Raymond's 'Mom' Isn't Just Funny

Emmy Award-winning actress Doris Roberts is busier than ever these days. She just finished production on a made-for-TV movie and is preparing to shoot a feature film. Then she'll start her fifth season as Ray Romano's mother on the hit CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

While she knows how to make the audience laugh, it would be a mistake to dismiss the seasoned actress as a one-track comedienne.

"The first lesson in life to learn is to accept loss, whatever that might be," she says. "It could be a tooth. It could be anything. But loss, you know, life is loss each day, in a strange way. So if you accept that, you have another attitude about life.

"The other thing," she continues, "is the willingness to change and also to learn. And I love learning something new every day. That keeps me alive and happy."

Roberts has worked on several comedy series, but none have been as well received as Raymond.

"Anywhere we go, people just love to hug me or kiss me or grab me or do whatever it is," says the actress. "But I am so identifiable, as all the characters are on Everybody Loves Raymond. I think that we're like your mother, father, sister aunt, whatever. You can laugh at us and laugh at yourself."

This year, Roberts is serving as the judge for the Colonel's Way Awards, sponsored by KFC, which recognizes senior citizens who continue to make strides.

As for Raymond's new season, the cast is traveling to Italy to shoot several episodes. But travel is nothing new to Roberts; it's her hobby, and she has been to Italy about 20 times already.

"I love to travel," she says. "I want to see everything on this planet before I leave it."