Anthony Bourdin, who committed suicide in June 2018 in a French hotel room, is presented in a less than flattering light with the book claiming he used drugs, drank and slept with prostitutes. It also delves into his stormy romance with Italian actress Asia Argento, who in one of her last messages to Bourdin appears to write «Stop breaking my ar@@@».
According to a DailyMail.com report, Anthony Bourdain complained to his ex-wife, telling her that he «hated» his fans and that he no longer wanted to be famous in the weeks and months leading up to his suicide in 2018.
The TV star ended his life in a French hotel room in June 2018 while on the set of CNN's Parts Unknown, with his death shocking family, friends and fans alike.
Asia Argento told Anthony Bourdain to stop ‘busting her balls’ in final text before he killed himself https://t.co/2Ce5n2uJ9P pic.twitter.com/0VlFebaSQ4
- Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) September 27, 2022
He had spoken openly about his past struggles with addiction, but seemed to have overcome most of his demons and had a loving daughter.
At the time Bourdin was also «hopelessly» in love with Asia Argento, who had just left him over a fight about her photos with a French journalist in Rome.
The new biography
Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain will be released on October 11 and is authored by Charles Leershen, former executive editor of Sports Illustrated, former Rolling Stone writer and noted biographer.
The book challenges this image of Anthony Bourdin as a hero of the people. In a text to his ex-wife, Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, he complains, «I hate my fans too. I hate being famous. I hate my job. I'm alone and I live in constant uncertainty.».
The book also includes text messages, emails and Bourdin's computer search history, which reveal his painful relationship with Argento.
She had broken up with him, citing his «possessiveness» towards her, while Bourdin was devastated by the photos of the Italian actress dancing with journalist Hugo Clement in the lobby of the Hotel de Russie in Rome, where she and Bourdin shared special memories. The book reveals that she searched her name online «hundreds» of times afterwards.
In their last exchange, according to the report, he asked, «Is there anything I can do?» She replied, «Stop bothering me.» He texted her: «Okay» and killed himself a few hours later.
Bourdin's family and Asia Argento have already challenged the book, accusing Leershen of multiple inaccuracies.
«Every single thing he wrote about the relationships and interactions within our family as children and as adults he made up or got completely wrong,» Christopher, Bourdin's brother, told the Times.
Argento declined to comment on the book. In an email to the journalist who says she banned him from publishing anything, she told him that «It's always Judas who writes the biography.».
For his part, Leershen claims that he is meeting resistance because the portrait he paints of Bourdin is not flattering.
Despite the efforts of his brother Anthony Bourdin to block the book, it is due to be released on October 11. The author claims he had become a confidant of the TV chef and that his book includes texts and emails between the pair.
In one of them, Bourdin appears to have revealed to his ex-girlfriend that he had spent two years «hopelessly in love» with Argento.
The biography alleges that Argento became so controlling that she scrutinized Mr. Bourdin and his wife's social media accounts, and that she became upset every time she saw pictures of him with his family.
He, however, defended her publicly and privately, quietly paying Jimmy Bennett, a man who had demanded $3.5 million from her, claiming that she had molested him by sleeping with him when he was 17 and she was 37.
Bourdin also came forward after seeing Argento speak publicly about being one of Harvey Weinstein's victims.
Argento has spoken publicly about her grief in September 2018, breaking her silence in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com and DailyMailTV.
She said sadly that people accused her of murdering him because she was publicly fondling Hugo Clement in Rome in the days before Bourdin's death. «He cheated on me too. It wasn't a problem for us. But I understand that people have to find a reason. I would like to find a reason too. I don't have one. Maybe I would feel some comfort if I thought something happened.».
