By By Mike Golz

Emmy award winning creator of the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” will return to the place where he got his start when he visits the University homecoming weekend.”Everybody Loves Raymond: Inside the Writers Room of America’s Favorite Sitcom,” with Phil Rosenthal and featuring Monica Horan, who plays Amy Barone on the show, will take place on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Rosenthal, who speaks highly of the University, recently allowed The Chronicle to interview him about his experiences here at the University and his involvement with the sitcom.

Rosenthal will be reviving the Alumnus of the Year award at the Alumni Awards Dinner held at the Garden City Hotel on Friday.

Chronicle: Why did you decide to attend the University?

Phil Rosenthal: Well, at that time, they had a reputation of having a good drama department.

Chronicle: What do you think was the best thing you received from the University?Rosenthal: The well-rounded education in the theater. Being well rounded was influential in my success. [Every class] was a branch off the same tree.

Chronicle: Where did you live at the University?

Rosenthal: I lived in Tower E [now Enterprise] for a couple of years, then I moved to an apartment off campus. [They] were not very nice. They [the apartments] were friends to theater majors and cockroaches.

Chronicle: Is there anything you would have done different while at the University?

Rosenthal: Yes, I would have gone out with more girls. I wasn’t what most girls considered a catch.

Chronicle: How did it feel to win Emmy’s for Everybody Loves Raymond?

Rosenthal: The awards are second to the work itself. The trophy serves as a memento for an evening with friends.

Chronicle: How did the cast and crew of Everybody Loves Raymond become good friends?

Rosenthal: I always say it was the food, but we also had a hard and fast rule to be nice.

Chronicle: What was the most difficult thing you had to overcome to make Everybody Loves Raymond successful?

Rosenthal: There will always be plenty of obstacles. The hardest thing is to sit down and write and write and write. [You have to] stick with it. What will set you apart is your experience; write what you know. Learn how to be creative with what you already have.

Chronicle: How did you first get noticed as someone who could produce in the entertainment business?

Rosenthal: I was a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and I fell asleep on a 300-year-old couch. I wrote a spec script about this and sent it out.

Chronicle: As an East Coast native, how was it for you when you moved out to Los Angeles?

Rosenthal: When I first moved out here I called it Paramus with palm trees. I lived on a couch for a month.

Chronicle: Will you ever come back to the East Coast?

Rosenthal: I come as often as I can, but for now I stay here [Calif.] because of my kids. Chronicle: How is success treating you?

Rosenthal: I’m having fun. It’s very nice to have the comforts that we have. I found a wonderful woman who is a great mom and have great kids.

Chronicle: I noticed you are doing some work with Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO, how is that experience?

Rosenthal: Larry David is really fun. He is brilliant to work with and lets us improvise.

Chronicle: What is your favorite job in entertainment?

Rosenthal: I’d like to do it all. It is all creative expression.

Chronicle: What can we expect from your visit to the University on Sunday?

Rosenthal: What I do is tell terrible stories of what happened to me before and how we turned it into the show.

Chronicle: What can we expect from you in the future?

Rosenthal: I have a lot of different things to do. I am working on a reality show, animated show, sitcoms and feature ideas. [Also] acting is fun to do.

Chronicle: Is there any advice you would give to a University student today?

Rosenthal: Lead an exciting life so you have something to draw on. Don’t depend on mom and dad and don’t be afraid.

While attending the University, Rosenthal’s second home was the stage as he performed in several plays. (Photo Courtesy University Relations)

Although Rosenthal is closing one door with the end of Everybody Loves Raymond, he still has many other options open. (Photo Courtesy University Relations)