The Major Life Choice Rachael Ray Claims She Was Criticized For

Celebrity cook Rachael Ray has been married to John Cusimano since 2005, and the couple chose to not have children. In November 2024, Ray had an exclusive conversation with former "Biggest Loser" host Bob Harper during an episode of her own podcast, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," where she discussed the public judgment she has faced in the past from choosing to not have children. 

While speaking with Bob Harper on an episode of her podcast published on November 12, 2024, Ray got giddy when she found out Harper decided to not have children, a decision she also made. "I chose never to have children," Harper stated. "God love all the people that have kids." "Me too!" Ray cut in, seeming excited to have someone who understood her situation. "And boy, did I get bashed for it over the decades."

Also during her podcast episode, Ray explained to Harper why she prefers having a pet to a child. "They never talk back. They always want to hug you," the television personality said. Ray later added, "It just brings you a ray of light." She continued on, explaining how being a dog mom greatly improves her life, especially when she's under the weather. Ray, who has a dog named Bella Boo Blue, also explained that she couldn't imagine not owning an animal. "It makes you a better human to have an animal. ... I don't understand folks that are not into having an animal in their lives," Ray declared.

It seems as though Rachael Ray, who's gone through a stunning transformation, came to her decision to not have children mainly because of her extremely busy schedule. During an interview with People in 2007, Ray told the outlet, "I don't have time. I work too much to be an appropriate parent." Ray's words from 2007 mirror her discussion on her podcast almost 20 years later, when she revealed that she feels just as fulfilled from having pets as she would if she had a child.

Ray claimed she was criticized for her decision to not have kids, but it seems many people see her in a positive light and haven't minded her choice. One social media user even took to Reddit to share that they never thought about Ray's decisions regarding motherhood as a fan. "As much as I've had awareness of her career over the years, not once did I ponder if she did or didn't have children," the person wrote, adding that their focus was the food the famous chef made. Despite this, it's fair to give Ray the benefit of the doubt when it comes to her claims as she could have been referring to in-person interactions and not online criticism.

While Ray claims people judged her decision to be child-free, she seems to have zero regrets regarding this choice.