10 Rumors About Rachael Ray We Can't Ignore

No one had quite the hold on daytime television that Rachael Ray had for over a decade. Thanks to her infamous 30 Minute Meals classes, she'd earn a contract with Food Network, where her illustrious television career blossomed. Her DIY dishes, along with her charismatic personality, led to the development of many career segways, with the most notable being "The Rachael Ray Show," which lasted for close to two decades.

With appearances from celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg helping to establish the soon-to-be multiple-time Emmy-nominated show, all appeared well for Ray's career. Even with her success at the forefront, her career was plagued with controversy. Everything from her controversial start as a DIY chef to her personal life became fair game, spawning countless forums and even a website infamously titled, "I Hate Rachael Ray," where her general audience went to spread their disdain for the television personality. Ray was not one to shy away from the attention despite her fears of finding out what other stories — false or true — she'd read about herself next. Her acknowledgement of these ranged from absolute shock to pure outrage. Some rumors, however, were so surprising that we couldn't help but pay attention to them. To learn more about the various stories that affected Ray's career, here are 11 rumors about Rachael Ray we can't ignore.

In 2005, Rachael Ray tied the knot with longtime friend-turned-lover John Cusimano. While marriage is certainly an accomplishment to be proud of, their marriage had its fair share of red flags, which fans took notice of over the years. One of which came to light within a year of them being married. 

In 2006, Jeannine Walz told the National Enquirer she and Cusimano had an explicit relationship of five years (via New York Daily News). From first meeting outside of a lesbian bar in New York City, Walz noted that Cusimano regularly paid her to do sexual acts for him both before and after he married Ray. "John paid me up to $500 for a session," she said. "We'd often have sessions at least twice a month ... I virtually supported myself by spitting on him. But there was never any normal sex involved." 

Despite their rep stating that these were nothing but baseless claims, it sparked rumors of infidelity that would later be reignited in 2013. Though it was never directly confirmed, Ray did respond to the rumors during a taping of "The Rachael Ray Show" in 2007, blasting publications for spreading misinformation about her personal life (via Extra TV). "Everybody gossips ... but this stuff is hurting people's feelings who are in our families and friends of ours. ... There's always someone that's going to be telling stories behind your back, but this is too much," she stated.

Alongside her charismatic personality, Rachael Ray became known for her distinctive raspy voice. Despite its uniqueness, its raspiness was a byproduct several cases of croup, an infection that causes inflammation in the larynx and trachea. Her vocal issues were noted, but in 2008, fans grew concerned for Ray's overall health as a scary rumor began to circulate. That same year, The National Enquirer alleged that Ray had throat cancer and she was scheduled to undergo surgery, resulting in her missing out on television obligations. This, however, was merely speculation. 

Shortly after the report was published, her rep, Charlie Dougiello, spoke to People to debunk said rumors. While Ray was scheduled to undergo surgery, it wasn't for the reason The National Enquirer had suggested. According to the close source, Ray had a benign cyst, and the procedure she was going to undergo wasn't as invasive as people believed it to be. "Rachael is the picture of health. She is having a very minor surgery to remove a benign cyst on her vocal cord," they told the publication. "It's a common in-and-out procedure that she will have in early December, and it will not adversely affect any of her daytime show or Food Network tapings."

From her husband's alleged infidelity to her "controversial" rise as a chef with no certified background, Rachael Ray was already seeing a massive amount of blowback just a few years after landing a massive hit show on ABC. This only continued in 2007 when Ray got herself an endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts. Her partnership with the fast food company caused Ray to receive criticism from fans and colleagues alike. So much so that even Anthony Bourdain compared her partnership with Dunkin' Donuts to "peddling crack to kids" (via ABC).

This caused numerous rumors to spawn, such as an alleged preference for one of Dunkin' Donuts' competitors, Starbucks. In an interview with OK! Magazine, she responded to these rumors, stating, "It's absolutely ridiculous." The public's disdain for their partnership only grew in 2008 when a Dunkin' Donuts ad got pulled due to the company receiving massive backlash for Ray's involvement. Albeit it wasn't for Ray herself, but rather for what she was wearing. According to the Los Angeles Times, the now-deleted commercial saw Ray sport a "fringed black-and-white scarf" that seemingly supported Muslim extremist beliefs. Safe to say, the rumors regarding her overall partnership with Dunkin' Donuts didn't do much to push her career forward, which she would admit to during an interview with ABC. Nonetheless, Ray stated that despite the hate she received, she didn't "regret a thing. Not for a minute."

Rumors regarding a toxic work environment on "The Rachael Ray Show" were common, with one dating as far back as 2011. According to E! News, a lawsuit was filed that same year by Christina Pagliarolo, a teenager who participated in a weight loss program for a segment on the show. Through working closely with Eric Viskovicz, a trainer Ray and her team hired, Pagliarolo described a plethora of inhumane practices that she endured during this time, all ranging from verbal to physical abuse.

Another came in October 2020 when reports suggested that Ray laid off several of her workers during the pandemic. Since COVID-19 forced public facilities to practice social distancing from March 2020 onward — causing CBS to fully transition from a live studio to the confines of Ray's home — it allegedly caused internal conflict among workers as her crew was either replaced, fired without pay, or left with no healthcare. As the public grew aware of her alleged work practices, Ray took to Instagram to speak candidly about the true nature of her work environment (via Pop Culture). "It has been my utmost priority that we keep the full contribution to their healthcare plan during this pandemic," she wrote. "I care about my colleagues as family, and as we approach the holidays, we want to keep everyone safe. While everyone is continuing to be paid through October, we will continue to work this out."

Despite her meteoric rise to stardom, some of Rachael Ray's celeb colleagues just don't like her. While some praised her for her hard work, others, like Martha Stewart, weren't impressed. In an interview with ABC's "Nightline," Stewart harshly criticized the TV host for her cooking abilities, noting the apparent differences in their legitimacy as well-known cooks (via Us Weekly). "Well, to me, she professed that she cannot bake," she said. "She just did a new cookbook, which is just a re-edit of a lot of her old recipes. ... and that's not good enough for me."

Outside of the New York Post publishing rumors of Ray planning to "exorcise" a studio Stewart worked in before her in 2012, Ray never commented on the status of her rivalry with Stewart. Instead, Ray shared kind words during her 2014 appearance on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live" (via E! News). In response to a fan asking about the infamous feud between Gwyneth Paltrow and Stewart, Ray opted not to choose sides. Alongside praising Paltrow for entrepreneurial ventures, she also shared those same sentiments about Stewart. "I have to have nothing but respect for Martha Stewart. She is a forerunner," she said. "I wouldn't have a job without the people who came before me. ... Martha Stewart created an avenue for women who work in lifestyle television — period."

Alongside the more humorous controversies came an unsettling one that allegedly caused a rift within Rachael Ray's family. In 2013, her cousin, Gina Mesnick, outed the TV host to the National Enquirer for being responsible for Dominica Scuderi's — her mother and Ray's aunt — death (via Fox News). As for Ray's involvement, it was alleged that Scuderi was house-sitting for her in upstate New York. Scuderi seemingly locked herself out of the house after stepping out in freezing weather to feed Ray's animal.  "At some point in the evening, I suspect that, because of her [chronic lung problems], she had trouble breathing and collapsed in the driveway, and basically died there," Mesnick said. "Her body wasn't found until the following morning."

Ray's reputation dwindled as she missed her aunt's funeral since it conflicted with her working schedule. Mesnick claimed that Ray didn't care about Scuderi's passing, further exacerbating a damaged family dynamic. While Ray remained silent on the matter, her brother, Emmanuel Ray, took to the public to clear up some rumors. To defend his sister's name, he spoke to RadarOnline, stating that it was generally understood why she wouldn't be able to attend the wedding (via the Daily Mail). "It's sad that Rachael's getting dragged into this when she really has nothing to do with it. ... She's been very good to them and I'm sorry they've decided to degrade it for this," he stated.

Rachael Ray unexpectedly had her hands full in 2016, all thanks to Beyoncé. Featured on her Grammy-nominated album "Lemonade," the song "Sorry" went viral as it tackled aspects of infidelity. Due to her marriage to Jay-Z, people couldn't help but assume that he was the main subject of the song. The line "He better call Becky with the good hair" implied that Jay-Z was having an affair with a white woman.This spurred a witch hunt to find who "Becky" was. 

The first culprit was fashion designer Rachel Roy, who, during the peaks of virality, took to X to respond to the harassment she faced from Beyoncé's fan base. Beyoncé fans, however, made the mistake of assuming that Ray was the one being referenced instead, culminating in Ray facing a barrage of hate online as well. Their shared experience of dealing with Beyoncé's fan base only brought Ray and Roy closer together. From sending each other gifts to make light of the situation, Ray told Us Magazine that she actually found the mishap humorous. "I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I was like, 'Are you kidding me? I'm even mentioned in the same sentence as these people? That's insane. That's awesome,'" she expressed. "I think honestly that it was really much more uncomfortable for the rest of the people in that group than for me."

From hosting her own television show, Rachael Ray slowly transitioned into a formidable business mogul. Whether it be recipe books or kitchen appliances, Ray was no stranger to launching notable business ventures. This culminated in 2008, when Ray collaborated with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition to create Nutrish, a plethora of quality food products for dogs. In her attempt to make healthy nutrition an easier option for dog owners, however, she was caught in a lawsuit that damaged her reputation. 

In 2018, Markeith Parks filed a class action suit, which, according to People, claimed that harmful ingredients were found in Ray's Nutrish. A herbicide known as glyphosate — which is often used to kill plants — was shown to be present in their products. Due to its potential health risks, Park alleged that the company purposely chose not to disclose this information as it went against their all-natural claims. This, in turn, caused the company to be looked at under a microscope. 

Though Ray never addressed this lawsuit publicly, a rep for Ray told the publication that the products were safe and that Ray uses them herself. "Rachael herself has always championed the great lengths Ainsworth Pet Nutrition and now The J.M. Smucker Company take to create and provide the highest quality and safest pet food products on the market," they told the publication. "This is why she does, and will continue to, feed Nutrish to her own dog Isaboo and her extended pet family."

Rachael Ray's stunning transformation from server to television personality in the food industry wasn't seamless, to say the least. As she creatively grew in front of the general public for over a decade, people started to notice her physical changes as well. The most notable being in 2024, when Ray took to Instagram to post a clip of her DIY show, "Rachael in Tuscany," for Homemade Nation. While discussing a traumatic story where she thought she accidentally killed Tony Bennett, fans noticed something alarming about Ray's appearance. 

In the comments, fans expressed concerns about Ray's slurred speech and facial mannerisms. This, in turn, caused rumors to circulate regarding her health. While some blamed alcoholism, others assumed that it was the result of a stroke or Bell's palsy. Despite some of her fans defending the video — one of which stated that she's simply "holding back tears" as she spoke about a traumatic experience with her late friend — no one truly got a clear answer as to the reasoning for her appearance in the video. According to TMZ, a rep told the publication she decided not to comment on the matter altogether. Instead, Ray seemingly diverted their attention by uploading an old recipe for shrimp and chorizo paella.

Rachael Ray's marriage to John Cusimano was already on thin ice in the public's eyes as allegations of Cusimano's infidelity came to light in 2006. Despite this, however, the two remained by each other's side for the better part of two decades, indicating that whatever rift that could've spawned from those allegations was well taken care of, or so we thought. In another entrepreneurial venture, Ray released her podcast, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," in October 2024. It was already off to a questionable start, as in the first episode, Ray spoke to Jenny Mollen about how she and Cusimano handle conflict in their house. "It's very hard, especially for hot-tempered or creative or vociferous — shall we say — loud people to be able to just calm it down," she explained. "John and I don't calm it down ever. We have huge screaming matches all the time, but I think that's healthy. I really do. And I don't trust people that are too quiet."

Fans noticed her depiction of her marriage and assumed that the two were on their way to divorce. Despite their unconventional methods of conflict resolution, the second episode of "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" saw Ray convey how good this dynamic works for each other. "I am very wildly, wildly, wildly, lucky that I have my husband," she said. "But he understands I need my space. He needs his space."