Phil and Tony

In the early 1960s, Bobby Zimmerman left Lake Wobegon, became Bob Dylan and was annointed the angry young man singer-songwriter doing protest songs. In due time, we all figured out that he was just another pop singer. About the same time, a real protest singer, in the folk tradition, emerged. His name was Phil Ochs. In 1976, age 35, he hanged himself in the bathroom of his sister's house. His records, when he could get them made, didn't sell. Live gigs had dried up. He despaired of making a living. You can get his 'greatest hits' from Amazon. And you should.

Friday Anthony Bourdain did the same, only in a five-star hotel in Kaysersberg, France while recording an episode of "Parts Unknown" with Eric Ripert, one of his best friends. He had his crew with him. He was not isolated. He was wildly successful. But he left for parts unknown. Regular readers recall that I've said his show the best thing on the TeeVee, so it's unnerving to consider TeeVee without him.

You'll find all manner of tributes, including one I missed on CNN last night; I didn't know it was on. It'll be run Sunday at 10pm. You should watch. The scheduled episode will go on at 9pm. Whether the remaining completed episodes will be shown, I don't yet know. It is a bit unsettling watching the 'favorite episodes' as I write this. Still, it would be a shame if CNN withholds completed episodes.