Rachael Ray’s Husband John Cusimano Reveals Identity in His New Band Fastest Land Animal – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

May 11, 2021 Kim Martel

Rachael Ray is known to many as a connoisseur of 30-minute meals, a home cook who prefers things to be quick and simple. Ray has been a star on the Food Network for several decades and has published numerous bestselling books.

There’s no doubt that Ray lives a high-profile life, with many projects in the works at all times. Still, Ray likes to keep her home life calm, and fortunately, when she’s ready to escape the limelight, she can turn to the support of her husband, the successful musician John Cusimano, an artist who recently made headlines with a bold new musical venture.

When did Rachael Ray and her husband get married?

Rachael Ray (right) with husband John Cusimano | Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for SOBEWFF

Ray was just beginning her rise to fame when she met Cusimano at a party. They hit it off quickly, although Ray didn’t initially see that their relationship would be romantic.

As she later described, “he told me what he had made himself for dinner the night before, and I assumed that if you’re not a chef and you made what he told me he made, that he was gay. So I was going to set him up with a friend of mine — another handsome Italian man — and he said, ‘Oh, I’m not gay!’ So we stayed out until 4 in the morning that really was our first date.”

Not long after they started dating, Ray and Cusimano moved in together, getting engaged on the day that they moved into their new apartment. Ray and Cusimano married in 2005, and have been together ever since, renewing their vows on several occasions.

Rachael Ray’s husband is a successful musician

Ray might be the only television star in the Ray-Cusimano household, but she’s definitely not the only one who works in the entertainment space. Cusimano is a popular musician, and for years, has headlined a band called The Cringe. As the lead singer for The Cringe, Cusimano has written several songs for his wife and has appeared on The Rachael Ray Show as a performer.

Cusimano has praised Ray as being the perfect supporter for his musical ambitions: “She’s our best and biggest fan, tremendously supportive whether it’s on social media or talking about it on the show, which is great.”

In recent months, Cusimano has made headlines with a different band — and he did so in an entirely unexpected way.

John Cusimano recently unveiled a new musical endeavor

In the early part of 2020, Cusimano and Ray went through several major traumas — losing their beloved pet dog Isaboo, and then, extensive damage to their New York home due to a fire. While Ray and Cusimano were both safe, the combined stress caused Cusimano to look into new means of creative expression.

Cusimano teamed up with his friends, fellow musicians Bob Schneider, Jonny Blaze, and Andrew Meskin, deciding to launch an entirely new band. Calling themselves Fastest Land Animal, Cusimano and his bandmates developed pseudonyms and recorded an entire album remotely.

Cusimano later revealed that he found the prospect of releasing music anonymously very exciting, stating “I was kinda thinking we should never do the big reveal. I’m almost inclined to just keep the mystery going.”

In March 2021, Fastest Land Animal released their debut album, receiving critical praise — and eventually, prompting the group to reveal their “secret” identities, via a music video on the group’s website. While the future of Fastest Land Animal remains uncertain, it seems as though the group definitely succeeded in what they set out to do — make headlines, surprise some fans, and make some good music.