Rachael Ray left fans “concerned” after she posted a video in which she appears to slur her words.
The iconic TV chef, 56, shared a clip from her series “Rachael Ray in Tuscany” to Instagram on Monday, September 2, regaling viewers with the time she invited legendary crooner Tony Bennett to dinner, and — in her words — “almost killed him.”
Ray recalled the shocking story while preparing to show viewers how to make Bennett’s favorite dish, Ossobuco — braised veal shanks with polenta and bread.
The best-selling cookbook author admitted that when Bennett came to her house for the first time, she went “a little overboard” and polished her kitchen floors — a move that led to Bennett taking a dangerous spill.
Ray recalled, “When I pulled out the chair for Tony to sit down for his starter snacks and aperitivo, the chair slid out from under him and he hit his head on my marble counter behind him, and he fell to the floor.”
The TV personality, who ended her popular daytime show in 2023, was stunned. “I thought I killed Tony Bennett,” she recalled. “I thought I killed him, literally. And his wife, Susan – so glorious – he says to me, Rachael, he’s fine. He’ll pop back up. Just let him be.’”
“He made it all through dinner,” according to Ray, who added he even had double portions.
Bennett passed away on July 21, 2023, at the age of 96 following a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s. Ray remembered him as “such a gentleman.”
“I miss my friends so much,” she said. “The most beautiful man, maybe ever.”
Viewers on Instagram were distracted from Ray’s story by how the TV chef was speaking.
“Is she slurring or am I slurring[?]” one person asked.
Another worried fan wrote, “Wait! What’s going on with Rachael Ray?”
“I love you but are you ok? I’m seriously concerned,” someone else commented on Ray’s post.
The sentiment was echoed by many others, with one person wondering, “What happened[?]”
Just as quickly as commenters raised questions about Ray’s appearance and speech, others came in defending her.
“God you people are rude!!!!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and food today,” one fan chimed in.
Another backer replied, “My goodness, all you perfect people making the most awful, hateful comments. MOVE ALONG!”
Many also chided commenters for raising questions about Ray’s health. “It’s not our business, but what is our business is just listening to her story and looking at the positives,” one supporter said.
“She’s aging like the rest of us. Maybe she has a medical condition, maybe she is on medication. Regardless, no need to be mean,” someone else added.
One supporter pointed out that Ray’s speech pattern may have been altered by her emotions. “She got emotional talking about her friend is all,” the person said, referring to Bennett.
As for criticism of the culinary pro’s appearance, one fan summed up the sentiment of several Rachael Ray lovers.
“She’s aging well the normal way no plastic surgery or doing it like every one else… get real people… all people judging about how all this celebrity are plastic surgery breast, lip, but [sic] anything and she’s just like us again the natural way so yes this is a shock to you all,” they wrote. “Go Rachael do your thing and thank you for showing us the real you.”
Over the course of her many years in the limelight, Ray has not publicly disclosed any health struggles. The TV star did, however, address concerns about her health back in 2008, when rumors began to swirl that she was undergoing surgery for throat cancer.
“Rachael is the picture of health,” Ray’s rep, Charlie Dougiello, said at the time. “She is having very minor surgery to remove a benign cyst on her vocal cord. 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.”
The Post has reached out to Ray’s representative for comment.
