Anthony Bourdain railed against Bill and Hillary Clinton in a newly published interview conducted months before his death, calling the former's behavior toward women "monstrous" and the latter's discrediting of his accusers disqualifying for higher office.
Bourdain, a chef, writer and travel show host, spoke with culture writer Maria Bustillos in February for her new outlet Popula. A supporter of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, Bourdain condemned the former president as "gropey," "grabby" and "disgusting," while calling him a charming man in person.
"Bill Clinton, look, the bimbo eruptions—it was f—king monstrous," Bourdain said. "That would not have flown today. A piece of s—t. Entitled, rapey, gropey, grabby, disgusting, and the way that he—and she—destroyed these women and the way that everyone went along, and, and are blind to this! Screamingly apparent hypocrisy and venality. How you can on the one hand howl at the moon about all these other predators. And not at least look back. OK, let’s say, well, it was all consensual: powerful men, starstruck women, okay fine, let’s accept it at its most charitable interpretation. Fine. He is a very charming man, I met him, he’s f—king magnetic."
"Wow, yeah. I’ve never seen anything like him," Bustillos said.
"As is she. When you’re in the room, you think wow, she’s really warm and nice and funny. But the way they efficiently dismantled, destroyed, and shamelessly discredited these women for speaking their truth ... is unforgivable," he said.
He went on to say he didn't think Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky was grounds for impeachment, but he said he would not vote for Clinton again under any circumstances.
"It was the shaming, discrediting, undermining the women that made both of them unsuitable for any future endeavors. I don’t think they should’ve pulled him from office," he said.
Since the interview, Bill Clinton has come under fire during a string of interviews promoting his book where he gave defensive and panned answers about his past misconduct.
The liberal Bourdain also said he found the more vocal supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Hillary Clinton's 2016 Democratic primary opponent, "largely insufferable."
"In spite of the fact that I agree with him on just about everything, it’s not like he’s not talking sense, almost always he is," he said.
Bourdain committed suicide by hanging himself on June 8. He was in France to tape another episode of his popular CNN travel and culture program "Parts Unknown."