Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Everybody in Russia Loves Raymond

Everybody in Russia Loves Raymond

Weren’t you wondering what the creator of TV’s Everybody Loves Raymond has been up to since CBS stopped airing new episodes in 2005? The Miami Herald assumes you were. Turns out Phil Rosenthal is doing his part for humanity by making sure that everyone, no matter color, creed or class, gets their own knock off version of the iconic show.

Everybody Loves Kostya has become a huge hit in Russia, thanks in part to Rosenthal’s artistic integrity. One of the biggest battles for Rosenthal’s artistic soul came as a result of Russian producer’s desire to make Kostya’s (Russian for Raymond) wife a glamorous society lady who cleaned their home wearing high heels and cocktail dresses. Rosenthal fought back:

“I didn’t want them to be dressed as Americans; I wanted it to be relatable to
Russians,” says Rosenthal, who, exasperated, asks the stubborn costume designer,
“Do you dress like that when you clean the house?”Eventually, Rosenthal won his
battle. “I got a new costume lady, and she was totally normal.”

Sony Pictures is also planning on releasing versions of Everybody Loves Raymond in Egypt, Israel, The Netherlands and India. Stay tuned to the best of the Herald so that we can keep you posted on who the Herald invariably pays a salary to so they can cover that bullshit as well.