It started years ago when I stared, horrified, at Bobby Flay standing on his cutting board on an episode of Iron Chef, screaming ridiculously at the camera.

Apparently he had previously lost to his Japanese rival and whiningly claimed "it was unfair" and demanded a re-do. It is moments like that that make me ashamed to be an American. As the daughter of missionaries who spent time in Asia, then teenage years on the Big Island of Hawaii where of course there is a huge influence from the East, I was surprised at this lack of respect for his rival. It was shown through his ignorance of the country that was his host.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I caught a bit of Andrew Zimmern. He obnoxiously writhed and contorted his face around some gross bit of Korean food, telling his hostess that her father and brothers "must've been crazy" for making this their favorite food. She smiled (a bit tightly I thought) and I wondered why he makes a show about eating crazy **** if just to get through a particularly gross product he has to insult this quiet, composed woman and her relatives?

So as I just watched Mr. Bourdain quietly endure a dirt omelette and intestines complete with their contents intact, I was glad that there is SOMEONE out there with enough brains to save the criticism for the commentary.

I agree, most TV show foodies are rather rude, that's one reason I like Anthony Bourdain, he is very considerate about other people's culture. I spend a lot of time in a vastly Asian populated city and I have seen some stuff that looks extremely unappetizing, hell some of it gets me sick, but I still eat it so I don't offend my friends. Most of the time the food turns out to be pretty good. I totally agree, amen to that!

I also saw that Korean show and was surprised by Mr. Zimmern's reaction. It's fine not to like a food and to say so in polite terms, but it seemed he went overboard on that one. I've noticed that though he can eat almost anything, when he finds a food not compatible with his taste buds, his reactions can be somewhat dramatic.

I wouldn't compare that with the Namibia show, though. Those people are dirt poor and still willing to share what they had with their guest. To express anything negative would have been very rude and Mr. Bourdain acted appropriately in the situation, which I respect.

I lived in Asia for awhile and covered all of east and some of SE Asia, so I'm really familiar with many of these foods. As the guest, I've been offered all kinds of 'unusual delicacies' and to be honest, a lot of it was to test me and see my reaction, because they already knew that westerners wouldn't normally eat it.

Fortunately, I can eat almost anything and like most of it, but when I didn't care for it I just told them it wasn't my 'cup of tea', so to speak and that was fine by them. I didn't make any faces, though. That's why I suspect some of this is to create 'good TV'. It is not an insult to say you don't care for a certain food, just do it in a polite manner.

When my parents were visiting us in Taiwan, my wife's auntie took a bunch of us out for dinner and the featured dish was a very expensive steamed fish as the centerpiece. My dad doesn't eat fish so he didn't try it but no one seemed offended and if it was an indiscretion, my wife would have mentioned it to me. Maybe it was that my parents were the oldest ones there, but many times you can get away with a lot because you are a foreigner.

The Flay stuff? I'd guess that was all planned for dramatic effect and increased ratings. I wouldn't put much stock in any kind of artificial cooking contest designed for ratings.

im pretty sure we're watching reality tv and as much truth and realism as theyre trying to portray, i gaurentee that bordain and zimmern can get the pass on some moments of visual discuss because im sure theyve endured sickness from some of the dishes that theyve tried but them on the toilet for hours, writhering in pain wouldnt hold many viewers for very long but i could be wrong. as for, hahahhahahaha, bobby flays disrespect on iron chef, im waiting for the internation olympic commitee to start wheighing in on victories and rule violations before i get too concerned with how the chef handles a defeat on that show. not to take anything away, the way both chefs use their inginuity and skills with spur of the moment ingredients is amazing and makes me question the spotenaity of the 'secret ingredient' sometimes but not enough for me to feel like ive been cheated

*visual disgust