For many people, Rachael Ray has played a very big role in their lives, and a large number of her fans have been following her career since she became a household name in the early aughts. As such, when the longtime TV personality didn’t seem quite herself in videos she shared (at least, according to some of those fans), many said they were concerned for her. Granted, we’re not sure how much of it comes down to concern … and how much of it has just been nastiness disguised as it.
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There’s no question that Ray’s vibe on her cooking show has become more laidback. Of course, she’s always made her viewers feel like they’re in the kitchen with her. However, from 2020 onwards, she’s invited fans into her actual kitchen — something that started as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. At the time, Ray shared in a Facebook Q&A that working from home was a double-edged sword. Asked if she was comfortable with the new setup, she explained, “I am, like, technically more comfortable because I’m wearing sweatpants and slippers.” However, she stressed that there were major differences. For starters, where at the studio she would be cooking for the show’s crew and the food bank, and the entire setup was more chatty, she shared that when she was at home, her cooking personality was very different. “I’m very quiet, and I have a glass of wine in my hand, and I scrub my face, and I put my PJs on,” she said.
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It’s pretty clear that as the setup has changed and the show has been filmed from her home full-time, Ray has opted to stick with the often makeup-free, pajama-adjacent vibe. However, like we said, not everyone has been nice about it.
Some thought Rachael was drinking during her pandemic videos
While the response to Rachael Ray’s at-home cooking videos was overwhelmingly positive at first, the internet can be a dark place, so it’s not exactly surprising that criticism began rolling in fairly soon. One thing some viewers wondered aloud (or in the comments section, anyway)? Whether Ray was drinking while filming.
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In response to a fun video of Ray cooking a tuna casserole as her husband, John Cusimano, filmed, a number of viewers asked if she was drunk. “You’re as wasted as wasted can get,” wrote one commenter. “Omg are you drunk? Sometimes you sound like you’re yelling sometimes looks like you’re having a melt down now you sound drunk,” commented another. One delightful spelling error, meanwhile, did more to hint at the author having had a drink or two than Ray had. “Are you druck?” they asked, shocked emoji in tow.
It’s worth noting that in her Facebook Q&A, Ray had said she liked to have a glass of wine while cooking at home, and that’s exactly where she was. With that in mind, maybe she had had a drink or two before filming. However, ever the loyal fanbase, not everyone was as keen to jump on the “Rachael Ray Show” star, and some even defended her against the haters. “All these [judgmental] folk … zip it, get your own show! @rachaelray is fantastic!” one admirer wrote. Another didn’t defend so much as point out that even if Ray had been drinking, they were all for it. “Err body gettin tipsy! Love it,” they said. Insert an inspirational quote about it being okay to not be everyone’s cup of tea, here.
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Not everyone loved Rachael Ray’s no-makeup appearances
On to where it got nasty, a few months in to the pandemic, people who seemed to be non-regular viewers began commenting on Rachael Ray’s Instagram cooking videos — and while her longtime followers had previously gushed over her not wearing makeup, just as she would in her day-to-day, the newer viewers weren’t quite as happy about it.
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“Love your cooking! You should still do hair n makeup,” wrote one user in response to a pizza video Ray had posted to Instagram. Another was less subtle. “DO YOU EVER COMB YOUR HAIR AND PUT MAKEUP ON!!” a troll complained. Said troll also brought up Ray’s dog food lawsuit in another comment, though, so we’re not sure we’d class them as a fan. However, then came the supposedly concerned comments. “I did not recognized you! Hope everything is ok …” one read. Because nothing expresses genuine concern quite like a public comment saying someone’s looks may signal anything not being okay, right?
As with the previous times people left comments on Ray’s (free and also not compulsory to watch) videos, fans of the Emmy winner came to her defense. “People are seriously telling her to put on makeup as if they have the authority to tell her what to do or that she would even care for their opinion. People. Are. The. Worst,” ranted one of Ray’s more loyal followers.
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Some said Rachael appeared tired (zero concern detected)
Fast-forwarding a few years on, Rachael Ray was still getting a mix of both positive and negative comments on her social media. However, by 2022, some of the nastier voices had grown louder. In addition to criticism of Ray’s appearance and everything from her hair to her weight and age, one user even complained that the chef seemed tired.
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“Rachel — you’re TIRED — you look tired, sound tired, and worse yet, ACT tired [that slammed tray in that [oven]] — Byyye,” the irate Instagram user wrote in response to a tomato soup recipe. Another user also mused that she appeared unwell … while still more asked if she was drinking.
As fans of Ray would know, the TV personality had actually been through a lot by 2022. For starters, Ray and her husband, John Cusimano, tragically lost their beloved 15-year-old dog, Isaboo, who died in 2020. On top of that, they also lost their home in a scary house fire a few months later … and a year after that, their apartment in New York City flooded during Hurricane Ida. In light of everything they went through, Ray said she was grateful for just being alive in an interview with Extra. So yeah, maybe she did look a little tired by 2022. However, we’d argue that that could have been met with compassion, rather than disdain.
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An emotional story time had some asking if Rachael had a stroke
In 2024, Rachael Ray was still getting comments about her health. The chatter sparked a serious debate in her comments section, with some expressing concern (this time it seemed genuine), and others pointing out that if Ray had any serious health issues, she wouldn’t need social media users to point it out to her.
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To recap, in a September 2024 Instagram video, Ray shared a story about the time Tony Bennett came over for dinner and slipped on her overly-polished floor. Ray didn’t hide the fact that she was heartbroken by Bennett’s passing at age 96 the year prior, and at one point in the video, her voice broke as she shared, “I miss my friend so much.” Unfortunately, some commenters noticed one side of Ray’s mouth seemingly pulling down, which led to speculation that she may have had a stroke. Others even mused that she was dealing with alcoholism and claimed that she was slurring her words (those would be the less-genuinely-concerned). However, others suggested it might have been because she was trying to stop her mouth from quivering as she fought back tears. “I hear NO slurring whatsoever. She’s just emotional talking about her dear friend who passed away. Too many unqualified ‘Internet Doctors’ who have no idea what they’re even talking about,” wrote one fan who came to her defense — and honestly, we don’t think that’s too far off the mark.
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Unsurprisingly, Ray has never addressed any of the concerns — and although some of the Instagram users did actually seem worried about her, speculating about someone’s health in such a big way with zero comment from the person themselves is still inappropriate.
A mother’s day video also led to mean comments
Sadly, 2025 didn’t bring about more understanding amongst Rachael Ray’s followers, and when the cook shared an Instagram video in honor of Mother’s Day, she was once again met with comments about her appearance and perceived health issues.
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“Rachel. Are you okay? You don’t look well,” one follower asked. Another felt the same, writing, “Oh boy I hope she’s ok she doesn’t look well.” It does bear mentioning, though, that the majority of the comments seemed to be hyping Ray up, whether celebrating the impact she’s had in their lives, or calling out the haters and pointing out that her appearance shouldn’t be up for debate. One standout comment? “People. STOP. She is 20 years older, not wearing as much make-up, and possibly experiencing health issues. We get older! Be kind,” wrote one fan.
It’s pretty clear that even with some of the concerns expressed, Ray remains beloved amongst her fanbase, and they’re certainly not afraid to protect her from the never-ending onslaught of comments and questions about her health. As for whether Ray is experiencing any kind of health issues, we’ll leave it up to her to share about it if that is the case. Either way, we’re wishing her nothing but the best — and we’ll certainly keep tuning in.
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