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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So Ray Romano is as stuped in real life as he was on everybody loves Raymond. Does not even have too act. Its all about RAY. On tv and in real life. Too Bad so Said.
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YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STUPID AND YOU CAN'T EVEN SPELL IT... OR A SIMPLE 3 LETTER WORD LIKE "SAD"!!!!!!! NOW.. "THAT" IS VERY SAD AND STUPID!!!!!!!!!! LOVELOVELOVE RAY AND THE WHOLE FAMILY!!!!!!
Everybody Loves Raymond boring and not funny??? I guess it does take all kinds.
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Saw Ray's standup act in Vegas. Anyone who thinks he isn't funny has no sense of humor. He was hysterical. Worth every penny of the expensive ticket.
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Doesn't it break your heart when rich, successful people suddenly start whinning about their lives? Spend a couple weeks in the Sudan drinking dirty water and starving. That'll give you a new perspective. I guarantee it.
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Oh, poor little Ray. He made tens of millions on his show that ran for 5-8 years!, then did the new show "Men od a certain age" and we are supposed to feel sorry for him ?????
Hw is financially set for LIFE. He certainly had his share of fame and glory. There are tens of millions of Americans out of work, or who are losing their homes. Did you ever see his home??
He was celebrety on the Golf Channel for one season, and a few segments were shot in his home!!
DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR A CRY BABY !!!!!!
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Well just the best. To relax we watch the rerun and miss Peter boyle and you Ray are the most familiar type to me a former Long Islander. It just was a perfect show and perfomance even when it wasn't perfect. I dearly wish we knew you personally.
It is such a "trip" to watch the real world of insecurity and neurosis and true love instead of violence.
Thank so much
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Men of a Certain Age is awsome. I love this show and have spread the word. I have three sons in this age group and can relate to the things that the three of them are going thru. I hope this show can go on and on...Love it ...
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I didn't start watching Everybody Loves Raymond until after the show ended. I think the show is very funny -- laugh out loud funny at times. I get so mad at his wife and mother, which alone shows they are great actors. The one where he tried to balance their checkbook and then tried to deposit a check into the atm while his wife was inside the bank was hysterical!! Anyone remember that one? When Robert was taken by that fake modeling agency and then Ray was taking pictures of him was so funny. When his parents were moving and Robert, Ray, and wives were celebrating and Ray bounced his wife off the refrigerator!! I could go on and on. The one thing I didn't understand was why they picked blonde headed kids to play their kids. There wasn't a blonde headed gene in Ray or Debra! Great show, but everyone has different likes for different kinds of humor.
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And also Robert and Amy have kids! And maybe Ray and Debra are separated for a while but get back together. All sort of new scenerios.
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Ray should never have taken on the 'golf' game TV show, his real personality came crashing thru, it was awful. He wasn't funny and every time he tried to make a joke it was bordered on smut!
He really has a filty mouth, and is not funny!
But, then perhaps I'm prejudice since the only Italian actor I really like is Al Pacino...now he can 'act'!.
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To "Fat Clemenza'... The only thing you got right was that you "don't get it".... if you're in a room with 100 people... and the only one that's NOT laughing is you... there is indeed a problem... but the only one that has the problem is you. The guy has been a HUGE success for somebody we've never even heard of to question his talent is so absurd that it borders on the insane. We get it... it's over your head. Enough said.
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Nah, it just might mean you've accidentally fallen into a crowd of wrestling fans or morons. Romano is as funny as pulling off a scab.
Oh, please - millions of people are out of work, families are struggling - get over yourself, Romano. Go out and volunteer - spread your wealth - maybe then you'll feel better about yourself.
Be grateful for what you have!
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>"Ray Romano: 'I've Had a Crisis in My 20's, 30's, 40's'">
So have 90% of the rest of us.
What makes you so "special?"
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Another YAWN And a big HO HUM...So he's got problems...So What? So does everybody else. Get over it Ray.
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Kevin, go stay in PBS land. Also, there's something new out there it's called a sense of humor. You may want to look into that.
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Does this Nicki Gostin have a proof reader? How do you hire a writer who doesn't know a noun from a verb?
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I like his show Men Of A Certain Age...They all play well off each other on that show...
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love the show, men of a certain age.
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