This food critic recalling her encounter with Anthony Bourdain

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...a compelling story from Buzzfeed.

In 2012, then–88-year-old Marilyn Hagerty of Grand Forks, North Dakota, wrote arguably the most viral restaurant review ever written. It was for Olive Garden...

It was an instant viral sensation, with tons of people cracking sarcastic jokes about the octogenarian's earnest review. It even got a write-up on Gawker.

Despite the roasting, the review found her at least one big fan: Anthony Bourdain.

Anthony Bourdain @Bourdain
Very much enjoying watching Internet sensation Marilyn Hagerty triumph over the snarkologists (myself included) http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/2012/03/olive_garden_review_marilyn_hegarty.php#more …
4:49 PM - Mar 8, 2012


Anthony Bourdain @Bourdain
Marilyn Hagerty's years of reviews to be a history of dining in the America too few of us from the coasts have seen. We need to see.
2:32 AM - Mar 28, 2012

The following year, Hagerty published a book of her reviews. Bourdain edited it and even wrote the foreword.

"Anthony Bourdain spoke up for me at a time when people all over the country were making great fun of the column I write," Marilyn Hagerty told BuzzFeed News. "To have a man of his stature rise up and befriend me, it meant a lot to me."

"He told me he felt the same way when he first read it, but that he changed his way of thinking," she said. "He decided I was writing about food in America and the way people eat in the middle of the country."

read more: https://www.buzzfeed.com/juliareinstein/marilyn-hagerty-anthony-bourdain-olive-garden?utm_term=.skORVq9AY#.jiRlX4ByA

[Kali]

1. I don't watch tee vee and have only seen a few videos of Bourdain

but the more I read since yesterday, the more I realize the world has lost a special person.

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2. kick

[AwakeAtLast]

3. There was an epic DU flamewar over Olive Garden

that would probably rival what happened in this case.
Mr. Bourdain showed real class. May he RIP.

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4. I'm shocked

...to find none of that on this thread.

I was definitely a witness to all of that here. I really wish I had this story to tell at the time.

[AwakeAtLast]

5. I can't remember

if I participated or just witnessed it. Someone shared a link to it from an older version of DU a while back.

I think because DU has so many more members the flame wars are not as prolific, at least as far as I have noticed. It is possible I miss them because I don't get into the Lounge as often.