Simply a Ray of sunshine

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Ray Romano is heading for Honolulu to do a stage show about his now-ended TV series. Tony Esparza • CBS Too cheesy for Romano? On a reunion show: "We've talked about it — filming it now and showing it in 10 years, so the people can say, 'Well, they look great.' I guess they (other successful series) all do it. But I think it's a bit cheesy." On the glut of prime-time reality shows: "I'm a fan of certain shows, but even as a fan, I think it's become a little repetitive and monotonous. I like 'The Amazing Race,' 'Survivor' and 'The Contender.' Anything you execute well is interesting to watch. But there are fewer fresh things now." On the demise of the sitcom: "It seems the format is sliding ... until the next big hit." On doing another series, either before or behind the camera: "I still want to be creative, but I would rather do stand-up or acting in film, where I write my own stuff." — Wayne Harada

When Ray Romano speaks on the phone, you feel instantly drawn to him — he's glib, he's galvanizing, he's candid. It's almost like encountering an ol' buddy.

Romano's Monday-night TV run might be over, but the fun continues for the star of CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond." And maybe that's a reason he's so cheerful and charming. He went out a champ and he's still high.

He's definitely not one of those tightly wound souls with overbearing ego.

"Believe it or not, I'm a surfer," he said, gushing like Ray Barone, the beloved but often beleaguered character he inhabited for nine seasons. "I learned to surf in Queens, New York, where I was born, but had to move to California when the show started, and I haven't surfed California once. But when I come there (Hawai'i), my kids take surfing lessons and go out on Boogie Boards, too. I surf, but I also golf. So I can't wait."

The "Raymond" series wound up its run May 16 as the No. 1 sitcom on the tube, but Romano is too busy to miss the routine of doing a weekly show. He's preparing a documentary on stand-up comedy, another on golf that will air on HBO, and he's rejuvenated his stand-up career.

"And coming to Hawai'i," an excited Romano said in a long-distance interview.

He said the gig with Phil Rosenthal and his family of writers is a means of extending the bond that prevailed off-camera for nine seasons. Now we get to see — on the Blaisdell Concert Hall stage Saturday and Sunday — how the gang convenes, cavorts and creates the vignettes and the crises that prevailed on the show.

"I don't think he's doing it because he loves us so much," said Rosenthal, creator and producer of "Raymond." "I think he loves Hawai'i. I think Ray didn't want to miss out on the fun."

Romano admitted that heading this way has become a tradition because he and Rosenthal and their families have vacationed on O'ahu or Maui for at least the past four, maybe five, Christmases and New Years. Who counts when you're having so much fun in paradise?

Romano did appear in the prototype gathering of "Raymond" writers nearly a year ago, but it wasn't for a ticket-buying crowd.

"I actually did the first writers' show in front of an audience when we were honored by the Museum of Television and Radio — but we weren't paid," he recalled.

"There was so much fun, doing that, that Phil and the writers continued this (occasional) tour. Now this one to Hawai'i comes along, and I had to get involved."

Rosenthal said the format of the stage show is simple and seemingly improbable.

"The writers and I tell stories sometimes about the horrible things that happen on the show, and we show clips of a particular 'Raymond' episode. There will be 10 of us; these are some of the funniest guys in the world. And that's why the series was popular — things actually happened, and that's the connection."

Romano had imagined a vacuum in his life once the show shut down. Not so.

"I thought there was going to be this immediate emptiness," he said. "You know, 'Cut!' and the show wraps, and it's over. Where would all that energy go? Well, it's been residual; I've been so busy, doing a documentary, some stand-up, so I think that feeling of loss will be gradual."

Romano said revelations about his real-life kids and his wife often were fodder for the TV show. "It really never got too embarrassing," he insisted.

"What happens now is that if I get involved in an interesting fight with my wife, I can't use that material anymore. At least not on the show. Now, it's just a crummy fight. Before, I got a story out of it."

Ray Romano starred as Ray Barone in the CBS sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" that was based on the comic events of everyday life. Photo of Romano by Monty Brinton • CBS

The sitcom's creator/producer, Phil Rosenthal, will be part of the weekend shows that reminisce about the TV hit's nine seasons.

"We had nothing more to say; we did it all," he said.

Rosenthal wrote the finale a year and a half ago, "and kept it in the drawer. I knew it would be a good finale," he said. "We knew it had to come to an end. And I'm glad it ended on our terms — it's a rare opportunity to pick your departure."

With "Raymond" continuing in syndication, Romano's not eager to immediately shop for another series. Besides, the residuals will keep him in the money for years.

He's done three films so far — none of them explosive box office hits. Those were "Ice Age," in which he voiced Manfred, the woolly mammoth; "Eulogy," in which he played the divorced dad of two teen sons; and "Welcome to Mooseport," in which he portrayed a hardware-store owner who's running for mayor. Future films include "Grilled" later this year, and "Ice Age 2" in 2006.

Romano said he equally enjoys film and TV work, for different reasons.

"The TV show provides immediate rewards — we tape in front of a live audience, and it's like a play, complete with whole acts and scenes," said Romano.

"Having said that, the thing I like about film, even if it's difficult to sum up the emotion you need at a certain point in the story, is the fact that you don't have to project to an audience. You face the camera; the film can read something in your eyes or what you say. The emotions are true.

"The difficulty is that scenes are often not performed in sequence leading up to an emotion; but there are subtleties that often ring true. I like the idea of performing in both TV and in films; I just wish that I do a film that people will come see."

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.