Rachael Ray fans think she slurred her words in new TV clip

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Rachael Ray's response to Valerie Bertinelli Food Network comments

Rachael Ray, while promoting her new TV show, responded to Valerie Bertinelli's comments about the state of Food Network.

Rachael Ray caused some fan concern after she posted a television clip where she may have slurred her words.

The celebrity chef posted a video from her FYI series "Rachael Ray in Tuscany" on Monday, where she honors late singer Tony Bennett by making his favorite dish, ossobuco, and telling the story of how she "almost killed him" when he slipped and fell on her polished floors.

Ray, 56, explains in the Instagram clip that she made the braised veal shank and polenta dish for Bennett and his wife, Susan Crow, when the chair he sat in "slid out from under him and he hit his head on my marble counter behind him." But Crow assured Ray that he would "pop back up." Bennett did, and proceeded to eat two portions of Ray's ossobuco.

Throughout, Ray speaks slowly. But fans were quick to diagnose the video as a serious issue.

"I think it's a mini stroke," one viewer wrote. "Part of her mouth seems sinking. When was this???? I haven't seen her this makes me so sad."

"OMG someone get this woman help !" wrote another commenter. "She looks and acts like she has been drinking all the time. I love Racheal but she's do (sic) hard to watch like this."

Another person agreed: "I love her and yes, she’s drunk."

The TV personality has not appeared to respond to fan concerns.

USA TODAY has reached out to Ray's reps for comment.

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Others came to her defense.

"She got emotional talking about her friend is all," one fan wrote.

Another wrote: "For heavens sake! She's fine! Not 22 and cutesy any more, but shes fine. Missing her friend."

Other clips from the series have spurred viewer concerns, including a clip posted Friday where the businesswoman makes pollo al mattone. The comments under that clip were particularly cruel, with remarks about her weight, lack of makeup and age, and others conjecting a drinking issue.

Ray ended her Emmy-winning talk show the "Rachael Ray Show" after 17 seasons in 2023.

"Rachael Ray in Tuscany" began airing on FYI, a lifestyle cable channel owned by A&E Networks, in June. The network has acquired a 50% stake in Ray's production company Free Food Studios, and six new shows are set to be developed under the deal.