Michelle Wolf Weighs in on Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade Suicides

After the recent deaths of designer Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, suicide and depression have again become major topics in America, with comedian Michelle Wolf addressing the issue on the Sunday episode of her Netflix show, The Break.

Wolf opened her segment by discussing the deaths of Spade and Bourdain before moving into the need to destigmatize depression.

“If we’re going to have any chance of destigmatizing depression, we have to get rid of the pressure to pretend we’re happy, even when we’re not,” Wolf explained.

She then reflected on the prevalence of social media in today’s society and the effect it can have on mental health, with Wolf noting that constant happiness is rarely a true reflection of someone’s life.

“How can we expect to have an honest conversation about anything if we’re always supposed to seem flawless?” she queried. “Looking at social media, you’d think our lives are just sun-kissed beaches and calorie-free avocado toast, when most of the time it’s piles of dirty laundry on top of piles of clean laundry.”

“If you want proof at how ingrained the idea of pretending to be happy is in our society, even our poop emoji is smiling,” she added.

Wolf also pointed out that one of the most popular movies in our culture is It’s a Wonderful Life, which focuses on a man who is considering suicide.

“You know what really puts me in the holiday spirit?” she asked. “That one where the guy wants to jump off a bridge, but then doesn’t? … Merry Christmas, everyone!”

Wolf called for others to really listen to their peers, and to make it okay to admit that things aren’t always going perfectly in your life.

“It’s OK to admit that life is terrifying and we never know what’s going to happen,” the host suggested. “Let’s make it OK to admit you’re not doing great, and let’s listen to other people when they admit they’re not either.”

“How can we expect to have an honest conversation about anything if we’re always supposed to feel flawless? I’m not perfect,” Wolf admitted. “I just farted.”

Spade was found dead in her New York City apartment by housekeeping staff on June 5 and Bourdain was found in his hotel room in France on June 8 by his friend and fellow chef Eric Ripert.

Photo Credit: Netflix

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).