# Everybody Loves Raymond Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2017, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349 "2017-07-28T21:57:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/21 "2017-07-29T15:33:32Z")
random thoughts…Raymond was spoiled by his mother and Deb was the stand-in for his mother in their own house, so he expected to continue being treated like a darling little prince…Deb was so awfully wrong the time she wanted Ray to ‘work from home’ so he could spend more time with the family. What a disaster that was. That’s why some of us LIKE to go to work. I think she was just jealous he had fun with his work friends there, not just slaving away all day long doing whatever it was he did…Deb has built-in babysitters right across the street, who are over at her house half the time. Annoying people, but competent and loving, why didn’t she take more advantage of their willingness to be grandparents? Some of us don’t have any in-laws or parents who are the least bit interested in their grandchildren…and finally, the kids are so quiet and well behaved, I’m always surprised she is complaining about their being rambunctious at times! I imagine having twin boys alone is a full time job, not to mention twins and an older sibling girl, but it’s always they tell, not show, how exhausting the kids can be. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/22 "2017-07-29T16:16:33Z")
I watched this show from beginning to end and Ray didn’t have an office job. He was a sports writer and did have an office to report to, he rarely “went to work”. He did go to sporting events and award presentations but not to an office job. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/23 "2017-07-29T16:46:14Z")
About 40% of the show was about Ray whining about how hard it is being an adult, and doing his dead-level best to duck his responsibilities. Time after time he refused to do his job as head of the household. He wouldn’t stand up to his parents when Debra had legitimate complaints; he kept sneaking out to play golf, or at least trying to. On the other hand, Ray had some legitimate complaints too. When he tried to work from home, **nobody** seemed to understand that he was actually WORKING; they constantly pestered him and expected him to be available to do whatever they wanted. I enjoy the show, despite its flaws; it’s one of the funnier shows from that decade. But it would have been better if Ray had been written to be a real man, instead of a grown-up semi-baby. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/24 "2017-07-29T16:55:44Z")
Deb has remarked at times how much she ‘wishes she married A MAN’. She has a lot to complain about, but not always. That superbowl episode was excrutiating, I wanted HER to be pushed out the hotel window!..I’m surprised Ray isn’t home more often, though, since he doesn’t have to work at an office job. I should think there would be days he doesn’t go in, days he is gone till midnight, and of course road trips. But they always show him coming home ‘after work’ at the same time, just as if he had a position at the widget factory, settles in to relax after his strenuous 20 minute commute from the office at the stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/25 "2017-07-29T17:44:41Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Deb has remarked at times how much she ‘wishes she married A MAN’. She has a lot to complain about, but not always. That superbowl episode was excrutiating, I wanted HER to be pushed out the hotel window!..I’m surprised Ray isn’t home more often, though, since he doesn’t have to work at an office job. I should think there would be days he doesn’t go in, days he is gone till midnight, and of course road trips. But they always show him coming home ‘after work’ at the same time, just as if he had a position at the widget factory, settles in to relax after his strenuous 20 minute commute from the office at the stadium. Everybody Loves Raymond is one of my favorite sitcoms. If ever there was a sitcom where the “sit” isn’t where the ‘com’ is, this is it. The comedy came from the characters. The terrible, very human characters. I have seen every episode and I can’t, for the life of me, think of one occasion where Raymond ‘comes home from work’, much less every day at the same time. Raymond does enter the house occasionally (as does every other character) but the “from work” part I’m having a problem seeing. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/26 "2017-07-29T18:20:38Z")
The thing about ELR, is that a few episodes are absolute gems, and some are extremely cringworthy. But really, who on the outskirts of NYC, or anywhere really, doesn’t keep their doors locked, especially at night? And was there even one reference in the whole run of the show to mowing the grass? I’m rambling… ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/27 "2017-07-29T19:33:19Z")
My favorite memory of that show didn’t happen on the show. Ray was on Letterman and Dave said “Congrats on having the number one show on T.V.” Romano: “Yeah, can’t wait to start making that Seinfeld money!” Dave: (doubtful look) “uhhhh…” Romano: “OK, making that ‘Coach’ money” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/28 "2017-07-29T20:13:19Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > It’s been a while but I don’t think Debra ever expected Raymond to mop the floors or scrub the toilets. > > I remember her bitching (and rightly so) about Ray not helping with the kids. > The thing is, Ray gets to punch the clock and come home and relax. When does Debra get to punch the clock? well, she never punches in. Housework really isnt all that hard. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/29 "2017-07-29T20:14:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That’s reasonable. If one partner is working a forty-hour-a-week job outside the home and the other partner is not, I feel the stay at home partner should do the first forty hours of housework. All work after the first forty hours should be split equally. Except housework is about 20 hours a week. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/30 "2017-07-29T20:32:41Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I watched this show from beginning to end and Ray didn’t have an office job. He was a sports writer and did have an office to report to, he rarely “went to work”. He did go to sporting events and award presentations but not to an office job. Indeed. A big part of his job was sitting on the couch in the living room watching sports. Another big part was holing up in his home office (in the garage, IIRC) to write. So it’s a lot of time at home, but “at work”. Maybe the Barone household had a lot of exchanges like, “Ray, can you help with the laundry?” “No, I’m watching the game right now.” ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/31 "2017-07-29T21:37:24Z")
Dan Quayle is alive and well, so it would seem. ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/32 "2017-07-30T01:42:45Z")
She’s an ass. That’s a part of her character. Ray is set upon by injustice on all sides. That’s a big part of the whole premise of the show in my opinion. It’s not reasonable and it doesn’t need be, it just needs to be funny. But, yeah, she’s crazy. Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/33 "2017-07-30T03:34:53Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Everybody Loves Raymond is one of my favorite sitcoms. If ever there was a sitcom where the “sit” isn’t where the ‘com’ is, this is it. The comedy came from the characters. The terrible, very human characters. I have seen every episode and I can’t, for the life of me, think of one occasion where Raymond ‘comes home from work’, much less every day at the same time. Raymond does enter the house occasionally (as does every other character) but the “from work” part I’m having a problem seeing. So where is it he’s coming from in half the shows, wearing a jacket, walking into the kitchen? And he complains about his strenuous day? And Debra is feeding the little kids, and the daughter talks about her school day? Was he out just walking around the block for the fun of it?..I am assuming he comes home from work as many of the breadwinners on tv do, but of course, you may be right and I could be all wrong. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/34 "2017-07-30T04:13:47Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > So where is it he’s coming from in half the shows, wearing a jacket, walking into the kitchen? And he complains about his strenuous day? And Debra is feeding the little kids, and the daughter talks about her school day? Was he out just walking around the block for the fun of it?..I am assuming he comes home from work as many of the breadwinners on tv do, but of course, you may be right and I could be all wrong. Their garage is off the kitchen, so assuming he parks in the garage when he gets home from work, he should be entering through that side door, not the door to the outside. I’m confused, because sometimes that side door leads to the laundry room, yet at other times (like when Ray slept there while his inlaws were in the kitchen) it leads to the garage. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/35 "2017-07-30T11:34:23Z")
Coincidentally I turned the TV on yesterday evening and caught the first five minutes of the T-ball episode: Ray comes home from work (through the front door) and Debra says (paraphrasing) “where have you been? You said you’d be coming home early from work today, I had to get these kids ready, pack the snacks…”(etc. etc.). So she’s giving him hell for not coming home from work early to help her get the kids ready to take to T-ball. I’m not a golfer, but I think I’d take it up if I were married to that. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/36 "2017-07-30T11:35:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Their garage is off the kitchen, so assuming he parks in the garage when he gets home from work, he should be entering through that side door, not the door to the outside. I’m confused, because sometimes that side door leads to the laundry room, yet at other times (like when Ray slept there while his inlaws were in the kitchen) it leads to the garage. I hadn’t noticed this before, but I know exactly what you’re talking about. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/37 "2017-07-30T13:50:57Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Their garage is off the kitchen, so assuming he parks in the garage when he gets home from work, he should be entering through that side door, not the door to the outside. I’m confused, because sometimes that side door leads to the laundry room, yet at other times (like when Ray slept there while his inlaws were in the kitchen) it leads to the garage. Yeah, the layout of the house is inconsistent. If the garage is next to the kitchen, that means the driveway is in the back, but at least once Marie (who lived across the street) butted in because she saw a strange car in the driveway. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349/38 "2017-07-30T22:52:06Z")
I believe it was Phyllis Diller that said… Cleaning the house with kids is like shoveling snow in a blizzard… or something like that. I gave up 10 yrs ago and I ended up with one neat freak and one slob. I loved the episode where the suitcase gets left at the bottom of the stairs and they want to see who will bring it up first. I did that with a pizza box on the kitchen floor … stayed there a week until I finally picked it up and threw away. 3 people stepped over it every day. I feel for Debra. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-loves-raymond-question/792349.md?page=1)