Shelly Sandrov, known online as “Shelka” and a former contestant on “Big Brother,” launched a branded line of ice pops after the nickname “Shelok Shelok” stuck to her on the show. Food critic Niv Gilboa took aim at the product on his i24NEWS program, “Medad Gilboa,” and sharply attacked both the price and the marketing.
Gilboa said Sandrov was selling each ice pop for 17 shekels, which he described as 580% more than a competing product. He mocked the idea of a child influencer selling something, and questioned why children should consume what he said was a product that in Europe is claimed to cause attention disorders. After tasting it, he gave it a rating of “zero” and called it “disgusting.”
Sandrov responded publicly after the harsh review. She said not every criticism is professional criticism, and argued that using words like “zero” and “disgusting,” while also getting the facts wrong, made it hard to take the review seriously. She clarified that the ice pops cost 15 shekels, not 17.
Sandrov added that there is a difference between criticism and disrespect, and said that with a large platform comes responsibility. “You can deliver a message without humiliating people who work hard to realize a dream,” she wrote. She said she believes in her product and will continue creating and working hard, adding that the audience will ultimately decide whether it tastes good.
