Rachael Ray Defends Donuts, Racy Pics

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By PopEater Staff Posted Mar 2nd 2009 01:52PM

Rachael Ray Defends Donuts, Racy Pics

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(March 2) - It's been more than five years since Rachael Ray posed in next to nothing for men's mag FHM, and despite negative feedback from fans and even her mother, the TV cook says she'd "do it again tomorrow" if given the chance.

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Rachael on Nightline'

"It was the most scared I've ever been," Rachael Ray tells 'Nightline' about her racy photo shoot for lad mag, FHM. "I wouldn't change a thing. I'd do it again tomorrow."

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She also doesn't regret taking the job of Dunkin' Donuts spokesperson. "They came to me and they said, 'We want to make healthier food for America. You drink a lot of coffee. You grew up on Dunkin' Donuts. Have a cup of Dunkin' Donuts on us' ... They've been very supportive of me. I don't regret a thing. Not for a minute."

Dunkin' Donuts / AP

The down-to-earth Ray has built a multi-million dollar since rising to fame on the Food Network, with TV shows, magazines and cookbooks all bearing her name. But don't call her a chef.

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"I'm not a chef," she said. "I haven't created any new technique in the kitchen. I'm not a rocket scientist. I think I'm good at writing accessible, fun, and affordable meals for the average American family. That's what I think I'm good at."

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Rachael Ray and her husband, John Cusimano.

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In a wide-ranging interview with ABC's 'Nightline,' airing Monday, the perky Ray talks at length about being on the receiving end of nonstop public scrutiny in recent years, for her cooking style, her role as a donuts-and-coffee spokesperson and of course those racy shots.

"I think I was 35 at the time," she said about the FHM experience. "And I thought about it for a while, and I said, 'You know what? This magazine has as young as 17-, 18-year-olds in hottie bikinis, and these are all actresses, models, pin-up girls. I don't belong to any even remote club of theirs."

"And I thought, 'If I'm gutsy enough to do this, this is a good thing for everybody. This is the everywoman, here she is,'" she added. "And I did it, and it was the most scared I've ever been, and I wouldn't change a thing. I'd do it again tomorrow."

The host of 'Rachael Ray' and '30 Minute Meals' has also taken one on the chin for her endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts, and though she admits it "wasn't the greatest thing for my PR," the 40-year-old star doesn't regret her decision.

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Rachael Ray Snapshots

In this image released by The Rachael Ray Show, host Rachael Ray poses with Tom Selleck, right, during the taping of "The Rachael Ray Show" in New York on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009. The program will air on Friday, Feb. 27. (AP Photo/The Rachael Ray Show, David M. Russell) ** MANDATORY CREDIT; NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; NORTH AMERICAN USE ONLY **

In this image released by The Rachael Ray Show, host Rachael Ray talks with Tom Selleck, left, during the taping of "The Rachael Ray Show" in New York on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009. The program will air on Friday, Feb. 27. (AP Photo/The Rachael Ray Show, David M. Russell) ** MANDATORY CREDIT; NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; NORTH AMERICAN USE ONLY **

Rachael Ray, left, cooks with host Jimmy Fallon on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. (Virginia Sherwood/NBC/MCT)

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** FILE ** In this March 15, 2008 file photo, Rachael Ray hosts a SXSW Music Festival day party in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Jack Plunkett, file)

In this image released by The Rachael Ray Show, host Rachael Ray, right, poses with actress and singer Hilary Duff during the taping of "The Rachael Ray Show" in New York on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. The program will air on Tuesday, Feb. 24. (AP Photo/The Rachael Ray Show, David M. Russell) ** MANDATORY CREDIT; NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; NORTH AMERICAN USE ONLY **

In this image released by The Rachael Ray Show, host Rachael Ray, right, talks with actress and singer Hilary Duff during the taping of "The Rachael Ray Show" in New York on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009. The program will air on Tuesday, Feb. 24. (AP Photo/The Rachael Ray Show, David M. Russell) ** MANDATORY CREDIT; NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; NORTH AMERICAN USE ONLY **

Celebrity Chef Rachael Ray appears onstage with Guy Fieri (not pictured) at the 2009 South Beach Wine and Food Festival on February 21, 2009 in South Beach, Florida. 2009 South Beach Wine And Food Festival South Beach, FL United States February 21, 2009 Photo by Logan Fazio/FilmMagic.com To license this image (56817729), contact FilmMagic.com

Logan Fazio/FilmMagic.com

SOUTH BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Husband John Cusimano and television personality Rachael Ray attend the 2009 South Beach Wine and Food Festival Whole Foods Grand Tasting Village on February 21, 2009 in South Beach, Florida. (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Cusimano;Rachael Ray

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"They came to me and they said, 'We want to make healthier food for America. You drink a lot of coffee. You grew up on Dunkin' Donuts. Have a cup of Dunkin' Donuts on us.' They gave their support and their money to [Ray's children's charity] Yum-o. They've been very supportive of me. I don't regret a thing. Not for a minute."

Ray calls herself an "all-things-in-moderation kind of person" and enjoys the occasional "warm donut," saying "I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

Many of her fellow TV foodies don't feel the same way about the DD. Anthony Bourdain called Ray's role in commercials for the company "evil" and "like peddling crack to kids." (Ray has taken the high road, only saying "I absolutely love Tony Bourdain"). Gordon Ramsay took a dig at Ray last October in a discussion with the New York Times. When asked what drove him to be a celebrity chef, he replied "It?s not greed or TV or stick your ass to the window to endorse Dunkin? Donuts."

The down-to-earth Ray has built a multi-million dollar since rising to fame on the Food Network, with TV shows, magazines and cookbooks all bearing her name. But don't call her a chef.

Watch Clips From Rachael's 'Nightline' Interview

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Comments

(37)

Sunday 27 December

By Ron

Vote down Vote up Report this

The geniuses at AOL are back on the job again as they don't know the difference between Rachael Ray and Rachael Harris!
If you don't know what I mean then click on the second set of pictures.

By Perri

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I see nothing wrong in what she did. Her licking things are very suggestive. She acts very demure and innocent on her cooking show. How can that be? Love her show & she is a neat person.

Monday 28 December

By geri

SO WHAT HAVE YOU CONTRIBUTD TO THE FOOD NETWORK OTHER THEN GOING FROM LOW RENT COUNTRY TO LOW RENT COUNTRY EATING PIGS GUTS,MONKEY NUTS AND ENDTRAILS OF POSSIBLY JUNGLE PEOPLE.YOU DO YOURSELF VERY POORLY THERE MR.BORE)DAIN.!ALL WE SEE OF YOU IS SUCKING ON UNKNOWN SHELLS WITCH JUST CLOSELY RESEMBLES GARBAGE,BEER AFTER BEER.BRAGGING ABOUT YOURSELF ,YET UN PROVEN.GET BACK INTO THE KITCHEN OR GET OFF TV. WE WANT TO SEE REAL APPRECIATION OF FOODS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND NOT GROSSING US OUT .THERE ARE ENOUGH ON FOOD NETWORK DOING THAT.YOUR JUST A SELF INDULGENT BORE.WHO CLAIMS WHAT TO FAME AND FOOD??????WE ARE ALL STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.AND LAY OFF RACHAEL.I THINK YOU ARE JUST SHOWING OFF YOUR PROFESSIONAL JEALOUSY.SHE WIPES YOU OUT IS ALL ASPECTS.GET OVER IT AND GET OFF THE TUBE.GO RACHAEL GO!!!!!

By mike

what's the big deal I love Rachel Ray really people don't you have something better to do then always thy to bring people with more succses then you down people struggle every day and if those photo's help her GOOD for you love you Rachel

By paul

Now Rachel is something to eat that would not make you fat! I'd even share a Dunkin Donuts coffee with her afterwards.

paul

By rich

WOW shes hot im hungry and horny now first time i seen pic pretty hot best i have seen is there more think i will watch her show more often thanks Rachel Ray wish i could get her to cook for me shes got me cooking thats for sure

By Donovan

To be honist i have seen other woman pose for FHM in much less like in the all together only hiding the part that are important. I really do not see a big deal. i think it is becuse of who she is that is is such a big deal to some.

By Bryan

Rachel is a very Beautiful woman, who doesnt take herself too seriously. She knows who she is, what she is all about and she looks great in Jeans. She`s super sexy and smart.

By John

Bourdain's show is getting old like him. The question each week is what liberal weirdo is he going to sit down and eat with. To be truthful I have stopped watching him after the Saudi and his family show. They both sucked!

By Mike in Phoenix

RR is an entertaining, spritely, energetic and exciting everywoman that rose up from extremely humble means and seams to have a great time and a great sense of humor building a multi-million dollar empire. She may not be Martha, but we got one of her, she may not be an Oprah, but that spot is filled. She is who she is and she is enjoyable to watch. Anthony Bourdain is a self describe drunken, chain smoking, anti-social, vile, loud-mouthed aging bad boy with crappy brown teeth and and a crappy brown soul. Suck it Bourdain!

By Gennie

I have watched Bourdain for years, and Ramsey a time or two. They seem to think that arrogance, and condescending makes them more of a talent than they are. I would far rather eat lunch with Rachel than to travel to some obscure island and eat bugs with Bourdain. I wouldnt share a meal with Ramsey that required a knife for fear of burying it in his forehead. They both remind me of the artists in the 50s that thought being eccentric made them talented and the world followed along like lemmings.
Isn't Ramsey losing everything right now, having to sell off his restaraunts?? Maybe if he were more like Rachel and less like Bourdain, an overrated fry cook, then he would be as successful as Rachel.

By bill

rachael, you got it, you look good.

By mstrahm487

I have to say DITTO to most of you. Rachel is beautiful,healthy, girl next door. People aren't supposed to be clones of one persons view of perfection. James Cameron called Kate Winslet Kate weighs a lot on the set of Titanic. My husband considered her one of the most beautiful actresses out there although a little on the skinny side for his taste. Being underweight or overweight definitely does not define beauty except in the eyes of certain egomaniacs (most of whom are not much to look at themselves). Many people I thought were nice looking became really ugly within minutes of opening their mouth and vice versa. Think of how much more beautiful Susan Boyle became once she opened her mouth and how plain Bourdain looks after opening his (at least in my opinion). The most beautiful woman I have ever known was my Great Aunt Mary, especially as an 86 year old white haired lady with an extraordinary inner beauty and love for her fellow human beings.

By katspaaa

to PEPPA .... Shall we say JEALOUS! She's done a fab job on making herself a millionaire...bet you can't say that!!! Ha! Rachel is an awesome person, a lot better than you!

By Dean

So nice to see a real woman. Go Rachael.

By leolux10

Is it just me? Or does Rachael Ray have just the CUTEST face!? Her smile too! She's too cute. Not to mention her perky, classy sized breasts (no offense). Ahhh A keeper.

By Katspaaa

I bet if she had a feather and I had her figure we'd both be tickeled!! Ha! GO Rachel, there isn't anything racy about her pcitures, a lot better than most of the women wear on stage these days! I think they're cute. She's got it and should flaunt it, she's proud of what she has and I can't blame her!!

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