The author of a controversial new biography of the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has claimed that he “worked himself into a state of exceptional misery in his last days” as he spent them drinking and sleeping with prostitutes.
The biography, by author Charles Leerhsen, uses files, texts and emails from Bourdain’s personal phone and laptop to paint a picture of the chef’s life and highlights his turbulent final days before committing suicide.
“I think he had been in a state of extraordinary misery in his last days,” said Leehrsen, describing Bourdain’s struggles with addictions and heartbreak for the Italian actress. Asia argento.
“If I’ve written an unauthorized biography, I’ve written a sympathetic one, and I’ve written one that I believe is true to the man,” Leehrsen said of his book, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain.
Although Argento and Bourdain’s brother are against the release of the “unauthorized” biography, Leehrsen defended his book, which goes on sale October 11, as “sympathetic” and “true to the man.”
Author Charles Leehrsen is making waves with his new biography of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, as Bourdain’s ex-girlfriend and brother fight against the book’s release
Bourdain, just days before committing suicide in France in June 2018. He was filming for Parts Unknown, his popular CNN show
Leehrsen used files, texts, emails and search history from Bourdain’s computer and phone to paint a picture of the chef, highlighting his tumultuous last days in France
The book is about Bourdain’s rocky relationship with Italian actress Asia Argento, whom he texted hours before committing suicide.
“Everything he writes about relationships and interactions within our family as children and as adults, he’s either made up or done it all wrong,” Bourdain’s brother Christopher, Bourdain’s brother, told the Times.
Neither Christopher Bourdain nor Argento could be reached for further comment on the book’s publication.
A director of book publisher Simon & Schuster wrote back to Bourdain’s brother: “With all due respect, we do not agree that the material in the book contains defamatory information, and we stand behind our forthcoming publication.” ‘
Leehrsen believes many of the people in Bourdain’s inner circle didn’t speak to him for the book because the chief’s longtime agent, Kim Witherspoon, had told them not to, according to the report. New York Times.
The book chronicles Bourdain’s transformation from a New Jersey teenager into the famous but troubled chef who struck gold with his writing about food and travel.
The TV star committed suicide in a French hotel room in June 2018 while on location filming his CNN show, Parts Unknown, appearing deeply unhappy at the time.
In a text message to his ex-wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, he complained, “I hate my fans too. I hate being famous. I hate my job.
Busia-Bourdain had become a close confidant of Bourdain’s in the last days of his life, and she did not oppose the publication of the book. She currently manages Bourdain’s estate.
“I am lonely and live in constant uncertainty,” he told Busia-Bourdain before he died, who he was married to for 11 years before splitting up in 2016.
Bourdain was also “hopelessly” in love with Argento, who had just dumped him in an argument over photos of her with a French journalist in Rome.
She had broken up with him, citing his “possessiveness” about her.
Asia Argento with her new husband, MMA fighter Michael Martignoni, who is 20 years younger than 26
Asia Argento with her new husband, MMA fighter Michael Martignoni, who is 20 years younger than 26
Bourdain was heartbroken by photos of the Italian actress dancing with journalist Hugo Clement in the lobby of the Hotel de Russie in Rome, where she and Bourdain shared special memories.
The book shows that he then searched for her name ‘hundreds’ of times online.
In their last text exchange, he asked, “Is there anything I can do?”
She replied: ‘Stop destroying my balls’.
He replied, “OK,” and killed himself hours later.
Argento declined to comment on the book. In an email to the journalist, saying that she forbade him to publish, she said: “It is always Judas who writes the biography.”
JOURNALIST BEHIND BOURDAIN’S UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY SAYS TV CHEF ‘WHAT HE WOULD BECOME’
Charles Leerhsen, the author behind the book, previously wrote for Rolling Stone. He is also the former editor of Sports Illustrated.
He told The New York Times that he wanted to offer a side of Bourdain that didn’t have the polish of “an official Bourdain product.”
Towards the end of his life, he said he believes the chief “knew what he had become.”
Charles Leerhsen’s book, Down And Out In Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, is out October 11.
“I think at the very end, in the last days and hours, he realized what he had become.
“I have no respect for him who committed suicide, but he did realize it and in the end he knew he didn’t want to be the person he had become,” he said.
He added that he had no trouble finding enough people to talk to him, despite Bourdain’s brother’s protests. Leerhsen also claims that Bourdain’s agent Kim Witherspoon has told others not to talk to him.
“A lot of people were willing to talk to me because they were left behind by Tony and by the Tony train,” he said.
Leershen’s past biographies include works on Butch Cassidy, Ty Cobb and TV director Brandon Tartikoff.