Phil Rosenthal is the award-winning creator, executive producer and host of Somebody Feed Phil, as well as a New York Times Best Selling author.
Somebody Feed Phil – one of Netflix’s most popular food and travel shows – has garnered a cult-like following. March of 2024 marks the release of its seventh season. This Emmy-nominated unscripted documentary series, which combines his love of food and travel with his unique brand of humor, has become must-see TV for foodies, restaurateurs, travelers and armchair enthusiasts all over the world. Rosenthal won a 2022 Critics Choice Real TV Award for Best Travel/Adventure Show on behalf of the series, and he also garnered a 2022 James Beard Award nomination for Visual Media—Long Form.
Following a resounding call from fans, Rosenthal created a companion book, Somebody Feed Phil the Book, which was released in the U.S. in 2022 via Simon Element (an imprint of Simon & Schuster). It immediately landed on the New York Times Best Seller list, which then led to a UK release in January 2023 and a multi-country tour selling out venues across the globe. During this time, Rosenthal had the chance to connect face-to-face with his fans — sharing insights into the ultimate collection of must-have recipes, never-before-heard stories, behind-the-scenes photos and more from the first four seasons of the beloved series.
Phil Rosenthal has one rule about food: try everything at least once, which led him to create a new children’s book with his daughter Lily called Just Try It (A Phil and Lil Book). The hilarious picture book is geared towards young children and is about a food-loving dad encouraging his picky eater daughter to just try something new.
He has expanded his love of humor, food and human connection by launching his first podcast, Naked Lunch in 2022. Co-hosted with his friend and longtime Rolling Stone journalist David Wild, each episode of this weekly talk-show podcast features a special, world-renowned guest to discuss what’s going on in their lives – “an informal meeting of wits, minds and hearts” – while eating lunch from some of Phil’s favorite local LA eateries.
Rosenthal’s early writing credits include the comedy series Down the Shore and Coach. In 1995, Rosenthal created the hit CBS comedy Everybody Loves Raymond, which premiered the following year. He served as the showrunner and executive producer for all nine years of the show’s very successful run. During its original run, the show was nominated for over 70 Emmy Awards, and won 15 awards, including two for Best Comedy Series. Rosenthal won the 2002 Writers Guild Award for Excellence in Television Writing for his Italy script.
After the series wrapped, Rosenthal penned a book on the art of comedy and the making of a sitcom classic, You’re Lucky You’re Funny: How Life Becomes a Sitcom. He co-wrote America: A Tribute to Heroes, the 9/11 telethon which aired on the four main broadcast networks in September 2001, for which he won a Peabody Award and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing.
He then went on to write, direct and star in his first feature film for Sony Pictures. Exporting Raymond, the true story about the attempt to turn Everybody Loves Raymond into a Russian sitcom, was met with critical acclaim upon its release in 2010. In 2015, Rosenthal embarked on a new journey by creating his first travel food series, I’ll Have What Phil’s Having. This PBS documentary series received two Taste Awards and won the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Television Program on Location.
In 2020, Rosenthal launched “Somebody Feed the People”, an initiative of the Rosenthal Family Foundation that supports organizations making an impact and building community through food. This inclusive and non-partisan initiative partners with organizations across the U.S. that address food access and insecurity, support chefs and restaurant workers, create employment pathways, and strengthen the health of our food systems. More information can be found at PhilRosenthalWorld.com.
> California Theatre Events Calendar