Loved it. Been in trouble-soaked 3rd world places when all hell was breaking loose and appreciated moment-by-moment calm yet concerned reaction. This is truly reality TV. Especially appreciated balanced attitude. (What did he mean by that? He meant that as an American he appreciated a non over the top pro-Israeli or pro-Islamic perspective. If that offends you, he wants to assure you that he doesn't care. Really, really, really, he doesn't care.)

Brilliant show. Best documentary of the year in my opinion. Thought provoking, genuine, and an honest look at the reality of our world. This was not entertainment it was much more important than that.

Tony, What a wonderful show. I know that it was a tough and terrible time just sitting and waiting. I spent weeks in the harbor in 85. Thank you for a view of the people that didn't make the choices but paid the price. As for your last thought of the show. I truely hope and pray that you are wrong. Cheers to you and may you go back one day to explore the food and enjoy the city.

The Beirut Show was a serious Gut Punch. I usually tune in to check out the interesting new places and foods. I usually don't stay for the entire show to be honest. The Beirut Show was different. I could not leave it. This brutally honest first hand account of what took place was spellbinding. I hope anyone who attacked Beirut or supplied the planes and bombs to attack a bunch of civilians hangs their heads for the rest of their lives. This has to be the one of the most valuable TV shows I have ever watched. Damn this was powerful.

Up until now, I have been watching your show just for my love of food and dreams of becoming a writer and chef. But now I feel we are kindred spirits.
While my father worked in the Middle-East, we lived in Beirut from 1964-1970 and my family had to evacuate from Beirut in June '67 due to the '6-Day War'. I remember the look on my mother's face as we had to leave loved ones behind. As a native of South Louisiana and while still residing there, I extend an open invitation to you and your production crew to visit us; cook, eat, and drink with us; and share what life has to offer.
Thanks for your continued efforts!

OUTSTANDING! The best Bourdain show ever by a long shot. I usually watch the episodes 3-4 times before tiring of them, but I expect I'll watch Beirut a dozen or more. The Bourdain series is only secondarily about food, and the Beirut episode showed that food is really just a pretext for the travel experience which is what we really watch for. We want to see unusual places and odd things (like getting caught in a Mideast war) that are very different than our mundane 9-5 lives. We want to see you experience things, people, and places that we will never have the change to go to visit. I would recommend you put less emphasis on the food and more on the travel experience and the show production behind the scenes.

BTW, thanks for showing the Marines in a positive light. My dad was a WWII Marine in the Pacific and when he was elderly and visited the San Diego Marine Recruit Depot and showed his WWII ID card to get into the PX, it was like he was a hero to all his "Marine brothers" who could not do enough to make his visit stupendous and really cheer him up. The Marines are like a priesthood or brotherhood of monks - it's a strange thing - once a Marine always a Marine and all brothers (even the female Marines). It was very gracious of you to comment on how well they treated the evacuees and show that side of them on TV, as many people do not know about that aspect of their priesthood having grown up on "Full Metal Jacket".

I would love to see more of these reality episodes that are not so food-centric and more experientially based. I want to see Tony flee for his life in a Mercedes racing for the Syrian border at night. In fact, I'd really like to see Tony take his culinary skills and cook aboard a USMC amphibious ship and give some of the service personnel a taste of his creations and teach some tricks of the mess to the mess personnel. Bring some better food into the rotation our service people have to eat while far away from home and family.

I'm a Marine Beirut Vet from 1983 and served with the 24th Mau. My father died of cancer and I was evacuted shortly before the barracks bombing that claimed 241 fighting men! I appreciate the way Tony spoke of Marines while he did this episode and was damn proud to do my duty to help the people of Lebanon! Tony sir I hope you personnaly read this and I hope my son can someday be like you, yes he's in his 3rd and final year of culinary arts school! No he's not gonna be a Marine but I'm still damn proud!
But anyway I appreciate the fact that you spoke of Marines the way you did, we're trained and willing to do things unspeakable but we're still human and have familys and good upbringings! And just so you know when I was buying bottles of Johnny Walker through the fence I also threw the desserts from my MRE's to the kids! Love your show! Keep up the good work!
Cpl. Tim (Cornfed) Vallery USMC 1982-1986

What an emotionally moving show. I had to stay up and watch the whole show. I believe things happen for a reason. From this experiene, Tony came to the realization that our military folks are very caring; and they are. Who else but caring and loving people would risk their lives to protect others. This is the ultimate gift of love; to give up your life so others can live.

quote:

Originally posted by bigtim:
I'm a Marine Beirut Vet from 1983 and served with the 24th Mau. My father died of cancer and I was evacuted shortly before the barracks bombing that claimed 241 fighting men! I appreciate the way Tony spoke of Marines while he did this episode and was damn proud to do my duty to help the people of Lebanon! Tony sir I hope you personnaly read this and I hope my son can someday be like you, yes he's in his 3rd and final year of culinary arts school! No he's not gonna be a Marine but I'm still damn proud!
But anyway I appreciate the fact that you spoke of Marines the way you did, we're trained and willing to do things unspeakable but we're still human and have familys and good upbringings! And just so you know when I was buying bottles of Johnny Walker through the fence I also threw the desserts from my MRE's to the kids! Love your show! Keep up the good work!
Cpl. Tim (Cornfed) Vallery USMC 1982-1986

Tim, I want to say from my heart, Thank You for Having Served. Semper Fi.
Very good show, but being one who has always wanted to see Beirut and gave up on that idea long ago, I was crushed that even Anthony didn't get to see much of anything, except from the pool.