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Did Andrew Zimmern Gloss Over 'Bizarre World' of Cuba?
NewsBusters ^ | September 4, 2009 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on 09/04/2009 6:23:13 AM PDT by PJ-Comix

Your humble correspondent is a huge fan of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods hosted by Andrew Zimmern. Some episodes I have even watched several times over in repeats. However, I was a bit concerned when I heard that Zimmern would be visiting Cuba in the first episode of his new Bizarre World show. Would he show the brutal truth of the harsh life led by the people on that island or would he gloss over the facts and present a happy face view of reality there such as happened when Lucia Newman was relaying propaganda for the Castro dictatorship for CNN when she was reporting from Havana?

My friends over at the Babalu Blog seem to have concluded that Zimmern presented a way too rosy picture of life for the average Cuban:

Travel Channel host Andrew Zimmerman [note: the name is Zimmern] made a name for himself by traveling the world and eating bull penises and drinking donkey milk (among other assorted repulsive items) on his show Bizarre Foods. Now he has a new show titled "Bizarre World," where he travels the world looking for the most bizarre places to entertain an audience that prefers to stay home and watch his shenanigans.


(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: andrewzimmern; cuba; travelchannel
Read the whole article. Zimmern should definitely be given the benefit of doubt especially in light of his own blog posts. Yeah, there were some aspects of the show that bothered me but overall it did demonstrate that life for the average Cuban is pretty miserable.

Eating tree rats? Give me a break! That pretty much spoke for itself.

1 posted on 09/04/2009 6:23:14 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: Paul Heinzman; IMissPresidentReagan; AlexW; Cletus.D.Yokel; ConservativeOrBust; tropical; ...

PING!


2 posted on 09/04/2009 6:24:42 AM PDT by PJ-Comix ("They spent a trillion dollars on a guess?" ---Astute DUmmie observation)
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To: PJ-Comix

I saw that episode and thought the same thing. Hope this isnt our future!


3 posted on 09/04/2009 6:25:55 AM PDT by gattaca (Great things can be accomplished if you don't care who gets the credit. Ronald Reagan)
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To: All

I saw the show and thought he did a pretty good job.
He heaped praise on the PEOPLE of Cuba, while being fairly diplomatic and (sort of ) educational about their plight.
If he were to let loose with both barrels, I’m sure he wouldn’t be invited back.
Now the commie-sock cucker Anthony Bourdain would have been the guy slobbing Castro’s nob...(ok, he wouldn’t go that far, but he IS Lib-Rat, albeit one whose show I’m ashamed to say I enjoy)


4 posted on 09/04/2009 6:28:49 AM PDT by Maverick68 (w)
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To: PJ-Comix
Zimmern is an idiot who's 15 minutes are about up. I hope.
5 posted on 09/04/2009 6:29:39 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Nemo me impune lacessit The law will be followed, dammit!)
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To: PJ-Comix

Well, I have heard Cuba is a paradise for those who want a hooker.


6 posted on 09/04/2009 6:31:29 AM PDT by AlexW (Now in the Philippines . Happy not to be back in the USA for now.)
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To: PJ-Comix

So how did they get approval to go over there?


7 posted on 09/04/2009 6:43:00 AM PDT by doodad
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To: Maverick68

I’m with you. I detest this self-professed “blue-stater,” but I enjoy his antics. I don’t think Mr.Bourdain is long for this world....his kidneys have to be pickled by now.


8 posted on 09/04/2009 7:28:04 AM PDT by AdvisorB (Obamatude could be defined by Blago as something tangible, but not quite as tangible as JJJ's offer.)
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To: Maverick68

HATE Bourdain...I’ll tell you there’s millions of Bourdain’s in NY and that’s one of the reasons I left. Arrogant and stupid, a lethal combination.

However, I love Andrew. His job is to talk about bizarre foods from other lands and he does it well. No matter where he goes he finds the best in the people and the land. Although I didn’t see this episode, I’m assuming that’s what he did for Cuba. Actually, I did see a part of it..he was talking about how fishermen are not allowed to fish offshore and that’s why there’s so much wonderful sealife. He was trying to catch a spiny lobster.


9 posted on 09/04/2009 7:58:31 AM PDT by Hildy
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To: Maverick68
"Bourdain"

Bourdain does have an enjoyable show, but as you pointed out he's decidedly liberal. However he is adamantly pro-meat and called vegetarianism "anti- human spirit" or something like that.

10 posted on 09/04/2009 7:58:47 AM PDT by driftless2 (for long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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To: PJ-Comix

Two other notables: Ming Tsai and Jacques Pepin./Just Asking - seoul62..........


11 posted on 09/04/2009 8:02:55 AM PDT by seoul62
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To: driftless2

He is a commie, but he’s likeable, a trait sadyly missing in many “stars”.
I like his show and the way he respectfully treated Ted Nugent really won me over.


12 posted on 09/04/2009 8:17:50 AM PDT by Maverick68 (w)
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To: Hildy

Bourdain & Zimmerman are just walking in the footsteps of Michael Palin. Palin brought the the travelogue format back to life. All of his BBC documentaries were brilliant, hilarious, and enlightening. The best the travel channel can hope for is attract the untravelled classes to sex and weird food abroad. That said, I enjoy Zimmermans show and will cut him slack for his blog posts but you should also notice thatthe things he complains about in his blog, the minders, the restrictions on his crew, the surveillance are all things liberals hate everywhere. There is not much criticism of the state run economy.


13 posted on 09/04/2009 8:26:16 AM PDT by azcap (Who is John Galt ? www.conservativeshirts.com)
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To: azcap

I think at times Zimmern may not be long for this world consuming all those insects,testicles, eyeballs, live octopus and such.

But I do find Bizarre Foods enormously humorous, entertaining, fun, informative, and interesting.


14 posted on 09/04/2009 10:00:15 AM PDT by Welcome2thejungle
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