In One of His Final Interviews, Anthony Bourdain Envisioned Harvey Weinstein 'Beaten to Death in His Jail Cell'
In one of the last interviews before his death—conducted a few days after PEOPLE traveled with him to Lafayette, Louisiana for the filming of an episode of Parts Unknown—Anthony Bourdain shared some choice words on Harvey Weinstein.
The late chef—who was a vocal and fierce supporter of the #MeToo movement and his girlfriend Asia Argento, who accused Weinstein of sexual assault—told Popula in February that he was frustrated that Weinstein, at the time, was in Arizona seeking treatment for a sex addiction and not behind bars.
“For me, I have this discussion with a number of people, as you might imagine,” Bourdain told writer Maria Bustillos. “However much people might want to see Harvey Weinstein dead or in jail, he’s in f——g Arizona. He is in Arizona, eating in restaurants in Arizona. And at off the grid restaurants in Arizona, so he can’t even eat at the best sushi restaurant in Scottsdale. He’s gotta go to some s— f——g place. So Arizona, I mean, as much as I’d like to see him, you know beaten to death in his cell … ”
Bustillos then finished Bourdain’s sentence, saying, “It’s much better to watch horrible people live and suffer the consequences.” Bourdain then shared a scenario of how he thought Weinstein might die.
RELATED: Anthony Bourdain Was Fierce #MeToo Supporter After Asia Argento Accused Harvey Weinstein of Rape
“My theory of how he goes is uh, he’s brushing his teeth in a bathroom, he’s naked in his famous bathrobe, which is flapping open, he’s holding his cell phone in one hand because you never know who on the Weinstein board has betrayed him recently, and he’s brushing his teeth—he suddenly gets a massive f——g stroke,” Bourdain said. “He stumbles backwards into the bathtub, where he finds himself um, with his robe open feet sticking out of the tub, and in his last moments of consciousness as he scrolls through his contacts list trying to figure out who he can call, who will actually answer the phone.”
“And he dies that way, knowing that no one will help him and that he is not looking his finest at time of death,” Bourdain added.
In June, Weinstein pled not guilty to multiple sexual assault charges — including rape — brought against him in New York City. Weinstein was indicted in late May on charges of rape in the first and third degree as well as criminal sexual acts in the first degree. Weinstein was arrested on May 25 on those same counts and released on bail.
His lawyer Benjamin Brafman said in a statement that he was not surprised by the indictment, noting that it “does not add anything to the case we did not already know.”
“Mr. Weinstein intends to … vigorously defend against these unsupported allegations that he strongly denies,” Brafman said. “We will soon formally move to dismiss the indictment and if this case actually proceeds to trial, we expect Mr. Weinstein to be acquitted.”
It’s a wrap! #Firenze @partsunknowncnn @anthonybourdain #makearteveryday
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During the interview, Bustillos also asked Bourdain about his thoughts on Bill Clinton after the Monica Lewinsky scandal, including if America should have “gotten rid” of him—to which Bourdain responded with a simple, “no.”
“Bill Clinton, look, the bimbo eruptions—it was f——g monstrous. That would not have flown today. A piece of s—. Entitled, rapey, gropey, grabby, disgusting, and the way that he—and she—destroyed these women and the way that everyone went along, and, and are blind to this!” Bourdain said.
On June 8, Bourdain was found dead of suicide by his longtime friend, chef Eric Ripert, in his hotel room in France while the two were filming an episode of Parts Unknown.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
