About
"Don't write with an eye to, 'I think I can sell this thing.' I think that's frustrating. If you start thinking about the commercial appeal of what you're writing, you're going to be in trouble."
In his two-hour interview, Lew Schneider talks about his first interest in performing as part of the "Mask and Wig Club" at the University of Pennsylvania. He chronicles his experiences at Second City in Chicago and his work as a stand-up comedian. He talks about his move to New York City, where he became the host of a children's game show called Make the Grade. He describes the CBS summer series Wish You Were Here which had him traveling on location across Europe (where his character filmed his trip with a camcorder to send video letters back home). He then relates his move to Los Angeles and his casting as a regular on the FOX series Down the Shore, where he met future Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal. Schneider discusses his transition to writer-producer with The George Wendt Show, and he describes his work on this show with Peter Tolan. He then speaks in great detail about his work as a writer-producer on the entire run of the long-running sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. He discusses working in the writers' room, the atmosphere on the set, and the real-life stories that were made into episodes. He speaks about such classic series episodes as "Boob Job" (where Debra tricks Ray into thinking she has had a boob job), "The Christmas Picture" (in which Debra invites her parents to be a part of the Barone's family photo), "Wallpaper" (in which Frank and Marie crash the car through Ray and Debra's house), "Humm Vac" (where Debra discovers that Marie's home is as clean as she says it is when demonstrating a new vacuum), "A Vote for Debra" (where Ray votes against Debra for president of the school board), and "Bad Moon Rising" (where Ray tries to deal with Debra's PMS). Lastly, he briefly speaks about some of his post-Raymond projects including The New Adventures of Old Christine. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on July 16, 2007 in Pacific Palisades, CA.
Highlights
Lew Schneider on the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond, including Tucker Cawley
Lew Schneider on The George Wendt Show originally based on NPR's "Car Talk", and acting on various pilots
Lew Schneider on coming up with storylines for Everybody Loves Raymond, and working with producer Phil Rosenthal
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his childhood and early influences; on his early interest in comedy, and on his mother; on television he watched growing up
On performing and writing comedy in college; on joining improv groups post-college, and developing his act; on his stand-up act
Chapter 2
On appearing on Jack and Mike with Shelley Hack; on talking classes at Second City, and on moving to New York; on Make the Grade, a children's game show
On appearing on Wish You Were Here; on Down the Shore, and HBO's One Night Stand; on The George Wendt Show originally based on NPR's "Car Talk", and acting on various pilots
Chapter 3
On auditioning for the unsold pilot Red Hook, originally known as Sammy & Friends; on how Everybody Loves Raymond, produced by Phil Rosenthal, and starring Ray Romano came about for him
On the pilot script and on the premise of Everybody Loves Raymond: on coming up with storylines for Everybody Loves Raymond, and on working with producer Phil Rosenthal
On the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond, including Tucker Cawley; on how the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond reacted to the harassment lawsuit against Friends
Chapter 4
On the process of writing Everybody Loves Raymond, and on a typical workweek on the show; on working with Ray Romano on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond, and on his character of "Ray Barone," and on the ensemble cast of the show
On the supporting cast of Everybody Loves Raymond; on the atmosphere on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond, and on Phil Rosenthal as a show runner
On various episode of Everybody Loves Raymond on which he was the credited writer, including "The Garage Sale," "Robert Moves Out," "Boob Job," and "The Christmas Picture"
Chapter 5
On the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Christmas Picture"; on the Everybody Loves Raymond episodes "Wallpaper" and "Humm Vac"; on the episodes "A Vote for Debra," "Angry Sex," and "Bad Moon Rising"
On various episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, including the finale; on writing for The New Adventures of Old Christine ; on advice to an aspiring writer, and on the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond
Shows
Down the Shore
Lew Schneider on Down the Shore, and HBO's One Night Stand
Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on how Everybody Loves Raymond, produced by Phil Rosenthal, and starring Ray Romano came about for him
Lew Schneider on the pilot script and on the premise of Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on coming up with storylines for Everybody Loves Raymond, and working with producer Phil Rosenthal
Lew Schneider on the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond, including Tucker Cawley
Lew Schneider on how the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond reacted to the harassment lawsuit against Friends
Lew Schneider on the process of writing Everybody Loves Raymond, and on a typical workweek on the show
Lew Schneider on working with Ray Romano as "Ray Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond, and on the ensemble cast of the show
Lew Schneider on working with Doris Roberts as "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on working with Patricia Heaton as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on working with Brad Garrett as "Robert Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on working with Monica Horan as "Amy MacDougall-Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on Peter Boyle as "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond, and on Boyle's illness
Lew Schneider on the atmosphere on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond, and on Phil Rosenthal as a show runner
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Garage Sale"
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Robert Moves Back"
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Boob Job" and on Patricia Heaton's reaction to the script
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Christmas Picture"
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Christmas Picture", and on appearing in that episode
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episodes "Wallpaper" and "Humm Vac"
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episodes "A Vote for Debra," "Angry Sex," and "Bad Moon Rising"
Lew Schneider on the series finale of Everybody Love Raymond, and on the experience of filming it
Lew Schneider on the legacy of Everybody Loves Raymond, and on his then-future career trajectory
Friends
Lew Schneider on how the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond reacted to the harassment lawsuit against Friends
George Wendt Show, The
Lew Schneider on The George Wendt Show originally based on NPR's "Car Talk", and acting on various pilots
Jack and Mike
Lew Schneider on appearing on Jack and Mike with Shelley Hack
Make the Grade
Lew Schneider on Make the Grade, a children's game show
New Adventures of Old Christine, The
Lew Schneider on writing for The New Adventures of Old Christine
Wish You Were Here
Lew Schneider on appearing on Wish You Were Here
Topics
Advice
Lew Schneider on advice to an aspiring television writer
Television Industry
Lew Schneider on advice to an aspiring television writer
Professions
Writers
Lew Schneider on coming up with storylines for Everybody Loves Raymond, and working with producer Phil Rosenthal
Lew Schneider on the process of writing Everybody Loves Raymond, and on a typical workweek on the show
Lew Schneider on advice to an aspiring television writer
Genres
Comedy Series
Lew Schneider on appearing on Jack and Mike with Shelley Hack
Lew Schneider on appearing on Wish You Were Here
Lew Schneider on Down the Shore, and HBO's One Night Stand
Lew Schneider on The George Wendt Show originally based on NPR's "Car Talk", and acting on various pilots
Lew Schneider on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on writing for The New Adventures of Old Christine
Game Shows
Lew Schneider on Make the Grade, a children's game show1
People
Peter Boyle
Lew Schneider on Peter Boyle as "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond, and on Boyle's illness
Brad Garrett
Lew Schneider on working with Brad Garrett as "Robert Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton
Lew Schneider on working with Patricia Heaton as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Lew Schneider on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Boob Job" and on Patricia Heaton's reaction to the script
Monica Horan
Lew Schneider on working with Monica Horan as "Amy MacDougall-Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts
Lew Schneider on working with Doris Roberts as "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Ray Romano
Lew Schneider on how Everybody Loves Raymond, produced by Phil Rosenthal, and starring Ray Romano came about for him
Lew Schneider on working with Ray Romano on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond, and on his character of Ray Barone
Phil Rosenthal
Lew Schneider on how Everybody Loves Raymond, produced by Phil Rosenthal, and starring Ray Romano came about for him
Lew Schneider on the atmosphere on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond, and on Phil Rosenthal as a showrunner