Ina Garten Is A Stuck-Up Bitch!
If you're a fan of the "Barefoot Contessa", you probably won't be after reading this (unless you're a soul-less bastard). Ina Garten, the self-proclaimed Barefoot Contessa and Food Network star, turned down the request of a young boy from the Make-A-Wish Foundation not once but TWICE!
A 6-year old boy was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia three years ago. Garten was approached last year about fulfilling the little boy's wish to cook a meal with her. He'd watch her show regularly with his mother while he was resting in bed. Garten and her people stated that she was unable to because of a book tour. M.A.W. gave him the option to change his wish, but he said he'd wait until she became available.
Fast-forward to this year. Garten and her handlers were approached again and this time they gave a definite "no". "Despite her demanding schedule, [Ina] participates and helps as many organizations as she can throughout the year, helping children and adults like Enzo with life threatening and compromising illnesses.[...]Unfortunately, as much as she would like to, it's absolutely impossible for her to grant every request she receives.
The great news is that two other celebrity chefs (Iron Chef Michael Symon and Food Network's Beau MacMillan) have offered to not only cook with Enzo but to fly him and his entire family out to Arizona to stay at a resort and cook at MacMillan's restaurant. (NOTE: It's not confirmed that this WILL happen. Enzo's second wish was to swim with dolphins and according to the blog set up by his mother to keep people updated on his progress, he's already started swimming lessons.)
As Business Insider pointed out, if she can cook a charity dinner for six Hamptonites (who paid $100,000 for the opportunity) then she damn well should be able to take time out of her life to cook with a terminally ill child!
I hope Ina Garten chokes on her next batch of bisque for this!
UPDATE: Enzo's mother posted a blog update asking people to please stop being so hateful to Ina Garten. They don't hold a grudge with her and neither should anyone else. However, I think the damage to her career has already been done because there are STILL people saying they refuse to watch her show. Some are even refusing to watch Food Network until Barefoot Contessa is removed from their network.
A 6-year old boy was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia three years ago. Garten was approached last year about fulfilling the little boy's wish to cook a meal with her. He'd watch her show regularly with his mother while he was resting in bed. Garten and her people stated that she was unable to because of a book tour. M.A.W. gave him the option to change his wish, but he said he'd wait until she became available.
Fast-forward to this year. Garten and her handlers were approached again and this time they gave a definite "no". "Despite her demanding schedule, [Ina] participates and helps as many organizations as she can throughout the year, helping children and adults like Enzo with life threatening and compromising illnesses.[...]Unfortunately, as much as she would like to, it's absolutely impossible for her to grant every request she receives.
The great news is that two other celebrity chefs (Iron Chef Michael Symon and Food Network's Beau MacMillan) have offered to not only cook with Enzo but to fly him and his entire family out to Arizona to stay at a resort and cook at MacMillan's restaurant. (NOTE: It's not confirmed that this WILL happen. Enzo's second wish was to swim with dolphins and according to the blog set up by his mother to keep people updated on his progress, he's already started swimming lessons.)
As Business Insider pointed out, if she can cook a charity dinner for six Hamptonites (who paid $100,000 for the opportunity) then she damn well should be able to take time out of her life to cook with a terminally ill child!
I hope Ina Garten chokes on her next batch of bisque for this!
UPDATE: Enzo's mother posted a blog update asking people to please stop being so hateful to Ina Garten. They don't hold a grudge with her and neither should anyone else. However, I think the damage to her career has already been done because there are STILL people saying they refuse to watch her show. Some are even refusing to watch Food Network until Barefoot Contessa is removed from their network.