the Dogwood.
The executive chief in both these restaurants are some of the finest in the country.

Perhaps Bourdain didn't want to
admit that Baltimore has two of the finest restaurants in the country, the Dogwood and Corks Resturants.

Well said. I'm actually a fan of the show, but this was a hack job. Clearly the agenda was set before the visit, even down to the rainy weather - give me a break. God forbid you pick a sunny day in Baltimore on the water, it would have made for a completely different episode. This was lame, and made No Reservations look bad.

I do have to laugh about Snoop playing Bourdain though - a place in Miami, a place in blah blah blah - kind of awesome.

Yes, that is exactly what I thought she was doing as well, playing this guy who thought he was so cool and "down" with the real Baltimore -- the Baltimore he knows about from watching his expensive premium cable TV channel that more than two-thirds of the people in this town can't afford. Thanks. Z

Imagine how those tribesman felt when all he showed of their city was eating fire-roasted pig anus. Anthony B. is a real jerk.

Tony is right. Baltimore is one seriously expletived up city.

As I recall from reading one of his books, AB lived and worked in Baltimore for a bit. That might give him a bit more insight than "watching his expensive premium cable TV."

Once again, what wasn't true about what he said on the show?

I watch Bourdain semi-regularly, as his narcissism is entertaining. For the most part, his hosts seem to know what they're getting when he comes to town to do a show. And if you're not taking it too seriously, it can be a decent watch.

However, for a show on the Travel Channel, supposedly for foodies, to come up with this kind of hatchet job is inexcusable. We are not a rust belt town. We aren't even a blue collar town - not since the early 80's. This is a medicine, research, and bio-sciences town. If you want to do a tour of the gang-bangers' food scene, that's one thing. But to say that IS the city (and all of the city) is just as inaccurate as portraying Baltimore to be only what you find in a Legg Mason boardroom.

Disappointing. But hey, at least we got more artistic camera shots of a solo Bourdain supposedly deep in thought over his current subject matter...

Hello Mobtown Matt, Good points. In fact, great points. I really appreciate you sharing them here. Thanks. Z

Having grown up in Buffalo and now living here in Baltimore I def think B'more got the shaft and for once Buffalo didn't.
Here's a link to the video that Nelson Starr shot enticing Bordain to come to Buffalo.
Makes me crave a Ted's dog, onion rings & loganberry...yum

Hi Andrea, Thanks for the link. I think I'll pass on the Ted's dog. But in Detoit, we had the Coney Dog, which I loved in a time and place long ago and far away. Thanks again Z

Dogwood? Corks? PLEASE! Both decent restaurants but come on. Bourdain has been to hundreds of places way better so why would he waste his time. I understand the pride aspect and Bmore does have some great places but be realistic this town has serious problems that should not be ignored. Plus the show is about gritty cities that's hey day was a long time ago and the fact of the matter is this is where we live and where most of the people eat.

As a Baltimore native living in Atlanta, I recognized the stereotype issues referenced by this No Reservations episode. I generally enjoy Bourdain's show, but I would have liked to have seen what approach he would have taken with a full hour on Baltimore. The cuisine, restaurants and characters deserve a full 60 minute treatment, not the 20-minute rest stop tour the audience (and potential tourist dollars) got.

Are we forgetting that the picture of Baltimore being this great city is one often put forth by whites...while the one that was chronicled in the 18 person shooting is black! Do we not see how segregated our city was? Perhaps Bourdain is a bad host. Perhaps his show could have shown more of a balance on Baltimore, but the fact remains that there is a deep division in this city and race and class are the biggest instigators. Bourdain just gave voice to the lower class view of it....which is also what the WIRE was trying to do. Baltimore is not only the Baltimore Country Club, Le Petit Louis, Homeland, Bolton Hill, or Artscape. As a matter of fact, the majority of Baltimore from East to West is a very hurting, impoverished, and violent city. While white people, and African American guys that went to Gilman (like myself), remember Hausners, Black people know Mo's. But, interestingly enough....whites know about Mo's too. I'm not saying that anyone owes blacks in this city anything. I am just saying that we need to as a city take a hard look at the class division and ways that we can bridge the gap. You want to see some people that are doing something, go to www.nsum.org .

Hi Darryl, Thanks. Of course, social class is a huge factor. But Anthony Bourdain is not the guy I'm looking to for wisdom on healing class divides -- and this kind of TV only contributes to those divides in my opinion. Thanks. Z

You claim you read his blog, but he states very clearly that he doesn't consider Baltimore a rust belt city. It's probably some stupid producer with the idea to lump them together.

I'm most dissapointed that he went to Chaps, not long after it was featured (in better fashion) on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. That's the lazy part of his visit.

Otherwise I didn't have a problem with it. Blue Drink!

Hi, Thanks for the comment and the information on Chaps. I did not know that. Thank you very much. As to the other part of your comment, t is his voice on the tape talking about Baltimore as part of the Rust Belt. And if he doesn't consider it part of the Rust Belt, why lump it in with the other two cities? His is the name on the title. I am sorry. I am not buying his lame attempts to say it is/it isn't the Rust Belt. That post went up after he saw some of the criticism, I suspect. Z

I watch Bourdain's show regularly, but was severly disappointed in last night's program. It seems he took the lazy man approach. I appreciate his love for "The Wire" and John Waters, but he seems to have only mentioned Waters in an effort to support his claim that he is still indie and hip. If he so loves Waters, where were the kitschy Baltimore-ese that makes us so unique.

Being part of a 3-city episode wasn't really fair to any of the cities. He could have presented a much rounder view of Baltimore if we had been granted the full hour of the program. It would have been a much better contrast to the Wire recreations presented if he was also able to show the ethnic communities and the higher end restuarants that make Baltimore what it is.

I was very surprised to hear him say that after spending some time here in the early 80's that he "didn't get Baltimore." After hearing him bash the revival of Times Square, it would seem that he, of all people, would be one to "get Baltimore." He missed the skipjack completely. The thing he doesn't "get" is that Baltimore has many culinary, cultural and diverse opportunities without the pretention of most other cities. Whether you are getting pit beef from a stand in front of a strip club or indulging in a 6-course meal at the Charleston, each place is an instant community. Neither staff nor patrons give a crap about where you work, how much you earn or what designer you're wearing. They're going to ask you if you think Derek Mason is coming back to the Ravens, if Towson Catholic should be forced to remain open or if you know where the speed traps are on the way to the beach.

My guess on the whole pitch of this episode: oops, we have to squeeze in another episode, but it's dead of winter, most of the crew is on vacay and we can't get the travel clearance to go somewhere exotic. Let's shut up this guy from Buffalo, but that's not enough material, so let's through in two other cities and the Russian to keep Tony from b--ching.

How did Cleveland get its own episode?

Great insights. Thanks. Z

I did not get to see it yet. I do not have a TV right now. Wish I could see it.

Now...on the subject of Baltimore being "effed-up". It is effed-up, but it does manage to get some things right.

Bourdain simply perpetuated a stereotype of Baltimore that we don't need to have. Yes, Baltimore does have some f'ed up areas and it's good that he showed these places, but what about the rest of the city?!? No mention of all of the beautiful architecture, the history, and the many gourmet restaurants. Baltimore doesn't claim to be New York, but we've got a whole lot going on outside of lake trout, pit beef, and boarded up rowhomes.

Last night was the first episode I watched of the show. I won't be watching any more. I didn't get why he brought the Russian guy with him. But most of all, I didn't get his whole direction. He is a big fan ow John Waters. Where was Hampden? What about Highlandtown, Greektown, Little Italy? They are all integral parts of the city. He seemed to intentionally look for venues to enhance his view of Baltimore as a >'d up city. I thought this was a food show, not a social commentary. Bourdain is a narcissistic blowhard, and not all that intelligent (look how easily he was snowed by Snoop). Can't figure this one out at all.

Hi Susan, "Narcissistic blowhard" -- perfect. Thanks. Z

It is what it is... weren't 18 people just shot here over the weekend? He presented the city truthfully as he does in all his other shows. No need to get so vexed. Obviously when you live somewhere you tend to ignore the negative aspects as a way of coping. Maybe you'd prefer Rick Steves to go to Baltimore and talk about how great and wonderful it is there? Everyone else in the country already knows about how the city is and has been for decades... and would know that its BS to try to portray it any other way.

If Bourdain did an entire hour on Baltimore, he might have made it to the nicer, upper class parts of the city. But, for Baltimore in 15 min or less, I thought it was fine and accurate. It's not like he used actors who were on the show but not really from Baltimore. Baltimore is a seriously f'ed up city- I can't believe anyone would actually dispute that. I love this place, but it's dysfunctional at best.

If you were expecting Phillips and Harbor East, then you clearly have never seen his show before. That said, yeah I would have liked to see him cover Fells and Lexington Market, among other things. But for a brief version, it was fine.

He featured a part of the city that is rarely featured, and for that he gets points, even if he seems to be a tool.

Hi, Thanks, but I would have to disagree about it being rarely featured. I think it is almost always featured in TV depictions, because the images are so easy. Thanks. Z

Hey Z,
I was going to post up something on our blog, but this seems to be the place to comment on last night's terrible sh-fest that Bourdain sprayed across our tv screens.
First, I would like to say that I'm never watching the show again. My grrl used to love this show but not anymore.
That being said, I would like to address a few things about last night's ep. that I think a few commenter's here are missing.
This was not about the "great social divide" This was about a New York man who was here in the 80s and had a horrible time and this was his get back. B-more has a THIRVING black culinary community that includes establishments like Darker that Blue (on Greenmount), the soul food joint on 25th and Calvert (GR8 if you haven't been there!) and Milton's BBQ on charles, not to mention Lexington Market and Tyrone's Chicken. As a matter of fact, I would have WELCOMED a show specifically on black culinary culture. Imagine hitting up a family reunion in Druid Hill park in the summer! Or an after church dinner on a spring Sunday.
Instead, we get the Travel Channel version of some kind of erstaz Frontline episode. This is not acceptable. The Travel Channel should be ashamed of itself for this segment. I was under the impression that TC was created to entice people to travel. If they want to to make a social statement, do something on woman trafficking, opium abuse or Tong based crime in all of those exotic cities they send they're porn face professional eaters to cover.
Bourdian is so full of sh**. He did a disservice to this city by turning his back on our black, Jewish, Polish, German, Latino, Italian culinary culture as a whole.
Commentors will say, "well 19 people were shot on Saturday" and I say watch PBS or CNN. It's TERRIBLE that crime stats in certain neighborhoods are high, but that is not indicative of the entire city and certainly not appropriate for a show or network that's supposed to encourage travel. If 19 people were shot on a fine English sunday, in Moss Side, would you think twice about visiting London? I think not. And the Travel Channel would certainly not focus on it.
In short, FU Bourdain! You've lost a bunch of viewers and quite a few fans. Do you care? Probably not, but in a time when viewers are being sought after like nuggets of airwave gold, this show has caused a few more eyes to turn away from the channel as a whole.

It's interesting that you refer to Jay Landsman, a Baltimore native and a still active police officer of many years service and Felicia Pearson, also born and bred, as "actors" as this better suits your premise. Who knows a city's true nature better than a police detective, who's seen everything, high and low? Ms. Pearson, while inarguably a convicted felon, can hardly be referred to as a professional actress.
You speak as if the Baltimore shown was only a tiny and unrepresentative slice . Your own front page refutes that assertion.

Neither would have been on had they not been actors ...and that is the way he contextualized them. Today's front page refutes nothing in my posts. No one is saying that doesn't exist. Read yesterday's post and some of the comments for a thread about that. Thanks. Z

Bourdain did a complete disservice to this city. He has always had disdain for Baltimore (surprised he can even remember his time in Baltimore in the 80s since he was supposedly in a heroin haze most of the time), and it definitely seemed as if he had a personal agenda to only show one angle of this city.

Besides the fact that he called this city effed up not once, but multiple times, which while it may be true, is not the defining factor of Baltimore. Baltimore is quirky, historic, eccentric, violent, diverse, congenial and effed up. There was several times throughout the show that I felt like yelling, "The Wire is a fictional television show, Tony!". Look, we all know that violence and drugs infect our streets, and it is a huge problem. But, why must Bourdain present Baltimore in only that way? What does that do to help our city? Does it drum up tourist dollars? Will people want to visit our fine city to eat freaking lake trout while touring a gang filled, drug adled, boarded up neighborhood? Not likely. If Bourdain had taken just one of the three segments he did on Baltimore and instead focused on great, quirky, true Baltimore food at somewhere like Bill's Terrace Inn, Lexington/Cross Street Market, or even a farm to table place like Dogwood or Woodberry, it would have just seemed a lot more fair.

One last thing...Rust Belt my ass...we are NOT the Rust Belt.

Hey guys,

Understand the title "No Reservations". Anthony looks for the downtrodden, off the beaten path areas of a city, not the 5 star restaurants. He's a dark individual as his show portrays....just food for thought...don't take it so seriously....

Lighten up Baltimore, I don't think your city is endless miles of row houses and you shouldn't think that Detroit is 20 square miles of Zug Island steel mills.
Every major city in America has high end restaurants (even here in Detroit) I could shoot 40 minutes of film in Detroit that would amaze outsiders but that's not what the theme was, Tony impressed me just by walking through Delray.

Bourdain's shows always have a theme. His theme The Rust Belt was used to talk about cities with problems; problems that seem to have no solutions. He often in his show how people who are misunderstood are basically the same as everyone else through the medium of food and art. It is ashame that so many Baltimoreans want to hide the fact that city has a poor minority population. Every year at the Preakness the major networks show scenes of our city far away from Pimlico like we have something to hide. We should be thankful to Bourdain for showing Baltimore that we have a community in our city that is worth celebrating. Yes bad things happen but a lot of good happens too. These eateries that he highlighted are places where people who have some hard times go to relax and build community. I think Bourdain showed the good side of our city, the real side. Bourdain’s show has always been about community and I think that is what attracted him to those places and the show The Wire. Restaurants like The Prime Rib which it seems a lot of people wanted on the show are not really what Baltimore is about and he would have trashed it(It may be good for Baltimore but cannot hold its own when compared to high end steak houses across the country, sorry). Yes we do have an upper class population but Baltimore always has been a hard working class city and I hope that does not change.

It seemed to me that his portrayal of Charm City was done haphazardly, as if he and the production crew of his show only did a cursory investigation into the city and the region. My wife and I have sent e-mails back and forth all morning with a laundry list of places and people he should have featured on the program.

I personally have never seen The Wire, and after this travesty, I have no desire to! I liked Homicide when it was on, but it wasn't a completely bleak portrait of Baltimore. Encapsulating the entire city as a drug-riddled crapper is ludicrous!

The next time No Reservations has the Viewer Submissions contest, I'm making a tape to pitch that he come back here and REALLY see what the city has to offer!

Bourdain did an entire episode on Cleveland because he is very good friends with Michael Ruhlman (the author of "The Making of A Chef", "The Soul of A Chef", and "The Reach of a Chef" and other books, and who has collaborated with chefs Thomas Keller and Eric Ripert, among others, on their cookbooks). Ruhlman lives in Cleveland and challenged Bourdain to do an episode there since it often was the the target for Bourdain's sarcasm.

Bourdain filmed the Baltimore show last year, and although he raves about "The Wire", in this case using it as the focus tainted the show. It may be screwed up, but he didn't show any of the bright spots.

The "Russian guy" became kind of a cult figure after the Romanian show-- now THAT show REALLY p.o.'d a lot of people.

Bourdain's portrait of Baltimore is somewhat true for an outsider’s point of view. Simply drive 5 blocks in the city and you will go from one segregated block to another. Segregated by race and social class. Our city has always been a city in flux, a mix between the north and the south, rich and poor. It is a snapshot of real social classes living together and trying to work and grow together. This often results in outsiders feeling that it is a city suffering. But it is actually an amazing vision of social and racial classes living together and evolving over time. Often outsiders do not see value in that and they just label it as a city in turmoil. Growing and evolving is always hard. I have lived no place else and do not plan on moving. One thing I love so much is that no matter what part of the city you go into... no matter how 'scary' or how 'safe' (usually only a few blocks away) you can find a great place to eat! Maybe it is a Korean BBQ on a corner with awesome ribs or a 4 start joint at the end of 83. No matter where you go... the food brings people together and makes the classes mix if only for meal time.

I watch Toni and like him for not only his dark humour, but also because he does try and share deep inshights about the places and cultures he visits. (check out the episodes on vietnam) I was not able to see the show last, but will do so tonite. Im sure from what I gather in all your comments, he could have done a better job, and yes maybe shown different aspects of the city.
Now, his show is based around street foods, local restaurants, ie: where the locals eat. Corks for one is a federal hill place and is by far a great or good restaurant. If I was to make any suggestions for an episode here in baltimore, try the farmers market under 83, cross street market (pop tacos) thia arroy..thats the greatest food in town. Of course he can go to fabulous places, like tapas theatro, the charlston, paso, and many more, thats missing the point of the show.
Last but not least, Baltimore is not that great of a city, its not pretty and has many problems, however one can have a great time in Baltimore nonetheless.

Hello Kai, I think Mr. Bourdain is pretty shallow to be so easily swayed by TV images and stereotypes. Thanks. Z

I can't afford cable and have never seen the show; and, frankly, I don't expect ever to pay for television even if I can afford it. It seems Bourdain and the preponderance of commenters here need to get a grip. I've lived in Baltimore, D.C., New Orleans, Providence, Princeton, N.J. and Harrisburg, Pa.; and I have spent considerable time in Pittsburgh, New York, Dallas, Houston, and Trenton, N.J. There's not a one of those places that isn't f'd up. They're cities, for chrissakes! Of course, the District isn't actually a city, and Princeton is a strange little town. But both places are plenty f'd up, and in some ways they're more fucked up than the cities partly because they aren't cities.

It's the nature of the beast when a large number of people are concentrated in one geographical area. City = f'd up. Is now and will always be the case. Big deal. City also = fun, energy, movement, progress, culture, beauty, wonder, community and on and on. I wouldn't choose to reside anywhere other than a city for long. And, believe it or not, Baltimore's a wonderful place. And it's f'd up. And it's my home.

It's not just Baltimore, but the entire Northeast corridor of cities. I don't care about a good cheesesteak or crabcake. I want to be able to come in the city without getting nervous about turning down the wrong street. That's not a stereotype, that's a fact of modern day cities in the northeast, and Baltimore in particular. This is not a great city by any metric. Your issues are a classic case of shooting the messenger. Any part of the city you claim to be decent, I'll show you roads that are horrible and residence that are scared. Black or white. This city is due for another great fire.

As to the other part of your comment, t is his voice on the tape talking about Baltimore as part of the Rust Belt. And if he doesn't consider it part of the Rust Belt, why lump it in with the other two cities? His is the name on the title. I am sorry. I am not buying his lame attempts to say it is/it isn't the Rust Belt. That post went up after he saw some of the criticism, I suspect. Z

Z, go back and watch the beginning of the episode where some of Bourdain's first words note that few would ever consider lumping Baltimore, Detroit, and Buffalo in the same group. His premise is that all are messed up cities. You should know full well that tags like "Rust Belt" are applied by producers and blurbs about the episodes are not written by Bourdain. AB also states multiple times about all three cities that they aren't all bad and that the people living there would never think of leaving (sometimes allowing the interviewees to present the case). You shouldn't blindly assign blame to Bourdain for all the negativity in the episode without also conceding him the good things he said (or allowed to be left in the edit) as well as the fact that the information presented is true. It may not be the "whole" truth, but it doesn't make it real.

Hi Cassady, That is not true in a show like this on as small a channel at Travel. If he said, "No, don't call it Rust Belt because it is wrong," they wouldn't. I think he did it and then saw the backlash, and wanted to distance himself from it. It was a terrible concept that was not thought through, and he should have said no. Instead, he tried to have it both ways. It was a lazy, wrongheaded, misguided piece of work. And I thought his blog post Monday was ridiculous and patronizing -- him telling Baltimore what is "coolest' about Baltimore. Another commenter called him a narcissistic blowhard. I think that is dead on. He's a wannabe sociologist, and he just isn't deep enough. Easier to take a picture of Baltimore that he got out of a fictional TV show and reproduce it in his. Thanks. Z

enough about the show (good or bad) how about the obama's they were drinking !

Z declines comment....Thanks. Z

I submitted a video to Bourdain's fan favorite contest last year. It was selected as one of the winner's. It covered a cross section of Baltimore - Lexington Market, Charm Roller Girls, Fells Point and the very spot where Divine ate poop with a John Waters impersonator eating a scrapple sandwich. What did they show - my intro with me making a fool out of myself. I don't mind the looking foolish part as much as I do mind that he never gave Baltimore the time that it deserved. Baltimore has a wonderful funky charm and Bourdain is in my mind a superficial snob.

Wow, this is fascinating. Thanks so much for sharing this backstage look at how Bourdain operated in this case. I couldn't agree more with the "superficial snob" label. There is something of the snob in the piece he did. That is what I did not like most of all. Thank you. Z

Whoa.

I have never seen so many hissy fits. What is wrong Baltimore? Upset someone doesn't get subscriptions to Baltimore Magazine and hang out with the "Charleston community?"

Yes, there are some wonderful restaurants in Baltimore (best in the world?...come on!), but I think everyone is missing the point...Baltimore is one effed up city.

And guess what, that is the charm! If you come to Baltimore and visit the harbor, BMA, and whatever you aren't getting Baltimore at all. Why? Baltimore is about the people, the hard working blue collar people of this city. They are a weird and wonderful bunch.

It is named Charm City for a reason. If friends come to this city to visit (many to get a Wire tour mind you--I worked on the show) I don't take them to Dogwood or The Charleston. I take them to Lexington market, to a lake trout stand, or to Dizzy Issies. I want them to meet the people of this city and realize they are what make this city so wonderful.

To sit here and complain about a show that has 40 minutes to split between 3 cities seems kind of like a waste of time. And please, lets not pretend Baltimore is some upscale city, we can leave that to Baltimore Magazine. I love the hard working folks of this town.

x Jason

For better or worse, the majority of Baltimore residents live in the kinds of neighborhoods AB explored. Most Baltimore residents are working class. Baltimore is a majority black city. Baltimore is increasingly ethnically diverse. Check the latest census data.
The idea that we all live in waterfront condos & trendy re-habs, shop at the farmers market and sip Cosmos at Pazo is a fantasy created by Baltimore Magazine to sell subscriptions to Baltimore County residents.

I was equally disturbed by Anthony Bourdain's take on Baltimore. I watch him every week with enthusiasm and yet I really felt this episode did not do Baltimore justice.

Truthfully, I can't decide what irks me more. Is it the fact that he showed the city of my childhood through the lens of one experience,which is definitely not the only experience in this city (especially for African Americans who are stereotyped that way)? Or is the fact that he showed the truth- that this is a city that is strangely polarized and devastatingly poor and no one is really talking about it? To have neighborhoods like Federal Hill and West Baltimore all in 10 minutes drive from one another proves that we have allowed some neighborhoods to flourish while other languish and no one cares...

Surprisingly, Bourdain chose to show Medellin, Colombia (where I have family and which truly is the birthplace of modern drug trafficking) as a city with a bad rap that has made tremendous strides. I would have appreciated a similar perspective on Baltimore. I don't want a glossed over view of Baltimore featuring the Harbor (which didnt even exist when I was a kid) but I would have appreciated a feature that showed the good with the bad- especially showing some of the cool culinary things (like Faidley's crab cakes and peach cake) that make the city unique. In my opinion, the one thing he did right was to show the part about Lake Trout.

More like that would have been appreciated...

Hi Kelly, The insight you offer comparing Bourdain's take on Medillen, Colombia, vs. Baltimore is terrific. Thanks so much. If he had put one-tenth the thought and analysis you put into this post into his show, we would have all been better served as citizens. Thanks so much. This is a great comment. Z

Of for the love of...Man, this takes me back to the days when Z was blogging about The Wire's Season 5.

You know, it's okay to showcase a one note point of view of a city or region. Crime writer George Pelecanos writes about a very specific focus and community in Washington D.C. Do I think that's the total of D.C.? Of course not. But it's an interesting walk into the back alleys, bars and neighborhoods of the district I probably wouldn't hit up.

Bourdain hit Baltimore in 20 minutes. He talked to a cop and a criminal, ate at a few working class stands and a ghetto-fab seafood restaurant, and tried to get a sense of the Baltimore he remembered from the 80s, the one from television and the one today. He wasn't here to paint a nuansced picture or practice hard hitting journalism. He had a few questions and tried to answer them, then move on to Detroit and Buffalo.In that context, it was fine.

I'm a native of this city, and I say lighten up. It ain't our television image that keeps us down. It's situations like that 17 people shot over a weekend that does it.

GMan, You're back! I knew you couldn't stay away (ha). Seriously, I have to say I am happy to see your barbed comments again. I am not kidding. I smiled all the way through the comment even though I knew we were going to disagree. It takes me back, too -- in a good way. Z

Tony Bordain loves the Wire (don't we all). Tony goes to Baltimore looking for "The Wire" so he can act out his Boyz in the Hood fantasy and gain street cred. Tony cherry picks portions of city that meet his expectations and edits it so viewers see the "real life" Wire. Tony says, "Baltimore is one f*#%*d-up city."

Welcome to "reality." Brought to you by The Travel Channel!

PS- Baltimore is not part of the Rust-Belt. Sorry. For Tony Bourdain, any city that is not New York, L.A, Miami or Phoenix qualifies as part of the Rust-Belt.

PPS- Tony Bourdain lived here in the 80's yet only discovered Lake Trout through The Wire? I guess he wasn't so intrepid before he had a camera crew.

Rob, This is clever, wicked and wise. Bourdain should be half as smart as you are in this comment. Thanks. Z

I was surprised Pearson's self-promotion segment wasn't edited
more. What, no Fells Point, Lexington Market?

From reading Bordain's "Kitchen Confidential", the main reason he hated Baltimore originally was because during the short time he spend here in '82 he was adicted to heroin and there was none to be found easily around here. Also, the bars closed at 2 (which is the same reason Oriole first baseman Aubry Huff refered to Baltimore as a "hose***t city" a couple of years ago). He has recanted somewhat by saying that his first impression was not a fault of Baltimore's but his own circumstances.
Anyway, I was not holding too much hope of a great portrayl of Baltimore before the broadcast aired soley due to the amount of time given and sharing a show with Detriot and Buffalo- 20 minutes to sum up a city, any larger city, is way too paltry. After watching the broadcast, I had mixed feelings. As a few responders so far have said, it was fitting for the style of the show that he did not hit the tourist traps and I am glad he did not do this. However, it was obvious that Baltimore was added to this broadcast because Bourdain is such a Wire fan and it blinded him to a lot of other aspects of the city.I don't mind that the ugly truth was part of the episode, but there was not even a glimmer of light- no quirky hangout or activity like the unusual bowling in Detroit for example. There should have been the interview with one of the two Wire folks and the other half of the segment that featured something fun that was uniquely Baltimore. If he did that, then the theme that Baltimore is a tough and flawed city with people who love it worts and all Bordain tried to get across would have been more clear to most people, especially Baltimorians. To me Bordain broke the first rule of storytelling which is show, don't tell. He never showed anything, visually at least, that would convince anyone that this city is worthy of the love of any of its residents. I'm would not be surprised if the rest of the country thinks we all live in boarded up rowhomes after watching this.

Saw the commercials, couldn't wait for the episode. I realize the theme of the show was the 'rust belt', yet I have never heard that description of Bmore before & have lived here my whole 40 years. Asked others about that & they were just as perplexed.

If the 'rust belt' means the poorest neighborhoods, obviously AB's point was made. After all these years, I've never had Lake Trout but was pleased to know it is acutally fish!

Next show's theme? Maybe something upbeat would rock, showing another dimension of Bmore. There are plenty of places to fill an entire hour, which I'm sure the same can be said for Buffalo & Detriot.

I recently moved to Baltimore from another major US city. It's amusing and illuminating to watch people get so worked up over a basic cable show spending 1/3 of an hour long episode focusing on the city's less-than-attractive side. Whining about Bourdain and attacking him just sounds petty and says far more about collective self-esteem issues regarding Baltimore than it does about the travel show's "fairness". This is a really great, albeit flawed, town. All of this whining about not being understood is frankly embarassing. Baltimore is better than this. I don't need a travel show to valid this city or my choice to live here.

Bad TV is bad TV. If you are a TV critic, it is your job to write about bad and good TV. I thought this was a lazy and false piece of work. Thanks. Z

Sure, Z. You should talk about; it's part of the job description. But the ad hominem attacks on Bourdain and hand-wring about what did or didn't show/say in digital print and on the radio are simply giving the show more importance than it really has. But I suppose it's pretty good for blog traffic, which is probably also part of the job description.

No, ad hominem attacks. I criticized the TV persona of Bourdain, the on-csreen presenter. Should I say nice things about that on-screen character? And the assumptions he makes in his blog need to be corrected, since they refer to the kind of piece I wrote. I campioned the right of Tv producers to show the harsh side of Baltimore when it was a very lonely and unpopular position to take. And, believe me, Bourdian is not such hot blog traffic. Sarah Palin on TV -- now there's blog traffic you can take to the bank. Thanks. Z

I watched the show, then listened to Midday on WYPR, I'm a lifetime Maryland resident, now living in Glen Burnie. What hurt me most was his introduction. He does not usually go to countries around the world and introduce them as the most f-d up cities/places on earth/America. He is sarcastic and often blunt about his thoughts about places and decor and food, but calling 3 cities in America f-d up is just throwing pot-shots to throw them. We're also not really the "Rust Belt"... Pittsburgh woulda been a better 3rd city.

Amen. Thanks. Z

I wish you guys would lighten up. I love Baltimore. I was born and bread here and I enjoyed Bourdain's take on Bmore and our food. I thought it was clever, entertaining and non elitist look at our native food scene. He was extremely complementary of the food. I find the criticism of him very small minded and very telling of the chip many Baltimoreans still have on their collective shoulders. Lake Trout, crabs, and pit beef in authentic eateries.. to me that is Baltimore. And complaining that he only spent 1/3 of the show here is down right silly. He normally does an entire country in one show.

I guess Mr Bourdain buys into the notion that TV viewers are entertained solely by sensationalism. He's pegged us all as traffic accident gawkers who want to see blood and broken glass.

I've lived in Baltimore my whole life--47 years--and I still find new little corners of city life that surprise and delight me. Baltimore has history and grace.

My work takes me all over the city, in every neighborhood. I've gotten lost in the "projects", and have had to ask for directions. People treat me as I treat them--with respect and consideration.

I see extreme poverty, every day, all day long. But poverty doesn't negate humanity. People are people, mostly trying to live and do the right thing [trite as that sounds].

I don't know if there's a racist tone to the media's interpretation of Baltimore. Maybe it's more of a class bias---the separation between "us" and "those others"---maybe that makes for popular TV.
Conflict sells, or why else would reality TV exists.

But I do know that beauty and culture and the spark of joy can be found everywhere in Baltimore.
And no two-dimensional food show is going to take that away from us.

Jenny is smart. I don't live in Baltimore, but we could all put her comments into practice and the world would be a better place. Jenny said it very eloquently. Who doesn't have these same issues no matter what city they live in.

I'm surprised at all the sensitivity. Baltimore came off as a place with a sense of place, whatever its drawbacks -- unlike some other cities I've lived in. Sure, Bourdain is a showboat and Baltimore isn't as gritty as his little segment made it out to be. But it does have some grit, at least, and that's character.

I'm wondering if some of you elitist foodies are just ------ that he didn't promote Baltimore as some lily-white culinary Utopia of pretentious overpriced eateries. Bourdain has said over and over that poor people's food is the best - the food of the proletariat. I thought his "Rust Belt" episode was spot-on. Go Tony

Sorry had to edit for coarse language. But I do love the "food of the proletariat" line. That is exactly the kind thing I would expect Bourdain tgo say -- trying to sound as if he actually understood Marxism. Food of the proletariat. Think for a second what the real proletariat ate in Stalin's Soviet Union. Z

Bitter Foodie,

"Food of the proletariat" was probably starvation under Stalin right? We don't want to go there.

Anthony's depiction of both Baltimore's people and its food, left me less then impressed. I love most of his shows and continue to be a fan, but not without asking, "Would Tony come back and revisit Baltimore's food with this poetic writer?" The next two episodes that I watched had him with poets. I figured that means that he will not come back, so I am working on an online book, titled, "Dining Without, Tony!" It is available for public view on FanStoy.com under that title and member name of, Mike K2. The episode was a great way to get me to appreciate the food that we have.