'Barefoot Contessa' taking heat for repeatedly rejecting 'Make-A-Wish' cancer patient

[jjenny]

I sense that some people may not believe a boy could be interested in a cooking show.

From my own experiences as a mother I know that isn't true. My son used to love watching Top Chef and other cooking shows, and at fifteen he still loves to cook.

Because of that I wouldn't assume that it was "Mom's Choice" to have Ina Gartner, and I bet the Make-A-Wish-Foundation is smart enough to know the difference between what a kid wants and what an adult wants. Geesh!

No, Ina didn't have to do it - she can be free now, just as I am free not to watch her stupid show anymore. :banghead:

ITA. Just because most boys this age would not be interested in a cooking show or its hostess, it doesn't mean this particular boy wasn't.
Especially if he was sick and watched it while confined to bed, he certainly could have developed an interest.

 

[Whome?]

My initial reason for joining Websleuths (after lurking for years)was because you are able to have a debate and it not get nasty and personal and the fact that people here look at matters objectively and from different perspectives. That being said, I looked at this PR disaster objectively. If you read all the comments out there about this story,the facts are as follows; the child requested a Make a wish 3 years ago and was told that Ina was on tour,so they decided to wait. They approached Ina this year and was told no this time. My antenna went up on this case when I read that they requested this initial meeting 3 years ago. That would have made the child 2 1/2 to 3 years old, the 2nd or 3rd (depending where you read) was now being made. Again it made me suspect that a 2 1/2 to 3 year old could request to meet INA. Again as I initially posted, I am NOT a big Ina fan, please do not take my position on this matter,to think I am. My "hinky meter' just went up on this PR disaster when I looked at the initial age of the child when the request was made. Some have said they know children who watch cooking shows and yes my granddaughter on occasion has watched Paula Deen with me,so I am not ruling that out. But IMHO for a 2 1/2 year old to request to watch Ina I personally find suspect. I am in no way trying to question the mother's integrity but I personally find that the mother was Ina's fan and not the child. Again as I said could this matter have been handled differently and in a more savvy PR way YES, did Ina drop the ball YES. I think her arrogance in this matter has been astounding. but again I find the initial request very suspect and that was the matter I was trying to convey to everyone, that this was not a cut and dry, "request for a 6 year old matter." there was more to this request than meets the eye IMHO:innocent: :waitasec:

 

[Whome?]

Simply publishing negative information about someone is not defamation, unless it's false. It might have taken her years to build up her career, but we do have freedom of speech in this country. If her representatives did turn down Make a Wish foundation twice on meeting with the boy, then what's published is correct and not defamation. If that was a made up story, only then would it be defamation, and I've seen nothing to suggest it is a made up story.

Thank you for the "schooling" I stand corrected.:innocent:

 

[peeples]

Great Posts ThoughtFox and SoulMagent!

My boys are ages 10 down to 3 and they love food network. My 3 yr old goes crazy for the cake challenges show and LOVES the Show Ace of cakes and he would sooo love to meet that guy!!! If he had a choice between lunch with Elmo and the ace of cakes guy, he'd choose ace of cakes guy!!!!!
All my boys have loved their play kitchen since they were about 18 months old and my 10 yr old still plays kitchen with his younger siblings and my 10 yr old is shaping up to be a pretty good cook!!

Ina will no longer be on in this house. I think she's ugly on the inside and I hope Food network boots her.

 

[believe09]

So Ina made time and they said no thanks. There you go.

Since Michael Symon is free for whatever time he offered to Enzo....(blushing)

 

[Lato]

I was about the delete my notes on the "Ina Story", but this group still
makes me wonder about how we think of what happened....

"Ina receives approximately 100 requests a month to support charitable causes that deeply affect people's lives...."

Pereda's mother wrote in her blog that her son was waiting for 3 years for Garten to say yes...

The Make-A-Wish foundation made their first attempt to reach Garten in 2010 ...

http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/Barefoot-Contessas-Ina-Garten-makes-time-for-Make-A-Wish-boy/8039902

I remember how surprised I was when my son was 5 years old, and we were
driving into Hollywood. He wanted to "stop at Lucy's house".....yep from
the I Love Lucy show. The conversation is more than you would want to
know, but the bottom line was that he sat in front of TV to look at the show
and he thought that Lucy could see him. He felt like she knew him...that they were friends.

I guess we really do not know what is going on in those little minds.

I am becoming more open-minded about both sides of this story.