I've been a fan of the show for a while, but I have to say I was surprised at the recent show on the Azores.

In the show Tony suddenly went off on British people claiming they were 'ugly' and made various comments that alluded to them being inbred and explained that they needed to have more sex with foreign people to become more attractive.

I'm a Brit, who has made America their home for about 9 years now. Having visited the South of America, and seen the toothless inbred 'Deliverance' hicks, I find it astonishing that an American would make those kinds of statements about 60 million British people. Sure there are plenty of hot Americans, but half the population is grossly obese, many more lack teeth, culture, or the ability to read.

I'm not trying to attack America, because I love to live here. But let's not pretend that this is the pinnacle of human evolution, breeding a race of god-like super humans.

I expected Anthony to be open minded and accepting of foreign countries and cultures, given his extensive travels. So to just flat out attack our culture, and make such disparaging statements seemed out of place and unnecessary.

Let us not forget that George Bush has made America seriously disliked (or hated) around the world. Britain is one of the few countries that actually stand up and stand shoulder to shoulder with Americans, even in something as stupid as the Iraq war. But if Americans are going to just treat their friends like crap, they will end up with no friends at all.

So how about a bit of camaraderie with our allies and friends? America needs all the help it can get right now without alienating their friends.

Because I was a fan, I'm going to put Anthony's comments down to alcohol abuse, and a temporary drink related lack of good judgement. But I have to say, it still leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and I am not easily offended.

Hmm.... Elizabeth Hurley? Catherine Zeta-Jones?

zct, I don't think the Brits have any reason to worry.

It's called freedom of speech. He probably has just ran into some less than outstanding people from England and felt like he had to get it off his chest. The man has opinions as you do. I can understand why you would be offended a bit, but let's let it go and enjoy his show. Comments like that are pretty much what made him likable to a lot of people. The in-your-face commentary on his day-to-day life.

"It's called freedom of speech."

- Wow. The classic lazy American argument. Contrary to what they may have taught you in school, I can assure you that in countries like England and many other countries around the world, the concept of freedom of speech is not unusual. So, you don't actually have to explain it to me as if it were a new concept. I can assure you that I've had just as much freedom of speech over there, as I enjoy over here. In fact it may interest you to know that there is more freedom of speech in the media in England, than here in the US. There is less censorship of 'bad' words, more nudity, and fewer commercial breaks. Interestingly some American made shows actually have extra scenes in them when shown in England, that are cut out when aired in America to make room for more commercials.

I never disputed any of the rights of Mr. Bourdain. I merely suggested that his slander of 60 million people was perhaps a little unreasonable, and his suggestion that British people are not genetically or culturally diverse, is pure ignorance.

"He probably has just ran into some less than outstanding people from England and felt like he had to get it off his chest."

- An interesting defense, albeit baseless. My wife had her car broken into by an African American youth a couple of years ago. How do you think it would be perceived if I proclaimed that African American youths were a bunch of lowlife car thieves that belong in jail?

The privilege of being a rich celebrity also comes with responsibility. If you don't believe me, look at what happened to Don Imus, and other celebrities that became so drunk with power, they felt they could say or do anything.

"The man has opinions as you do. I can understand why you would be offended a bit, but let's let it go and enjoy his show."

- That's for his audience to decide. For me, I'm not going to be told that my people are ugly and inbred. If you think that kind of narrow minded attack on one of the few countries in the world that doesn't hate America is cool, fine, keep watching. I think it is offensive, so I'm done.

"Comments like that are pretty much what made him likable to a lot of people. The in-your-face commentary on his day-to-day life."

- Yes he has made a lot of money out of his brash in-your-face attitude. That little slice of New York in him. And I'm totally fine with that. But his observations are normally a witty remark about something he has just seen. Or perhaps as part of an amusing simile to paint a picture. But to simply sit there on some island in the middle of the Atlantic and regale people with offensive comments about inbred ugly British people, while getting drunk, sorry, that's just not entertaining anymore.

There's only so long I can watch some lanky old drunk shove disgusting animal organs into his mouth, while telling me that I'm ugly and my people are inbred. Not cool.

zct: Wow, relax! Didn't you see his show in England? The guy LOVES the Brits! I don't know how much time you've spent in the greater NY area, but insulting other cultures (including and especially one's own) is a way of life there, especially one of Mr. Bourdain's generation (I'm a year older and from the same area).

I mean, are you really so thin skinned? And your last sentence kinda tells me where you're coming from, as in "lanky old drunk shove disgusting animal organs into his mouth". Hmm... reminded me of his show in England where he got together with other Englishmen and they all shoved animal organs into their mouths.

If you can't take that, then why were you watching the show in the first place? And why did you respond with the same kind of attack? The show is a constant parade of animal organs being shoved into people's mouths. Barbecued, fried, basted, seared, roasted, or baked, those animal organs just keep a'comin!

BTW, is it true that you're ugly and your people are inbred?

zct, you're kidding right? It's a joke. Humorous hyperbole. He kids. My parents were Irish, and I've seen enough Brit TV trashing the Irish (and the French,the Germans, yada, yada, yada) to choke a horse-faced Brit. In fact, is there a more xenophobic place on earth than Britain, the former (and I do mean former) subjugator of the world. The point is not whether it's offensive, it's whether it's funny. But in the final analysis, if you're offended, just turn the channel. It's easy. Even a Brit could do it if s/he applied her/himself.

Swamp rat and Casey1329,

First off, I am quite calm. Stating a strong opinion doesn't mean I am hurling furniture around the room crying.

I get that Bourdain likes to joke around. But I just didn't get it here. He's talking to some guy in a bar in the Azores who can barely understand him, and he goes off on some completely random rant about the ugly inbred British. I mean at least if you are going to hurl a pointless insult, make it have some ring of truth to it (like call the Royal Family inbred or something).

It's not that I'm thin skinned, or can't take a joke. The Daily Show, for example, frequently takes an amusing swipe at the British and I have no problem with such a thing.

What I didn't get was the severity of the attack, and the context in which it was handled. I didn't even get why the topic came up. It just seemed unreasonable and silly, but also mean spirited at the same time.

As to your question Swamp Rat, it is not true that I am ugly, nor that our people are inbred. But thanks for asking :P

As for Casey1329, I get the concept of one nation attacking another (verbally or in humor). But at a time when America is in two wars, and has troops stationed in over 50 countries, perhaps solidarity with friends might be more sensible.

And how easily you go into an anti-British rant. Xenophobic? Really? Trust me, I have seen a LOT more racists in American than I ever met in England. I know of a noose hanging from a tree, not 50 miles from my home in East Tennessee. I've never seen such symbolism or racial hatred back home.

As for your whining about how Britain subjugated the planet hundreds of years ago, how is that relevant to anything? Let us not forget that America only exists because Europeans stormed in, committed genocide, and stole this country from the Native Americans who lived here peacefully.

When it comes to TV being offensive, I am not easily offended at all. And trust me, British TV is not censored like it is here in America. But insulting another country is only really sensible if there is some kind of context or humor in it, and there was not in this specific show.

Thank you for closing with the insult. But don't you worry, I was able to change the channel on the TV. I moved my pasty inbred webbed fingers over the remote, grinned a toothless grin, and turned to BBC America while eating a Steak and Kidney pie.