NEW YORK (AP) — “Baffling” is how Ray Romano calls the continued success of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” nearly 20 years after the CBS sitcom ended its nine-season run. “It goes so fast.”

That success comes as a surprise to the New York City-born comedian, who admits he’s always filled with doubt. So, when he started working on the series based on his comedy, he wasn’t confident in his acting chops, especially during the first season.

He didn’t think the show would have survived if not for an unlikely mentor: The late Peter Boyle, who played Raymond’s curmudgeonly father, Frank.

“He’s one of the main reasons it worked for me, because he made me feel accepted and comfortable. He was that kind of guy,” Romano says.

During a recent interview with The Associated Press, Romano shared insights about the sitcom, his relationship with Boyle and his career.