The Tragedy of Honesty: My Struggle to Source "Hyper Hardboiled Gourmet Report"

I don't watch TV or movies. Well, I should say that I haven't regularly watched TV or movies since I was fifteen years old. (In any year since, I can count on two hands how many hours I spend watching either.) With most plots regurgitated, predictable, campy, or poorly written, I felt like watching wasn't worth it. Of course, there were exceptions, one of which was anything with Anthony Bourdain.

I always had a soft spot for Uncle Tony—as I like to call him. He exhibited a talent for finding beauty in imperfection and reminded us that embracing and appreciating such beauty required leaving our comfort zones. Although this worldview did not originate with him, I'd argue that he popularized this sentiment in the American consciousness. That said, his adventures captured on TV relied heavily on curation, even if the destinations were off the beaten path. In a way, the world was ready for these types of travel shows—ones that sourced "hidden gems" and offered a safe venture into the unknown.

But then there's the show that the world wasn't ready for—the one that took an unsafe venture. Had Uncle Tony encountered it, I'm sure he'd have eaten it up. That show is Hyper Hardboiled Gourmet Report.