I don’t know if you know this about me, but I have a terrible time relaxing at night. I typically work late 4 nights per week, and by the time I get home, I should really be thinking about winding down and going to bed. But there are a million reasons why I can’t and/or don’t:
- I have been working for the last 12+ hours, and I need some fun
- I am anxious about tomorrow
- WordPress
- Tivo
- Those computer-based puzzle games aren’t going to play themselves
I stall. I watch some TV, play the afore-mentioned games (Fantasy Mosaics 3 is my current fave), and try to unwind with limited success. I work on my blog posts, but at some point I have to cut that off, too, or I get too engrossed and suddenly it’s 3 AM.
So I’ve started trying to find TV shows that relax me, shows that engage me just enough without pissing me off or tempting me to binge-watch. HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” and “Flip or Flop” work pretty well, as does “Property Brothers.” But cooking/food/travel shows rarely make the list. Enter “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having.” It was a Netflix documentary series suggestion, and they’ve been pretty good lately, so I gave it a try. The premise is simple; TV show creator Phil Rosenthal (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), perhaps the most genial guy in the world, travels the globe trying new foods and generally having an adorable, dorky time. I know there are a ton of shows featuring food critics or chefs doing the same thing, but Phil’s a fan, not an expert, and that makes him much more entertaining to watch. And his ability to charm people is practically a superpower. He’s this sweet, sentimental, goofy, good-natured, dad-body guy with a ridiculously expressive face who loves food more than anyone you’ve ever met, and he’s a complete treat to watch.
“The show’s genesis goes back to ‘Raymond’ when Rosenthal and Ray Romano, the show’s star, took a family trip to Italy together. As Rosenthal recalls, “It was wonderful because he was transformed,” Rosenthal says of their pasta, pizza and molto gelato fest. Eventually, the character Raymond and his family went to Italy on a two part episode of “Raymond.” Rosenthal got the idea that he would one day like to do a show where he got the viewer as excited about travel and food as he is. Fifteen years later, PBS agreed.” –Forbes.com
Every show includes a Skype session with his hilariously prosaic New York Jewish parents, and then Phil, with that incredibly rubbery face, tries every food anyone shoves his way. Word to the wise: you may not want to watch it while you’re eating.
Here’s his Italy episode. Mangia bene!
EPILOGUE: Someone pointed me toward the documentary he made about being asked to produce a Russian version of “Raymond.” I’ve only watched the trailer so far, but it’s so funny, I had to clap my hand over my mouth so I didn’t disturb anyone. And it’s on Netflix!!!
February 1, 2016 at 12:05 pm
Ahh. Not that I’m not right here, in Italy, but thanks for this. 🙂
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February 1, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Maybe you want to try one of his other locations!
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February 1, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Not right now, nothing could top this one. 🙂 Maybe another day.
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February 1, 2016 at 12:29 pm
He’s pretty cute, isn’t he?
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February 1, 2016 at 12:31 pm
Yes, he’s got lots of love and passion in him. Must be a good series.
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February 1, 2016 at 5:09 pm
I too get wrapped up in computer games, YouTube, and WP. Lately though, there are quite a few shows which start off with interesting premises, but quickly deteriorate and leave me bored and nodding off. There is one detective show that would put me to sleep every week. For an entire season, I never knew who committed the crime. The season before I rewound the PVR….I stopped doing that when it became annoying.
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February 1, 2016 at 5:42 pm
That happens to Beloved. She falls asleep in the first 15 minutes of a crime drama and wakes up at the end of Project Runway. She’s perpetually confused about plots and characters.
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February 1, 2016 at 5:48 pm
That wouldn’t bother me too much…
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February 1, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Doesn’t bother her too much either. She’s used to it.
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February 2, 2016 at 10:06 am
Great show and Phil is adorable. Glad you are spreading the word about him!
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February 2, 2016 at 10:11 am
It’s a pleasure! I watched his documentary last night, and it was really fascinating. The Russians have a very different idea of what’s funny. It was really pretty profound.
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February 3, 2016 at 7:09 pm
No, NO! I’m not going to start another show. My daughter turned me on to a British bake off show, but NO MORE! OTOH, I will eat all that.
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February 3, 2016 at 8:16 pm
Fair enough. But you don’t know what you’re missing . . .
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July 14, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Funny how I am commenting on this again.
The thing is, the last time I read this, it was rather general. Now, I have actually seen this program. I watched the one about Japan–I have lived in Japan and spend way too much time watching shows and youtube videos about it.
I really enjoyed it.
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July 16, 2017 at 11:20 pm
I love that you re-read it. It inspired me to re-watch the show, and that’s fun, too!
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