Ray Romano: 'I've Had a Crisis in My 20's, 30's, 40's'

It's closing time for season 2 of
'Men of a Certain Age,' Ray Romano's show about a trio of college friends grappling with their 50's. The 53-year-old comic sounds awfully close to his alter ego Ray Barone. He's self-deprecating, sweet and quick to spill the beans on his dating techniques which were pretty non-existent. He met his wife when they worked at the same bank, in fact she was the third girl he asked out at that job.
Did you go through a midlife crisis?
You're in the middle of it right now! You're a part of it. Like I always say, it's only called a midlife crisis because I'm in midlife. I've had a crisis in my 20's, 30's and 40's. It's all different things at different times. They take on a little more seriousness I guess through the years but yeah the idea of the show was sparked because both Mike (Royce, co-creator of 'Men of a Certain Age') and I were both coming off working on Raymond and we were both kind of realizing that we were stuck in this void of what do we do now? I'm not ready just to sit down and not do anything. We had a little identity crisis, a little existential crisis. We knew people go through this for different reasons so this is what we should write about. We always write about what we know.
What was your crisis in your 20's?
Geez, it was almost kind of the same theme but it wasn't, 'Hey is that all, do I I have any other goal or purpose or passion?' In my 20's it was like 'When am I going to find a passion, have a direction in life?' Adulthood was just smacking me in the head, my friends were getting married and getting into business. I was kind of in this limbo, it just kind of hit me in the head and I had a very strong identity crisis in my 20's and it took me a while to get over it. I got a sense of self through finding stand-up comedy. In life you go through these peaks and valleys. If you're lucky enough to find something you love that can help you through it. You know some people don't need it, they're happy and content.
Are you envious of people like that?
Yes! I'm happy for them. I go to my therapist and say, 'Why can't I just be content sitting back and letting life happen around me.' I'm not going to be able to do something for my whole life and have a goal and perform and create.
What does your therapist say?
He says, 'Time's Up Ray.'
When you went through a crisis after Raymond finished was your wife like, 'Get out of the house and do something.'
At the final curtain call for Raymond everyone was very emotional and crying and my wife was not crying. She said to me later, 'I found it hard to get sad because it was like the other woman was finally leaving.' So she thought it would be great to have me at home but after a while she saw I'm better off happy, when I'm happy I'm a better husband and working makes me happy.
Are you like the clown crying on the inside?
You're making it sound like a cliche.
But isn't that the stereotype of the stand-up comic?
I think it's a common denominator. I don't think it's a hard rule. Look ... to want to go out there, to have this validation from other people, it's probably lacking somewhere. Thank God for that, otherwise we'd have no entertainment at all. What would we do? We'd all have to go bowling.
You worked in a bank. Were you the funny teller?
Yeah I was the guy who was a little bit irresponsible. I used to write funny poems, usually to try and impress the women. My wife was the third woman I asked out at the bank. She didn't say yes until I left the bank. We were friends for the longest time. We used to go out with a group of friends. Let's put it this way, I was not very smooth and I was not very daring. It took me a lot to go out on a limb and ask someone out. I kind of eased into where we went out and flirted and then I saw a sign, you know the guys who land the planes with the flashlights and wave them in, that's what I needed from for me to make a move. I was making sure I wasn't going to get turned down at that point.
How about your first kiss?
She remembers it because she says it very awkward. We went out to the movies and it was kind of our proper first date. I drove her home and then I kissed her in the car and she says that when we stopped I looked away and stared out the window and wouldn't look at her.
I just interviewed Kevin James and I asked him if he was in a rowboat with you and Adam Sandler who would he save. Guess who he picked?
First of all that's a horrible question! Second of all I hate to even answer it because if I say me I feel bad for Sandler.
Well first of all it's a hypothetical and secondly you should be pissed off with Kevin because he picked Sandler. He said Sandler feeds his [Kevin's] family.
Yeah I was going to same the same thing. He's got to pick Sandler now because Sandler's the guy he's in business with now. Well, I pick Sandler because then the boat stays afloat more.
Thanks for speaking to me Ray.
Hey, make it sound good!
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oh no another rich actor having a crisis!!! gimme a break...
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Men of a Certain Age is the best show on TV now. Good dialogue, beleivable characters, superb acting all around. What's not to like?
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Hard to have a lot of sympathy for someone that makes as much money as hle did (does). If you get a girl to like you because of your money, when your money is not as plentiful, she will like you less - and it is not just the insincerity or lack of genuine affection - now she (and he) are spoiled rotten and not equipped to handle the inevitable financially difficult times (whether they be real or just perceived as being difficult).
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Once you read the article and see what type of person he is, you can see alot of this in his character on the show. Along with a lot of the themes were from things that actually happened to him and his brother in real life.
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Well I thought he was very funny but I haven't seen the other show--the wife was the straight man in everybody loves raymond but the brother was great -also the mom made me scream-out loud because she looks like my mom and acts identical. Shehad that part in the palm of her hand and the dad was great in the show too
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We love Ray Romano and "Everybody Loves Raymond." Thank God for the decent people on TV.
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Like, is the writer of this article (Nicki Gostin) 12 years old or like really young? Or is she like untalented and can't write a sentence without using like? I like expect this out of teenagers, but not like anyone who is supposed to be writing like a published article! Like!
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Mike:
You're right. This guy is totally unfunny and has zero talent. Most of my friends are way funnier than he is. His humour isn't "subtle" it's non-existent. I don't get it.
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Lov "Men of a Certain Age" one of the best shows on TV today! And I'm not a guy... but I can totally relate because I know lots of men of this age and Ray got it right. Unfortunately 6 shows a season isn't enough.....
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We love Everybody Loves Raymond. The entire cast is perfect for the parts they play. Everyone I know who watch(ed) the show always say; "Frank is my dad or Robert is like my brother" and so on. I still watch the reruns over and over and laugh at it all the time.
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Your show "Men of a certain age" is great. Never miss a show.
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credit where credit is due,,,Romano wrote and produced the show and picked his co-stars, that alone takes talent,,,it worked for nine or ten years and he is still making alot money from it,,,ti saluto Ray! you got nothing to prove to anybody. God bless, paolo dionisio.
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Forget about whether he's talented or funny or not, will ya. He's another multi-millionaire many times over who will be earning syndication royalties FOREVER because of couch potatoes like most of you and who never has to work another day in his life, if he doesn't want to and all he can think of to do is whine. SHEEEESH! Poor rich Ray Romano. He probably even has a great accountant who fixes it so he doesn't pay much in taxes. Shut up already!
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Ray, remember Backstage?
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My husband and I are in our 80's and we love Everybody loves Raymond. We are the original Frank and Marie and your right it's not just one person that makes the show, it is the whole cast. We wish Ray could bring back the show. There are a lot of new material to use. Marie remarries, teenage problems and midlife crisis. go for it Ray.
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I would LOVE that!!!!!!
Ray is a big LIB thats why they do this stuff on him He was good in Raymond, but the new one sucks. I wasn't impressed with the gambling addiction crap. But thatnks to him and a lot of other Hollywood libs we Have Obummer
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HOLY CRAP!!! What a friggin girl. He Ray I have an idea, start really thinking about other people before yourself.
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Ray's beginnings were a foundation of hard work and his love to perform. In the mid 90's, early in his career at Backstage, he worked for minimal pay just to allow himself the exposure and confidence of working an audience. He was never brash or foul mouthed, and kept his humor entertaining to all his guest.
I applaud his well deserved success and true friendship. Thank you!
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Boo freaking hoo, cry me an ocean, then go and get a real job, sissy!
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