Ray Romano quit stand-up comedy twice before finding massive success
Ray Romano told Fox News Digital that he got "beat down" during his first two attempts at starting his stand-up career. The star was sharing advice he had given his son.
LOS ANGELES — Ray Romano was "beat down" during the early days of his stand-up career, which prompted him to quit.
During the premiere of his Netflix series "No Good Deed," Romano was accompanied by his family. He married his wife, Anna, in 1987. The couple share four children: daughter Alexandra, twin sons Matthew and Gregory, and son Joseph.
In November, Romano's twin sons, 31, released their documentary, "The Romano Twins." In the documentary, the "Everybody Loves Raymond" star discussed how he gave all of his children advice when it came to their careers and revealed that he quit his dreams not once, but twice.
Ray Romano gave up on stand-up comedy twice before his career took off. (Getty Images)
"He goes on a little stand-up trip, and he goes to these little dives, and he tries stand-up for the first time, and the people aren't even facing the stage. There aren't even people in there. And of course, it doesn't go well, and he takes it very personal," the star said of his youngest son, Joseph Romano.
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"So, I had to almost grab him and go, 'You don't understand. First of all, you can't do well in a place like that, and you can't do well when… it's your first time onstage. So, I understand you're hurt, but you really have no right to be upset right now.'"
WATCH: Ray Romano quit stand-up comedy twice before finding massive success
"Stand-up takes a long time. That's all I told him was, 'Please don't get that way, because that's the way I was.' I gave it up twice. You know, I got beat down my first time. I gave it up, and I got beat down the second time again. But luckily, I tried a third time," Romano said.
"I gave it up twice. You know, I got beat down my first time. I gave it up, and I got beat down the second time again."
Romano stars alongside "Friends" star Lisa Kudrow in the upcoming comedy-thriller series. Speaking to Fox News Digital at the premiere, Romano said his chemistry with Kudrow was instant.
"It was from the start. I had never met her. We were filming our TV shows ['Friends' and ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’] way back two stages apart on the Warner Brothers lot, and we still had never met."
Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano star in the Netflix series "No Good Deed." (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
"So, yeah, I was a little worried. Like I always am, you know, she instantly made it comfortable. I was, you know, a fan of hers. She says she was a fan of mine. I'll take her word for it," Romano continued. "We bonded over family and being neurotic and being insecure. And the chemistry was there. I mean, sometimes you get very lucky and it's easy. And this one was easy."
WATCH: Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow's chemistry on 'No Good Deed' was from 'the start'
Romano explained that Kudrow was a fan of "Everybody Loves Raymond," which he didn't believe at first. For seven years, Kudrow didn't know that the cast and crew for Romano's sitcom was being filmed two stages away.
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"She said, 'Well, but I've watched every episode,' and I thought she was just trying to make up for it. But then, over the course, she started quoting episodes and lines, and I knew she was telling the truth. So it was kind of cool," Romano explained.
From left: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow (Getty Images)
"Everybody Loves Raymond" starred Ray Romano for nine seasons. (Getty Images)
Kudrow told Fox News Digital that her on-screen chemistry with Romano "looked OK to me."
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"We were on the same lot shooting our shows. He likes to say that I didn't know he was there… I didn't because we were just shooting our show on our set, but I don't know. I just felt like I would like him if I ever got to meet him."
WATCH: Lisa Kudrow talks on-screen chemistry with Ray Romano in 'No Good Deed'
"And I did," Kudrow said with a smile.
Kudrow noted that during the coronavirus pandemic, she finally got around to binge-watching "Everybody Loves Raymond."
"Friends" was on television for 10 seasons from Sept. 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004. "Everybody Loves Raymond" was on-air for nine seasons from Sept. 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005.
Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano star in Netflix's "No Good Deed." (Netflix)
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"No Good Deed" showcases the highs and lows of searching for a good home and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets in the process. The Netflix series premieres on Dec. 12.
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