Ray Routhier

Press Herald

Ray Routhier writes about pop culture, entertainment, music, TV and lifestyle issues. In more than 23 years at the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, he has been continually fascinated with stories that show the unique character of Maine’s people and places. The word he uses most for stories he’s drawn to is “quirky.” He’s written about the changing cable TV and Internet landscapes, and what those changes mean for the future of information and entertainment. He’s dug clams, raked blueberries and rode on the back of a garbage truck, all in pursuit of stories about real Mainers. He’s had a ball interviewing a range of celebrities from Anna Kendrick and Patrick Dempsey to Billy Joel and Tony Bennett. His passions, besides writing, include baseball history, old movies and “Jeopardy!” A native of Manchester, N.H., he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. He lives in South Portland with his wife and two daughters.

Latest

Published
March 4, 2015

Dan Foley loses his pants, saves face on ‘Survivor’ episode

Even a renegade wave can’t strip the Gorham man of his desire to be the surviving ‘Survivor.’
Published
February 28, 2015

Movies: Only three people pick all six winners in our annual Audience Readers Pick the Oscars contest

Best Picture award for “Birdman” foiled many ballots; In 2014 we had 23 readers with perfect scores
Published
February 25, 2015

Game developer talks to police about Mainer’s death threat

The Boston woman says the threat made in a supposedly satirical video by Jan Rankowski, 20, is ‘not a laughing matter.’
Published
February 25, 2015

Gorham’s Dan Foley survives his first episode on ‘Survivor’

But the postal worker made only one friend and appeared to rub competitors the wrong way.
Published
February 16, 2015

Gorham postal worker fulfills longtime dream by competing on ‘Survivor’

He applies more than 100 times before being accepted for this season’s episodes, which begin airing Feb. 25 on CBS.
Published
February 14, 2015

For comedian George Hamm, the stage has been a way of life and a safe place

The state’s second most-known comedian grapples with anxiety, depression and debt. He’s hopeful he can get back on stage full time, confident that making people laugh helps him and others.
Published
February 12, 2015

Maine-born actress Victoria Rowell sues CBS claiming discrimination

Rowell, who grew up in Portland and Lebanon, says she’s been kept off ‘The Young and the Restless’ since 2010 because she advocated for hiring more black people to work on TV shows.
Published
January 22, 2015

New TV show ‘Backstrom,’ set in the other Portland, tips its hat to the Sea Dog

The producers didn’t have time to get their own cap designed for the main character, whose family owns a fishing boat, so they called Maine’s Double-A baseball team.
Published
January 22, 2015

Sports fans take Patriots ‘Deflategate’ scandal personally

A psychologist, a rabbi, a teacher and students weigh in on what cheating means to them and to fans.
Published
January 21, 2015

So what’s the big deal about deflated footballs?

Just like in the schoolyard, we want our sports heroes to play fair, so only talent and strategy are rewarded.