The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert Ray Romano | The Late Snow
Feb 24, 2026
Ray Romano, Emmy-winning comedian and actor best known for Everybody Loves Raymond and now on Broadway in All Out. He recalls early Late Show and Johnny Carson jitters. He contrasts stand-up then and now. He tells the Muhammad Ali letter story and talks about his Broadway debut and choices around saying yes to projects.
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Breakthrough After Years Of Standup
- Ray Romano got his big break after 11 years of stand-up when Dave Letterman's World Wide Pants offered him a development deal following a 1995 appearance at the Ed Sullivan Theater.
- He was living in Queens with three kids, was recently fired from NewsRadio, and the call from Rob Burnett led directly to Everybody Loves Raymond.
Panic Calmed Me Before Carson
- Before his Johnny Carson spot Ray Romano felt numb with anxiety and lost feeling in his arm two to three hours before going onstage.
- He sprinted back to the hotel to fetch his forgotten notes, and that frantic run calmed him enough to regain feeling and perform well.
Fame Changes The Thrill Of Standup
- Ray Romano says performing now feels different because audiences often already know him, removing the proving-yourself thrill.
- He still values the unique satisfaction of winning over strangers that he felt earlier in his career.
