'Barefoot' Backfire: Make-a-Wish Kid Turns Ina Down

By Rob Shuter Posted Mar 31st 2011 09:13AM

It's the PR disaster heard 'round the world. The tables have turned on Food Network star Ina Garten, the 'Barefoot Contessa,' who got caught red-handed last week turning down a Make-a-Wish kid. On Monday, she called the family of Enzo Pereda, a 6-year-old cancer patient, to say she had reconsidered, but now TMZ is reporting they turned her down.

"This has been a disaster for Ina," a foodie insider tells me. "She buried her head in the sand for days hoping the bad publicity would go over, but it didn't."

To a casual observer -- as well as the scores of new ex-fans -- Ina's change of heart on Monday appeared to be possibly driven more by the desire to nip a festering scandal in the bud, rather than to make a sick little boy's dream come true.

"She was worried her initial reaction was hurting her business," my source contends.

Ina had twice blew off meeting Enzo after the wonderful Make-A-Wish Foundation approached her before being shamed into finally contacting his family, independently of the foundation.

"Chefs think they are the new rock stars. And no one has a higher opinion of themselves than Ina," an insider tells me. "She forgot a long time ago that it is the fans who make you who you are. You can be the most talented chef in the world, but if people don't like you, they won't watch your shows or buy your cookbooks."

Ultimately, Enzo's family decided to put an end to the madness and move on from Ina. "I don't want to put my son through all these emotions. We're better off just leaving everything the way it is," dad Adrian told TMZ.

It's great to see that the Pereda family holds no bad feelings and is already getting excited to have Enzo's other wish come true ... to swim with dolphins.

► Follow @NaughtyNiceRob on Twitter!

Tags: Barefoot Contessa, ina garten

Comments

(1584)

Tuesday 05 April

By sandra stocker

Vote down Vote up Report this

This is very sad to read. My daughter and I were a fan of Ina's but no more.

Thursday 31 March

By J

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Good for Enzo!!! Maybe this will teach her and other snobs to rethink thier actions. My prayers to Enzo and GET WELL!!!

By peggybts

She should be very ashamed of herself. She's off my TV

By tracie

I was a big fan of Ina's. Not anymore. How can anyone be
so thoughtless. I hope the Food Network pulls her show.
Glad the family refused her request, all she is interested in
is her business.

By Chrissy

Ina needs to cook up some CROW for her own dinner on her next show. Nothing like showing your true colors by turning down a request from a terminally ill child.

By Patricia Monnett

I am glad that child turned her down. She should have met with him when he asked her the first time, now that her business is not doing so well she needs him. Well he needed you and you disappointed him, SHAME ON YOU. Good for you Enzo.

By ks0331

OMG.. this story makes me so sad.. first this boy has cancer & his wish is to meet Ina..which is unusual all in itself... and then she says no? How does one get their head so far up their own butt I wonder? That is aweful... I hope and pray that his other wish vanishes the disappointment of this experience ... it's disgusting how a person could break a child's heart like that, and especially one with cancer. She should be ashamed of herself and you can include me on the ex-fan list!!!

By Cris

God help her. If this is true.....it's the saddest things I've ever heard. Will never watch her again.

By Tom1

Enjoy your swim Enzo. I hope you choke on something you cook Ina. If I see something I need that she endorses in the stores I will purposely not buy it.

By wstew12750

Food Network cannot get out from under this unless Ina is gone.

By RAS

Celebrities can not be everything to everyone as the general public would want them to be. In the case of a dying child I am certain her and the food network could have done something special like putting him on the show for ten minutes or letting him on the set for an episode or something. It was the arrogance of Ida that is causing this storm and she brought in on herself. This got mishandled and the family ( who really should be focused on this boy) choose to really stir up a hornet's nest which. Ida's PR person is most likely the blame here but still the actions of the PR reflects on her.

By Shari

I agree with you, RAS (and Rod). It is ultimately our misguided perceptions of celebrities that cause our disappointment with their actions, HOWEVER, the images they project, which are what we base our perceptions on, are of their (and their PR people) own making. We buy into them because we are taught to, and that is something we should never do.

As far as Ina and this nightmare are concerned, I just don't understand this. It doesn't make any sense. Are they sure there isn't more to this story? I'm sorry for everyone involved, Enzo especially. His parents need to act with care here and react to this with the understanding that human nature isn't always as we'd like it to be, nor as it should be. I wish them well.

By Allison

SHARI... this story went around about 2 weeks ago when the MAWF released the story about how 2 previous requests were turned down by Ina's "people". There was no explanation except that Ina said no. Now she's trying to save her reputation. I've met this woman. She makes you want to take a shower after meeting her, she just oozes venom. Martha Stewart has a better personality than this cobra.

By Jaki

What does this have to do the Food Network? They didn't refuse the boys request. Don't you think carrying a grudge clear to the network is a bit extreme? Don't buy her products, boycott her show, put her on ignore, whatever, but don't blame the entire network for her blunder.

Friday 01 April

By jamieatkins

im with you,food net work needs to get rid of her

By mw

Glad Enzo is not doing her show. I used to watch her show, not anymore. She thinks she is above everyone else. God bless Enzo, thoughts and prayers are with you for a speedy recovery. Hope he goes to Disney and has a great time.

By marcia stone

Ina should pay for the trip to Disney! I am appalled and sickened at her attitude. Maybe if she had children she would feel differently. There is no greater love, than a love for a child, especially a sick child. In any case, I hope she is disgraced. And to the person who said "maybe she can cook chicken soup and matza balls," guess what.... she can't, her recipe is awlful! She has too much money, and not too much to do with herself. I really thought she was a better person.

By Tim N

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

This incident has not changed my mind on Ina. I will support her, purchase her products and love her recipes. One tends to forget, that even though some one is in the spotlight, they do have a life and cannot fulfill requests to meet. No matter if this was a child or an adult, I think Ina did what she had to do. Let's all move on and leave Ina alone.

By charles

you should be ashamed of yourself Tim N.

By Chris

What you're saying is an April Fools joke, isn't it? The 6-year-old child is dying and you support this fat chef in denying him a wish? Joke or no, you have very bad taste and you're a major a-hole for thinking as you do. What goes around ...

Page 3 of 80