'Barefoot Contessa' Ina Garten Refuses to Meet 6-Year-Old Cancer Patient

By Sarah Crow Posted Mar 25th 2011 12:45PM

Ina Garten is cooking up some seriously bad karma along with her culinary creations.

Garten, known to many by her TV moniker 'Barefoot Contessa,' has refused to meet a 6-year-old boy suffering from cancer, despite his multiple pleas.

The boy, Enzo, is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia and reached out to Garten through the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the first time three years ago, asking for the celebrity chef to take time to cook with him.

His request fell upon deaf ears, however. Garten's rep told TMZ, "As much as [Garten] would like to, it's absolutely impossible for her to grant every request she receives."

The little boy, who specifically requested to meet Garten because he had watched her show while sick in bed, made a second request through Make-A-Wish, which was met with a "definite no."

Enzo, who asked his parents, "Why doesn't she want to meet me?" has chosen another wish, which the foundation has been able to grant -- the brave little boy is currently taking lessons to prepare for his new dream: to swim with dolphins.

Make-A-Wish issued a statement regarding Garten's refusal of Enzo's request, writing, "From time to time, planning for wishes doesn't turn out as originally envisioned, despite people's best intentions and efforts throughout the wish-granting process."

Watch Ina Garten make Bloody Marys.

Tags: Barefoot Contessa, ina garten

Comments

(616)

Friday 25 March

By AJ

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WOW. How horrible a child simply asked to have a half hour of her time to cook something. She spends more time in her day eating. In all seriousness Ina Garten should consider that this is a young child who is suffering from a horrible cancer. At least the child was able to find something else he wanted but seriously get off your smashed horse lady get on a treadmill and meet that boy!

By CHAS

HOPEFULLY ALL OF THE SPONSORS HER SHOW PULL OUT, I KNOW THAT I WILL NOT WATCH HER SHOW EVER AGAIN AND I WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY DAY SHREDDING HER COOKBOOKS.
I TRULY BELEIVE IN KARMA, I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SHE GETS HERS!

By Skye

Well, we won't have her show on in our house anymore. Don't want to break bread with one the heartless b*tch's recipes. There is no excuse, period.

By Carol

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The writer of this article is spreading nothing but lies and I suggest that people should first contact "Make A Wish" like I did to get the real facts.

Make-A-Wish Foundation had HUNDREDS of celebrities that have turned down requests similar to this due to scheduling conflicts, or other reasons.

For every wish that a child makes there are many that can't be granted - especially for meeting with celebrities.

Which is why "Make A Wish" requests a list of other wishes from each person and "Make A Wish" then tries to find one that they can grant.

"Make A Wish" stated to me they are VERY upset with this article and does NOT want Ina Garten being crucified when HUNDREDS of other celebrities have also turned down similar requests.

The writer of this article should be ashamed because "Make A Wish" may never get any celebrity to agree to even speak with them if the celebrities felt they would be subject to this kind of public flogging if they were not able to meet the requests from "Make A Wish".

Instead of you people attacking Ina Garten - CALL "Make A Wish" yourself to get the true facts.
Make a donation to "Make A Wish" if you are truly that upset about the lies in this story.

None of you people criticizing Ina Garten do NOT know her personally - do you?
She may have had a really good reason for denying the request.

Think about it - WHY is Ina Garten being singled out in this story when HUNDREDS of other celebrities have ALSO turned down similar requests?

Saturday 26 March

By Kara

She needs a dose of reality and cancel her show since she is too busy!!

By ibzoner

Cut the cr*p Carol. You didn't contact Make-A-Wish. The only thing you did was plagiarize 2 posts in this forum from the Make A Wish Volunteer who posted earlier. You didn't even change the words!

Sunday 27 March

By bazel

Wow... You all are so ready to hang Ina... there is a lot more to this OBVIOUSLY ONE SIDED article. The lack of professionalism is appauling here at AOL. Notice that there is no statement from Ina's camp. Ina has a long history of giving tirelessly to others, so I'm not taking the antagonistic AOL, and I'm sorry you all here are so angry inside that you spew it at any target without bothering to get the facts. Is this how you'd like to be treated?

By yazmina rosario

May God continue to give Ina Garten enough money to buy her way into heave. She was my favorite, but not any more. No wonder she did not have any children, she was to selfish and too greety making money. I am totally disgusted!!! Since the boy had no room in her life, I can definetely erase her from mine. Let her continue making her fancy food using only "good ingredients". Rest in peace Ina.

By chris

shame on her this little child probably was devastated by being rejected will not watch her again

Monday 28 March

By sam

What a creep. I'm done watching her show. She is what she is because people like this little boy watch her show. She should choke on a chicken bone.

By Tam

Is it just me or does this whole story not seem real? The story states that the little boy is now 6 years old and has been trying to meet Ina fot 3 years now. I don't know any 3 year olds who would want to meet Ina Garten, and I know a lot of 3 year olds! I am betting the parents of this child was using the boys illness/wish for their own once in a lifetime meeting. I mean really, how many 6 year olds are really following Ina? If it were Guy F or Bobby Flay then maybe I could see a little kid wanting to meet them because they have personalities that kids would find fun, BUT INA??????

Thursday 31 March

By carol

I always thought you were a phony, self indulged "chef" and now you proved it, what a loser. your show is boring. I could never get through it. I just feel bad for Enzo.

By Susan

I don't care how busy your life is..you have to be a heartless SOB to refuse a simple wish from a seriously ill 6 year old!!

By freakingoriginal

I agree, I mean if Presidents of the freaking USA have found the time to meet with terminally ill children I think a TV chef can too!

By bren

I think you said it all Susan,i have never watched this show !Dont want to now for sure! Wonder how she will feel if nobody watches her show anymore! Heartless.....

By J

Gee Susan how do you know both sides of what happend. Make a Wish now is going to print everyones name that dosen't do what they asked? Gee how nice of them. Think not.

By winsm1

J...we know both sides because they told us. "As much as [Garten] would like to, it's absolutely impossible for her to grant every request she receives." No elaboration, nothing that states why it is 'impossible'. If there was a better reason than the one she stated, I believe she would have said. She simply chose not to make an exception in this case. For most of us, that's just not good enough.

By dale

Absolutely agree with you Susan. I will never watch her show again and I hope her sponsers pull. On the other hand maybe I will watch it once to see who is sponsoring this heartless person then will not buy their products again.

By susan

THANK YOU, WELL SAID, I WILL NEVER WATCH HER SHOW AGAIN, SHE LOOKS ARROGANT AND UPPERTY AS HELL...WHEN WE DIE WE PAY OUR LAST DEBT TO THE WORLD..IT'S PATHETIC THIS CHILD MAY LEAVE THIS WORLD AT ANY TIME WITH THE THOUGHT OF ONE BIG FAT GREEDY COOK WHO IS SELF SERVING IF THIS IS TRUE.

By Barbara

I totally agree, Susan. And sorry, but I think Carol is full of it. She is not a rep for Make a Wish - she just quoted a previous article!

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