The High-Tech Smearing of Ina Garten

Published on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, by James Norton / Edit Post

The story was too juicy to resist: Late last week, it came out that Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) had callously turned down the Make-A-Wish Foundation request of a seriously ill little boy named Enzo, who only wanted to cook a meal with his on-screen idol.

Spurred by one-sided reports on sites including TMZ, a veritable online lynch mob sprang into action, viciously attacking Garten for (in no particular order) her weight, her cold-heartedness, and her haughty affect. Thousands of comments on the matter were posted; check 'em out if you're into that sort of thing. It makes for profoundly depressing reading.

After a good four solid days of online drubbing, the Los Angeles Times finally adds the perspective that should have been included in the first report: Garten's.

The Times writes: "Garten gets about 100 requests per month, and wasn't aware that the request had been made or rejected. Touched by the young fan's desire to meet her, Garten is calling Enzo today to speak with him and invite him to join her at the Food Network studios, according to a statement released on Garten's behalf."

Additionally (and also relevantly): "A source close to Garten said that the Barefoot Contessa believes charity and public works are part of duty as a public figure and that she works extensively for a variety of causes, including battered women, cancer patients, AIDS awareness, and animal rights. 'She was personally devastated' by all the criticism, the source said."

And while the viciousness was no doubt fun while it lasted, it's unlikely that Garten's sympathetic response (and generous offer to meet the boy) will completely fix the problem—when the Internet opens fire on your reputation, the wounds tend to take a long time to heal.

Image source: YouTube.com

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  • Why would a request from Make-A-Wish go unpassed from some assistant to the actual star of the show? On the other hand, I'm a star because people like me; I don't owe anything to you just because you like my product. You can stop watching my show just as easy as you can stop buying a certain brand of mayo. This is capitalism: this is the Hamptons.

  • Creepy indeed, beevod! For the press to latch on to this story, it means that either the Make-A-Wish people or someone close to Little Enzo would have had to provide the details.

  • I agree. I used to PA for a prominent winemaker and he was always getting requests for donations and to appear at things and in the end i had to make up a form letter that nicely explained that he got lots of requests, that he is busy, that his company already supports a couple of specific charities in a bigger way because he felt it was a better way to do charity. Cancer is sadly very common, we...+READ

    I agree. I used to PA for a prominent winemaker and he was always getting requests for donations and to appear at things and in the end i had to make up a form letter that nicely explained that he got lots of requests, that he is busy, that his company already supports a couple of specific charities in a bigger way because he felt it was a better way to do charity. Cancer is sadly very common, we can't give everyone whatever they want just because they're a kid with cancer.-COLLAPSE

  • This is really going to upset a few people on here. Little Enzo is not dying as some have expressed. He is responding to treatment and has never been hospitalized. He spends a lot of time in bed. I imagine his mom/dad enjoy watching the cooking channel. I admit it is some form of escapism. Ina Garten celebrates what some would call THE GOOD LIFE. Others who dislike her, refer to her as snooty,...+READ

    This is really going to upset a few people on here. Little Enzo is not dying as some have expressed. He is responding to treatment and has never been hospitalized. He spends a lot of time in bed. I imagine his mom/dad enjoy watching the cooking channel. I admit it is some form of escapism. Ina Garten celebrates what some would call THE GOOD LIFE. Others who dislike her, refer to her as snooty, but I think they are jealous and envious. These boards do allow for the worst aspects of human behavior to be expressed. The vitriol that has been expressed against Ina because she didn't do what you and I might do....or might not do, is truly unbelieveable. One poster even went so far as to wish Ina's Husband would get cancer and die a lingering death. Others attach Ina's defenders as mean bad people. So much hate, and at Easter and Passover time.-COLLAPSE

  • Why, because someone is successful, are they obligated to do ANYTHING for anyone. That Make-A-Wish group sounds creepy.

  • I love Ina, but of course she is going to say she never saw the request. How else could she respond (whether she really saw it or not)?

  • Aside from the PayPal appeals, I was struck that the blog seemed to be full of KEYWORDS optimized for search engines. Also the hypocrisy of "don't deny a wish to a terminally ill/dying boy" followed by "he is not DYING." It's a shame that the paparazzi have nothing better to do than harass and defame chefs on TV, and that a parent would exploit a child's illness.

  • I agree with Baron, I wouldn't give a penny to that Mom. It's disgusting what people will do these days for attention then put a hand out for money. The pay pal accounts says it all and seals it for me. Don't be fools, the boy probably doesn't have a clue who Ina Garten is.

    It reminds me of the girl who faked having cancer looking for charity and the freak that pretended his kid flew away on a...+READ

    I agree with Baron, I wouldn't give a penny to that Mom. It's disgusting what people will do these days for attention then put a hand out for money. The pay pal accounts says it all and seals it for me. Don't be fools, the boy probably doesn't have a clue who Ina Garten is.

    It reminds me of the girl who faked having cancer looking for charity and the freak that pretended his kid flew away on a home made helium balloon, only to find out it was all a hoax.
    Is the population that dumb that they can't smell a scam when they see it.-COLLAPSE

  • The 4-year old son of a cousin's cousin, also has a disease that has caused him to spend long periods of time in bed and sitting, is a huge fan of Rachel Ray's. He just adores Ms. Ray and knows exactly when her shows come on. His mom doesn't know why he loves Ms. Ray but is glad he has a "pal" on tv.

  • This story is starting to sound a little fishy. 1st. A 5 year old boy has Ina Garten as some kind of idol of the last wish kind? Possible, but certainly not likely. Now the mom has a pay-pal account to collect $$. Is a terminally ill (?) little boy being "used?"

  • To all you here who dislike Ina for one reason or another, I suggest you put your money where your mouth is and head on over the Enzo's Mother's website. She has her PayPal Account link there. Make a Donation! Feel Better! As a caregiver to a sick child, I bet this boy's mom really needs some time off so she can relax and rejuvinate both body and spirit.

  • All it takes is one visit to one of those high-end food festivals to recognize how out of hand this celebrity foodie stuff has gotten. I mean, $250 a ticket to be in the vicinity of Paula Deen while she blabbers on for an hour? How about $350 to watch Emeril make barbeque? And to those who blame the media for Ina Garten's bad publicity - it's the same media that made these blowhards famous.

    ...+READ

    All it takes is one visit to one of those high-end food festivals to recognize how out of hand this celebrity foodie stuff has gotten. I mean, $250 a ticket to be in the vicinity of Paula Deen while she blabbers on for an hour? How about $350 to watch Emeril make barbeque? And to those who blame the media for Ina Garten's bad publicity - it's the same media that made these blowhards famous.

    It's pretty clear that Ina Garten values education, so I doubt her paid staffers are lacking the brain power to realize that it's a bad idea to blow-off a request from the Make A Wish Foundation without first passing it along to Her Highness.-COLLAPSE

  • @dgrl123 - True dat! The nerve of this 6 year old boy, surviving with leukemia for three years now!

  • I am dismayed by the pack of drooling hyeanas that launched themselves directly at Ina Gartens throat on the basis of this story. Ms. Garten has every right to refuse a request on her time. The boys mother is a rude, entitled witch who deserves all the blame in this mess. The MAW org should be very nervous about the impact this will have on other celebrities that are asked to donate their time.

  • Ina is great. She's a classy woman. I doubt that she knew of the Make-A-Wish request in the first place. There are usually several layers of insulation between the public and a TV personality, so the initial refusal could have come from any number of people. This is a pretty sad story.

  • evah. A boy'd dying wish? Come one now. Hold off on the hyperbole. He's been dying for 3 years that I have heard. He may outlive you and me. And now that Ina has relented, he's lost interest and is going to go swim with the dolfins! It seems a little fishy to me that he longed for Ina for three years and now that she has given in, he's not interested. And btw, you know nothing, nor do I, about...+READ

    evah. A boy'd dying wish? Come one now. Hold off on the hyperbole. He's been dying for 3 years that I have heard. He may outlive you and me. And now that Ina has relented, he's lost interest and is going to go swim with the dolfins! It seems a little fishy to me that he longed for Ina for three years and now that she has given in, he's not interested. And btw, you know nothing, nor do I, about Ina's time. And she isn't required to respond to ever request from anyone who has cancer, child or adult. Sound a bit heartless? No, realistic.-COLLAPSE

  • I find it a little hard to believe that even a staffer could ignore this little boy's request. Who ignores a dying boy's wish? It sounds like she is using her staffer as a scapegoat in this. I may be wrong but no one, NO ONE, is too busy to at least give a phone call to a little boy who is dying. Her time is not that valuable. A phone call for Pete's sake would have made a difference.

  • No salad man. I watched part of her show. IIRC she was making something for her darling husband's birthday which I thought was guaranteed to cause him a cardiac event. My insulin shock in this case may have been psychosomatic.

    I am fairly certain I can read her recipes but have never done so.

  • sumdumgoy: you begin your comments as the voice of reason and finish like a harpy. her cooking didn't put you into insulin shock.assuming you can read her
    recipe, you cooked it anyway and ate it. your gluttony did you in.

    salad man

  • "She wasn't aware this request had been made or rejected"....obviously she has a very busy schedule but sounds like she needs a little more hands-on control over her staff. I wonder if the staffer that rejected this has been fired?

  • Who cares if she said no? That is her right to say no if she did. Every kid at Make-a-Wish doesn't get what they wish for. I would think that the organization wouldn't make this thing public, why would they? To smear Ina? Did the parents do this? Maybe. It sure as hell wasn't the kid. The foundation and the parents should be concerned with positivity in this child's life, not hate and negativity....+READ

    Who cares if she said no? That is her right to say no if she did. Every kid at Make-a-Wish doesn't get what they wish for. I would think that the organization wouldn't make this thing public, why would they? To smear Ina? Did the parents do this? Maybe. It sure as hell wasn't the kid. The foundation and the parents should be concerned with positivity in this child's life, not hate and negativity. She must have pissed someone off or TMZ got a hold of some information and ran with it. We the people, piled right on in. What does this say to other celebrities that may or may not be interested in helping the kids of Make-a-Wish?

    Leave her alone and put any energy you have for this story into prayer/good thoughts for Enzo and his family.-COLLAPSE

  • High Tech didn't smear Garten--she smeared herself. Obviously a poor business woman so out of contact with her employees and her public that this sort of PR nightmare could develop and flourish. The LA times piece was nothing more than a canned press release--she has not as yet appeared in person to thank the supporters who come under fire daily for her daily online or the public (who pays her...+READ

    High Tech didn't smear Garten--she smeared herself. Obviously a poor business woman so out of contact with her employees and her public that this sort of PR nightmare could develop and flourish. The LA times piece was nothing more than a canned press release--she has not as yet appeared in person to thank the supporters who come under fire daily for her daily online or the public (who pays her bills)who is disappointed.

    All she had to do was say on camera (like Oprah did) "I am so sorry this happened".

    And your post, sumdumgoy, only goes to indicate that Ina's supporters never fail to take the opportunity to call strangers ugly names on line. The fault lies on both sides of this ugly fence.-COLLAPSE

  • I agree that the internet reaction to this is a pretty crazy. People commenting on blogs like FoodNetworkHumor.com lost their minds over this, and their outrage seems to have very little to do with the little boy and more to do with using the opportunity to bash a celebrity. Celebrities are often overly exalted, but I don't agree that you should attack the character of someone like Ina Garten who...+READ

    I agree that the internet reaction to this is a pretty crazy. People commenting on blogs like FoodNetworkHumor.com lost their minds over this, and their outrage seems to have very little to do with the little boy and more to do with using the opportunity to bash a celebrity. Celebrities are often overly exalted, but I don't agree that you should attack the character of someone like Ina Garten who actually does loads of charity work and has a proven history of doing so.

    If people are so angered by a celebrity's perceived lack of charity, then they should turn their anger into something positive and actually do something to help other people. Spewing all of this hatred is so low rent and perpetuates the larger problem of internet bullying and it's not helping anyone.-COLLAPSE

  • The reaction to the alleged rejection by Garten is the same as the Stone Age mentality you will find today in Afganistan with rioting and the killing of UN workers because some Southern nutbar supposedly burned a Quran.
    It both facinates and scares me that so much of the population is willing to go ballistic on issues about which they are totally ignorant.

    Stone Age ignorance is easily...+READ

    The reaction to the alleged rejection by Garten is the same as the Stone Age mentality you will find today in Afganistan with rioting and the killing of UN workers because some Southern nutbar supposedly burned a Quran.
    It both facinates and scares me that so much of the population is willing to go ballistic on issues about which they are totally ignorant.

    Stone Age ignorance is easily exploitable and gives rise to a practically endless list of idiotic factions such as the KKK, Aryan Brotherhood, Nazis, religious fundamentalists and Republicans to name a few.

    If you have criticized Garten unarmed with the facts you are proving your gullibilty and susceptability to the most reptilian factions of humanity.

    I don't like Ina Garten, not because of some sensational reporting by a rag publication, but because her voice, her precious manner and her fat laden cooking put me into insulin shock.-COLLAPSE

  • Agree with the worst enemies are other women comment dgr123. Don't know if the US will ever have a woman president.

  • It's really not right for the mother of the boy is berate Ina for rejecting the proposal and inciting this whole mess. The internet has made this whole thing into a "last dying wish" thing which is far from the truth. MAW kids have a list of wishes that are back ups, that celebrities shouldn't feel bad if they say no.

  • I have a hard time believing that she didn't know the request had been rejected. Who rejected it without her knowledge? I think she's now just trying to cover her a--.

  • This reminds me of the stuff that has been dumped on female celebrities who get into trouble, deservedly or not. Remember Martha Stewart, Leona Helmsley, Zsa Zsa Gabor. All three of them ended up in jail. It seems that when women get into trouble, their own worst enemies are other women. That kid's mom was leading the lynch mob. I'm sure if she had Ina's address, she would have posted that too....+READ

    This reminds me of the stuff that has been dumped on female celebrities who get into trouble, deservedly or not. Remember Martha Stewart, Leona Helmsley, Zsa Zsa Gabor. All three of them ended up in jail. It seems that when women get into trouble, their own worst enemies are other women. That kid's mom was leading the lynch mob. I'm sure if she had Ina's address, she would have posted that too. What an evil woman. And what is the kid's prognosis? From what I read, he's been dying for at least 3 years. MAW is sending him off to swim with the dolfins. Is he still interested in cooking with Ina?-COLLAPSE

  • The LATimes statements were posted on Barefoot Contessa fb page, but the hate mob wouldn't listen and continued to feed, insulting her and supporters. The little boy's mom has a paypal account posted on her blog. She also jokingly thanks her supporters for burning BC cookbooks. It's terrible that the little boy is ill, but the mom handled it wrong. Caution to ANY celebrity who is asked to help a...+READ

    The LATimes statements were posted on Barefoot Contessa fb page, but the hate mob wouldn't listen and continued to feed, insulting her and supporters. The little boy's mom has a paypal account posted on her blog. She also jokingly thanks her supporters for burning BC cookbooks. It's terrible that the little boy is ill, but the mom handled it wrong. Caution to ANY celebrity who is asked to help a charity. If they are swamped helping others and can't get around to absolutely every request it could RUIN their careers. Hugs to you, Ina.-COLLAPSE

  • Character assasination

  • I'm slightly astonished that Make-A-Wish allows parents to comment publicly on unfulfilled wishes like this. It backs the celebrities into a corner of either saying yes to everything or no to everything. It seems unlikely that any more than moderately well-known celebrity could say yes to everything they're asked to do for charity, so no would have to be the default answer.

  • I think we are all missing the maim letters here... TMZ... not exactly the place anyone should be taking at total face value.

  • why is her offer to meet the kid so "generous"? Will it really take that much out her to spend a few hours cooking with a little kid...my god she really is generous. blah

  • I changed my mind. I still love you

  • It is too bad some people have nothing better to do than badmouth Ina Garten. I agree with the statement that she gets about a hundred of requests a month. She is a celebrity and although her fan-ship is smaller than, lets say Angelina Jolie, she is still incredibly popular! Of course she has someone whom scans her emails, calls and so on; making her aware of what they think she would be...+READ

    It is too bad some people have nothing better to do than badmouth Ina Garten. I agree with the statement that she gets about a hundred of requests a month. She is a celebrity and although her fan-ship is smaller than, lets say Angelina Jolie, she is still incredibly popular! Of course she has someone whom scans her emails, calls and so on; making her aware of what they think she would be interested in. People are going to fall through the cracks….period! I also think her time is her time. She doesn’t owe anyone her time; it’s a nice thing to give, but it’s still her’s! Plus, as I understand it, she has charities she works with already; so why is this one kid bigger than all of them. I thing the strong handedness that is going on is terrible. Shame on all of you whom have nothing better to do with your time….shame on you!-COLLAPSE

  • No one realizes how many requests these people get all the time. No celebrity is under any obligation whatsoever to say ‘yes’ to any these requests.

    I think it’s too bad the (former) mega-fan Mom leaked all this to the gutter press.

    Ina, I still love you!

  • Or the damage might be completely forgettable. Ina Garten's recipes always work, and as far as I'm concerned, that's what counts.

  • I think one of the most striking comments I read during this whole cringe-inducing affair was (to paraphrase), 'TMZ owes us a weekend'. Ina Garten's offer *is* generous, and especially gracious considering the ugliness with which some attacked her with from every personal angle that could be safely sneered at by the (mainly, and safely, anonymous) public. I hope she is aware that those who did...+READ

    I think one of the most striking comments I read during this whole cringe-inducing affair was (to paraphrase), 'TMZ owes us a weekend'. Ina Garten's offer *is* generous, and especially gracious considering the ugliness with which some attacked her with from every personal angle that could be safely sneered at by the (mainly, and safely, anonymous) public. I hope she is aware that those who did not judge her were also the ones less likely to speak up at all. It is also a shame, I think, that the Make A Wish foundation took so much heat over, so briefly, addressing this issue when I think they were hard-pressed to remain silent. I think they handled it as diplomatically as they could when the discretion they work so hard to maintain was so thoughtlessly breached. I'll stop now, because I could go on and on about this.-COLLAPSE