Everybody SHOULD love Patty

Why the hate for Patty Heaton? Yikes. Big article about it recently in Sunday’s New York Times. People are outraged over her political and religious views. The fact that people are outraged over everything these days notwithstanding, the reaction still seems way out of whack.

She and I are polar opposites when it comes to politics, but after working with her on EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, I can say, unashamedly, that…

I love Patty Heaton!!

I have never worked with a nicer, kinder, and more talented actress. She’s so down to earth it’s hard to believe she even is an actress.

This one story gives you an idea of who she really is:

In one of the episodes of RAYMOND I directed there was a scene where Patty had a splinter and Ray, trying to prove how helpful he was, was chasing her around the living room with a set of tweezers. The script called for him to catch her at the couch. Watching it, I thought, there’s more room for fun here. So I suggested we expand the bit. What if Patty rolls off the couch onto the floor? Then she tries to crawl away. But Ray grabs her ankles. She squirts away. He grabs her again. He then pulls her back, across the floor. We spent an hour working out numerous variations of this and Patty, God bless her, hung in there the whole time. Trust me when I say there are not a lot of actresses who would a) be such good sports, and b) be willing to rehearse so long and so strenuously just to perfect a one minute comedy bit. But that’s Patty.

I’m sure she will weather this storm. And go on to do more great projects. Currently she’s in a play in New York and getting terrific notices.

I just wish the people who disagree so vehemently with her views could see past them to the lovely caring person she is. It’s time to ease up already. She’s been dragged around the floor enough.