Last week, Martha Stewart let ‘er rip on what she really thinks of Rachel Ray. It was not pretty, but it classic Martha. Martha told Nightline that Rachel is “more of an entertainer… than a teacher” and that Rachel’s barely refigured recipes that Rachel is reselling in a new cookbook aren’t, in Martha’s words, “good enough for me.” For her part, Rachel seemed to take the criticism in stride immediately, even telling media outlets that Dame Martha was simply being honest, and that Rachel herself would prefer food prepared by Martha to her own crap.
But it looks like Martha felt bad about the incident. So she backtracked a little on her Monday show, saying that there were “no bad feelings” between the two women. Martha even called Rachel “enthusiastic” which I gather is one of the highest compliments Martha can give someone.
In Martha Stewart’s world, Rachael Ray is a good thing.
On her Martha Stewart Show Monday, the lifestyle mogul, 68, cleared the air about “some comments that are circulating on the Internet regarding me and Rachael Ray.”
In a recent interview on ABC’s Nightline, Stewart said that Ray is “more of an entertainer” than a teacher, and suggested that Ray’s skills at baking and writing cookbooks are inferior to hers. “”She — just did a new cookbook which is just a re-edit of a lot of her old recipes,” she said in the interview. “That’s not good enough for me.”
But during Monday’s cooking segment with Emeril Lagasse, Stewart says apologetically, “just for the record there are no bad feelings between us nor have there ever been.”
She adds: “I truly believe that Rachael has done a terrific job bringing people, many people who would of never of even stepped into the kitchen or made a dish to cook. I applaud Rachel for her enthusiastic approach to cooking.”Ever the diplomatic hostess — and guest — Stewart notes how much she enjoyed appearing on Ray’s show, and vice versa. “It was a lot of fun to have her on this show making pie with me.” (On Nightline, Stewart pointed out that Ray confessed that she “couldn’t bake.”)
After imploring Ray to “come on back” to her show anytime, Stewart giggles and signs off with one of Ray’s trademark phrases: “I hope you have a Yum-o Thanksgiving.”
Last week, Ray said she didn’t mind Stewart’s slights. “I really just think she’s being honest. She does have a better skill set than I do when it comes to producing a beautiful, perfect, high-quality meal . . . I’d rather eat Martha’s than mine, too.”
[From Us Weekly]
Is it okay if I hate Martha a little bit for backtracking? I mean, what she said in the first place wasn’t even that harsh! She should have stuck by it. She should have doubled down with a comment like “Yeah, I meant every word and then some, Rachel can suck my homemade Connecticut jam.” Is Martha going soft? Is Rachel Ray powerful enough to take down Martha? NOOO!!!
Just so you know, I hear the theme from The Omen when I look at Rachel Ray.
I hate her for backpedaling.
I don’t see why she’s trash talking a fellow tv host anyway… SHE, of all people, should be above that…
I bet Rachel’s food would have been good enough for Martha’s old pancake ass when she was locked up in the pokey.
Her apology was worse than the original statement. Can this woman open her mouth without being condescending?
Kaiser, The Omen? Like, “Da da da da da, DAMIAN!” That one?
Martha’s slipping into daftitude.
I wish people wouldn’t apologize when they don’t mean it. They always sound insincere and worst than the original comments.
“I bet Rachael’s food would have been good enough for Martha’s old pancake ass when she was locked up in the pokey”
Thank you Kevin, for helping me to start the day with a good laugh!
Rachel Ray was very gracious in her response. What a contrast because Rachel sounded humble and Martha sounded like she usually sounds.
I’m pissed too. Martha shouldn’t have to apologize to that peon Rachel! Shes Martha damnit!
Didn’t we have a discussion a few weeks back about celebrities saying dumb stuff and then doing this stupid apology thing afterwards? I wish they would either a) think before saying something stupid or b) say it and stand behind it, even if it pisses people off.
The lame apologizing afterwards, when they KNOW they don’t mean it, rubs me the wrong way. I don’t care for Martha, but I at least thought she’d stand by comments if they were what she truly was feeling.
I didn’t hear an apology. What I saw was a woman who had a huge ego before jail come to grips with the harsh edge to her comments. She never said what she originally said wasn’t true and Rachel Ray was a great sport with good character to admit her flaws. I suspect Martha saw Ray’s comment and was a bit ashamed of herself. Rather than back peddle, she added the upside of what Ray does. Makes me respect both of them more after these exchanges. After all, neither of them is on Monday Night Raw.
Martha’s a hag! It’s been documented, and I happen to work with a women who was one of Martha’s workers (slave…) who says Martha never creates any of her own recipes, nor does she ever cook anything. Nor does she even write her own columns or articles. She has little people that do that. Martha is all about media and marketing – and that’s a good thing?
Rachel busted her ass to get where she is. She came up with an idea for 30 minutes meals at a time when a lot of home cooks were looking for something quick and easy to make. Martha however has enslaved people for decades to create her image of being the perfect hostess, which is why it should be of no surprise that she said what she did about Ray. I find it remarkable that people actually support her attitude regardless of how much you may dislike Ray. But then again Kaiser wrote this article so there you go.
The reason Martha backpeddled is not because she cared – it was because she F’ed up and there is so much hate for her in Rachael’s defense – and she thought she better say sorry. Rachael’s response was that of grace and she now sits way above that old hag in everyway! F U Martha!
Martha was honest for her remark, but the media made a hayday with it. She then realized the truth hurts, then she kind of tried to make nice. Don’t we do that all the time, but we just seldom get caught. Celebrities are just human too, leave Martha alone, let her remain the queen in the kitchen. I followed both of their receipes, and was actually surprised at how good Martha’s food is that make life really enjoyable. However, honestly Ray’s food and Martha’s other daily food or something are both not good enough – waste of time to try.