Beef

Bourdain: Like I’d Really Convert to Vegetarianism for Jonathan Safran Foer?

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The Asia Society’s shabby treatment of David Chang wasn’t the only thing that got Anthony Bourdain speaking up in the Grub Street comments today (welcome aboard, Mr. Bourdain). Regarding Jonathan Safran Foer being “disappointed” that he supposedly didn’t take the hard line against meat eating on Larry King Live, Bourdain wrote the following:

Disappointed?

Strangely enough, Mr. Foer’s comments to me immediately following the show were somewhat at odds with his account above. “I would have been afraid to say what you just said. They (the meat industry) are really litigious. They sued Oprah for less.” Given the perception that I am an ally of all things meat, I would have imagined that Mr. Foer — like the representative of the industry that night — was surprised at my heartfelt anger, incredulity, and disgust with the practices described in the Times account. Sure caught ol’ Larry off guard.

Instead, Mr. Foer is surprised that after a casual and brief conversation with Himself, I did not instantly convert to vegetarianism — somewhere between green room and studio.

I would suggest that perhaps he flatters himself.

Sounds like this is the perfect excuse for Bourdain to revive his talk-show experiment, “At the Table.” Can we get Tony Tone, Safran Foer, David Chang, an Asia Society rep, and, hell, maybe even Sandra Lee to break bread together? Now that would be television.

Earlier: Jonathan Safran Foer Is ‘Disappointed’ in Anthony Bourdain

Bourdain: Like I’d Really Convert to Vegetarianism for Jonathan Safran