Anthony Bourdain Accosted by Dog Meat Protester During Live Show

Globetrotting TV chef Anthony Bourdain has few qualms about trying new foods. On his journeys chronicled on the CNN series Parts Unknown, he’s willingly sampled everything from Sichuan sea cucumber to Vietnamese birds nest soup. But if there’s one thing Bourdain has always been vocally opposed to eating it’s dog meat.

Alas, his well-documented thoughts on eating man’s best friend didn’t stop a critic from heckling Bourdain on a recent stop in San Francisco during his The Hunger tour, according to TMZ. In the video, an animal right’s protester brandishing a sign calls out Bourdain for allegedly eating dog meat. Unfortunately, the exact words are rendered inaudible because of fan’s boos.

Bourdain attempts to take back the conversation by quipping that he “likes dogs but how much worse could they be than kale?” He then jokes that he might go “shoot a puppy in the foot today” and says, “It’s so good to be back in San Francisco.” After several minutes he loses his patience and asks the individual if they would “be kind enough now to fuck off.”

In a separate interview the following day, Bourdain describes the exchange, saying he was “rudely interrupted mid-dick joke.” He adds: “As I pointed out to her, I’ve never eaten dog meat. I have no plans to do so. I like dogs. However, after about three minutes of her harangue I may or may not have threatened to run right out and get myself a puppy smoothie.”

The Appetites author has, in fact, expounded on his admittedly hypocritical prohibition for eating domesticated canines in conversations with noted vegetarian writer Jonathan Safran Foer.

In a 2011 interview with ABC, Bourdain expanded on his feelings about eating taboo foods including man’s best friend stating, “I’ve gone out of my way to avoid cat and dog, but if you asked me ahead of time, ‘Hey, you know, it’s very popular here. Let’s stop by the dog restaurant,’ I’m going to say no. It’s hypocritical of me, it’s an arbitrary decision but I choose not to, if I can avoid it.”

The only exception to this rule, he says, would be if he was a guest in someone’s home and they were poor and surprised him with it, “being a good guest trumps objections I might have.”

• Anthony Bourdain Bites Back at Dog Meat Heckler With Perfect Comeback [TMZ]

• Anthony Bourdain and Jonathan Safran Foer's Meat Showdown [E]

• Anthony Bourdain: What He Won't Eat [ABC]

• All Anthony Bourdain Coverage [E]

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