Anthony Bourdain has been in the news again of late thanks to a new book detailing his life, but also some of his final moments. As part of this, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain had recently made headlines thanks to reportedly revealing intimate texts and details from the days leading up to the Parts Unknown host dying at the age of 61. Some of the texts reportedly came from ex Asia Argento, who now has seemingly commented in an Instagram Stories post.
Down and Out in Paradise reportedly detailed an exchange Bourdain had with Argento shortly before his death. The two had been dating for some time but were on the outs after papparazzi photos had emerged with the Italian actress spending time with another man. In the texts, he got candid with his feelings, reportedly noting:
I am okay I am not spiteful. I am not jealous that you have been with another man. I do not own you. You are free. As I said. As I promised. As I truly meant. But you were careless. You were reckless with my heart. My life.
He then asked the actress if there was anything that he could do, to which she reportedly texted back:
Stop busting my balls.
In a new Instagram Stories post (via People) that reportedly dropped after the Down and Out in Paradise news broke, Asia Argento wore a t-shirt with Ronnie Coleman on it that read “stop busting my balls.” The post went live on Thursday after reports had rolled around about the content in the book, including the newly released text message exchanges.
She’d allegedly sent the same message, as detailed above the night that Anthony Bourdain died by suicide. He had been on location in France filming for his CNN series Parts Unknown and had spent recent days filming with French Chef Eric Ripert, a longtime friend.
The upcoming book, written by Charles Leerhsen, has come under fire for releasing the text exchanges. Down and Out in Paradise’s publisher has already released a statement about the Anthony Bourdain texts, saying the material was not “defamatory” as had been alleged by Bourdain’s brother, Christopher, and that it was part of the story when it came to the television host’s life and impact.
With all due respect, we disagree that the material in the book contains defamatory information, and we stand by our forthcoming publication.
Previously, Asia Argento shared her thoughts about getting bad press over what happened with Bourdain. She even said she hears that people feel his death was her fault. In 2018 she spoke out about what she’s heard, also saying “in a way” she sort of understands where people are coming from.
People say I murdered him. They say I killed him. But I understand that the world needs to find a reason. I would like to find a reason too. I don’t have it. Maybe I would feel some solace in thinking there was something that happened. I understand that people wanted to blame me because he was so deeply loved and he entered in the hearts of so many people, into their lives, into their hearts. So, in a way, I understand that they [want to] see me as the negative person, the destroyer.
It’s difficult to believe that Anthony Bourdain has been gone for over four years, as his spirit has lived on in reruns of Parts Unknown and No Reservations, and through projects like Roadrunner, which explored his early career and all of the major moments and milestones piecing together his patchwork life, a life filled with travel and spontaneity, a life filled with food and learning. The new book, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, releases on October 11.