No Reservations in Romania
Published by Blegoo March 2nd, 2008 in romania.Versiunea in limba romana. English version here.
Cu oarecare intarziere, directorii emisiunii de televiziune “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” au publicat un “comunicat de presa” in legatura cu recenta productie filmata in Romania.
Asa cum banuiam, declaratia lor este un exemplu bun de avocateala si sinceritate, in proportii imposibil de evaluat cu exactitate.
Deci, ce spun ei:
Posted 02-29-08 12:26 AM
We have been following the exchanges on the boards regarding the Romania episode. Clearly this show elicited some strong reactions and we appreciate the feedback both positive and negative. It is particularly dismaying to us to read of good hearted Romanians and fans who tuned in expecting to see a depiction of a country they know, love and recognize as their own but were disappointed.
People who are familiar with Tony’s shows (dating back to A Cook’s Tour days) should know that Tony and Zamir have a longstanding relationship and have traveled together on more than one occasion. For better or worse the show was an honest portrait of Tony’s trip to Romania with his old friend Zamir along as a sidekick.
For the record, we DID hire a number of Romanians to assist us with this production and looked to them for guidance and scene suggestions. However, our attempts to set up authentic experiences and off-the beaten path locales typical of No Reservations were, more often than not, foiled at every turn. It was a source of frustration that our requests for “everyday, working class food-related†scenes were again and again either discouraged or seemingly impossible to arrange. The prevailing wisdom was that “the best French restaurant in town†or patently “set up†scenes were preferable to what most Romanians would recognize as reality. Although certain commentators would assert that we ignored their suggestions in favor of our own agenda, this was certainly not the case. If anything, we worked more closely with official tourism entities than we usually do. Most scenes and locales were strongly recommended by them. The scene at the “mici†joint, which we shot against the explicit wishes of our minders, remains an example of a show that for good or bad, might have been.
We do out best to make shows that are both informative and entertaining. In some people’s eyes, we failed on the Romania show. We didn’t show those people the country and scenes they wanted to see — instead we showed them what we experienced during our brief time in Romania. We are not in the business of making fun of people. That is not our hope or our intention when we visit a country new to us. We well know that our very best shows are the ones where we are allowed to see people as they are—not as our official hosts or government representatives wish us to see them. In this instance, the results were often absurd and we showed what we experienced. Romania has survived far worse than our travel show. As the Executive Producers of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations we stand by the show we made.
Chris Collins & Lydia Tenaglia
Executive Producers / Directors
Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.
O multime de chestii din categoria “pace si pretinie” alea.
Totusi:
“… Tony’s trip to Romania with his old friend Zamir along as a sidekick.”
Asta e important. Toti cei care au deplans “ghidul rusesc” ar trebui sa priceapa ca e vorba de un show; Anthony Bourdain joaca un anume rol; Zamir interpreteaza un personaj. Intreaga emisiune e facuta urmarind un anumit scenariu predeterminat. Nimic neobisnuit aici, asa se procedeaza. Poate cei care cred ca emisiunile de “wrestling” reprezinta lupte adevarate sunt dispusi sa creada ca “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” e ceva facut spontan si reprezinta experiente reale.
Daaa…sigur…! 
Evident, Ms. Lydia Tenaglia si Mr. Chris Collins NU MINT cand spun:
“…instead we showed them what we experienced during our brief time in Romania…”
Corect. Ceea ce ei nu subliniaza este simplu fapt ca “experientele” au fost rezultatul direct al programului facut de ei! Fiindca…din doua una:
• Ei (producatorii) au ales ce si unde sa vada (si filmeze) in Romania…
• Oficialitatile romane au dictat itinerariul si subiectele (locatiile).
Fireste, mai exista si fantezia cu Zamir fiind responsabil de situatie…
Intre timp, a aparut un oarecare “document” in limba romana, aparent fiind “Solicitare de Oferta”. Nefiind total naiv, am verificat pe site-ul respectiv veridicitatea documentului. Deci, da, exista.
Pagina 1:
Pagina 2:
Pagina 3:
Citind documentul de mai sus devine clar ca emisiunea a fost planificata cu multa grija. Singura intrebare care mai ramane este cine este responsabil pentru programul respectiv? CINE A FACUT ITINERARIUL?
Producatorii show-ului? Ori Securitatea ceausista?
Ceva, cumva…nu prea se potriveste. Reprezentatii emisiunii mai spun:
“…For the record, we DID hire a number of Romanians to assist us with this production and looked to them for guidance and scene suggestions. However, our attempts to set up authentic experiences and off-the beaten path locales typical of No Reservations were, more often than not, foiled at every turn. It was a source of frustration that our requests for “everyday, working class food-related†scenes were again and again either discouraged or seemingly impossible to arrange…”
Hmmm…“everyday, working class food-related†scenes…in Bucuresti? La restaurantul “Jaristea”? Desigur. Acolo se duce tot romanul sa haleasca…zilnic. Sugestii, indrumari? Pai…odata ce s-a planificat mersul la “Jaristea”…aia e! Nu mai e nimic de sugerat ori de indrumat.
Ms. Lydia Tenaglia si Mr. Chris Collins par sa sugereze ca ei au facut tot ce s-a putut, dar ca au fost pacaliti, inselati si fortati sa mearga la castelul lui dracula, ca si in alte locuri, fiindca asa li s-a recomandat de catre “official tourism entities”.
Astea sunt cuvinte destul de serioase. Aparent, cei care au castigat oferta solicitata de Ministerul pentru Intreprinderi Mici ÅŸi Mijlocii, Comert, Turism ÅŸi Profesii Liberale si-au batut joc de naivitatea si increderea americanilor.
Mi-ar place sa citesc niste clarificari ale subiectului, atat ale Ministerului, cat si ale reprezentantilor show-ului “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations”.
Nu imi tin respiratia in asteptare, totusi.
“For better or worse the show was an honest portrait of Tony’s trip to Romania with his old friend Zamir along as a sidekick”
Arrrghhh…
Cine a citit cat de cat comentariile la postul lui Toni vede ca asta e un cliseu extrem de drag americanilor. “Honest”, ha.
Datul vinii pe autoritatile romanesti este hilara. Orice Guţă cu acces la google poate sa isi faca rapid o idee cat de cat despre Romania, chiar si despre aia off-te beaten path. Nu ca ii absolv pe romani cu complexele lor, spun doar ca justificarea nu tine.
Cum ziceam, avocateala americana.
Totusi… a fost intr-adevar “an honest portrait”. Acuma, depinde si de cum definesti “honest”…