by Paul Fischer

Ray Romano is as deliberately a slow-talking New Yorker as his famous TV alter-ego. But that's where the similarities between Romano and Ray Barone end. "The TV character is definitely more antisocial than me", he laughingly concedes. One of America's highest paid television stars, the former stand up comic decided to be heard - and not seen - in his first feature film, the slapstick comedy with a heart, Ice Age. "It was my way to wean the audience to myself on the big screen," he says with a wry smile. In Ice Age, Romano voices Manfred, a Mammoth who would rather be left in peace, but who grudgingly decides to escort a human baby to its parents, with some help from a pain-in-the-butt sloth (John Leguizamo) and a Saber-toothed called Diego (Denis Leary) who has plans of his own for the little tyke. In discussing his attraction to this project, the self-effacing comic attributed several factors into his decision, but most importantly was the kid factor. "My kids played a big part in it. It was something nice to share with them." Now that Ray's a cartoon character in a big, Hollywood animated film, his kids "are obsessed like you can't believe; it's almost scary. What have I created? I come home with this stuff, like the Burger King toys. I want to speak to a shrink about it to make sure we're doin' the right thing." His kids might think dad's cool and all, but they're also critical. "They don't like that Scrat [an acorn-loving saber-toothed squirrel] steals the show . That was their comment as soon as they saw it: 'Scrat, is in it too much. I don't like that, dad. It should be you'. "

On the surface, there seem to be some distinct parallels between Romano's sometimes grumpy and cynical Manfred, and his TV character. Romano accepts the comparison in good humor."I think my voice lends itself to this guy. Manny is definitely a version of the character I play on TV but he's not passive. He's more cynical and has a bigger chip on his shoulder but, at the same time, he's a good guy, too. The guy on TV just wants to be left alone and is kind of antisocial. He'd rather sit at home and scratch himself."

While his sitcom benefits from a live audience and an ensemble of human costars, Romano was challenged by the isolating process of voicing an animated character. "It was just physically difficult. You're in front of the microphone and you can't move around or emote. For instance, there's a scene where I grab Diego and throw him against the wall and you're in his face. Every time we would do it, I'd have to (physically) do that and I couldn't move too far from the mic so you get that taken away." Then there's no actor. "I was never with another actor so there's no give and take there and no feedback. Plus they made me take my pants off." He adds laughingly. So Ray had to rely on his imagination, an added challenge, so it appears. "I've got a weird and neurotic imagination, so I don't know if that's an asset," he confesses. "I guess anybody in this business has imagination to some degree."

Everybody Loves Raymond is now in its sixth year, and while it stems from Romano's success as a stand-up comedian, making the transition from standup to TV superstar was far from easy. "My first try on T.V. was on a show called "News Radio" which I got fired from," he recalls. "I got cast, we rehearsed for a few days for the pilot and then I got fired. It was one of those cases where I was disappointed but relieved. Originally when they cast me, the Joe Garelli character whom I was to play, was an office worker, a white collar guy, When I went to table read and didn't do well, the next day of rehearsal they changed him to an electrician with a tool belt and all that stuff."