Is there really a Martha Stewart, Ina Garten feud?
Ina Garten has a lot to say about life, her marriage, and her monumental career. He new memoir, which hits bookshelves on October 1, tells a powerful story about her journey.
Part of that journey was another cultural icon, Martha Stewart. The two go back decades. And, obviously, their careers have had significant overlap.
Both women recall a time when they had a falling out. Martha Stewart remembers it as an “extremely unfriendly” time when she most needed a friend.
Here is what Ina Garten says about Martha Stewart
Earlier this month, The New Yorker published a profile of Ina Garten.
According to Ina Garten, she and Martha Stewart absolutely experienced a strain in their bond.
She recalled losing touch with Stewart after the latter began spending more time in Bedford, New York, at her new property.
Back in the ’90s, a chance meeting between Martha Stewart and Ina Garten led to the two working together.
What started with Stewart’s craving for lemon squares turned into Ina Garten doing catering at Stewart’s house for benefits and more.
Over time, a friendship blossomed. Then they drifted apart as they spent less time together. According to Garten, that is.
Here is what Martha Stewart says about Ina Garten
“When I was sent off to Alderson Prison, she stopped talking to me,” Martha Stewart said bluntly.
This stemmed from an alleged crime in 2004.
“I found that extremely distressing and extremely unfriendly,” she expressed.
Most of us recall that ghastly case when Martha Stewart received a five month prison sentence, followed by five months of home confinement and two years of supervised probation.
It was all over about $45,000 in alleged ImClone Systems insider trading. And, authorities claimed, lying to investigators.
Martha Stewart has steadfastly maintained her innocence. Many feel that the federal desire to make an example of a beloved celebrity was a mistake and may have even backfired. Insider trading is unfair, but prison time for a relatively small stock sale by someone allegedly acting on a tip from a broker seems like a gross miscarriage of justice.
So what is the truth?
Ina Garten “firmly” denied Martha Stewart’s version of how their friendship came to an end.
However, these two versions of events are entirely compatible. What one person sees as a slowly waning friendship, another could view as an abruptly severed bond. That happens, even when no one is a celebrity and nobody’s going to prison.
You hate to see two queens fighting. But then, this doesn’t seem to be an active feud. Just two different versions of a quiet falling out.