A major cable syndication deal and 15 Emmy Awards later, "Everybody Loves Raymond" creator Phil Rosenthal joined "Salon Talks" to discuss how "writing what he knew" made for a very relatable sitcom and set his career on a rewarding and unlikely path. Rosenthal shares how he drew inspiration from Ray Romano's and his own family when writing the show. "My parents are natural hilarious, without knowing it," Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal explained why family has informed his entire career. "We understand how family dynamics work. Now I can't try to represent all families but I actually found from writing the sitcom [that] the more specific you are, actually the more universal you become because as people we all deal in specifics." Rosenthal drew inspiration from his own parents for the iconic characters of Ray's parents, Frank and Marie. And, 13 years after the show's end, his parents are still part of his creative process. "I couldn't love them more and I think I owe them everything," he said. Watch the video above to learn how Rosenthal's parents are a very funny part of his latest project, the new Netflix docu-series "Somebody Feed Phil," in which he chases his cravings around the world and samples some of the best street food on Earth.