Role reversal for Heaton, former 'Raymond' co-star

[September 21, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Patricia Heaton and her former "Everybody Loves Raymond" co-star are experiencing a role reversal on her new sitcom.

Ray Romano guest stars in the season premiere of ABC's "The Middle," airing Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern. Heaton plays a wife and mom on the show, just as she did for nine seasons on "Everybody Loves Raymond."

In an interview Tuesday, Heaton joked that she put Romano in his place. "I made him run to craft services for me the way he used to make me do on 'Raymond.'"

The episode flashes back to a disastrous honeymoon camping trip for Heaton's character Frankie and her husband Mike. Romano plays Mike's old high school basketball buddy who shows up unannounced and who Heaton says "never knows when to leave."

[Associated Press; By LAURI NEFF]

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