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Rachael Ray suffered yet another career setback at a recent promotional event for her gin brand.
The 56-year-old TV chef was holding a meet-and-greet and bottle signing for her distilled ‘Staple Gin’ in New York on Saturday.
But despite initially drawing hype on social media, the event – at the Broadway Spirits store in Manhattan – got off to a rocky start when there were just 20 fans in line as the signing was due to begin, an insider has exclusively revealed to the Daily Mail.
Even more disappointing, per the insider, is that the small group of fans – who had coughed up $50 per ticket – were then forced to wait in 80F heat for Ray to actually turn up.
She ended up arriving ’20 minutes late’, the source said, but was in a ‘cheerful mood’ as she waved to fans and thanked them for coming.
The $50 price tag promised to include a meet and greet with the former Food Network star, a signed bottle of her gin and a photo opportunity.
Rachael Ray has suffered a career setback at her Staple Gin bottle signing over the weekend, Daily Mail can exclusively reveal
The Food Network star stepped out in New York City at her meet and greet event, but an insider revealed the 56-year-old was ’20 minutes late’ to her own event
Organizers were selling tickets for the signing for $50, including tax. However, there were barely any fans that attended the two-hour event
In groups of four, the waiting fans made their way inside Broadway Spirits where Ray had a table set up and a carousal of her Staple Gin – which is crafted in New York’s Catskills region and launched in August last year.
But our insider reports that something ‘seemed off’ with the star and that she exhibited ‘bizarre behavior’ as she greeted fans and handed them bottles of her gin and branded baseball caps.
‘She got oddly close to some people, hugging them in a way that seemed overly familiar as she posed for photos,’ the source said.
‘You know how Drew Barrymore acts with celebrity guests on her talk show – just like that.’
Adding insult to injury, and due to the small number of fans gathered, the event essentially wrapped up in less than an hour.
It had been scheduled to run from 1pm to 3pm, but, per the insider, ‘around halfway through the event there was no line outside.’
‘Organizers were then standing outside telling random people about Rachael Ray doing a bottle signing,’ the insider added.
The $50 ticket included a meet and great with Ray, a signed bottle of her gin and a photo opp
Ray posed next to a carousal of her Staple Gin, which is crafted in New York’s Catskills region and launched in August 2024
An insider revealed to Daily Mail that there were 20 people in line outside of Broadway Spirits by the time the event started at 1pm on Saturday
Due to the line ending halfway through the event, an insider told Daily Mail, ‘Organizers were standing outside telling random people about Rachael Ray doing a bottle signing’
But while some found the event lackluster, a second source told the Daily Mail that the event was a resounding ‘success’.
Indeed, Ray’s celebrity pal, Bob Harper – a former trainer on The Biggest Loser and recent The Traitors star – even made a surprise appearance.
‘Rachael spent personal time with each guest that RSVPed, hearing about their lives, signing anything anyone wanted, posing for photos and making human connections as she has always done,’ our second source said. ‘She was being kind and genuine.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Ray’s representative for comment.
This debacle comes as Ray has suffered a string of career setbacks of late.
Her hit eponymous syndicated cooking show – The Rachael Ray Show – which premiered in 2006 and ran unhindered for 17 seasons dramatically concluded in 2023.
She subsequently launched a new program ‘Meals in Minutes’ in April 2024; the third season for which was released in May.
However, the cancellation of the show that made her name no doubt came as a blow.
As an insider previously told the Daily Mail, Ray ‘has not had the easiest time’ since the show ended. It was her ‘pride and joy, and it was her life for so many years,’ that insider said.
Rachael Ray helped make Negroni shots with her Staple Gin for fans to test it out
Despite arriving late, Rachael was in a ‘cheerful mood’ as she promoted her alcoholic beverage
The My Year in Meals author wore beige shorts with a matching blazer to the event, which she paired with a black top and black platform sandals
Bob Harper made a surprise appearance at Rachael’s bottle signing event as she was seen exiting Broadway Spirits holding onto his arm
Just weeks ago, on Mother’s Day, Ray shared an Instagram clip which left fans concerned.
In the video, her words sounded garbled as she leaned heavily on the stove in front of her.
Last October, Ray had shared that she’d suffered ‘a couple of bad falls’ while carrying wood for a fire.
But that, it seemed, was only part of the story.
As an insider exclusively told to the Mail in May, Ray’s family have been left worried for her wellbeing.
‘Those close to Rachael are so concerned,’ the insider said. ‘She has shut people out and lives a very secluded life.’
‘She seems lost and when anyone reaches out to her she doesn’t respond,’ they added.
‘Rachael was always so meticulous about her appearance, and it is very telling and concerning that she now just doesn’t care. It is indicative of a bigger issue.’
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