"Make-A-Wish" kid's dad to Ina Garten: "We're better off just leaving everything the way it is."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

'Make-A-Wish' Kid to Barefoot C: Don't Call Us ...

3/30/2011 10:35 AM PDT by TMZ Staff

Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten just learned a hard lesson ... late is not always better than never ... because she just got blown off by the family of a "Make-a-Wish" boy.

http://www.tmz.com/2011/03/30/ina-garten-make-a-wish-cancer-barefoot-contessa-enzo-portland-oregon-food-network-chef-snub-reject-dolphin-cook-meal/



You'll recall ... Enzo -- a 6-year-old with cancer -- wanted to cook a meal with Ina, but she couldn't find the time.

After TMZ broke the story, Ina took lots of heat. So Monday night she called Enzo's family and offered for them to come to the Food Network for a cookout.

Enzo's dad Adrian tells us ... the ship has sailed: "I don't want to put my son through all these emotions. We're better off just leaving everything the way it is."

As TMZ previously reported -- Enzo's new wish to swim with dolphins is already in the works, and Adrian tells us it will be fulfilled in August.

[EC]

1. Always felt her

"niceness" was fake.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

3. I'm not taking anyones side

but it is entirely possible she has a staff person or assistant or something that made this decision without consulting her first. I'm just saying, that is possibly what happpened.......... :shrug:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. It's true, that has not been reported, but...

...if you take the time of the original story being reported...which she most certainly had to be aware of...and the time it took for her staff to step in and do "damage control," it's unfortunate.

If it were me...if someone contacted my staff person and I honestly wasn't aware of it until it blew up in the media...I would have been on it, and I would have been angry. I'd have a jet and a limo waiting for that kid and his entire family.

My personal feeling...once again acknowledging what you said, that we really don't know what happened...is that action was taken once Garten and / or her handlers realized the story wasn't going to go away on its own.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

6. Personally speaking

if someone on my staff did that they'd be unemployed now. If that didn't happen, then she is inexplicably hard hearted.........

[Angry Dragon]

2. Too late to get a soul lady

[richmwill]

5. Good

I'm sure he'll have a better time swimming with the dolphins, rather than spend time with someone who couldn't be troubled enough to spend a couple of hours making this dying child happy.