That Time Rachael Hung Up on the 'TODAY' Show

After filming 1,500 episodes of her nationally syndicated talk show, Rachael Ray pretty much has the whole TV fame thing down pat.

But that wasn't always the case. In fact, when she was first starting to make a name for herself back in the 2000s, she made a few rookie mistakes -- like, you know, hanging up on the 'TODAY' show.

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"I remember the moment when they called from the 'TODAY' show to ask me to come to do a segment, which then turned into my Food Network job," Ray recalled during our 1,500th episode special.

"My mom called me. I was demoing in the meat department at Price Chopper; 30 Minute Meals with meat. The poster said, 'Rachael Ray: She Knows Meat!' [Laughs]"

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"They called me in the meat department," she continued. "My mom said, 'The 'TODAY' show just called you!" I said, "Oh, come on. It's somebody playing a joke on me."

"The woman's name was Michelle. [My mom said], 'She works with Al Roker. Call back right away!" I thought it was a prank. So, I called the 'TODAY' show and she said, 'Michelle of 'TODAY.'' And I hung up, because I was so scared!"

Of course, the phone call turned out to be anything but a prank; Ray filmed the segment with Roker without a hitch.

For the most part, anyway.

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"I do remember that I must have said groovy," Ray recalled with a laugh. "For he next six months, anyone who saw me [at the grocery store] would [look at me and] say, 'Hey, groovy!'"