LOS ANGELES — Not only does everybody love Raymond; everyone knows his overprotective mom. At one time or another, she could be anyone's parent.
"I think she's probably like most mothers," said Doris Roberts, the Broadway, movie and TV veteran who plays Marie Barone, Raymond Barone's mother. "I don't think she has changed (during the series' run). She's a control freak, but everything she does is from love."
Brilliant acting by Roberts and others, strong writing and the best fighting in a sitcom have conspired to make "Everybody Loves Raymond" hilarious.
Raymond and Debra Barone argue with the kind of logic that would drive Mr. Spock crazy. No offense, Mr. Spock; fans love that logic. In the weekly Nielsen scorecard, the CBS sitcom often is among the five highest-rated series. "Raymond" is right behind shows such as "ER" and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
"Everybody Loves Raymond," now in its fifth season, airs at 8 p.m. MST Mondays on CBS. The network will repeat two "Raymond" holiday episodes at 7:30 and 8 p.m. MST on Christmas Day.
"I think it's based on reality; it's not false," Roberts said during a brief interview at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. She was there to accept a SHINE (Sexual Health in Entertainment) Award from the Media Project for the sitcom's episode "Sex Talk." "Raymond" treats sex and other subjects responsibly, but fear not, the show doesn't get too serious.
"You can laugh at the family," Roberts said. "He (Raymond) is certainly one of us. He is everyone."
That's true. I wasn't a fan of "Everybody Loves Raymond" at first, but I gradually came to like the show because star/stand-up comedian Ray Romano does a great job of making Raymond Barone all too human. He has received two Emmy nominations for the role.
On one hand, Raymond, a Long Island sportswriter, wants to make his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) and children Ally, Geoffrey and Michael happy. On the other hand, he'd rather play golf than take out the trash. (FYI: Real-life siblings Madylin, Sullivan and Sawyer Sweeten play the Barone kids.) Just like Raymond, others and I have faced this little tug-of-war in our heads between doing our chores at home and procrastinating. Someday I'll write more about that.
The other characters also are easy to identify with. Debra is too responsible and works too hard. Raymond is trying to teach her to play and enjoy life; he's setting a good example.
Earlier this year, I briefly met Heaton and told her I liked the show. The Broadway, off-Broadway and TV actress responded with a big smile. "You're not the only one," she said a few months before winning a well-deserved Emmy for best actress in a comedy. Before "Raymond," Heaton starred in CBS' "Women of the House" and had a recurring role on ABC's "thirtysomething."
In accepting her Emmy, Heaton praised Romano as a "stand-up comedian that I had never heard of who ended up becoming a wonderful actor who gives me notes on every move I make."
Raymond's parents are realistic. Raymond's dad, Frank (Peter Boyle of "Young Frankenstein" and "Taxi Driver" fame), gives out advice, but it's not necessarily good advice.
And Marie can't accept the fact her sons have grown up and have their own lives. In some of the best stories, she's way too protective of Raymond's bachelor brother Robert, played brilliantly by Brad Garrett.
Roberts, whose more than 20 movies have varied from "My Giant" to "The Rose," does a great job of making Marie memorable but not stereotypical. She has been nominated for an Emmy for "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Remington Steele," and she won an Emmy for a guest-starring role on "St. Elsewhere."
Today, she's still having fun on "Raymond."
"Our trip to Italy was wonderful," Roberts said about this season's opening episode. "I fell in love with Italy."
Roberts is happy with the family interaction on the show. After all, everybody loves his mom.
Dave Mason is television editor of the Ventura County Star in California. His e-mail address is mason@insidevc.com.