In the 1990s hit comedy, Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray’s dad, Frank, played by the great Peter Boyle, had a reverse talent. Rushing in to repair any household mishap, he consistently made the situation worse. Today, in his honor, we celebrate of first Frank Award.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Yesterday, we reported on RIOC’s gross neglect of historic Good Shepherd Plaza. One feature, a paint spill extended by little footprints adjacent to the antique church bell where the Plaza meets Main Street, had been left untouched for weeks.
But by late afternoon, someone had taken action.
“If you get down to the bell now,” a resident wrote, “you will see a gentleman from RIOC trying to cover up the silver paint.
“The guy was sitting more than working,” she added, “and no thought of how to clean up the myriad drips of paint. The solution he used for the big spill has me mystified.”
Us, too, and there really is only one answer.
The spirit of Frank Barone has visited Roosevelt Island.
In appreciation, The Daily is awarding its first Frank. And, yes, we are fully aware that we missed out on other deserving work – like dumping fertilizer in the dog runs for improving the barren surfaces. Or the egregious Chief Kevin Brown Fire Hydrant Blockade in front of Bread & Butter Deli.
But this is a new honor. The Franks start here. And we are open to new nominations at any time.
About Frank Barone’s Household Repair Skills
Frank Barone was the patriarch of the sitcom family, Raymond. The series ran from 1996 to 2005 and is still in syndication. It was created by Ray Romano and Phil Rosenthal.
In addition to being known as a loving but cantankerous father and husband, Frank was also defined by his many home repair fails. No matter how well-intentioned, his efforts to help around the house often resulted in more damage than before.
This was most evident in the episode where he tried to fix the kitchen sink and ended up causing a flood. In another episode, he tried to help his wife, Marie, with the vacuum cleaner and ended up breaking it
The Line That Didn’t Land
I stood in the back of Good Shepherd Chapel on the evening of April 15, 2026, at the Steam Plant Demolition Town Hall, watching people adjust scarves and jackets before the meeting began. Benjamin Jones, President and CEO of RIOC, thanked us for attending and, without a pause, said he was “pleased to host tonight’s town hall on the city’s demolition of its steam plant.” The demolition, in other words, was not up for discussion.
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