Posted Apr 8th 2008 5:39PM by TMZ Staff
They don't stop the sambas when the taping's over -- the fierce foxtrotters high tailed it to Villa after Monday night's performances ... and boy did Cheryl Burke have a good time.
Also in L.A.: Courtney Love said she'd be buying a new UK home, Heidi Montag was pressed on her voting registration status and Paula Abdul revealed what diet Stevie Wonder referred her to.
In NY: Leona Lewis signed a ton of autographs, Usher gave some baby talk and Rachel Ray looked frumpy.
Filed under: Star Catcher, Dancing with the Stars
Tags: Cheryl Burke, CherylBurke, Courtney Love, CourtneyLove, Heidi Montag, HeidiMontag, Leona Lewis, LeonaLewis, Paula Abdul, PaulaAbdul, Rachel Ray, RachelRay
Posted Jan 24th 2007 6:00AM by TMZ Staff
Perky talk show host Rachael Ray made disparaging racial remarks about the woman who gave Ray her big shot at daytime TV -- none other than Oprah Winfrey, according to TMZ sources. It's a shocking account of a dinner that occurred during the period that the show was being sold.
Rewind to December 3, 2005. Ray was at the Century City Shopping Mall in Los Angeles for a book signing. Reps from King World, the production company that was syndicating the show, were shooting the event for its sales presentation.
"Why is she wearing slave drag? She obviously has problems being black."
At around 7:00 PM, Ray, along with seven others, went to Houston's Restaurant in the mall. They sat in a booth in the far right rear of the restaurant. Ray ordered fish and complained to the table it was dry. She
was also drinking red wine and lots of it -- one source says a minimum of four big glasses.
We're told Ray became "extremely loud and aggressive," and began dissing Oprah. Sources say she told the group about a portrait of Oprah that sits in the lobby of Harpo Productions in Chicago. It's from the movie "Beloved" and shows Winfrey's back, enhanced with scars. She's also wearing a skirt from the slavery era.
Back at the table, sources say Ray launched into attack mode: "Why is she wearing slave drag? She obviously has problems being black."
But Oprah wasn't Ray's only target. Sources say she told the group how much she liked Jennifer Aniston and then called Brad Pitt a "pussy boy." But her harshest comments were reserved for Angelina Jolie, calling her "a skanky, backdoor c**t."
TMZ contacted the Director of Publicity for Rachael Ray, Charlie Dougiello, who said, "Rachael did attend the dinner referenced and enjoyed wine and good conversation with friends and colleagues. She denies making any of the comments referenced. In fact, there are several words that are attributed to Rachael that she has never uttered in her life."
Dougiello added, "Neither in public nor in private has Rachael made a disparaging or cruel remark about her friend and mentor, Oprah, nor a celebrity couple she has never even met."
Dougiello also said, "There were several associates of Rachael's at that table who, unprompted, agreed that Rachael never made any of the comments she is being accused of making... and it seems very convenient that these accusations are being levied at a time when Rachael's success has focused the public eye on her."
Filed under: TV, Oprah
Tags: oprah, rachel ray, RachelRay, winfrey
Posted Nov 15th 2006 12:01PM by TMZ Staff
David Letterman got a call last night that ranks as one of the strangest ever. The caller described being at a taping of the Rachael Ray show where Tony Danza flipped out.
According to Dave's caller, Danza wasn't even a guest on Ray's show. No one seemed to realize he was even there until he just suddenly called out from the audience, "Ziti my ass!"
After that it was madness. Tony reportedly accused Rachael of stealing his show, and then rushed the stage -- chasing Rachael with an unknown substance in a garbage bag.
When tasers got involved, the story entered the realm of "too good to be true".
The caller didn't think it was a Rachael Ray skit. But it could well have been a David Letterman skit. Either way, we love the story.
Filed under: TV, Wacky & Weird
Tags: David Letterman, DavidLetterman, Rachel Ray, RachelRay, Tony Danza, TonyDanza, Ziti
