UPDATE: June 11, 2018

In 2017, LCA petitioned CNN to stop glorifying the torture of animals on its popular travel series Parts Unkown, hosted by the late Anthony Bourdain who took his own life on 06/08/18. It is too early for any of us to know why Mr. Bourdain took his own life, but in light of his tragic death, and out of respect for those that suffer from depression and other mental health conditions, LCA will not continue this campaign.

LCA stands strongly against any form of entertainment that celebrates the abuse, torture, and death of animals. But it does not serve anyone, including the animals, to campaign against those who are mourning the loss of a friend who apparently struggled with demons that made him suffer a great deal. 

While LCA will not continue this campaign for these reasons, we can't forget the most egregious examples of animal abuse that were depicted on Parts Unkown. We hope that other outlets will avoid such portrayals. Good entertainment can never involve animal cruelty.

Episodes of Parts Unknown that contained cruelty toward animals include:

• S5: E3 “Scotland” – Mr. Bourdain ritualistically covered his face with the blood of a red stag he shot and killed. The episode attempted to assuage viewers by cutting away from the scene of Mr. Bourdain gutting the dead stag, instead switching to calming scenes of grass swaying in the Scottish wilderness.

• S5: E7 “Hawaii” – Mr. Bourdain savagely ripped an octopus out of its home, speared it, and proceeded to chew on the still-living creatures head to kill it by removing its brain.

• S8: E3 "Sichuan With Eric Ripert" – Mr. Bourdain consumes the intestines of a duck, which he callously mentions was alive when its insides were ripped out of its body. When a dinner guest interjects with the question “isn’t that cruel?” Mr. Bourdain replies, “well, you want them fresh.”

Television that glorifies such acts makes light of animal torture and desensitizes viewers to suffering. No show that gleefully depicts animal suffering should remain on the air.

 The petition has been signed by 121,291 supporters.