Ray Barone

Raymond Albert "Ray" Barone, is a fictional character from the American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. He is played by Ray Romano, whose standup comedy provides the comedic themes and general style of the show.

Background

Ray Barone lives in Lynbrook, Long Island, just outside New York City. He is a sportswriter for Newsday. He lives with his wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), and their playful children Geoffrey, Michael and Ally (played by Sawyer Sweeten, Sullivan Sweeten and Madylin Sweeten). Ray's favorite things include golf, watching sports on television, sex (rare for him), hanging out with the guys, and getting a slice of pizza at Nemo's (later known Marco's) famous pizzeria. The other members of his family live across the street from him, which include his brother Robert (Brad Garrett), his mother Marie (Doris Roberts), and his father Frank (Peter Boyle).

Ray grew up in an unbalanced household where one parent nurtured him, sometimes to an extreme, while the other tried to reverse his wife's work and didn't provide enough love and attention. This may have led to him having psychological weaknesses. Raymond hardly ever helps out his wife, Debra, around the house or with the kids, partially due to the fact that he is a sportswriter and is on the road, covering the games. When Ray is at home on his own, however, he usually sits on the couch watching television and only interacting with Debra. Ray and Debra are constantly being visited and bothered by Ray's parents, Frank and Marie. Frank and Marie continuously barge into their house uninvited. Sometimes however, Ray welcomes his father and brother's visits because they watch sports games together and have some things in common.

Personality

Ray doesn't take matters seriously. He often makes a corny joke when one of his family members becomes upset with him, particularly his wife.

Ray has a fear of confronting his mother when she does things that frustrate him and Debra. The "psychological hold" that his mother has on him is Debra's pet peeve. Ray has even sided with his mother against his wife on occasion and can be extremely wimpy, weak, and whiny. Ray has a habit of making bad, and sometimes inconsiderate choices and is almost always hearing about it from Debra. For example, one episode shows Ray taped over their wedding video with Super Bowl XXV.

Ray Barone is based loosely on the real-life Romano. For example, Barone is a father of twins on the show, and Romano also has a pair of twins in real life. At the moment, Romano and his wife have four children in total, however the show was created when they only had three children. The show's children were based on Romano's real children (1 daughter and 2 twin boys).

Ray has a whiny, nasal voice and is incapable of asserting himself, once even being beaten up by a Girl Scout leader. He and his brother Robert have many psychological problems stemming from their childhood – Ray is unable to say "I love you" to Debra and is in general emotionally uncommunicative because of the utter lack of affection from his father in his childhood. The legacy from Marie's overprotective upbringing is the co-dependent relationship the brothers share with her and their sibling rivalry that has persisted into adulthood. His main activity outside of work and home is golf.

Other appearances

Ray Romano has also appeared in the role of Ray Barone in some other TV shows, such as The King of Queens and The Nanny, where it was revealed that he went to the same high school as Fran Fine. In fact, even when Everybody Loves Raymond ended, the Ray Barone character appeared in episode 8.10 of The King of Queens. This episode reveals that very little has changed about Ray since Everybody Loves Raymond went off the air.

Quotes

• (After his parents back their car through his house) "Hey."
• (Trying to avoid conflict with Debra) "What smells good? Damn, woman!"
• (To Robert after he says because he is a cop, he has eyes all over town) "Did any of those eyes watch you get dressed this morning?"
• "Men don't like to cuddle. We only like it if it leads to... you know... lower cuddling."
• (To Robert who is holding a wooden ruler)"What's that? Are they finally making popsicles in your size?"
• "Whatever my wife touches falls off, so you can imagine how scared I am."
• (After eating Debra's meatloaf) "Lucky. Wonder if that was the name of this horse."
• Robert: "Three women. I don't know what I'm gonna do." Ray: "You do a dance, you gigantic lucky bastard."
• Debra: "Do you know what I don't understand?" Ray: "That when I kiss your neck, I'm not checking for ticks."
• (After his twins have knocked his golf clubs down the stairs) "Yeah... you won't be smiling when we send you a postcard from Disneyland."
• (To Robert, regarding Ray and Robert's fictional synthesized persona Raybert) "You know, with your availability and my mystique, we're unstoppable!"
• (About his father Frank) "He's still mad society makes him wear pants."
• (After Debra's father sleeps with Ray's pillow between his legs) "If you listen closely, you can hear my pillow screaming."
• (About his brother Robert) "I hate that guy!"
• (After Robert is gored by a bull and Marie says she knew one day she'd get that call) "Really? The 'Your son has been gored in the ass by a bull' call?"
• (To Debra) "Why do we need curtains in the bedroom? It's not like anyone's ever naked in there."
• (After his wife says she's not angry with him) "Yeah, tell that to the vein in your head."
• "There are certain things a man says to his wife to, I don't know... fill the silence."
• "You kicked meee! Right in The Garden of Good and Evil!
• (When his wife wants to sleep elsewhere for the night) "I can't sleep without you. I've grown accustomed to your nose whistle."
• "These jeans are relaxed fit, if they were regular my ass would come alive!"
• (About his father Frank) "He's one of those guys, you know... an idiot."
• "Honesty...don't believe the hype."
• Debra: (angry at Robert for cheating on Amy) "Why would you be messing around with Stephania?" Ray: "Have you seen Stephania?"
• (On a ride-along with Robert, when a hold up takes place.) Robert, I left my vest in the car!
• (To Robert after he takes off his shoes) "We must have run over the skunk who crawled out of the ass of another skunk."
• (After Debra comments about his foosball trophies) "I was playing at a level you'll never understand."
• (When Debra proposes sex on Christmas day, as everyone is coming over.) "You've activated the launch sequence now!"
• (After Robert got anti-wrinkle injections.) "Need some oil Tin Man?"
• (When Robert smoked a cigarette.) "Looks like Frankenstein blew a fuse."
• "Dad thinks that the moral of the Adam and Eve story is, 'Don't eat when you're naked.' "
• (Singing in Robert's apartment) "Jacuzzi, Jacuzzi, bubbles up my heinie."
• (To Robert after Amy slaps him twice) "When she got up on the couch a second time, what did you think she was gonna do?"
• (When Debra asks him when they can move) "Five seconds after we can afford it."
• (To Robert) "You are an idiot wrapped in a moron."
• (During tense situations) "Oh, what is happening!!!"
• (To Debra) "Holding back sex. How original. I'm a sex camel."
• "Pants, Dad, pants!"
• (To Robert) "You are a little too free with the body."
• (When asking Marie how she makes her meatballs) "I know there's meat and there's balling."
• (In Italy) "I'm taking a bath like Columbus."
• (Commenting on riding a bus) "That's a smelly foot contest."
• (When Frank turns on a flood light) "I think I just saw my own retina."
• (On staying with his parents) "Damn termite bastards."
• "Ah, no habla talkie talkie!"
• (After seeing Debra's sonogram) "You're damn right it's not an arm!"
• "I'm gonna be a lonely, deaf sex beggar."
• (To Debra) "If lovin' you is wrong, then baby I don't want to be right."
• (To Robert about living with Frank and Marie) "If I were you I'd be dusting off my fingerprints and rehearsing my 911 calls."
• (To Robert) "It's like your mouth is falling down the stairs."
• (After Robert accidentally breaks off the top of a Christmas tree) "You just hate anything bigger than you, don't you?"
• (To Debra) "It's easier to use the glue when you don't have to kill the horse yourself."
• Marie: One day you'll turn around, and I won't be here! (Spins completely around) Ray: Not today!
• (Looking at a list of activities on a cruise ship with Marie) "Oh, good, skeet shooting. I'd like to sign up as skeet."
• (To Frank) "Oh great. We're about to learn the meaning of life from a man who once threw his shoe at a swan."
• (To Debra after the election for president of the school board) "You're supposed to support me no matter what's in my pants!"