CNN’s Stelter Pays Emotional Tribute to Anthony Bourdain: ‘One of the Greatest Storytellers of Our Time’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
STELTER: "A father, a chef, a correspondent, a poet, a renegade, an international TV icon. Anthony Bourdain was one of the greatest storytellers of our time, and most of all he was a friend, a friend to millions of viewers who never got to meet him. I’m sorry, I’ve been dreading this conversation. I know it’s been a couple of days, but it is still so raw. Bourdain took his own life at a hotel in France, and ever since we here at CNN found out on Friday morning, we’ve received thousands of tributes. These are just some of them on CNN.com. I just wanted to read you one of them from Jeremy Lincoln who writes what I felt. He says, “I lived vicariously through Tony’s show.” Bourdain joined CNN five years ago, and changed us forever. Remember, we didn’t have shows like “PARTS UNKNOWN” back then. He took a risk by coming here, and CNN took a risk on him. It ended up being incredibly rewarding for everyone. And, right now, I can’t picture CNN without him."