MovieChat Forums > Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013) Discussion > So basically the only thing to look forw...

So basically the only thing to look forward to in Japan is sex?

posted 11 years ago by xybernauts
22 replies | jump to latest

Truthfully, I stopped watching this show simply because whenever Bourain goes to more ethnic countries like Palastine or the black parts of South Africa, or Native American parts of the USA, he shows this annoying disinterest which almost seems deliberately racist, yet in more "white" cultures he always seems so enthusiastic and engaging. It annoys me.

But I decided to tune in again for this one episode just because I really am interested in Japanese culture, but this episode was such a disappointment. I understand covering the sexual side to Japan for one segment, but almost everything he covered was sex based. It was a real turn off. The only part that wasn't sexualized was the interview with the sushi chef and the martial arts demonstrations. I mean you'd think that Japan is an overly sexualized culture from the way the episode was portrayed.

[–] nikkiten1979 11 years ago

Thank you! That's exactly how I felt about this. Such a rich country and culture reduced to "sushi" and "porn"!!! One WHOLE hour of the show was spent at NIGHT talking to broke band members who most likely were high one who knows what kind of drug, bondage weirdos with suicidal expressions that said nothing and knew nothing about Japan. How about comparing that strange *but fun* concert to Jimmy Hendrix (WHY even COMPARE???) - they are so incomparable, that like oil and water!!!

he shows this annoying disinterest which almost seems deliberately racist, yet in more "white" cultures he always seems so enthusiastic and engaging. It annoys me.

Yup... very much, it's pretty sad for coming from someone like Bourdain. You'd think by now he'd be more cultured and understanding, but it seems he tunes out and he has these preconception that he won't shrug off. Like the show about the Congo was pathetic - he showed 1/10th of the country and it wasn't even the "unknown" but what everyone sees on TV all the time. Same with South Africa - like what was the POINT of going into the GHETTOES??? every country in the world has a ghetto or bad area, no need to make it the biggest focus of your show. Show something about Africa the regular person might NOT know! Coppenhagen sucked big time too... beautiful country reduced to a fairy-tell and flower eating.

[–] terrencepatrix 10 years ago

Blahblahblah...he's done shows in Japan already on the very topics you two are talking about.

This was an episode devoted to something else. If you want the exact same thing he's already done in the past...go watch a freaking re-run. The shows are created with a narrative to give you a look at different aspects of countries...that's why he re-visits countries so many times. To tell as many stories as he can.

What you're wanting is a white-washed tourist based show that shows the fun kooky places rich white people get to visit. He instead goes into the places and habits of the people who actually live there, it's a visit from his specific point of view chaperoned by the native population. Which is why HIS name is on the show...because you're looking through HIS eyes. Not your eyes.

The show isn't particularly deep...but it's over your heads obviously.

[–] xybernauts 10 years ago

I think you might be confusing this show with another show, this is the first time he's been to Japan.

Truthfully, I don't feel that appealing to people's base desires really is what some would consider deep, but some of us have lower standards then others I suppose. It's not that it went over our heads, it's just some of us prefer not to slum it in the gutter. I mean you can deal with filth for a small segment to appease the lower standards of people like you, but to reduce an entire culture to sex is insulting to the viewer and the Japanese. And no the entire show doesn't have to delve into kabuki theater.

Don't assume what we want. What i want is something informative and educational that teaches about some aspect of Japanese culture I'm not familiar with. And not something that reduces the smart intelligent people of japan to a porn driven society. Personally I wanted to see more about their faith driven, politically driven, or maybe something more historically driven, but not just sex.

[–] burnthebeautiful-391-132136 10 years ago

This is Tonys third TV show - all 3 shows are basically the same show, but had to change their titles for legal reasons when they moved to a new channel (A Cook's tour was on The Food Network and No Reservations was on The Travel Channel). If you count his previous TV shows, this is actually the 8th time he's done a show about Japan.

A Cooks Tour:
Season 1 Episode 1: Tokyo
Season 1, episode 2: Rural Japan
Seasoon 1, Episode 6: Cambodia & Japan

No Reservations:

Season 2, episode 1: Asia Special: China & Japan
Season 4, episode 16: Tokyo
Season 7, episode 8: Hokkaido
Season 8, episode episode 5: Japan Cook It Raw

So this is actually the 8th show Tony has done about Japan.

[–] xenopharb 10 years ago

I do not mind that Bourdain delved into that aspect of Japanese life, but he spent too much time on it. Report and move on.

[–] lapisconnection 10 years ago

Nice summary. Thanks.

[–] lapisconnection 10 years ago

I agree. I want to see and learn something new and different when he returns to a country. That robot cabaret scene was bizarre!

[–] shantytown1212 10 years ago

Yeah. He should have done an entire hour on Kabuki Theater.

Guess what? No one would watch it.

I think we are all intelligent enough to realize that the show portrayed a PART of modern Japanese culture.

Damn interesting, too.

"Black riders came from the sea."

[–] SurrenderToAir 10 years ago

Bourdain never said the only thing in Japan is porn and sushi. He just wanted to focus on certain aspects of the country. By your logic, the only thing Peru is chocolate and the only thing in Los Angeles is Koreatown.

[–] iraqiwarbride 10 years ago

I found it stimulating.

[–] deborahkerr1992 10 years ago

I'm getting the same racist vibe from AB as well. Im not a big tv show fan but I love food and travel so when combined into one program. I have to watch it. I just recently discovered this show. I'm currently viewing the Morroco episode from season 1 and AB is in this guys restaurant (from my POV the food look AMAZING) and AB is complimentary of the food but he's absolutely, downright rude to the owner/chef. Occasionally turning to the camera to say stupid remarks about the guy.... Who btw seems like a nice older man. I've also noticed this same behavior when AB visits other non-European/white countries. Turned. Me. Off.

[–] rotomato 10 years ago

...AB is complimentary of the food but he's absolutely, downright rude to the owner/chef. Occasionally turning to the camera to say stupid remarks about the guy...

It seemed a bit contrived to me. The chef mentions that some of his food and ingredients have aphrodisiac qualities so Bordain yucks it up to the camera because sex and sex humor sells.

[–] lapisconnection 10 years ago

Yes, he's politically incorrect and sarcastic, as am I , so I get it.

[–] sdusseau 7 years ago

All in your head. Anthony is not a racist. You are probably the one with racism against whites. Stop spewing your hate. Anthony is just more interested in European culture; that isn't racist.

[–] grillmasterj 10 years ago

I watched this show for the first time the other day (Jackson, Mississippi) and really enjoyed it, so it can't just simply be an issue of him preferring "white" cultures.

The Mexico episode was so depressing though, and so-so on content (not nearly as interesting as the first that I had seen).

[–] BSQuared_41 10 years ago

Yeah, some episodes are better than others, for various reasons. I've enjoyed most of them for the most part, but the S2 finale this year, the Brazil episode, was the first one that I pretty much outright hated.

"I was born for politics: I have great hair and I love lying."

[–] tomislav888 10 years ago

the name of this show is PARTS UNKNOWN, how difficult is that to comprehand ?

[–] Jeneral28 10 years ago

Parts Unknown is less food and more culture and politics which to be isnt as good as No Reservations which places a 50-50 emphasis.

[–] TwoThousandOneMark 8 years ago

He's not even about countries, he's about neighbourhoods within countries, families, work, etc.
Stop with the overgeneralization, it's lame.

...top 50 http://www.imdb.com/list/ls056413299/

[–] FuTBoL_HooL 8 years ago

Of course he will be enthusiastic in the Western/"modern" world because he feels comfortable. Can relate to French, Norwegians, South Koreans vs more ethnic regions. In those regions he is little bit more pulled back, more observant, doesn't want to step on any eggs etc.