It has been over 25 years since the premiere of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” starring comedian Ray Romano, and he just shared a surprising fact about the beloved show.
“Feels like another lifetime, it really does,” Romano said in an interview on “Good Morning America” Wednesday.
He also shared the unexpected origin of the sitcom’s name.
“My brother was a New York City police officer, and he used to compare our lives and he would say, ‘I go to work, I get shot at. Raymond goes to work and everybody loves Raymond,’” the comedian said, adding, “That was a sarcastic comment” from his brother.
From left to right, Ray Romano, Richard Romano and Robert Romano during a book signing for Roman’s children’s book “Raymie, Dickie, and the Bean: Why I Love and Hate My Brothers.” (Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic)
He continued, “They used it as a working title when we were writing it. And I was so petrified, and he goes, ‘no, no, we’ll change it.’ And then CBS fell in love with the title, and here we are.”
“Everybody Loves Raymond” aired on CBS from 1996 to 2005 and starred Romano as Ray Barone, a sportswriter living on Long Island across the street from his family. Patricia Heaton played his wife, Debra, along with Brad Garret as his brother Robert, and Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts as his loving but overbearing parents.
CBS ALLEGEDLY WANTED ‘HOTTER’ STAR TO PLAY RAY ROMANO’S WIFE ON ‘EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND,’ CREATOR SAYS
The show earned 15 Primetime Emmys over the course of its run, including two outstanding comedy series wins and one outstanding lead actor in a comedy win for Romano.
“Everybody Loves Raymond” earned 15 Primetime Emmys over the course of its run on CBS. ( Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
Ray Romano at a screening for his movie “Somewhere In Queens,” which he wrote, directed and starred. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
“It works, I’m not complaining. We did ok,” Romano joked about the title. “But as an insecure comedian and all you don’t want it. And then you know people are going to use it, they’re going to do a play on words, ‘well, not everybody,’ you get a bad review or whatever.”
“And they still do, but it’s ok. I’m hanging in there.”
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Romano also recently revealed an alarming health scare.
On Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast, the 65-year-old said he “just had to have a stent put in,” for a “90% blockage” in his artery.
Ray Romano struggled with his cholesterol for 20 years before having a stent placed. (Jason Koerner)
“I got kinda lucky that we found it. I had 90% blockage in the main artery, what they call the ‘widowmaker.’ I had a stent put in.”
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He went on to discuss the benefit of medication after he and Maron spoke about trying to lower their cholesterol levels naturally through diet.
“If I could go back 20 years ago, I would have gotten on the meds, you know?” Romano said.