About
"The morning after I won my Emmy, I tried to explain to my three-year-old daughter, 'Mommy and Daddy got dressed up last night [and] went to a big party. They decided that Daddy was a really good writer. They gave me this award!' She looks up at me, tears in her eyes and she says, 'Are you ever going to make my breakfast?' Nothing like a three year old to put things in perspective."
In his two-hour interview, Tucker Cawley talks about breaking into the entertainment industry in Los Angeles in a series of entry-level positions before being hired on the writing staff of the series Everybody Loves Raymond. For Everybody Loves Raymond, he describes the way in which ideas were discussed in the writers' room, a typical show's workweek, and the experience of working with each member of the ensemble cast. He discusses several memorable episodes from the series (and relates their real-life inspiration), including, "Silent Partners," "Lucky Suit," and "Baggage." Additionally, Cawley gives an animated description of his anxiety-filled win of the Emmy award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for "Baggage." He describes other behind-the-scenes details from the series, including the reaction of the studio audience to episodes he wrote and setting up a feat of physical comedy that constituted shortening the refrigerator at the Barone's house. Finally, Cawley talks about the casting of the pilot for his 2006 sitcom Play Nice, starring Fred Willard and Sara Rue. Gary Rutkowski conducted the interview on April 25, 2006 in Burbank, CA.
Highlights
Tucker Cawley on winning an Emmy Award for writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on becoming a writer for Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on working for Diane English as a writer's assistant on Murphy Brown
Tucker Cawley on the writers' room at Everybody Loves Raymond headed up by Phil Rosenthal and Ray Romano
Tucker Cawley on advice to aspiring writers
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on deciding he wanted to be a writer; on being personal assistant to Roseanne and Tom Arnold
On working for Diane English as a writer's assistant on Murphy Brown; on becoming a writer for Everybody Loves Raymond; on his early days writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Chapter 2
On the writers' room at Everybody Loves Raymond headed up by Phil Rosenthal and Ray Romano; on being promoted to supervising producer and later executive producer on Everybody Loves Raymond and the atmosphere in the writers' room; on what Everybody Loves Raymond was about
On working with Ray Romano who played "Ray Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond; on the cast of Everybody Loves Raymond
On a typical production week for Everybody Loves Raymond and the process of writing scripts for the show; on the directors of Everybody Loves Raymond
Chapter 3
On the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Game"; on his writing process for Everybody Loves Raymond and writing for the ensemble; on the dramatic moments of Everybody Loves Raymond
On the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Good Girls"; on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Moving Out"
On the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Bully on the Bus"; on the audience warm-up for Everybody Loves Raymond; on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Lucky Suit"
On the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Cult"; on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Baggage" for which he won an Emmy Award
Chapter 4
On winning an Emmy Award for writing for Everybody Loves Raymond; on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Silent Partners"; on the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond bringing their sensibilities to the show
On the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond; on the longevity of Everybody Loves Raymond; on his experience on 9/11 and then-current projects
Chapter 5
On working with Fred Willard on his pilot Play Nice; on advice to aspiring writers; on where he sees himself in the then-future
Shows
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Baggage" for which he won an Emmy
Tucker Cawley on winning an Emmy for writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on becoming a writer for Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on his early days writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on the writers' room at Everybody Loves Raymond headed up by Phil Rosenthal and Ray Romano
Tucker Cawley on being promoted to supervising producer and later executive producer on Everybody Loves Raymond and the atmosphere in the writers' room
Tucker Cawley on what Everybody Loves Raymond was about
Tucker Cawley on working with Ray Romano who played "Ray Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on Doris Roberts as "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on Patricia Heaton as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on Brad Garrett as "Robert Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on Peter Boyle as "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on a typical production week for Everybody Loves Raymond and the process of writing scripts for the show
Tucker Cawley on the directors of Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Game"
Tucker Cawley on his writing process for Everybody Loves Raymond and writing for the ensemble
Tucker Cawley on the dramatic moments of Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Good Girls"
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Moving Out"
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Bully on the Bus"
Tucker Cawley on the audience warm-up for Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Lucky Suit"
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "The Cult"
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Baggage" for which he won an Emmy Award
Tucker Cawley on winning an Emmy Award for writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Silent Partners"
Tucker Cawley on the writers of Everybody Loves Raymond bringing their sensibilities to the show
Tucker Cawley on the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond
Tucker Cawley on the longevity of Everybody Loves Raymond
Murphy Brown
Tucker Cawley on working for Diane English as a writer's assistant on Murphy Brown
Topics
9/11
Tucker Cawley on his experience on 9/11
Advice
Tucker Cawley on advice to aspiring writers
Emmy Awards
Tucker Cawley on the Everybody Loves Raymond episode "Baggage" for which he won an Emmy
Tucker Cawley on winning an Emmy for writing for Everybody Loves Raymond
Historic Events and Social Change
Tucker Cawley on his experience on 9/11
Television Industry
Tucker Cawley on advice to aspiring writers
Professions
Writers
Tucker Cawley on a typical production week for Everybody Loves Raymond and the process of writing scripts for the show
Tucker Cawley on advice to aspiring writers
Genres
Comedy Series
Tucker Cawley on working for Diane English as a writer's assistant on Murphy Brown
Tucker Cawley on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 1)
Tucker Cawley on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 2)
Tucker Cawley on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 3)
Tucker Cawley on writing for Everybody Loves Raymond (Part 4)
People
Tom Arnold
Tucker Cawley on being personal assistant to Roseanne and Tom Arnold
Peter Boyle
Tucker Cawley on Peter Boyle as "Frank Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Diane English
Tucker Cawley on working for Diane English as a writer's assistant on Murphy Brown
Brad Garrett
Tucker Cawley on Brad Garrett as "Robert Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Patricia Heaton
Tucker Cawley on Patricia Heaton as "Debra Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Doris Roberts
Tucker Cawley on Doris Roberts as "Marie Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Ray Romano
Tucker Cawley on the writers' room at Everybody Loves Raymond headed up by Phil Rosenthal and Ray Romano
Tucker Cawley on working with Ray Romano who played "Ray Barone" on Everybody Loves Raymond
Roseanne
Tucker Cawley on being personal assistant to Roseanne and Tom Arnold
Phil Rosenthal
Tucker Cawley on the writers' room at Everybody Loves Raymond headed up by Phil Rosenthal and Ray Romano
Fred Willard
Tucker Cawley on working with Fred Willard on his pilot Play Nice