How Kevin James’ Underdog 9-Part Sitcom Changed One Of Its Stars’ Lives: “Felt Very, Very Surreal”

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Kevin James wasn’t the only one whose life was changed by an iconic 2000s sitcom.

Created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, The King of Queens was a funny sitcom about a somewhat chaotic family. It starred James as Doug, a delivery driver, and Leah Remini as his wife, Carrie, a legal secretary. They navigated everyday life, including dealing with Carrie’s father, Arthur, who lived with them, and helping their friends. The show, which also featured Patton Oswalt, Gary Valentine, and Nicole Sullivan, aired for nine seasons on CBS.

I was reading an interview with Patton Oswalt over at ScreenRant about his new movie, GOAT, and he was talking about when he first started to really feel like people knew him. He said it was around seasons five or six of The King of Queens – and he actually thinks the show still holds up really well! That’s when he started noticing people recognizing him out and about, which is pretty cool.

Look, I get it – this show is on constantly, and honestly, it’s because it’s just genuinely hilarious. But it was more than just ratings; it was the experience of being recognized. I remember going places and people would just yell ‘Spence!’ It was wild! Knowing I was a small, positive part of people’s daily lives felt amazing, and the whole thing – the sudden success and being recognized like that – was just… incredibly surreal.

Patton Oswalt described wanting to come home after a long day and enjoy something silly and lighthearted – something that would make him smile and let him relax. He found it surreal to realize he was now recognizable to people. He’s not aiming to be a huge star like Tom Hanks, but he’s happy being one of those actors you recognize from other projects – the kind of career Paul Giamatti or Tracy Walter has, where people think, ‘Oh, there’s that guy!’ That’s exactly the career he wants.

Paton Oswalt has been a part of The King of Queens since the beginning, even having a recurring role in season 3. He played Spence, Doug’s childhood friend—a bit of a nerd who often clashed with the others because of his unique interests and tendency to be the voice of reason. Oswalt also brought a lot of his own personality to the role, especially his passion for pop culture.

As Patton Oswalt has pointed out, The King of Queens was really where he first became a widely recognized star. Before that, he was mainly known for his stand-up comedy and his work as a writer on the ’90s sketch comedy show MADtv. The success of The King of Queens then opened doors for him in film and television, leading to roles like voicing Remy in Pixar’s Ratatouille, co-starring in the comedy A.P. Bio with Glenn Howerton, and appearing in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Though King of Queens eventually became a popular sitcom in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it started out as a bit of a long shot. It launched during a time when shows about quirky families were very popular, like 3rd Rock from the Sun, Tim Allen’s Home Improvement, and Everybody Loves Raymond – the last of which it even partnered with for special crossover episodes four times.

The first season of The King of Queens received mostly negative reviews from critics, getting the show off to a rocky start. However, the show’s reception improved over time, and the final two seasons were generally well-received. In fact, the season 8 premiere, “Pole Lox,” earned James a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his leading role.

Given its consistently high ratings throughout most of its seasons, it’s easy to understand why Patton Oswalt still cherishes his time on The King of Queens. Though he humbly compares himself to Tom Hanks, Oswalt is undeniably one of the most recognizable character actors of the last two decades. He’s achieved success through his comedic talent and distinctive voice, landing roles in both live-action and animated projects.

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2026-02-18 21:18