On behalf of Anthony Bourdain's 63rd birthday, here's the chapter from "Backstage Pass to the Flipside: Talking to the Afterlife with Jennifer Shaffer where we interviewed him.
On the Flipside. (There's an addendum below).
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| From "Cajun" episode; courtesy of The Advocate |
Each week, Jennifer Shaffer and I meet up to chat with people no longer on the planet. In this case, I asked "Anthony" to come forward, and I didn't have to tell her he was there; she saw him. Jennifer is a renowned medium who works with law enforcement agencies nationwide on missing person cases.
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| Jennifer Shaffer |
She's done thousands of readings, I met her about three years ago, and have had so many confirmations, I really don't bother trying to get one during one of our sessions. But they do come through anyways - including when she sees someone I've "dialed up" before I've even said their name.
We have a "class" we get together with, my friend on the flipside Luana Anders is our moderator. At this point it was the first time we'd talked to Anthony. Since this interview he's shown up a number of times, often to tease us.
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| Luana Anders our moderator: photo Monte Hellman |
*****
Filmed in Fishbar, Manhattan Beach, a few days after Anthony Bourdain's passing. My questions are in italics, Jennifer's answers are in bold.
Richard: First,
let’s say hello to everyone in class – are we still waiting for them to
assemble?
Jennifer: They’re
all here. They showed me lights; like on a map all flickering at the same time,
which means they’re all here.
Hi
class. So the book is kind of finished.
He
wants to be the last chapter.
Who
does?
Anthony.
Okay,
you’re talking to the writer, so we can try and work that out. We did speak to
someone else I invited today...
Oh
yeah. Kate Spade. She’s here.
(Note: I
did not tell Jennifer that I had invited her)
I thought “Let’s have a group of people that are
unified by a single event.” I was thinking about our class.
Robin (Williams) showed up.
(Note: Robin showed up after he passed, while I was writing "Hacking the Afterlife." We asked him for a comment of the book that I could put on the cover and he said "Love love.")
Yes,
he was the third person I was suggesting; Robin... this is Anthony.
They
all just went like this (a hanging gesture) making fun of themselves hanging.
That’s
weird and funny. It’s exactly what I suggested this morning. Like “What do
these three folks have in common?”
So
they all just did that at the same time; trying to be funny.
So,
we’ll call them, what? “The guys who are just hanging around?”
(Note: Not trying to make
fun of, or be irreverent about anyone’s path or journey. As noted in
“Flipside,” when I was staying at the home of Phillip Noyce and Jan Sharp in
Sydney, I awoke to a painter hanging from a noose over a rafter. I jumped awake
and the “ghost” looked at me, and said in an Aussie accent “Oh, sorry mate,
it’s just something I feel the need to do.” Then he climbed down a ladder and
pulled the rope with him – all of which then disappeared. I asked Jan “Who’s your ghost?” I described
him and she said “Wow. That matches the description of the guy who painted our
home. But he didn’t hang himself here, he did so in his own house.” I said “Well, obviously, he liked hanging
around yours too.”)
Rich:
I invited one other person we’ve not talked to ... I thought this person might
have some insight. (I was thinking of L’Wren Scott, the designer who did
herself in, the same way Kate Spade had done, but years earlier.)
Jennifer:
Is this person related to John Lennon?
I
did ask for John to answer a question today but for another reason, which we’ll
get to later. First, I wanted to
introduce everyone to our newest class attendee; Anthony.
They
just gave him a “First prize” award.
Luana,
can you let Jennifer know what he looks like to you? About what age does he
appear?
He’s
about 55. He’s showing me cufflinks and a white shirt... and jeans and a
jacket, like a sports coat.
So
Anthony, are you familiar with what we’re doing?
Is
there a funeral for him today?
Could
be.
(Note: There was; his
body was cremated on this day but neither I nor Jennifer could know that, as it
hadn’t yet been reported.)[1]
So Anthony, are you familiar with what we’re doing here?
He’s "been filled in..." through your mind, he’s showing me the top of your head.
(Jennifer aside) I’m asking him “How’d
you find Rich?” He said, “He was surfing the ethers.”
He’s
quoting the book!?
He
says “A lot was coming in from your experience... from what you’re doing...”
From
our class?
Yeah,
from the connection to the class. Then he said, “The groups of people (here)
have the same intent...”
Who
do you know here in our class?
I
saw David Bowie. Anthony’s dad is over here – he’s showing me a brother as well
over here, he had a brother or someone he considered a brother who killed
himself with a gun?[2]
I
don’t know. Anthony who greeted you when you crossed over?
(Jennifer laughs) He
showed me all the animals that he ate.
Ha!
Is that true?
No...
he’s kidding. It was his... (Jennifer asks him “Your daughter?”
A
daughter from this lifetime or a previous lifetime?
Both.[3]
How
old was she when she crossed over?
(Jennifer
listens) She appears now as 21.. but I think she was a miscarriage from a
previous relationship at 4 months.
I
see; so she is someone that Anthony knew both from this lifetime and from a
previous lifetime?
He
got someone pregnant 21 years ago, and she had a miscarriage or termination or
pregnancy...
What
is this child’s name, what do you call her by?
“Bella.” (Jennifer aside) Bella Bourdain.
(Note: We heard something
similar in a previous interview, where a musician said he was greeted by a 5
year old daughter no one knew about, or Harry Dean Stanton who said he was
greeted by a baby no one knew about (but that people in his hospital room claimed
he said aloud before he passed; “Hand me the baby” when none was visible in his
room.)
I’d
like to ask Anthony some specific questions about your path and journey.
“Bring
it.”
(Note: An unusually
Anthony way of saying “go ahead, and doesn’t appear in any of our other
interviews. Just saying.)
What
do you miss about being on the planet if anything?
He went like this ... (as if wafting smell to her
nose) “The smells. But he doesn’t miss
the food.”
(Note: At this moment,
our lunch is served, so we have to pause the interview until after lunch.)
 |
| Jennifer with her questioner in action. |
Rich:
Okay, we’re back from lunch. As we were dining, I had the impression he was
continuing to talk in my ear. Like he was annoyed for being interrupted.
Jennifer: By
food! He’s saying, “You frickin’ cut me off because your food was delivered!”
That’s so funny.
So
there’s a group of people who have that thing in common. Who wants to talk
first?
Robin
Williams wants to speak first.
So
Robin, can you tell us about this particular path that you took?
“They weren’t supposed to follow.”
Is
that accurate, did they follow you?
(Jennifer
laughs.) He says “No! Don’t be silly.”
Let
me ask you, Robin, had you researched the topic of how to do yourself in prior
to doing it?
“Yes.”
And he’s showing me different options; pills, syringes, everything.
So
why that method that you chose?
“It
was a split second decision. Ultimately, it’s not something they can think
about or know about, it’s easier to do it that way.”
 |
| Kate Spade: Wikimedia photo |
Let’s
ask everyone that same question. Let’s ask Kate same question; was that a split
second decision or did she plan it?
She
says, “She planned it 2 minutes before.”
So
not a deep planning thing?
“No.”
And
you chose a scarf or a tie, why did you choose that method?
She
said, “She chose something that had meaning.”
She said that “But in terms of making that final decision, it’s been
something on a person’s mind for a long time.” She’s telling me she was taken
off something... they changed her
medication, a drug of some sort.
She
mentioned that earlier. “It was a wrong mix.”
I don’t remember.
(Note: She said a week
earlier: “She’s telling me it was a bad mix, wrong medication – one medication
influenced another, and it combusted, threw her over.”)
Are
you familiar with a designer...
That was
Kate the designer.
Yes,
But I’m asking about a designer; who did herself in, in the same fashion; we
know her through a mutual friend.
She
showed me a picture of Tom Ford.
That
would be correct (ding!) L’Wren
Scott and Tom were close friends. She was a close friend of Mick Jagger’s; she
checked herself out like Kate, and I was wondering if there was any influence
between the two.
“No.”
Okay,
let’s go to our 3rd fellow we’ve invited... now that he’s had a chance to see
what we’re doing. He’s kind of our star here today.
He’s
got his “First place” award.
You
did mention what he’s wearing; white shirt, cufflinks, in sport coat and jeans.
But
he doesn’t have tattoos (over there.)
Right,
you don’t have tattoos over there. You said you were greeted by your daughter
from a previous relationship who preceded you on the flipside by 21 years?
“Bella.”
She’s 21, she showed me, almost like, she was aborted as a baby because of
drugs. There was this girlfriend of his, and now she’s with her dad. (Jennifer
gets tears in her eyes.)
So
what’s happening with Jennifer that she’s feeling emotional about this moment?
I feel bad.
Who
put that in Jennifer’s consciousness?
He said, “You
should feel bad about cutting short our interview to eat.” He’s joking.
(Jennifer observes) It’s because I felt
bad learning about his daughter Bella being aborted because of drugs...
But
now that you are there Anthony, are you aware or becoming aware of your
previous lifetimes?
 |
| Lest we forget who is asking these questions. |
He’s learning about them. He said “It’s like having a whole big book, it’s like having the whole book of
your life handed to you; because it’s in the book doesn’t mean he’s seen it
yet, or that he knows everything... It’s a big book.”
He
hasn’t had a chance to go through the book yet. Listen, if I may, you were a
great interviewer – who would you like to ask questions to in our class?
First
he showed me his friend who shot himself.
Okay,
that would be a good idea, but it would be hard for me to follow up on any of
his answers. Is there anyone from our
class?
He’d
like to interview John Lennon.
That’s
kind of who I thought you’d suggest, since you were such a fan of music and
musicians. But before we begin, let’s ask Anthony, were you taking any
medication, drugs or chemicals prior to your departure?
He
says, “He wanted them.”
But
did you take drugs like Prozac are antidepressants earlier in your life?
I
don’t feel like he did.
Okay,
so what precipitated this dark moment of the soul? How long did it take you to
plan your demise?
He
said, “I didn’t plan it.”
Was
it like Kate said? Two minutes before?
“Yeah.”
(Trying
to be light) So should we ban bathrobes from all hotels?
He’s
laughing. He said, “I’d look really ugly then.”
I’m
sorry that was my attempt at a joke.
He
says he got that and appreciated that joke. (After a pause) Okay, he’s going to
interview John.
Is
that okay with you John? Do you mind? I had an email exchange with one of your
sons yesterday; did you precipitate that or influence that?
He
says “Yeah.” (Jennifer aside: Did you really have...?)
I
did. But my question is; is what I sent him going to help or hurt him?
He
said “Both. It is going to hurt him emotionally but it was the right thing to
do.”
(Note: I sent his son
(who appeared in my film) the chapter in the book where his mom and dad speak
about him. I’m sure he’s had a billion people wanting to trade off of his
heritage, but if someone claimed to speak to my dad on the flipside, I’d want
to know what he said, even if I felt it inaccurate. As we’ll hear later,
Jennifer tells me it was appreciated.)
I
just wanted to hear your blessing.
He
said, “You have it.” He gives it.
 |
| Jennifer Shaffer |
So
Anthony the mic is yours... Our camera is on. Can you turn to John and ask him
something we can share?
(Jennifer
laughs.) He’s asking him “How did you do all those drugs on not die from them?”
What
does John say?
He
says, “He just decided he did not want to die that way.”
Very
good.
Anthony
asked him; “Are you concerned about your sons?” He says “Yes, I’m always
concerned about them.” (Jennifer listens) He says, “I’m always concerned about my
boys, but I don’t need to be.”
Why
is that?
He
says, “Because it all works out.”
No
matter what we say or what we do, “It all works out” or as I like to put it
“all roads lead to home.”
Anthony
said, “Some roads lead quicker than others.” He just showed me a person getting
mowed down by a car... “boom.”
Well,
once you got over to the flipside, when did you realize “I’m still here, I
haven’t ended anything?”
He
said, “He was pissed.” He says, “He was pissed he left his girlfriend...
Asia
Argento.
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| Asia Argento (wikimedia) |
He
says, “He was so stupid.” But he says, “She knew about his pain and torment.”
What
would you like to say to her? Let’s mix it up and have you say it in Italian.
“Belissima...”
(Jennifer
listens) and something... I’m sorry...
it sounds like soup.
“Mi
dispiace?”
Yeah, that’s it. I’m sorry, I don’t speak Italian.
It
means “Beautiful; I’m sorry.”
He
just said “Je t’aime.”
French
for “I love you.” Well, he was in France when he passed. He probably speaks
French better than Italian. Is that true Anthony? La lingua d’amore?
I’m
getting that he spoke Greek?
Did
you speak Greek? Or is that something you knew from before?
He
said, “I speak all languages.”
Anthony
what message do you want to impart to your CNN colleagues?
Tell
them “They’ll get over it.” He’s kidding. He’s always making jokes. He said, “My contract was not long enough.” I
asked him, “You mean it was up?” and he said, “No it was not long enough.”
Was
this an exit point for you? I’m sure the class can help you understand this
concept; but had you decided you’d done enough, or needed to plan for your next
lifetime?
“Yeah.”
He says he put that question in your head.
Sometimes
folks say they were “in a hurry to get back home because they needed to work on
their next lifetime.”
He
said “Yeah, and that he’s going to do it with his daughter that is over there
with him.”
So
you’re saying “This was a good exit point, you’d done what you needed to do?
He
says, “I had the best life.”
 |
| Backstage Pass to the Flipside book Two |
Any
messages for friends or folks who loved your show?
He
said “He’s not in hell. Please tell my friends I’m not in hell.. or purgatory.” Then he showed me like a Buddhist
scroll... What’s it called... The book about the dead?
The
Tibetan Book of the Dead?
“Yeah.”
What
about it?
(Jennifer shrugs) I don’t know.
Hold
onto that for a second. Anthony, what are you telling us? People should read
that? To become familiar with the bardo?
Was
he a Buddhist? He’s saying, “So many things in that philosophy that explain
life.” He’s saying, “The book of the dead has lessons on life.” [4]
I’m
familiar with the book... and the guy who wrote the book; one particular monk.
He’s
saying, “Thousands of monks did.”[5]
Actually
thousands have written about the
book –contributed to understanding this book - but only one monk experienced
it. His name is Padmasambhava. Tibetan Buddhists considered him an enlightened
Buddha as well, but he wasn’t a monk, he had a girlfriend, wrote about tantric
sex; he was an unusual cat – maybe one day we’ll have a conversation with him,
but the book was his experience making the journey into the afterlife, perhaps
through meditation or a near death event, but contrary to what we’ve been
doing.
He
claimed once we get to the bardo, the between lives realm, there’s no
consciousness per se. Between lives, consciousness is like a wisp of smoke
(“Clear light.”) But obviously not so; because here we are having a
conversation with a “wisp of smoke.” However
there are many things in the book that were accurate about crossing over, I
understand that... is this something you’re aware of now, Anthony?
He
said “It’s something I knew when I was there (alive)... but he didn’t believe
in the smoke thing (either). Besides
smoking a lot, he didn’t believe in the whole smoke thing... or snorting...”
I’m
sorry, what?
 |
| Made a film in Tibet as well |
He’s making a joke about snorting instead of smoking. He’s showing me the scroll – (how) the
words in the book are important, you (should) go through it and highlight the
stuff that is important to remember, taking in the underlying threads of the
book that are about wisdom – and he’s saying, “but some of it is smoke.”
Our
friend Robert Thurman wrote an excellent translation of the book which I
recommend. I noticed when my mom was crossing over, the notices handed out by
the hospice care nurses – “signs of impending death” were identical to what I’d
read in the book about the dissolution of the senses. So back to you Anthony;
you told us you miss the smells back here, what else do you miss?
He
says he misses his girlfriend. “Being with her,” he said.
What
would you like to tell her?
That he will see her again.
This
might be unusual, but it is in our research. I knew Harvey Weinstein, he always
generous to me and Rebecca Broussard; tickets to the AmfAR benefit in Cannes. I
had no idea what a creep he was behind closed doors. But he had his own purpose
as well, correct?
He
says, “He’s glad Harvey isn’t up there because of what he’d do to him.”
Okay,
but as we discuss in this class; we all choose our lifetimes to learn or teach
lessons in love or the loss of love.
“Yes.”
He saying, “That’s true.” What happened with Harvey and his girlfriend
eventually led her to Anthony.
From
that perspective not only did it result in a good thing, but the stones in her
path resulted in the diamond of your relationship.
“Yes.”
Anything
else you want to tell your friends, fans or family?
“Tell
them to love themselves. To not give in... to the madness that our minds
create.”
What
would you recommend people do to avoid that kind of madness?
“HAVE
THEM STUDY MINDFULNESS.”
(Note: I did not hit the
caps key. After I typed it, I went back later and thought, “Hmm. That’s odd.”
Or maybe not so much.)
Very
good, so... Anthony to continue that thought. By mindfulness do you mean
meditation?
“Yes.”
He said, “That makes you get more grounded.”
Is
that something that you did, did you practice meditation?
He said, “No. If
I did, I would still be alive.”
Very
funny. Okay this is a bit weird – this is something I repeat often, the
research that shows how meditation can supplant SSRI drugs. The drugs stops
serotonin release, which causes people to “stop feeling pain” - but meditation
can help regulate serotonin in a better way for the brain, for the emotions; is
that what you’re talking about ?
“Yes.”
I’m
sure people are tired of me going on about it; but Richard Davidson’s epic
study of meditation, which they now call “mindfulness” to avoid any connection
to yoga or religion- but that it can cure or alleviate depression. Is that what you’re saying? [6]
He’s
saying, “That’s part of the thing that connects the both of you.”
Let’s
talk about something else; you were a guy of great taste.
“Very
well put,” he says.
How
would you recommend people acquire your sense of taste?
He’s showing me a blindfold. He’s saying, “By blindfolding yourself first, then whatever occurs after that, you
don’t have any prejudgment for it.”
You’re
referring to a “blind taste test” but also to the metaphor of “not judging
things?” When you blindfold yourself you experience people and things from a
different level?
“Yes.
(Because) When you look at something you judge it.”
(Jennifer aside:) It’s kind of like my work as a medium, the less I know about
someone, the better the information is that comes through.
So
the idea of putting on a blindfold is a....
“Metaphor.”
For
us to blindfold our “judgment mode” when we meet a new person?
“Yes.”
He’s saying, “To not care about where
they’re from, or anything about their past... people can change.”
Not
to worry if someone says, “they’re an asshole.”
“Well,
some people who were assholes remain assholes... but if you blindfold yourself,
you learn from them what they present to you.
In my case, I was nice to everyone.”
Why
was that?
“Because
I felt like I was them.” He shared with me a quote that I remember
reading that he said awhile ago – something about “My life is so great, I’m
just waiting for them to catch up and take away my car.”[7]
I
should ask this; “So why’d you give up the car bro?”
(Jennifer laughs) He
said, “He wanted a new one.”
You
decided it was time for a different dish, you were done with this meal and
wanted a different dessert?
He’s
showing me “tons of ice cream everywhere.”
You
were sick of the ice cream? So now you’re having and ice cream headache?
He
says, “Starting with you.”
He laughs. He says that last Saturday you had a dream about him?
I
did yeah. (ding!) Since he died,
I’ve had these odd moments of hearing his voice, sense of humor; funny,
charming and like just a great voice to have around in your mind, which I
appreciate. Who wouldn’t? Okay anyone else in class, Robin? We had Kate and
Anthony.
 |
| Book One |
“They
want us to learn from them. What not to do. That we have control over it.”
And
if someone does die we’ll track you down and interview you over there – because
you can’t hide from us.
Funny;
we are the ultimate ghost hunters.
So
anybody else in class?
They’re
showing me a picture of you in my mind’s eye. They want to talk to you. John
Lennon is coming through. Hold on. He says that he approves whatever it was
that you did with his son... He said, “Tell him that I do.”
I
sent his son a copy of the chapter of the book where we interview John, as well
as a PDF of the book – for context. I know how odd this is for someone you know
to claim they’re “talking to your father” on the flipside. And in his case, one
of the most famous fathers in the planet.
But if I didn’t share it with him, or I just let him hear about it from
someone else – I felt I had to share it with him.
Jennifer: It’s like we were talking about
earlier. Some topics people don’t want
to talk about – often involved with cancer, or suicide. “Hey, let’s talk about suicide...” Not many folks want to do that.
Rich:
The reason we’re doing it is it’s hard to keep people here. To remind them they
had courage to come here in the first place, to choose a life and be
incarnated. “Hey, you had the courage to come here – you promised to sign up
for some shit. You took the role! And you promised to stick around to the third
act.” Same could be said to our friend
Anthony; “Dude, you signed up to come here, and you got off stage before the
third act bro.”
He
laughed and said, “Bigger better deal.”
Yeah,
but what does that say to your fans? “I don’t have to stick around because it’s
hard?”
He
said “Mindfulness.”
Okay...
but you see what I’m saying.... I’m just reminding you....
He’s
protesting comically; “It’s
abuse!” And he’s showing me a
picture of you! (Jennifer laughs.) He’s kidding. He said, “He came to you, don’t forget that.”
(Note: Yes, it does sound
like I’m badgering the witness. I’m grateful he reminded me I didn’t ask for
him to show up initially. When I was writing for “Epicurean Rendezvous,” chef
Jean Michel (Citrus) told me “Every great chef has the taste of his mother’s
cooking in his mouth.” Anthony had great taste.)
Robin
Williams just came through and said “Birthday.” Is it his?
It’s
yours. Coming up in a couple of weeks. What’s the class going to be doing for
you?
I
want to hear the whole class sing “Happy Birthday.”
Does
anyone in our class not like our class?
(Jennifer laughs) Luana.
She says “It’s exhausting. You’re
exhausting!” No, she’s saying “You
are very prepared, she says, and you’re very open to passing along
information.” She says “It’s helping
people learn on the other side. We’re
helping people learn how to tap in over here.”
They
say they’re learning how to communicate to us. How to get us to open ourselves
up to their conversations?
“Like
seeing the symbol 11: 11 – (they are) signs to get you to open up to them.”
Are
you guys slowing down your frequency to communicate with us? Or is that not the
right syntax?
“No. They’re getting better transistors – by
learning about our frequencies and how our thoughts work. They’re making it
quicker... quickening us.”
In
a deep hypnosis session, a spirit guide was asked about “about a shift in
consciousness” and he said, “Over here,
we call it “the quickening.” In
essence you’re not slowing down but you’re causing us to speed up?
“Yes.
And some people can’t handle it and they escape.”
Is
it getting people to think or experience things faster?
“No.
To be more aware.”
Is
there a physical way we can help us tune in or become more aware?
They
showed me the ocean, the forests, something out in nature – “That’s your patch,
that’s the place to find vibrancy to tap in.”
It’s
something I’ve been talking with with virtual reality scientists about,
creating VR to help people not check off the planet... or help them with brain
trauma or PTSD, depression using the work of Richard Davidson. It just feels
like this is something that might help people.
A
lot of people. Anthony is giving me the chills.. so follow that where ever it
takes you.
How
do you guys like the book?
“They
love it.”
It’s
long.
“It’s
needed,” they said.
Anthony,
any final thoughts?
“Tell
everyone; life should not be taken for granted. It should be revered, lived and
loved. And that it’s much more difficult expressing love from over there (where
he is) than when it’s right in front of
you.”
Kate,
do you concur?
“1000
per cent.”
Robin?
“It’s
stupid; people are still going to leave the planet that way... but hopefully we
can help talk them out of it.”
And
one’s enough?
“Just
one.”
*****
[1]
https://people.com/food/anthony-bourdain-death-cremated-france/
[2] That’s accurate. His father Pierre
died of a heart attack at age 57. Anthony’s close friend Bernard Loiseau shot
himself in 2003, which Anthony was interviewed about.
http://www.newsweek.com/last-word-anthony-bourdain-132517
[3] Anthony has a daughter 11, Ariane
with ex Ottavia Busia
[4] Note: his best friend Eric Ripert
was a Buddhist. The best translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead is by
Robert Thurman. https://bobthurman.com/the-tibetan-book-of-the-dead/
[5] I’ve had this discussion with
Robert Thurman, who did a translation of the book; thousands of monks did
contribute to essays on the original text, but the original was written by one
person who experienced it; Padmasambhava.
https://bobthurman.com/the-tibetan-book-of-the-dead/
[6] RichardDavidson.org explains the
science behind his epic study. He used the Tibetan form of meditation called
“Tonglen” – but he proved a single session of meditation can change the shape
of the amygdala, further that it “cures or alleviates symptoms of depression.”
With zero, no side effects. Should be prescribed.
[7] "I should’ve died in my 20s.
I became successful in my 40s. I became a dad in my 50s. I feel like I’ve
stolen a car –a really nice car– and I keep looking in the rearview mirror for
flashing lights. But there’s been nothing yet." Anthony Bourdain quote
https://www.biography.com/news/anthony-bourdain-biography-facts
Happy Birthday Sir!!!
After posting this yesterday, as I was falling asleep, I heard "but there's more to that story."
He's right, I forgot in the last chapter (at his request) we added more details as follows: (Jennifer's responses in bold, my questions in italics.)
Jennifer: Luana says she talked to you this morning.
Richard: That’s correct. (Ding!) I was chatting about
our class.
Anthony Bourdain says that you chose a meal on
Tuesday night, and that you talked to him about it.
Yes, that’s correct. (Ding!) I was in Vegas,
choosing a burger and thought “I wonder which Anthony would choose?”
He held his nose. It smelled... the onions.
Yes, there were raw onions on the turkey
burger. We talked to you a couple of weeks ago Anthony, what’s up since then?
He says, “He’s been busy.” (Jennifer
listens) He’s trying to understand why he did it.
Let me ask you a couple of questions about
that.
He just said, “And that was a
full segue into that.”
(Note: I worked briefly in TV, helping produce
the award winning Charles Grodin show at CNBC. I don’t think Jennifer knows
what a “full segue” is, but Anthony does.)
You were quite good at doing segues in your
shows. The last time we spoke, you suggested an interview “with your brother;”
was that a literal brother or a close friend of yours?
“A friend.”
Was he also a chef?
He just showed me someone who looked like Wolfgang
Puck.
Was it your friend Bernard who checked himself
off the planet?
He’s saying “Yes, that’s who it was.”
(Note: Bernard Loiseau was the chef of La Cote
D’or, who committed suicide. At the time
of his death, news reports claimed it was because of rumors he was going to
lose one of the prized Michelin stars from the Michelin guide for restaurants.
Since Anthony referred to someone who had shot himself, I looked up who that
could have been. In his younger days he did look like Wolfgang Puck or vice
versa.)
He did look a bit like Wolfgang; less hair
later perhaps. Since you’ve been home, have you been able to talk to him about
that?
Yeah. They are sharing their experiences... (Jennifer laughs) He says, “It’s like an AA group up here.” They’re sharing
experiences... “What it is that you learned? Why, you know, why your guardians
didn’t help you (not commit suicide.)”
When Bernard died they said it was about the
pressures of the Michelin stars, that he was worried about it.
Anthony said, “No. He drank too much.”
(Note: Jennifer doesn’t know the news reports
surrounding Loiseau’s death. We tend to explain “the why” when people check
themselves off the planet and it would have been easy for him to say “Yeah,
that was it.” But Anthony replied, “No. He drank too much.” The only way “to know” is to ask.)
Okay. Well, there’s a fun question; are there “Michelin
stars” for you chefs back home?
He says “No.” But he showed me the star that
Tony Stockwell spoke to you about; he actually brought that in to show me.
(Note: In an interview with British medium
Tony Stockwell, we were speaking to his “guides” and I asked if any were
“wearing ornamentation.” Tony reported
one of his guides was wearing a star, which I thought was a badge. He said “No,
it’s an actual star, and it represents a portal to allow transport to different
realms.” Not something Tony or I had ever heard of before.)
Ah, very cool. Those kinds of stars.
“They come from way above.” (Jennifer aside: I asked, “Are the stars
awarded for lifetimes or for food?”) He
said, “For both; it’s for everything. It’s all encompassing... how you earn it
is through (actions of) body, mind
and spirit.”
Okay, I understand.
I don’t.
(Note: In the research, guides who appear on
councils have “earned the position” through some accomplishment during a
difficult lifetime. When asked, guides have said they “earned their seat on the
council” of the person being interviewed for various accomplishments. Courage, compassion, patience, history are
some that have been reported. Sometimes they “wear a symbol” of that
achievement, as Michael Newton reported in “Destiny of Souls.” In my interviews,
I’ve heard a number of descriptions of ornaments; a living tree, representing
connectivity, or a bear representing courage.)
I think he’s saying people earn those stars
for all the things they did with regard to their acts of compassion and love
when they were on the planet. Anthony, I forgot to ask you before, do you have any
message for your daughter?
His first word was “Love.” He says, “Tell her that she needs to love herself first and to know that she’s
going to be taken care of.” (Jennifer aside: I asked him “Do you regret
what you did?) He said “No, it’s not
like that. He regrets how our interpretation of them is wrong.”
(Note: I think he means how we consider
suicide a sin, or an act of cowardice, or other pejoratives. We generally don’t
take into consideration what led to it, how planned or how sudden it was, or
that they may have been in a hurry to “get back home” to get ready for another
life - or just the fact that they don’t actually die.)
How about something more specific for your
daughter? She may run across this book later in life.
He says “Tell her not to give
up on singing, she loves to sing.”
Okay,
that’s pretty specific.
(Note: Jennifer did not
know that Anthony had a living daughter. In our previous interview with him, he
spoke of a daughter on the flipside that he was with from a previous
lifetime. In this case, this is one of
those “bell ringing moments of
verification;” unbeknownst to me or Jennifer, his daughter is already an
accomplished singer. She performed a few weeks after his death, and it was not
something I knew, but discovered when I searched for it. “Anthony Bourdain's 11-year-old daughter performed in a concert just
days after her father died of an apparent suicide in France. Bourdain's
ex-wife, Ottavia Busia, shared a photo on Instagram of their child, Ariane,
appearing on stage at a music venue in New York.” Jun 11, 2018. An example
of “new information” from the
flipside.) [1]
It almost feels like she will sing something like opera... “She has an amazing voice. She has an
amazing voice but she doesn’t know it yet.”
Anthony, your dad had heart attack when you
were young, have you talked to him since arriving back there?
“At length.” He’s telling me he was “scarred
from it.” He said, “Interesting that it gave him a certain amount of freedom –
he thought it allowed him to have freedom but he didn’t look at it that way at
first... (After his father’s
death) that’s when he realized that “nothing
is permanent.”
[1]
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anthony-bourdain-daughter-performs-concert-after-his-death-2018-06-11/