♪ ♪ ♪

>> anthony: southern italy, the heel of the boot. remote. vast open spaces. the red earth here has a magnetic pull. raw, alternately charming, and savage. ♪ ♪ ♪

[ splash ] >> anthony: grazie. now in the annals of food, this is like a divisive dish. basically anything with ricci, also known as uni, we call it sea urchin roe. this is truly one of the greatest things on earth. goddamn. ♪ >> anthony: despite its uncanny beauty, southern italy's puglia and basilicata regions are some of the least populated, least visited, least known parts of the country.

♪ a mix of sea, hills, valleys, and rich earth. the food here is italian, but completely its own. >> anthony: a little garlic, pepperoncino, parsley. sea urchin, some kind of fish fume. pasta, that's it. uh, incredible. i've never been to this part of italy before -- a lot of blue here.

light browns, and okres, and white. i don't know, you just look at this place and it demands a big space. as i walk around, i'm always humming these ennio morricone scores. "for a few dollars more," "once upon a time in the west." ♪ this is so good. the sort of meal that makes you want to start smoking again. ah, grazie. oh, god, that's good. jesus. ♪

♪ >> anthony: feudal, ungovernable, it was believed once that civilization and christianity would never reach this far south into the heel of italy's boot. ♪ a lawless land, filled with folklore and tales of spirits and possession. a blood soup of christianity and paganism. ♪ ♪

>> mr. coppola: and i had an extremely handsome brother, and -- i looked like an elf. so i kind of didn't get the attention from the mother that my brother did. i had very big lips as a child, and she always used to say that i should have plastic surgery. but when you see my daughter, sophia, she's got my lips. >> anthony: yeah. >> mr. coppola: but they look good on her. >> anthony: up in the mountains, you find tiny medieval era villages like bernalda, seat of the paternal family roots of this man, francis ford coppola. >> mr. coppola: welcome, benvenuto. >> anthony: thank you. >> anthony: one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. you have deep roots here. >> mr. coppola: my grandfather always told the stories of bernalda, bernalda bella. and oddly enough he never had gone back once he left as an american immigrant. but it became mythical to me. the story is that the family originally came from lecce, and someone got their sister

pregnant and they killed her. and then they became briganti, so they were one step ahead of the law, and then they settled down and became laborers, in olive fields. and that's really the origins of the coppola family. because the south was so oppressed by the north, it stayed the same. they haven't had a thousand years of cheap, gyp the tourists. and you come and you can walk out on the street in a real italian town where the people don't know anything about, they'll invite you to their house for dinner here, quite innocently. how long that will last, i don't know. what we're looking at here is a food i thought you'd get a kick out of, lampascioni, or my family calls it lampascun. it's the bulb of a flower, hyacinth. >> anthony: wow. >> mr. coppola: you score it then you put it in the deep fryer then it turns into a flower. >> anthony: beautiful! oh wow. this is incredible. so, you may have some history with this house, i mean, was it

your grandfather was boning the help here? was it the -- >> mr. coppola: you've heard that story -- my grandfather, they called him zumpa balcone. he was girl crazy. and he would go up on the roof and go down to where the maid was, palmetta, and conduct this affair. and so when i found this place, years later, there was in fact a roof leading to a housemaids -- and i fantasized that perhaps that was where it happened. dov'e -- where's the, we're going to have to have more food. prende the segonda. this is a dish, we called it cotenne. how do you call it? >> waiter: cotenna. >> mr. coppola: yeah, this is like -- basically my father said. >> anthony: pig skin. >> mr. coppola: this is the football. >> anthony: wait a minute. you had this at your dinner table as a young man? as a kid? >> mr. coppola: yeah, a little

kid. >> mr. coppola: i hated it. >> anthony: of course. >> mr. coppola: but now i don't. >> anthony: so good. >> anthony: we're dining at palazzo margherita -- not the ancestral home of generations of coppola's -- but might well have been the one time manor house of those who lorded over them while they worked in the fields. >> mr. coppola: during the mussolini time, every town had a podestà, the official of the fascist party. and this family was the podestà. the ladies here were so, you know, snobby -- we are low-class italians. they were more high-class italians. >> anthony: it took years, and a lot of money, converting the once grand, but decaying mansion into a boutique hotel. >> anthony: you know, when you bought this place, was there a sense of vengeance? >> mr. coppola: i, you know, by then, "the godfather" had come out 40 years ago. >> anthony: no, no. i mean, look, it's not about the film. historical correction. >> mr. coppola: there's a saying, do you know what italian alzheimer's is? do you know what it is?

you forget everything but the grudge. this is the only internal garden in basilicata. i don't think any of the normal people had ever been permitted to visit it. so i was happy that normal people were going to be here. "the godfather" was a weird experience in my life because it was so much more successful than i could have ever anticipated, so that i became well known around the world in ways that was almost embarrassing. and so when i came here they made me an honorary citizen, and they had the little school children out in parade. and if i think about it as a new kid in a school, my greatest fear was embarrassment. "oh, here's francis, he's a new student." "well, francis is a girl's name." i was embarrassed in front of everyone, and i was a total outsider and then when i became on the other side of "the godfather" when i became so well known, i was also an outsider. so i've always been an outsider. what's in there?

>> waiter: it's some lamb chops and uh -- >> mr. coppola: oh, lamb chops, okay. >> waiter: and some lamb head. >> mr. coppola: oh, the capozzell' is in there? >> waiter: the capozzell' is in there. >> anthony: sweet. >> mr. coppola: so you're getting a whole lamb's head. >> anthony: oh, look at this. here we go, come on out. >> mr. coppola: is this for me? >> anthony: oh, that's fantastic. >> mr. coppola: come here, little one. hello, sweetie pie. >> anthony: hello! >> mr. coppola: meet my friend. you know where we went last night, and it was so great? we went to the local circus, and they had tigers, and giraffe, and water oxen. >> anthony: did you go to the circus? was it good? cool, what was your favorite part? >> girl: um, when the giant fake gorilla came. ♪ ♪

("carol of the bells" playing)

♪ ♪ ♪ (music ends) (drumsticks clattering) (dog growls) named after a star. crafted to celebrate an unforgettable holiday. host one to remember. ♪ come seek the royal caribbean. ♪

(sighing) okay. (thunder rolling) thanks for coming all this way to get me. no worries. do you have everything? uh, yeah, i think so. (vo) treating others like we'd like to be treated... let's get you checked in. thanks. (vo) ...has always been our guiding principle.

♪ [ sea gulls ] ♪ [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: that smell, that uh -- >> asia: the smell of the port, it's dead fish. it's not fresh fish. >> anthony: i don't hate that

smell either. >> asia: no, no, no, no. >> anthony: today, we fish. >> asia: allora! [ speaking foreign language ] ♪ >> anthony: for once, i am confident with success, with dino and franco and their trusty wooden gozzo, as they call these boats. >> dino: yo, vito! >> anthony: and for good luck, i have asia argento along. who, in addition to directing and acting in films for, like, the last 30 years, has spent a hell of a lot of time doing this.

>> asia: you've never done this? >> anthony: i've done this. i stood there and watched somebody else do it. >> asia: yup. oh, i caught a scorfanello. a scorpion fish. a little one. okay, anthony, take over. [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: yeah, your forearms. >> asia: it's good for the hangover. oh yea, forearms. it's very good for the hangover. [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: beautiful. oh, you're making him talk like a little hand puppet, too. he's like, we have this little hand movement. >> asia: hey, you had too much to drink last night. [ speaking foreign language ] >> franco: drunk.

>> anthony: there's no word for hangover. >> asia: we have to invent a word for hangover. >> anthony: it's an incredibly optimistic and unusual. >> asia: yeah, i know. there is none. because it's shameful. whoa! ♪ ♪

♪ >> asia: i want to see what's inside of his guts. >> anthony: maybe a half-digested speedo. >> asia: ah, look at all this goodness. >> anthony: you know, you're enjoying that a little too much. >> anthony: any notions of an idyllic afternoon by the shore are quickly dashed, when i discover it's a religious holiday. which apparently means italians grease up, strap on their tiniest bathing suits, and hit the beach en masse. ♪ ♪

our intrepid fisher-folk, and some friends, collaborate with asia and me on a picnic/barbeque/beach party. >> anthony: okay, and the two lobsters? whoa, look at all that. tamale. >> asia: che bello! >> anthony: the sauce, see all those little fish paid off. ♪ ♪ oh, they are going in already. there's no waiting. good, i'm in, i'm in. >> asia: all right, they're hungry.

they're starving. >> anthony: it's good. >> asia: the lobster looks great here, mamma mia. [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: these are incredible. >> asia: this is incredible. >> anthony: so sweet and -- >> asia: yeah.

>> anthony: whoa, look at this. >> lady: fantastic. [ dog barking ] >> anthony: this is a uniquely italian thing. >> asia: with the speedos? >> anthony: the banana hammock. >> asia: the what? >> anthony: banana hammock. >> asia: in america, people don't want to get a tan like this? >> anthony: no, they don't want to reveal that much of themselves. it takes the mystery out. >> asia: they wear the big boxers. >> anthony: big boxers. keep them guessing until it's too late. >> asia: he said it's like an elephant trunk, it can grow incredibly. >> anthony: oh, he's a grower, not a show-er. [ speaking foreign language ]

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coors banquet. that's how it's done.

throughout history, the one meal when we come together, break bread, share our day and connect as a family. [ bloop, clicking ] and connect, as a family. just, uh one second voice guy. [ bloop ] huh? hey? i paused it. bam, family time. so how is everyone? find your awesome with xfinity xfi and change the way you wifi. ♪ ♪

>> anthony: the heel of italy's boot has been referred to as "the land of remorse," la terra del rimorso, which also translates to "the land of the re-bitten." [ bell ] here in this harsh landscape lives the tarantula, and the echoes of some deep, dark, pre-christian, pagan shit, like tarantism.

a dance? a ritual? an exorcism? an expression of unspeakable desires. ♪ >> asia: what is this wine? >> anthony: the humble, local wine. it's rustica. >> asia: rustico. >> anthony: rustico. ♪ ♪ >> asia: we are in the humble masseria. >> anthony: now, what is a masseria? >> asia: a masseria is a place that was the bigger house where the family would stay. and then the farmers, the animals -- >> anthony: it's a plantation. >> asia: it's a plantation. >> anthony: and this would be the big house?

♪ to say the least. it's like at your place, in america, hoopers. >> anthony: no, it's hooters. >> asia: hooters. >> anthony: hooters. >> anthony: local apulian superstition has it, if a tarantula bit someone, most often a woman while she worked the fields, it could lead to some pretty direct and disturbing demonstrations of carnality, and desire. the victim, tortured by something supernatural, toxic, for which there was only one cure. >> asia: la taranta. which was a kind of music that was made for these women, who are possessed, bit by the tarantula. all of a sudden, a woman would be on the floor, speaking tongues, and the family doesn't know what to do. there was only one remedy. calling the musicians in, and

they would have this kind of ecstatic and orgasmic, pretty much, moment, where they were released from this ultimately sexual possession. ♪ ♪ >> anthony: over the generations the catholic church absorbed ancient pagan traditions like tarantism. and the ritualistic, frenzied music and dance associated with it evolved into what we know today, as the pizzicata and tarantella. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ >> anthony: while elsewhere in europe believed in afflictions like tarantism died off, down here, old school rituals are still practiced.

victims of the tarantula's bite experienced swelling, pain, spasms, and when exposed to music, hysteria. ♪ ♪ [ screaming ] ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ where is it you wanna go? ♪ where is it you wanna go? check it out! ♪ oh, dude. i'm sending it to him. ♪ where is it you wanna go? where is it you wanna go? ♪ ♪ where is it you wanna go? where is it you wanna go? ♪ thank you. ♪ where is it you wanna go? where is it you wanna go? ♪ ♪ hey! hey. whatcha doin' on your computer? what's a computer? ♪

(dog growls) named after a star. crafted to celebrate an unforgettable holiday. host one to remember. (vo) treating others like we'd like to be treated has always been our guiding principle.

♪ ♪

>> asia: wow, this has a sense of a vastness that i'm not used to. so, does this remind you of your cowboy movies? >> anthony: a little bit. yes, the lone gunman out for vengeance would be riding in a long shot over there. >> anthony: the cave city of matera was occupied for a span of 9,000 years. predating the days of christianity, the roman, and even greek empires. >> anthony: so this was the shame of italy. this place. >> asia: it doesn't look shameful to me. >> anthony: well, back in the day, this was where -- >> asia: where people lived in caves.

and they had no god. >> anthony: after centuries of neglect, matera's cave communities became, for post-war italy, a symbol of national dysfunction, backwardness, and horrifying living conditions. >> anthony: i mean, this is an area that was known for briganti. outlaws, bandits. so this was always where, you know, the losers were sent. ♪ into the '50s and '60s this was considered an embarrassment and a shame, people lived -- >> asia: yeah, because they had no water, yes. >> anthony: ten kids -- in a bucket. up to 50% mortality rate among children. >> anthony: malaria was endemic, the children begging in the street for quinine to prevent it. >> asia: they were burning fire to keep the animals away as the children were dying. >> anthony: in the 1950s, the population was forcibly relocated, leaving matera's cave structures abandoned.

>> asia: and the way they lived, you know, they were still pagan. >> anthony: and of course now, it's -- >> asia: because of mel gibson and all the christ movies because it looks like jerusalem at the time of christ. and it's strange that, you know, in a place that had no god, that they shot all the christ movies. jesus incorporated brought the money and all of a sudden this became hip. and people wanted to live in the caves and make bed and breakfast and expensive. it's expensive to live in the caves now. >> anthony: but this is a story of every beautiful place, kind of. it's like, let's move everybody out, and then in come the hipsters and the postcards and the airbnbs. "thank god nobody's living here!" >> asia: because people like you. >> anthony: you're right. >> asia: you bring and you make it, "oh, this looks so wonderful. i want to go see." and then they bring the money in and -- >> anthony: oh my god, i am selling airbnbs right now. right now, as we speak. >> asia: they put the cross up there, so up there you go to see christ. >> anthony: to take your selfie.

but it's beautiful, it's so beautiful. >> asia: no, it's awesome. i've never seen a place like this. not even in jerusalem. but until the tourists arrive and they make it disgusting. i mean, they make it -- >> anthony: different. >> asia: yes. ♪ ♪

("carol of the bells" playing) ♪ ♪ ♪ (music ends) (drumsticks clattering) ♪ come seek the royal caribbean. ♪

he owith one stone.irds and he once drove 8 hours in a sidecar just to get to a game. he is rob riggle, the most interesting fan of college football. is that me? stay thirsty mis amigos.

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> anthony: my grandma died when i was a kid, and those of you who know me know i'm always on the lookout for another one, somebody's, anybody's grandma, to cook for me and make me feel like everything is going to be okay. [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: our friend angelo introduces us to nonna maria.

>> anthony: what's the difference between "cotta" and "cacao"? >> asia: cacio is cacio cavallo. it's a bit smoky. [ speaking foreign language ] ♪

>> asia: she's saying she has a priest that comes every night to have dinner with her. [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: i originally had in mind, oh i don't know, some polite dinner conversation. maybe changing times, history of the region. >> anthony: first of all, i guess -- [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: but maria had other things on her mind. >> anthony: so i want to know, what are the differences in character, in the heart, and character of pugliese and the rest of italy? [ speaking foreign language ]

>> asia: she's sorry -- i mean, he's sorry that she's -- [ speaking foreign language ] >> asia: last night he made -- [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: in the end, sometimes all you can do is get out of the way, and enjoy the ride. [ speaking foreign language ] >> anthony: why, is it st. peter or st. paul, or both, why are they the big saints around here? [ speaking foreign language ]

>> anthony: oh, superb. >> anthony: i just saw the cushion. no, no, don't. i know what you're tempted to do. >> asia: but when i was a child, my mother took me -- >> anthony: is that the good pope or the nazi pope? >> asia: no, he was the good one. he was not the nazi. this is not papa nazi. >> anthony: that's the good one, the current one? the one before? [ speaking foreign language ]

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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yes! masterpass! pass! pass! was it expensive? priceless. i'll masterpass you a new one. masterpass by mastercard. the modern way to pay. (dog growls) named after a star. crafted to celebrate an unforgettable holiday. host one to remember. at t-mobile, when you holiday together, great things come in twos. right now when you buy any of this season's hot new samsung galaxy phones, you get a second one free to gift. that's one samsung for you. one to give. t-mobile. holiday twogether. were great at being human. and if all of mankind were made up of kind women and kind men. it would be spectacular if the golden rule was golden to every man.

and the good things that we ever did was everything that we can. (vo 2) treating others like we'd like to be treated has always been our guiding principle. (phone) maddie... you have everything you need right inside you. 9 out of 10 u.s. olympians grew up drinking milk. it's got natural protein and balanced nutrition to help your kids grow strong and milk life.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> asia: you know why the streets are empty? >> anthony: why? >> asia: because everyone is celebrating st. peter -- >> anthony: oh, the fest -- >> asia: yes, the fest -- of the santi. >> anthony: you throw a party to celebrate the death of two saints. >> asia: double p.

paolo e pietro. >> anthony: the festival of local patron saints, peter and paul, is equal parts religious celebration and a big party. but i'm not going. >> asia: you don't want to go see the feast of the saints? >> anthony: no. i do not. i'm named after a saint, but -- >> asia: which anthony? which antonio? >> anthony: the one who loves animals. cooked animals. >> asia: antonio, there's antonio, he loves kids. >> anthony: i like kids. not cooked. so, you have been reading up on st. peter, i've been reading up on st. paul. you know, two people who were brutally -- one was crucified upside down. >> asia: peter got hung upside down. >> anthony: peter, my guy, got his head knocked off. >> asia: oh, he was beheaded.

>> anthony: he was beheaded. >> asia: for certain. >> anthony: st. paul wasn't like a nice guy. >> asia: no, he was terrible. >> anthony: he was in charge or persecuting heretics and christians. anyways, he's on his way to damascus to torture the [ bleep ] out of some more christians, and he experiences a blinding light. he goes blind. >> asia: and what does the voice say? "i am jesus, your lord. you're torturing christians. you shall stop." >> anthony: yeah, get on board, get on the jesus train. and then three days later the scales fell from his eyes. >> asia: but the scales is like prosciutto. he had prosciutto in front of his eyes and fell down. and then he was like, oh. >> anthony: you're making me hungry. >> asia: it's a miracle. >> anthony: as important as religion, folklore, and history are to me, you know what's more important? dinner. a last grab at some local specialties. >> asia: in the past, the town was considered a sacred site protected by st. paul who

according to local belief, made the land and its inhabitants immune to the bites of poisonous animals, especially the tarantula. that's why, here you go. >> anthony: a few final moments of happiness, far from the madness. >> anthony: but shit's going good now, i mean look it's beautiful, the streets are incredibly clean. >> asia: i mean, i've never seen -- like when you walk around the streets, they shine. there's more money, there's more tourism. but what is this hiding? because for me, when i see perfect beauty, i always wonder what's behind. ♪

♪ ♪ [ singing in italian ]

♪ welcome to the 12th annual international transgender beauty patient. >> i'm in southeast asia, at a world class beauty pageant. it's a colorful display of costumes and flawless beauty. that was wow. but there's more to these women than meets the eye. >> when did you realize that you were different? >> at such a you