Talkshow hostess and Martha Stewart wannabe Rachael Ray may have to take a two month hiatus from her show. The National Enquirer repors that doctors found a growth near her larynx and she’ll have to undergo surgery to remote it by the end of the year. It is not cancerous, but could be dangerous to her health. Rachael used to be a heavy smoker although she has since quit. The surgery will leave her unable to speak for up to two months and she is trying to pre-tape shows in preparation. It sounds like it is just recommended that she take two months to heal, and that she may not lose her voice entirely:

While the 40-year-old super chef has remained her usual perky, upbeat self as her new TV season unfolds, behind the scenes she and husband John Cusimano have been meeting with medical specialists about the operation that will be performed before the end of the year, say sources.

The former heavy smoker was stunned when doctors recently discovered a potentially dangerous growth near her larynx, says an insider…

Dr. Thomas, who has not treated the TV chef, told The Enquirer:

“With and growths in that area, there is always a very real concern about cancer. There was obviously a cancer scare for the patient. Fortunately, the biopsy showed the growth to be benign, but it still must be removed so it doesn’t interfere with the voice or breathing.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, October 13, 2008]

The expert quoted by the Enquirer goes on to say that two months is a longer recovery peroid than usual, but that when you rely on your voice to work you need to take time to heal after a throat operation. He said “To speak effectively on TV as Rachel must do could take up to two months.”

Many people say that Rachael has overstepped her capabilities with her new show despite its success. She was overperky but tolerable as a cooking show hostess and some find her style in a talk show format grating. She tends to interrupt and not let her guests talk enough. It looks like she’ll be forced to listen more in life, even if we won’t be privy to a speechless Ray on television.

It’s a rough thing to go through a cancer scare and not be able to talk much for two months and our thoughts go out to Ray. Throat surgeries can be risky and hopefully she has a very competent surgeon.

Update: Ray’s rep says this report is overblown and that although she does need surgery to remove a cyst on her vocal cord it is only a minor procedure with a recovery time of two weeks, not two months. They say the surgery is “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.”

Rachael Ray is shown below at the Daytime Emmy Awards on 6/20/08. Credit: PRPhotos. She is shown in the header at an event for City Harvest on 9/18/08. Credit: WENN