Rose McGowan Pens Defense of Asia Argento After Anthony Bourdain's Suicide
Rose McGowan penned an open letter on behalf of Asia Argento following the death of Argento's boyfriend Anthony Bourdain, who died by suicide on June 8th. As McGowan writes, Argento has unfairly faced blame in the aftermath of Bourdain's death.
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Read McGowan's entire open letter below:
Dear Fellow Humans,
Sitting across from me is the remarkable human and brave survivor, Asia Argento, who has been through more than most could stand, and yet stand she does. She stood up to her monster rapist and now she has to stand up to yet another monster, suicide. The suicide of her beloved lover and ally, Anthony Bourdain. I write these truths because I have been asked to. I know so many around the world thought of Anthony Bourdain as a friend and when a friend dies, it hurts. Many of these people who lost their ‘friend' are wanting to lash out and blame. You must not sink to that level. Suicide is a horrible choice, but it is that person's choice.
When Anthony met Asia, it was instant chemistry. They laughed, they loved and he was her rock during the hardships of this last year. Anthony was open with his demons, he even wrote a book about them. In the beginning of their relationship, Anthony told a mutual friend, “He's never met anyone who wanted to die more than him.” And through a lot of this last year, Asia did want the pain to stop. But here's the thing, over their time together, thankfully, she did the work to get help, so she could stay alive and live another day for her and her children. Anthony's depression didn't let him, he put down his armor, and that was very much his choice. His decision, not hers. His depression won. Anthony and Asia had a free relationship, they loved without borders of traditional relationships, and they established the parameters of their relationship early on. Asia is a free bird, and so was Anthony. Was. Such a terrible word to write. I've heard from many that the past two years they were together were some of his happiest and that should give us all solace.
Anthony was 61, the same age my father was when he died. My father also suffered from intermittent deep depression, and like Anthony, was part of a “pull up your bootstraps and march on” generation. The a “strong man doesn't ask for help” generation. I know before Anthony died he reached out for help, and yet he did not take the doctor's advice. And that has led us here, to this tragedy, to this loss, to this world of hurt. Do NOT do the sexist thing and burn a woman on the pyre of misplaced blame. Anthony's internal war was his war, but now she's been left on the battlefield to take the bullets. It is in no way fair or acceptable to blame her or anyone else, not even Anthony. We are asking you to be better, to look deeper, to read and learn about mental illness, suicide and depression before you make it worse for survivors by judging that which we do not understand, that which can never fully be understood. Sometimes we are stuck in the unknowable, and that is where we are now, a massive wave of darkness that threatens to swallow everyone in its wake.
As I watch Asia do her job on set today, I see a pillar of strength who continues to work to put food on her children's table. I see Elizabeth Taylor carrying on filming Cat on a Hot Tin Roof despite her love, her husband, dying in a plane crash. I see all of us who have carried on. Please join me in sending healing energy to Anthony on his journey, and to all who've been left behind to journey on without him. There is no one to blame but the stigma of loneliness, the stigma of asking for help, the stigma of mental illness, the stigma of being famous and hurting.
We must do more and be better. Anthony, our friend, would want it that way.
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https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/rose-mcgowan-pens-open-letter-after-anthony-bourdains-suicide-w521378?utm_source=rsnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=daily&utm_campaign=061118_11
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that playing loose with someone's affections is a cruel thing to do and may have serious consequences. It's usually men who do this, from my observations in life. One fails to realize the pain that a perceived unfaithfulness or dishonesty about feelings can cause, esp. when you know up front that the person who loves you has depression issues.
I don't know if that's what happened, or if they really had a "free" relationship. Or even if that's what got to him this time. Maybe it was something else.
But I don't think a letter like this was called for at this time. I guess the Asia woman had rec'd some criticisms. But I would have given it more time. Maybe a personal interview later.
I am still sad about the loss of Anthony Bourdain and still wonder how he could be that depressed, when he had so much. Maybe he found that he couldn't give up drugs, after trying for years. (I didn't know he did drugs. Amazing how he could have become so successful, traveling around the world, working all those hours, and do drugs at the same time.)
