Show's interesting enough, however, Mr. Bourdain needs to keep his liberal whining and conservative bashing to a minimum! How Zamir deals with such a pacifist is amazing!

Why? Your TV remote has these little buttons on them that...surprise...CHANGE THE CHANNEL! NOT THE HOST! Try them, you'll like them...

I guess it's OK if it's conservative whining and liberal bashing? Personally, I still believe in freedom of speech and prefer people say what they really think instead of pandering to thin skinned viewers who get all worked up if someone actually disagrees with them.

You don't learn anything by hanging around people who always agree with you. Maybe you should try listening rather than condemning? Incidentally, that goes both ways; liberals ought to listen more to conservatives instead of condemning them. However, if we're talking about political talk show hosts of either stripe, condemn away!!

The leftist double standard is on display with these responses. Leftists have always been unable to discern the difference between news and opinion, and now they are obviously unable to discern the difference between a travel show and political commentary. That Mr. Bourdain is a typical East coast liberal is understood; however, that he must try to propagandize during what is ostensibly a travelogue is an underhanded approach to use one venue for the sake of another. Of course, leftists here refuse to understand... their secular religion of equality of results inherently contains such double standards. If they ever acknowledged it, they would have to disavow their leftist religion.

@ hilobs: Leftist double standard? What are you talking about? The first comment is conservative, the second comment is neutral, my comment is neutral as I wrote both sides should listen to each other, and yours is just a mindless rant.

Conservatism and liberalism are simply two different points of view. Neither is right or wrong, just two different ways of looking at the world. Well, unless you spend your time watching such networks as FOX or MSNBC, where talking heads rant and rave about how their opinion is good and the opposing one is evil, play loose with the facts and pander to their audience's prejudices.

And what are your prejudices? Well, let's see. "The leftist double standard" is never defined, "unable to discern the difference between news and opinion" seems to be a fault of yours and not anyone else who's posted so far, everyone outside of you has figured out the difference between a travel show and political commentary and why it's not a mortal sin to express a political opinion during a travel show.

Next you'll be telling us that some talking head is actually offering political commentary when all they're really offering is moronic entertainment, whether it's Beck or Olbermann. You say Bourdain is a "typical East coast liberal". Well, nothing like an insanely broad generalization for a large area of the country. I seem to remember that George H.W. Bush carried the entire east coast except Massachusetts, RH and New York in 1988 or that Reagan carried every state in the East in 1984. Oh, I guess those elections don't count.

"Propagandize during what is ostensibly a travelogue"? Propagandize? Propaganda is state controlled so are you saying he is being paid by the government to say what he did? Are you nuts? "Underhanded"? How is stating a political opinion underhanded? Who made up the rule that he can't say anything outside of travel related statements. If you want that kind of show, I'm sure Samantha Brown's travelogues would suit you just fine.

"Secular religion" and "leftists religion"? Are you saying that all liberals are atheists? None go to church or believe in God? Now who's the one living in a dream world?

I don't know where you come up with your ideas but it's obvious you've never studied political science, have no idea how government actually works and seem to prefer a one party government world where everyone has to agree with that party... well, as long as that party is conservative. Oh, reminds me of when I lived in China but that might still be too "liberal" for you. Hmm... maybe North Korea would be more to your liking?

You might want to actually TRAVEL or even better, LIVE in a foreign country for a few years. You might appreciate your own government, multiparty democracy, checks and balances and being allowed to express differing opinions. I just happen to like the First Amendment, whether it's used to express liberal OR conservative viewpoints. I figure I'd rather make the decision on what to believe rather than having government (or hilobs) make that decision for me.
(Steve in San Diego)

Nonsense! There's never enough political commentary. For crying out loud, it's what makes your everyday life happen. Rock on Tony. Don't ever stop. Your commentary, where agreed with or not, is always well researched and thought out. It keeps bringing me back for more.

You go get him Swamp Rat.

Hey! hilobs! I'm a New Yorker, born and bred. I'm a libertarian with left leaning views. Does that make me typical? Not in this lifetime pal.

And oddly enough, the left-wingers I know think I'm a conservative. Cracks me up.

At any rate, I will say that your commentary here is nothing more nor less than the typical pompous pronouncements of your breed. Typical in that you dropped your political bomb and then ran and hid, not once coming back to defend yourself against the Swamp Rat or try and debate him in a rational manner.

As to trying "to propagandize during what is ostensibly a travelogue...." It's his show bubbala. He can do what he wants. N'est pa?