ENTERTAINMENTKevin James Doubted 'Low-Energy' Ray Romano's Sitcom Would Take Off: 'I Couldn't Believe It'
Kevin James confessed he doubted Ray Romano's sitcom would succeed, recalling his early fears before 'Everybody Loves Raymond' became a hit.
Aug. 10 2025, Published 2:33 p.m. ET
Kevin James had a hard time believing that everyone would love Raymond.
In fact, when his friend Ray Romano snagged his own sitcom on CBS, the comedian feared for his buddy's future.
"I couldn't believe it, because he's such a low-energy guy," James shared on a recent episode of the "Sibling Revelry With Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson" podcast.
Ray Romano rose to fame after appearing in 'Everybody Loves Raymond.'
"Sitcom guys were, to me, like the big, wacky [characters]. I'm like this, this is death. It's not gonna happen."
As it turns out, Kevin had nothing to worry about. Everybody Loves Raymond emerged as a massive success, captivating audiences for nine seasons from 1996 to 2005, and snagging 15 Emmy Awards along the way.
Ray starred as the titular character, a beleaguered sportswriter dealing with his vibrant family — including wife Debra (Patricia Heaton), brother Robert (Brad Garrett), and parents Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle).
Kevin James had his own big break with 'The King of Queens.'
Kevin quickly realized he misjudged the situation when his own sitcom, The King of Queens, debuted on the same network just two years later.
"The first few years of going with Ray — even when our shows came out, we'd go to the CBS functions and things like that," he recalled. "Red carpet things were so rough because they knew him, but my show had just come out, so they're taking a thousand pictures of Ray."
Kevin remembered feeling overshadowed on the red carpet. "It was tough," he confessed, noting that whenever he tried to move closer, the photographers insisted on capturing more solo shots of Ray.
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‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ went on to win 15 Emmys.
Despite the initial jitters, both shows enjoyed long runs, each lasting nine seasons and continuing to resonate with fans through reruns. Kevin's The King of Queens earned him an Emmy nod in 2006 as well.
His promo photo, which showed him shrugging, even became a viral sensation on X and across social media platforms.
Kevin James recalled being overshadowed by Ray Romano at early CBS events.
Kevin admitted he learned a lot from Ray about sitcom performance, especially the art of underplaying a scene.
"[Ray Romano] was so good on his sitcom, and the way he threw things away. I was like, 'Wow. I have to watch him and learn from him, because I'm gonna be too big on camera.'"
He added, "So even in The King of Queens, when I see episodes now, I'm like, 'Throw it away, kid. What are you doing?' I'm like, 'Gee whiz. I wish I could go back and redo it.'"
The two comics even reunited on-screen when Romano guest-starred on James's show, Kevin Can Wait, in 2016, proving that friendship can stand the test of time in Hollywood.
