The Dreams That Make-A-Wish, KidsWish Won't Grant

Slate:

Celebrity chef Ina Garten, the "Barefoot Contessa," finally agreed this week to meet with Enzo Pereda, a 6-year-old leukemia patient whom she'd twice rebuffed after he requested an audience through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. A spokesman for the Foundation said it had already shifted focus to the boy's second-choice wish: to swim with dolphins. Surely a cancer-stricken child can't wish for anything. What's off-limits in the world of charity wish-granting?

Read the whole story: Slate

Comments

[DRH1]

01:27 PM on 04/04/2011

Quite frankly, if everyone understood the way requests are handled in addition to the complexities of producing the show, researching recipes, the number of hours it takes to produce one show (up to 12 or so), the huge number of staff involved, they would understand she never saw the request probably. It is virtually impossible for the host to see and address everything. She stated she was "devastated" when she found out about this and that she would call the boy. She places her trust in staff to make prudent decisions based on the number of requests and everything else. Hopefully, whoever made this decision on her behalf will at least be strongly reprimanded.

[JosephP]

12:09 PM on 04/03/2011

Here's what the mother wrote on her blog.

(From http://www.angelsforenzo.com):

"As some of you know “Make a Wish” came 3 years ago and Enzo’s wish is to meet the Barefoot Contessa and cook dinner with her. He has waited longer then kids wait to meet the President of the United States, which I find a bit INSANE but no matter how many times they have asked if he wants to change his wish (just in case Ina Garten says “NO“) he won’t do it."

"Ok, REALLY Ina?!! No offense BUT how many 3-6 yrs old boys want THIS as a wish?"

"Even yesterday when I told him the unfortunate news, his reply was simply “why doesn’t she want to meet me”? (As he is looking up at me with those big beautiful brown eyes)."

"I would be lying if I said that I don’t find this to be shocking. To know that out of EVERY THING (material Enzo could choose to have), or ANY PLACE (in the world Enzo could travel to) and out of EVERY PERSON on this earth he chose Ina, and she cannot see what an honor that is."

It sounds like the mother, instead of moving on after Garten's refusal, decided to start an online extortion campaign. And now that Garten has agreed to meet the child, the parents rudely refuse---probably because the kid is now swimming with dolphins which was his real wish all along.

[repelled]

01:50 PM on 04/03/2011

When the Mother notified TMZ of this story, she lost any credibility (as well as the comment about President Obama). To me that is extortion - and TMZ is doubly guilty in this. I feel bad for the child but the parents do not deserve any sympathy. I would hate to have a child going through what Enzo is experiencing, but to make Ina the "bad guy" does not help him in any way.

[LizinOhio]

07:30 AM on 04/03/2011

The bigger question is: What's up with Ina! I won't be able to watch her show again without thinking of her as a B....

[TheFoodieGossip]

12:22 AM on 04/03/2011

Her offer was weak at best. He could join her on her show so she could publicly appear like she actually cares? http://foodiegossip.blogspot.com/2011/04/barefoot-contessas-offer-to-make-wish.html
Swimming with dolphins is definitely the way to go.

[shthar]

08:10 PM on 04/02/2011

I guessing Sex is off the list...