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Watching Anthony Bourdain talk Frito pie with the camera on his latest episode of Parts Unknown, you knew things were about to get ugly. He quoted The Boss’ “Blinded By The Light,” but the “deuce” he referenced in describing the loose chili dropping from a ladle into a bag of Fritos did not describe a vintage hot rod. And in case the innuendo wasn’t immediately clear to his viewers, Bourdain drove the point home.
“It feels like you’re holding a warm crap in a bag.” he said, as he held his new prize. And then, kicking the regional food classic while it was down, he added the exceedingly visual “colostomy pie.”
See also: The 7-Eleven Frito Pie: Feeding Drunks and Stoners Everywhere
Bourdain is obviously taking some heat from Frito pie enthusiasts, who exist for some reason, and who didn’t find humor in his colorful commentary. Bourdain’s reference to canned Hormel chili was also offensive because the chili in question was home-made. (This says much about the cooking you can expect at the Santa Fe Five and Dime General Store.)
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Despite the toilet humor set-up, Bourdain eventually affirmed that the dish was delicious (and also against everything the he stands for) later in the show. Still, he has apologized for the comment, and CNN is attempting to edit the smelly jokes out of subsequent airings.
Whether Bourdain was still being sarcastic when he highlighted Texas’ divine right as the birthplace of the Frito pie is hard to tell, but his “let Texas have this one” should be construed as a battle cry. Break out your favorite chili recipes and ready your processed corn chips. It’s time to embrace your love of Frito pie.
