Ina Garten’s Shocking Tale About Oprah Winfrey Smacking Her Twice Leaves Fans Stunned
Celebrity chef Ina Garten found out Oprah has hands.
Garten, known for her 20-plus-year run on The Food Network with her show “The Barefoot Contessa,” recently revealed how Oprah Winfrey “smacked” her twice for not giving herself credit where it was due.
While promoting her new memoir, “Be Ready When The Luck Happens,” Garten sat down with Radio Cherry Bombe host Kerry Diamond to speak about the “shocking” moment she admitted she still carries with her.
At the 2010 Matrix Awards, Garten was honored alongside notable women like Sheryl Crow and Tina Fey. Winfrey was in attendance to introduce her friend Gayle King, who was also on the bill to be honored.
Garten recalled the moment she received her New York Women in Communications’ Matrix Award and gave her 90-second acceptance speech reflecting on her career.
She told Diamond that within her short but emotional dialogue she told the audience, “I’d been really lucky in my life.”
When she returned to her seat, the media mogul quickly corrected her. “And [Winfrey] smacked me on the arm in front of like 2,000 people and said, ‘You make your own luck.’”
The 76-year-old continued, telling the host that after she pleaded her case with Winfrey about being “incredibly lucky,” Winfrey “smacked” her again.
Winfrey laughed at being scolded for her attempt to get Garten to take some credit for her success. “And I was like, ‘OK,’” she added. “Many years later, when I was writing this memoir, I thought, ‘She was kind of right.’ I had done the work.”
Gartner then disclosed that the moment she shared with Winfrey was the inspiration behind the title of her new book. “I have to give her credit. She was right.”
People shared the interview as a follow-up to their September cover story with the chef and some followers strongly reacted to what they assumed was a tale about a bad interaction between Garten and Oprah.
“Not OPRAH WINFREY Assaulting someone,” said a shocked fan. Another abruptly commented, “I used to Like Oprah. Now it’s like Go the freaken away.”
A third said, “Oprah is a Fake.”
Seemingly defending Oprah one person said, “What is Ina drinking….it’s was probably – it’s okay type of a gesture…..e.g.take it easy tap.”
More comments attacked the billionaire media mogul, alleging that she “screwed up and is going down.” Some said they were “tired” of hearing about Oprah and posts turning political in the wake of the upcoming election, and some called out that some had not taken the time to read the entire article.
Garten’s story about Winfrey is just one of many untold stories the chef reveals in the book. She opens up about her relationship with her husband of over 30 years, Jeffery, and about her time working at the White House, writing policies for the nuclear energy budget between 1974 and 1978.
She also went into her previous friendship with lifestyle guru Martha Stewart. Stewart passively addressed her former friendship on the Oct. 20 episode of “Watch What Happens Live.”
.@SnoopDogg with his nose pressed ALL the way in this Martha Stewart vs Ina Garten drama.😂 #WWHL pic.twitter.com/2UDJZbGyz9
— South Dallas Foodie (@SouthDallasFood) October 21, 2024
Garten alleged that she and Stewart’s friendship began to declined after her incarceration for insider trading, but Stewart says, “That is not true.”
