Ray Romano feared he would be fired from his iconic sitcom
Ray Romano started working on it Everyone loves Raymond convinced he could be fired at any moment, carrying the scars of a previous sitcom firing with him as he stepped onto the set of the show that would eventually make him one of television’s biggest comedy stars.
RadarOnline.com can reveal that Romano, 68, reflected on the anxiety that overshadowed the launch of the hit CBS comedy during a reunion panel celebrating the hit show that bears his name.
Joined by series creator Phil Rosenthal and original writers Tom Caltabiano, Tucker Cawley, Mike Royce, Lew Schneider, Steve Skrovan and Aaron Shure, Romano reflected on the uncertainty he felt when production began in 1996.
Although Everyone loves Raymond would continue to run until 2005, winning 15 Emmy Awards and collecting 69 nominations, Romano said he arrived on set haunted by a previous experience on NewsRadiowhere he was removed from the cast before filming had properly begun.
Sources close to the reunion said Romano’s memories highlighted how uncertain his future once seemed, despite the enormous success that followed.
One source told us: “People tend to assume that Ray went straight into stardom, but that’s not how he remembers it. He was doubting himself because he had already experienced rejection from a major television project.”
Another insider said: ‘What’s remarkable is that he was starring in a show named after himself and was still worried he wouldn’t last. That uncertainty stayed with him through those first episodes.
“Looking back on it now, it’s easy to forget how inexperienced Ray felt as an actor. He was a stand-up comedian who was asked to lead a network sitcom, and there was genuine fear about whether he could pull it off.”
During the panel, Romano explained how his previous experiences continued NewsRadio shaped his way of thinking.
He said: “I was doing stand-up for a living. A few acting opportunities came up, and one of them was the show called NewsRadio. I was cast in the original cast of NewsRadio. I had never really acted before; I did stand-up. And on day two I was fired.”
Romano said the experience made him deeply uncomfortable when the cameras started rolling Everyone loves Raymond.
Romano commented: “Fast forward to day one, and I had just been fired from a sitcom, and this sitcom has my name… and it was a little terrifying for me.
“And I know that when I look at that first season, I see myself getting better by the end of the season. I was still a little stiff, a little green.”
The role of sports journalist Ray Barone transformed Romano into a household name.
His sitcom focused on the challenges of family life on Long Island, starring Patricia Heaton as Debra Barone and Brad Garrett as Ray’s giant brother Robert.
Critically acclaimed stars Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle played Romano’s character’s parents, Marie and Frank Barone.
The cast also included Madylin Sweeten and twin brothers Sawyer Sweeten and Sullivan Sweeten.
Sawyer died in 2015 at the age of 19.
The reunion also revisited the show’s continued popularity and recent 30th anniversary celebrations.
Romano recalled taking home a famous prop when production ended.
He said, “That’s the first thing I took with me. The only thing I wanted to take with me was the couch.”
Discussing the floral sofa featured in the series, he added: “I took the sofa and it’s in my home cinema. I hate to say I have a home cinema, but yes, it’s in the cinema.”
Romano said the bench was temporarily brought back for the anniversary gathering.
“They came and got (the couch) and brought it back,” Romano explained.
