Why Everyone Is Starting To Seriously Worry About Rachael Ray

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Celebrity cook Rachael Ray is no stranger to public scrutiny and the glare of the spotlight. At times, she's even been accused of having a shady side. Alas, back in early September, Ray found herself in the midst of a social media firestorm after posting a clip from her new cooking show, "Rachael Ray in Tuscany," on Instagram. In the clip, Ray shared a story about having the late jazz singer Tony Bennett over for an osso buco dinner. Sadly, the dream dinner turned into a nightmare when he took a spill on her perfectly polished floors. "I have to make sure the floors are perfect and the house is clean and everything is just amazing. I might have gone a little overboard with the floors," she recalled. She was careful to note, however, that Bennett did in fact enjoy "double portions of everything," even after hitting his head on her marble countertop. So, uh ... all's well that ends well?

But it wasn't the story that had everyone up in arms — it was Ray's unrecognizable appearance in the video that sparked vicious debate. "There is definitely something wrong.. she is slurring and she doesn't look well...." one Instagram user penned in the comments section. Other users went as far as to question whether or not Ray had Bell's palsy, had suffered a mini-stroke, or was just inebriated while filming the show. Unfortunately, Ray's slurred speech was just the tip of the iceberg. Since then, everyone has become increasingly concerned about Rachael Ray.

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On October 22, Rachael Ray fanned the flames of speculation about her health with the launch of her brand new podcast "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead." In the inaugural episode, Ray let it slip that she had suffered not one, but at least two falls recently, without actually delving into any specifics. "I've had a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks so I haven't been doing that in a while," she revealed, lamenting her inability to carry in firewood and perform the various other physical labor chores she loves to do around her home.

Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Ray's health has been called into question. Ray has always been forthcoming and honest about the real reason she has such a unique voice. "I had a lot of croup as a kid so I don't have the strongest vocal cords to begin with," she told People back in 2006. In 2008, however, rumors started flying that Ray had been diagnosed with throat cancer. But just as quickly as the rumors took flight, Ray's rep quickly put them to bed. "Rachael is the picture of health. She is having very minor surgery to remove a benign cyst on her vocal cord," the cook's spokesperson, Charlie Dougiello, told People at the time. "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." Here's to hoping that Ray's seemingly slurred speech and falls are just as inconsequential.