Rachael Ray says she has ‘huge screaming matches’ with husband – and reveals how they make up after
Rachael Ray candidly confessed she gets into ‘huge screaming matches all the time’ with her husband of 19 years John Cusimano.
The 56-year-old celebrity chef and the lawyer tied the knot in Tuscany in 2005 and have been together ever since, but have never had children.
Now she has pulled back the curtain on the explosive rows they have, on the premiere episode of her new podcast I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.
‘But I think that’s healthy, I really do, and I don’t trust people that are too quiet,’ she opined. ‘Too quiet freaks me out. I prefer that you tell me what you think when you think it, and just let’s get it all out there. Get it out there.’
Ray also divulged that she and Cusimano do not outwardly apologize to each other, but have a nonverbal way of mending fences after a fight.
Rachael Ray candidly confessed she gets into ‘huge screaming matches all the time’ with her husband of 19 years John Cusimano; pictured 2020
She made the revelations while interviewing author Jenny Mollen, who is married to American Pie and Orange Is The New Black star Jason Biggs.
Ray reflected that ‘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 confessed: ‘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….Too quiet freaks me out. I prefer that you tell me what you think when you think it, and just let’s get it all out there. Get it out there.’
When Mollen asked whether Ray or Cusimano says sorry first after a fight, Ray shared: ‘I don’t know that we ever apologize to each other.’
She explained: ‘Eventually, I pat him on his a** or he kisses me on the head, and that’s just sort of it. That’s the apology. It’s just sort of understood: “All right. I still like your a**.” “I still like your head.” It’s kind of in that zone.’
On the same podcast episode, Ray revealed that she suffered ‘a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks,’ after fans expressed health concerns.
In early September, Ray left her admirers worried when she posted a cooking video in which she told an anecdote about the late Tony Bennett.
Social media users began commenting on her ‘slurring’ speech and wondering if she was on ‘medication’ or experiencing a health ‘condition.’
‘But I think that’s healthy, I really do, and I don’t trust people that are too quiet,’ she opined: ‘Too quiet freaks me out’; the couple are pictured in 2021
The 56-year-old celebrity chef and the lawyer tied the knot in 2005 but have never had children; pictured in an undated throwback she posted to Instagram on Valentine’s Day
Ray and her husband are pictured meeting her fellow celebrity chef Guy Fieri (center)
Ray and Cusimano are pictured with Tony Bennett at the crooner’s 9th annual Exploring The Arts Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York in 2015
Days later, Ray’s representative responded to the speculation by issuing a statement saying she had ‘no comment’ on the matter, via TMZ.
Now Ray has shared that she enjoys doing ‘physical labor’ around the house but has had to cut back on certain tasks lately because she took ‘a couple of bad falls’ while carrying wood, on the debut episode of her podcast I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.
Speaking clearly and cheerfully, Ray said: ‘I’m a homemaker. I love chores. I love being in the kitchen. I always work with my brain everyday, I’m always writing something, but I really like chores.’
She continued: ‘I like what people consider physical work. I like making dinner, planning dinners, making lists. I love physical labor, helping carry in the wood.’
Ray then noted: ‘I’ve had a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks, so I haven’t been doing that in awhile, but I love carrying wood.’
Referring to her husband John Cusimano, she said: ‘How many pieces of wood did John carry? Can I carry more? I don’t say that to John. I just say it to myself.’
On the same podcast episode, Ray revealed that she suffered ‘a couple of bad falls in the last couple of weeks,’ after fans expressed health concerns
Ray’s comments come over a month after she sparked concern for her health among fans after posting a video which appeared to show her slurring her speech.
She posted a preview from new show, Rachael Ray in Tuscany – which showed her cooking Ossobuco while paying tribute to the late Tony Bennett.
However, as an emotional Ray recounted Bennett hitting his head on her marble counter and fearing she had ‘killed him’ – fans were left enquiring about her own health.
One fan wrote: ‘Is she slurring or am I slurring’ while a second typed: ‘I love you but are you ok? I’m seriously concerned.’
Others penned: ‘Rachel is in a bit of trouble?! I hope someone is just as concerned as I am?’, ‘Wait! What’s going on with Rachael Ray?’ and ‘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.’
‘What the heck is wrong with her? Messy hair, slurring words….wow just wow …’
In early September, the 56-year-old left her admirers worried when she posted a cooking video in which she told an anecdote about the late Tony Bennett
Days later, Ray representative responded to the speculation by issuing a statement saying the celebrity chef had ‘no comment’ on the matter, via TMZ
Other viewers came out in support of the star, writing: ‘Such negative comments on here. Leave Rachel alone. People are going through different things in life that we don’t know. Let’s just be kind.’
‘I adore Rachael, I would give anything to cook with her and share some wine and laughs with her! She is the most giving and talented person with so much heart, and she deserves nothing but love and respect from her fans, she has mine!’
‘People leave her alone, menopause hits us all different. Instead of putting her down enjoy the scrumptious food and fun stories.’
DailyMail.com has contacted Rachael Ray’s representatives for comment.
Last year Ray announced the end of her daytime talk show after 17 seasons.
‘In my more than 20 plus years in television I have had 17 wonderful seasons working in daytime television with Rachael,’ Ray’s statement began.
‘However I’ve made the decision that it’s time for me to move on to the next exciting chapter in my broadcast career.’
Debuting in 2006, The Rachael Ray Show became the top syndicated program launched that year and went on to amass 37 Daytime Emmy nominations across its subsequent 17 seasons, winning three for Outstanding Talk Show.
Debuting in 2006, The Rachael Ray Show became the top syndicated program launched that year and went on to amass 37 Daytime Emmy nominations
The core of Rachael’s format highlights her relatable cooking skills in addition to her fun and easygoing interview style.
Celebrity guests are a major element, as the 30-Minute Meals star has interviewed A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow, the Kardashians and even former First Lady Michelle Obama.
The Rachael Ray Show was one of the first daytime programs to resume filming amid the Covid pandemic, returning for its 16th season in October 2021.
2020 was a difficult year for Ray and her husband, as the couple lost their home in upstate New York to an accidental fire in August 2020.
They also suffered through their Manhattan apartment flooding in September of that year, plus their pit bull Isaboo passed away that summer in June.
In 2008 Ray’s representative shot down rumors she had a throat cancer scare – saying: ‘Rachael is the picture of health. 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 effect any of her daytime show or Food Network tapings.’