Charles Ramsey: No Burgers, Thanks
Charles Ramsey wants no burgers after his unlikely fame following the rescue of three women and a child imprisoned in the home of Ariel Castro in Cleveland — and the dishwasher, who had been about to eat a Big Mac when he was called upon to help victim Amanda Berry escape, kind of takes exception to the exploitation of his name after the tragic case unfolded.
Ramsey’s “no burgers” statement comes after the hardworking Cleveland man turned down any reward money possibly available to him during a TV interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
At the time, Ramsey didn’t spare a thought to the cash he might receive for his role in liberating Berry and her fellow captives, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight (as well as Berry’s daughter, born while she was imprisoned.)
Ramsey told Cooper that the women needed money and resources more than he (a man with a job and a paycheck) did. And now that Ramsey has been offered free burgers for life, his response is much the same. (But a bit more understandably irritated.)
In the wake of the feel good story, several Cleveland eateries named burgers after Ramsey and offered the hero free burgers for life.
But Ramsey’s no burgers response indicates that he wasn’t entirely pleased. A lawyer released a statement on his behalf.
The lawyer said:
“Ramsey … wants everyone to know that he does not endorse the consortium of Northeast Ohio restaurants who are offering ‘Ramsey Burgers’ or who are promoting that Ramsey can receive free burgers from them for life. Ramsey encourages people to do things that will help the victims.”
The man himself added:
“I never told these people they could use my name for this.”
Ramsey’s no burgers statement follows his rejection of a video game made online called “Burger Bash,” which is based on the rescue of the victims — and features Ramsey and Castro tossing burgers at one another.
Ramsey fumed: “I want everyone to know that I have nothing to do with this trash.”
Do you think Ramsey’s no burgers statement is a sad indicator of the lengths businesses will go to capitalize on a tragedy?
