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Post by Techguy on Aug 6, 2010 22:13:39 GMT -5
Mrs. T and I are totally hooked on this show. We started watching The Travel Channel recently when we finally got their HD broadcast, and discovered the show by accident. Now we're junkies and hungry for more. It's more than a travel program, more than a food program, it's also part documentary. We love how Tony writes and his presentations of other countries, their culture and cuisine, are top notch. If you get The Travel Channel and haven't seen Tony and his brash NY attitude in action, check him out.
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Post by jeffan on Aug 12, 2010 7:37:52 GMT -5
I do and I have. Completely agree Techguy - it's a much watch!
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Post by Techguy on Aug 12, 2010 13:22:31 GMT -5
At last, another AB fan rises and declares herself!
Jeffan, do you have any favorite episodes? They are all so good, but the 3 favorites that come to mind for me and Mrs. T are the trio of episodes Tony did with his Russian friend Zamir. Their odyssey began in Uzbekistan when Zamir played a rather nasty prank on Tony. This led to 2 subsequent episodes in Russia and Romania involving revenge and counter pranks. Classic Tony snark and his trademark brash irreverent attitude have to be seen and experienced. I'd down a few beers or shots of vodka with him anytime, anywhere!
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Post by jeffan on Aug 16, 2010 7:40:01 GMT -5
I'm quite a "newbie" to this show and find it fascinating. He is a very clever guy with a great sense of humour. He reminds me of Elliot Gould!
All the episodes I've watched have had me squirming and laughing. The stand-out one so far is when he was in Vietnam and goes up the mountains to an isolated village. It looked like something out of a horror film. They opened up the one and only "restaurant" for him and I'm sure, going on Health and Safety Standards in this country, they would have shut it down sharpish. An old woman was brandishing a huge meat cleaver chopping up an animal they couldn't idenify! His face was a picture when waiting for it to be served. I just kept thinking - don't eat it - don't eat it.
In another episode he ate chicken balls (literally) and drank something that looked like liquedised meat-loaf. Think that was Malaysia.
He's got a real ready wit and must have stomach of iron. Yep, I'd drink vodka with him anytime.
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Post by trisha on Aug 16, 2010 16:59:34 GMT -5
I believe I saw the Vietnam ep, too! It was certainly nothing like the ep where he ate his way through SanFransico -- much more certain of himself (and the food safety) there. My favorite of the eps I've seen so far was Egypt because, 1) I'll probably never go there myself, and 2) if i did go, there are places my female self would not be allowed, anyways. Vicarious vacationing FTW Fyi, for those who have Comcast, No Reservations is in the OnDemand section.
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Post by Techguy on Aug 16, 2010 19:46:40 GMT -5
All the Southeast Asia episodes are outstanding, mostly for Tony's reactions to the exotic cuisine and beverages and lack of health and safety concerns by US standards. The Vietnam episode is especially telling personally for Tony. Apparently he wants to relocate there for a year to write another novel and goes house hunting out by the rice paddies.
The Romania episode I mentioned is especially noteworthy for the Halloween party at Dracula's castle in Transylvania. Must.be.seen.to.be.believed. There are echoes of the CI episode about Goths and vampires, the title of which I can't remember. Tony and Zamir down lots of vodka, especially Zamir who needs a nap between drinking binges to rest up for the party. ROFL!
I just saw an episode where Zamir visits Tony in America as he tours the "Rust Belt" cities of Baltimore, Detroit, and Buffalo. When Zamir and Tony exit a restaurant, a crowd gathers around Zamir requesting autographs and all but ignore Tony! Tony is mostly amused at the groupies because Zamir's bad boy reputation from prior episodes preceded him. Instead of turning people off, Zamir now enjoys an unprecented and unexpected fan following. Zamir is quite a character, but I don't know about downing shots of vodka with him. In the Russia episode Zamir takes Tony way out into the country outside Moscow to visit the dacha of an ex-KGB agent. Priceless. Tony joked in one of the Zamir episodes that even after all the years he's known Zamir, he still doesn't know what he does for a living. ROFL!
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