Ray Romano Inducted Into Long Island Entertainment Hall Of Fame

Everybody still loves Raymond, and now Long Island has made it official.

Beloved comedian and television star Ray Romano was inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame alongside his longtime manager and executive producer Rory Rosegarten, becoming the organization's first non-musical inductees in its 22-year history. The sold-out ceremony in Stony Brook celebrated Romano's legendary career, his Long Island roots and the 40-year friendship that helped turn a struggling Queens comedian into a household name.

“Being born and raised in New York, it's a huge honor for me to be inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame,” Romano said.

Romano, whose iconic CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond ran for nine seasons and 210 episodes, entertained the packed audience with his trademark self-deprecating humor.

“I really think luck is the theme of tonight,” Romano joked, recalling when Rosegarten discovered him at a comedy competition four decades ago.

The evening also turned emotional as Romano recalled being fired from NewsRadio after just two days. Rosegarten stood by him, eventually securing a Late Show with David Letterman appearance that launched Everybody Loves Raymond.

“We couldn't have gotten here without each other,” Romano said.

Rosegarten recalled Romano's extraordinary loyalty following his 2013 stroke. Visiting his hospitalized manager, Romano promised, “You have a job for life… just get better.”

The sitcom, set in Lynbrook, earned 15 Primetime Emmy Awards and brought Long Island family life into millions of American homes. Before the induction, Romano and Rosegarten received keys to the Town of Hempstead. The Hall of Fame's Everybody Loves Raymond: Celebrating 30 Years exhibition, featuring the show's anniversary set, has been extended into 2027. Romano closed with a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Anna, thanking the Hall of Fame for another opportunity to publicly tell her he loves her.