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

[believe09]

If she was uncomfortable with meeting a sick child, she could have made a video of herself baking a cake specifically for the child, tell him that she was sorry she couldn't make it, and send him the cake she baked for him.

Quick-call her publicist!

 

[eileenhawkeye]

President Obama has made time to meet with Make-a-Wish children:

http://blogs.bet.com/news/newsyoushouldknow/make-a-wish-child-with-leukemia-meets-president/

http://nebraska.wish.org/2010/05/10/i-wish-to-meet-president-barack-obama/

http://blackwaterdog.wordpress.com/2010/12/25/im-greatful-2/give51/

http://www.hvpress.net/news/126/ARTICLE/8066/2009-10-14.html

I highly doubt Ina is more busy than the POTUSA

 

[MaryLiz]

Don't feel bad, I thought he wanted to meet Ava Gardner.

I'm so glad someone else here remembers Ava Gardner as the original Barefoot Contessa!!!

 

[Melanie]

Of course she isn't obligated to meet anyone, but I fail to see why it is impossible for her to meet a sick child who waited a really long time.

IMHO she signed up for MAW foundation, and they consider her a good friend. That is, until kids actually want to meet with her. A check, IMHO, is not the same as granting wishes.. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Mel

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I've checked the FN website a few times today to see if there has been any statement from the executives about this unfortunate situation. Nothing as of yet, but I think there will be some residual effects from Ina Garten's failure to meet with this sick youngster. Food Network has made an effort to have their "stars" participate in philanthropic and outreach endeavors that include hunger awareness and the current "Chopped All-Stars" competition show that will have the winner donating $50,000 to the charity of choice. If FN's other chefs can share their time and assets with the less fortunate, surely Ms. Garten can and should do likewise. jmo

 

[Melanie]

Right, but she signed up for it, am I right? She does this for children and adults-- works closely with the organization. So... maybe she's picky?

eta: Quote: A representative for Garten told the site: "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."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dai...ejecting-make-a-wish-cancer-patient-enzo.html

Well I'd like to know how many MAW requests she's done. If others, why is she discrimating against this young boy. I can understand her declining the offer once, but twice? I would love to see her track record on who she "approves".

MOO

Mel

 

[Lato]

I know that this is just the beginning of a search on I.G., but I wanted to know more about her. This Wiki article includes a bit about her personal
life (need to scroll down), and it indicates that she guards her personal life
closely and does not take part in F.N. charities and activities.

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Garten[/ame]

 

[angelmom]

The child does have a terminal illness. You have to have a terminal illness to get a wish granted by the Make a Wish foundation. The child asked to meet her, she said she was busy, so the child say he would wait, and then she turned him down, a year later.

Actually:
http://www.wish.org/about/our_mission

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work.

Not to make light of a child with cancer, but according to his mother he is in remission and will finish treatment this June. I don't believe he is terminal.

http://www.angelsforenzo.com/

IMHO she signed up for MAW foundation, and they consider her a good friend. That is, until kids actually want to meet with her. A check, IMHO, is not the same as granting wishes.. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Mel

I don't know that she "signed up" for anything. I think she has been a supporter in some way, which leads the MAWF to consider her a "friend." Even now.

While it would have been nice for her to meet with him, the article I linked earlier by a person who had volunteered with MAWF says that wishes are turned down all the time by celebrities, but it doesn't make the news. For this reason, families are encouraged not to pick this type of wish b/c it is so hard to make happen. This makes the author (and me) wonder who leaked it, why the general media isn't picking it up, and what motives are involved.

 

[jjenny]

I am not sure where the question "who leaked it" is coming from. The child's family has a blog (linked on this thread) and wrote about it. I don't consider this a "leak."

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I know that this is just the beginning of a search on I.G., but I wanted to know more about her. This Wiki article includes a bit about her personal life (need to scroll down), and it indicates that she guards her personal life closely and does not take part in F.N. charities and activities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Garten

Just want to point out that Ina Garten's Wikipedia article was last modified on 27 March 2011 at 05:12. The comment about Ina not taking part in FN charities and activities could have been added today - following the media coverage of her declining to meet with the little boy through the Make-A-Wish-Foundation.

Food Network has been involved in a number of philanthropic endeavors, hunger awareness campaigns, etc., and I would be very surprised to learn that some of the television chefs are not "team players". I hope that Food Network will offer a statement to the public regarding Ina Garten's actions in the case of the boy who wished to meet her but was denied the opportunity. Personally, I believe that the situation reflects poorly on Food Network. jmo

 

[scandi]

Actually:
http://www.wish.org/about/our_mission

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work.

Not to make light of a child with cancer, but according to his mother he is in remission and will finish treatment this June. I don't believe he is terminal.

http://www.angelsforenzo.com/



I don't know that she "signed up" for anything. I think she has been a supporter in some way, which leads the MAWF to consider her a "friend." Even now.

While it would have been nice for her to meet with him, the article I linked earlier by a person who had volunteered with MAWF says that wishes are turned down all the time by celebrities, but it doesn't make the news. For this reason, families are encouraged not to pick this type of wish b/c it is so hard to make happen. This makes the author (and me) wonder who leaked it, why the general media isn't picking it up, and what motives are involved.

Having watched Ina's show for years and seeing her as totally family oriented I am truly surprised she turned down this child down.

I do know that when people get to the point in their lives where they are wealthy and solidly set, they often do change. It creates a 'power persona', a step above the masses.

I bet the FoodNetwork got wind of this and called her on it ~ Shame on her. And then of course the child's parents made the most of it. Shame on them too. Bless the child, as he is the one caught in this drama. xox

 

[jjenny]

The child does have a terminal illness. You have to have a terminal illness to get a wish granted by the Make a Wish foundation. The child asked to meet her, she said she was busy, so the child say he would wait, and then she turned him down, a year later.

I can see why a Disney character would be popular but I highly doubt there are that many sick children who want to meet Ina Garten since she really isn't marketed towards children.

OT: What Disney character did your friend voice?

According to his family's blog, the child is not terminal. He is very sick but not terminally so. Make a wish foundation grants wishes to children with life threatening conditions. It doesn't mean they all will die.

 

[shana]

We don't have access to Garten's 1040s. How do we know how much Ina gives to charity, or even to M.A.W.? Perhaps she prefers money contributions. That's her choice!

She is not a "major" celeb (as evidenced by some posters upthread who mixed her up with Giada). That said, doesn't she have a right to decline such invitations? How many does she receive, not necessarily such as this one request (which the child initiated at age 3?) for personal contact. Maybe there are other requests for this&that personal appearances. Doesn't she have a right to reject some, for her own personal reasons?

Reading the mother's blog...Barefoot Contessa book bonfires...really?

...altho I do have sympathy for what the mother says she is going thru, she would do well with some supportive therapy. jmo

I'm just amazed at how quickly some ppl judge a person who isn't "giving" enough, without any real facts or consideration for her position.

TMZ, puhleeze...

ETA: I sit on the board of a private fdn. Although the national M.A.W. rates highly, the closest local to us rates 2 of 4 stars on Charity Navigator. We keep such charities on a Watch List (not a Reject List). Most importantly, this whole story has damaged the rep of M.A.W., which to me is a very sad result for this worthy charity.

 

[STEADFAST]

I can't help but be suspicious about who it really is in the family who wants to spend the day with a cooking-show lady, especially enough to wait years for the chance without changing.

If my son had had been in a situation to Make A Wish, he would have chosen Roy Underhill (of The Woodwright's Shop) one year and then Andre Dawson (of the Cubs) the next year and so on. Seems odd to me that a child would remain fixated for three years on some snooty lady shoving things into an oven.

 

[shana]

STEADFAST posted:

I can't help but be suspicious about who it really is in the family who wants to spend the day with a cooking-show lady, especially enough to wait years for the chance without changing.

ITA! Let's see, who might it be?...

Also, and I am not suggesting that the story is not legit, but how do we really know? What do Ina Garten and her team know? How much have they been "contacted" by this family, and might those contacts have constituted harassment? Who knows!

 

[scandi]

STEADFAST posted:

I can't help but be suspicious about who it really is in the family who wants to spend the day with a cooking-show lady, especially enough to wait years for the chance without changing.

ITA! Let's see, who might it be?...

Also, and I am not suggesting that the story is not legit, but how do we really know? What do Ina Garten and her team know? How much have they been "contacted" by this family, and might those contacts have constituted harassment? Who knows!

Hi Shana, Reading everything here I agree something seems fishy about the family in this case ~ their making the most of the situation with Ina.

That makes me wonder if indeed Ina and her team knew plenty about this family and decided to say no instead of becoming involved with them. I could easily see that happening. If that is true, then using the excuse of being busy was the wrong way to address the situation IMO, and FoodNetwork had to step in to save grace.

What is right or wrong in this case? I don't think we really know enough of the real facts to make a judgement. xox IMO

 

[believe09]

So, if the child is not suffering enough and the family is suspicious, Ina is in the clear. If the child is suffering and the family has a legitimate beef, then Ina has some explaining to do.

Do I have this correctly?

 

[believe09]

Do you guys know how to see the edit history on a wikipedia page? When you get to the page, click on the history tab. Find the earliest change that might be related to the story, and click on prev. Once you bring it up, you can scroll through the edit history by clicking on the hyperlink under the editors name, "next edit."

It is actually pretty funny to see how many times the info was removed and put back on this page.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

There has yet to be some type of statement made by Food Network with regard to this unfortunate situation. FN owes their viewers an explanation of the circumstances behind Ina's refusal to meet with the sick youngster. If this decision was made by Ina and her publicity team, and FN had no involvement in Ina's choice, then they should step forward and tell their viewers. I sent an email to FN to express my disappointment in the way that situation has been handled, and I doubt that I'm the only fan that they'll hear from. I'm not going to burn my Ina Garten cookbooks, nor will I boycott her show or Food Network, but I would like to know the facts from the major players in this sad saga.

 

[Soulmagent]

Actually:
http://www.wish.org/about/our_mission

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work.

Not to make light of a child with cancer, but according to his mother he is in remission and will finish treatment this June. I don't believe he is terminal.

http://www.angelsforenzo.com/



I don't know that she "signed up" for anything. I think she has been a supporter in some way, which leads the MAWF to consider her a "friend." Even now.

While it would have been nice for her to meet with him, the article I linked earlier by a person who had volunteered with MAWF says that wishes are turned down all the time by celebrities, but it doesn't make the news. For this reason, families are encouraged not to pick this type of wish b/c it is so hard to make happen. This makes the author (and me) wonder who leaked it, why the general media isn't picking it up, and what motives are involved.

My DD had cancer and recieved a wish. She is in remission actualy past the time they consider her cured. That said because the illness is concedered terminal it made her eligible for the wish. She recieved her wish before we were aware of her positive so far resolution. That may have been the case here. Being in remission is not the same as being cured. Remisson has to last forever and one never knows for sure it will but after 5 years off treatment they do consider it cured. Alot of kids come out of remission after treatment stops. Lifetime check ups even still.


My DD wished for her own computer, she was sick and in the hospital so much she was never really active . They set her up with a complete system and tons of computer games. She was 4 but had been using a computer since she was 2. This weekend we got her a bamboo tablet for her design thing she does. She has a newer computer now but we still have her other one. She doesnt ever remember being sick even though she was 5 when treatment stopped.