Popular American celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain, has been emotionally affected by the recent scandal involving producer Harvey Weinstein. Given the fact that Bourdain's current girlfriend, Italian actress and director Asia Argento, came forward that she has been one of the unfortunate victims of Weinstein, Bourdain seems to be introspecting more on what he could have done to help the entertainment industry stave off men like Weinstein.
In a report by People, Bourdain is openly against sexual harassment – whether it be in the food industry or the entertainment industry. It can be surmised that he is against the issue altogether, which has been brought to light recently due to one of his co-celebrity chefs, John Besh, being accused of the same thing himself.
Besh owns numerous eateries, and the thought of numerous sexual harassment cases occurring in the business is something that does not sit well with Bourdain. Bourdain further expounded on his distaste for the whole culture of preying on women in his extensive interview with Slate. He stated it is difficult for the victims to come forward due to "vilification and humiliation and risk and pain and terror that come with speaking out about this kind of thing."
With a thriving and successful slew of shows and books that Bourdain has released, he now wonders if he has inadvertently contributed to what he has dubbed as "Meathead Culture," one that is full of machismo. According to The Huffington Post, Bourdain has asked himself as to why women did not feel comfortable confiding in him regarding sexual assault.
Bourdain has associated his public image as a "personal failing," especially since he speculated that it is what probably stopped women from approaching him in the first place. Not only does the issue affect Bourdain because of Argento, but many of the women who have come forward are close friends of his as well, according to Independent.
Bourdain certainly wants to be perceived as an advocate against sexual harassment, which is something that he has been very clear about.
