I have loved “I Love Lucy” ever since I saw an episode on Nickelodeon when I was about ten. I love the clothes, the furniture, the dishes—watching “I Love Lucy” is like opening a time capsule of the 1950s and getting to relive all the best, most idyllic parts. The love story of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo and the friendships between Ethel and Lucy and the Mertzes and the Ricardos are showcased in a comedy that is brilliantly written and acted.
One of my favorite aspects of “I Love Lucy” is the real-life love story behind the show. When Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had been married for about eleven years, they decided to try working together, as their careers were starting to pull them in opposite directions. They came up with a concept for a show that would showcase both of their talents, but it was rejected. The major television networks of the time agreed that no one would believe a beautiful American girl like Lucille Ball would be married to a Cuban immigrant. Lucy and Desi, determined to prove the doubters wrong, created an act that combined his nightclub and orchestra with her comedy skills. They took the act on the road and were met with huge success. Producers took notice, and “I Love Lucy” was born. For four of its seasons, it was the number one show in the country. And to this day, at every hour of the day, somewhere in the world an episode of “I Love Lucy” is playing. I think the show has such longevity and popularity because viewers can identify with simple situations that become complicated when the elements of love and friendship are introduced. Also, the show was and is just plain funny. To me, the essence of “I Love Lucy” can be distilled down to these lines from the show:
Ethel! We’re fighting a losing game! Lucy says this to Ethel while they’re working on the production line of a chocolate factory. And it sums up Lucy and Ethel’s friendship—again and again, they got themselves into situations where they were fighting a losing game: stealing John Wayne’s footprints, needing some spending money and ending up on the Empire State Building dressed as aliens, and taking apart and rebuilding a giant homemade barbeque in the middle of the night. Yet these mishaps only strengthened their friendship while making their audience see the fun in the “losing game.” And made them, in my opinion, TV’s best duo—although Lucy and Ricky were a close second. Their TV love story, made up of the best parts of their true love story, comes to life when you watch them together and see the way they interact.
Don’t cross your bridges before your chickens is hatched. Ricky says this to Lucy, and it’s a classic example of the way Ricky’s Spanish caused him to mix up words. And Lucy got a laugh out of it every time. I do, too—because Monty does the same thing. Unlike Ricky, Monty is a native English speaker, yet he mixes metaphors, switches word order, and changes common sayings. He’s also a genius, which makes the contrast between his thoughts and his words even more endearing to me. He has referred to Alcoholics Anonymous as Alcoholics Unanimous. At the place where I got my tattoo, he whispered to me, “I feel like a duck out of water.” In high school, we were working on a Civics project that required us to look through copies of “Newsweek” for current event topics. Monty, sitting there with his magazine, looked up and said, in complete shock, “No wonder people think the monarchy is out of touch!” I asked him what he meant, and he said, “Queen Elizabeth has ordered that all peasants outside of Buckingham Palace be shot because they’re becoming a public nuisance!” I grabbed the magazine and read the headline. “It’s pheasants,” I said, and handed it back to him. He looked at it intently and said, “Oh. That makes more sense. Pheasants. Well, I don’t like that, either.” My Ricky Ricardo.
No offense, Ethel, but I’m sick of the sight of your face. Lucy says this to Ethel after they’ve been holed up in the Mertz’s apartment for a couple of days to give their husbands a “vacation from marriage.” This is another line that, in its humor, showcases the friendship between Lucy and Ethel. They’re brutally honest with each other, which I think is necessary for friendship. My friendship with my sister Lisa is definitely based on this kind of honesty. Lisa is honest almost to a fault. In the words of Louis MacNeice, she “never flatters for points or fakes responses.” When I was just starting out in college, Lisa was finishing her English degree. She was so smart and well-read that when I asked her to read a short story that I had written for a creative writing class, it was with much apprehension. After she read it, she looked up and, with tears in her eyes, said, “This is good.” That is, hands down, one of the best compliments I’ve ever received—because it was sincere. There is a flip side to such honesty, however, and Lisa gives both sides. She and I probably spend more time in our pajamas than the average person does because we both have the kind of migraines that keep us in bed sometimes. Over the years, we’ve become pajama connoisseurs. A couple of years ago, when she was visiting for the holidays, I changed into my pajamas since we were all going to watch a movie. When I walked into the room, Lisa took one look at me and said, “Oh.” There was so much sadness and pity in that one word. I looked down, wondering what embarrassing thing I had done. And Lisa said, “Are those from Walmart?” I just had to laugh. And then admit that yes, my pajamas were indeed from Walmart.
Give me one good reason why I can’t be in the show. Lucy says this to Ricky, asking him yet again to put her in his nightclub act. Ricky responds with, “You have no talent.” Lucy thinks about that for a minute and says, “Give me another good reason.” Nothing kept Lucy from doing what she wanted—not a lack of talent, having to wear a wacky costume, even Ricky’s efforts to sabotage her. Lucy is the ultimate example of that now famous sentence, “Nevertheless, she persisted.”
We’re all odd, aren’t we? A would-be employer of Ricky’s says this to Lucy, regarding numerology. The answer to that, in every “I Love Lucy” situation, was a definite and resounding yes. We’re all odd. And that’s what keeps our love stories interesting and our friendships fun. In “I Love Lucy” and in life, the oddities—in people, in words, and in situations—are what make us laugh to the point of tears. Watching Lucy and Ethel struggle to keep up with chocolate-making will always make me laugh. So will any mention of the word “peasants.” And come to think of it, so does the idea of Lisa’s face if she saw me right now, wearing. . . yes. Walmart pajamas.
“I Love Lucy” was never just a title.Desi Arnaz
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I too loved “I love Lucy”—used to laugh so hard at the show! And, it reminds me off the time when we were living in New Zealand and my dad got me my first summer job through a friend of his. I thought it was perfect, cause for being 15 I thought the money awesome, that is until I started working there! Guess what?— it was a cookie factory with an assembly line and I had to pick the cookies of the belt and wrap them in a cellophane wrap? Just like the I love Lucy show, if they did not get moved of the belt fast enough, they ended up in a bin at the end. No going to the bathroom when you wanted, had to wait for the 15 minute break, rush to the bathroom, line up to pee and run back to the belt. I had nightmares for months after–my mom found me sitting up in bed night after night desperately trying to catch the cookies as they wizzed by in my dream! That and the sick sweet smell of the chocolates cured me for years of eating anything chocolate related. I never worked in a factory again–next job was wrapping toys in a toy department and although that presented other challenges such as wrapping balls, bicycles and everything in between, it was heaven compared to the cookie factory! Phew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Klara–I will never watch this episode again without thinking of you trying to wrap cookies in cellophane. You made me laugh, especially the idea of you, in your dreams, trying to catch the cookies! I can imagine that such a job would definitely cure you of chocolate. Thank you so much for the laugh–Monty thanks you, too. I read him your comment and he laughed all the way through it. You, my friend, have had a VERY interesting life!
For sure did a lot of stuff–did I tell you I was involved in politics for 15 years too? I started in that after my oldest was discriminated on her first day at Kindergarden. I ended up being a district parent and ran for schoolboard with a brand new party called ” Voice”. We ended up splitting the vote with the NDP, so both lost, although I had a good number of votes. That led to being on a Foundation, being a Chair of program and planning at a neighbourhood House, saving a block of city owned houses that were going to be sold off, Chair of Community Planning on First baptist Foundation and advocate/activist for years in a number of areas. Never a dull moment–but now I am pooped so to speak and do my creative stuff–although I still de the Social Committee here. too.
Klara–an interesting life, indeed! I didn’t know you were politically active, but it doesn’t surprise me at all. You have a heart for the underdog, for those without a voice–and you back it up with action. But I see why you are “pooped.” Maybe you need some dull moments! My respect for you continues to grow. . .
I love Lucy, too! It is the.m best. Always have, always will. Maury and I are a lot like them. Haha
Isn’t it the best? I never thought about you and Maury being the modern Ricardos–but that makes sense. You have your own Ricky Ricardo! Thank you for reading and sharing, Molly.
Lisa
It’s a comedic look at all facets of life.
Meant to put things in perspective!
Good show to watch and not fouled with words of hate.
Yes, Steve–an innocent show that managed to be funny without innuendo, hate, or anything crass. Quite a contrast to every show today, isn’t it?
It is you that has blessed me my dear!
You are an inspiration that SHOULD be heard.
Great great stories and life experiences! You have a wealth to pass on lady!
Let your little light shine in your musings!
Worth money to me!
Monty is an extremely fortunate man.
Wow, Steve–what a compliment. Thank you! I am trying to make my little light shine, so thank you for seeing it. You always seem to pick up on the emotions behind my words. Thank you for that and for being one of my earliest, most faithful readers. I value your feedback so much. Thank you again.
Everybody has comedy in their heart. They just have to believe in it.
Comedy is meant to give us a shield from sorrow. A lift of spirits from heartache and the parts of life that just have to be dealt with.
You just cannot justify or rationalize the hurtful things. You have to find a way to power through. Comedy is our sorrow relief and God is our hope and reason to laugh at all the spills we inevitably inflict upon ourselves.
You are becoming a master at this Renee! Love this and don’t restrict your talent. The world would benefit!!
Steve–great thoughts on comedy. I think you’ve just written more reasons why I love it! Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I’m beginning to depend on them! Thanks for blessing me tonight.
Every time I read this, I laugh even more. It just makes me feel good and happy.
You’re so good at writing comedic pieces. I don’t know how you do it, but you’re writing gets the reader to read it with the perfect timing making it that much more funny.
And, I have to say, it’s amazing how one letter in a word can make such a change to its meaning…
Thank you so much! I will try to take you at your word, since you are an expert on comedy. And so much of the credit belongs to you, for your support and for providing me with so much material. I will treasure your words.
Fantastic ? Meredith and I will start watching “ I Love Lucy” in your honor.
♥️
Thank you, Heather! Meredith will love it. I promise. How could she not??
Renee, another wonderful Blog. Stirred up a lot ofmemories. We were the last family on our Block to buy a TV. So, to watch an episode of I Love Lucy, would require my parents “interacting with neighbors”. This was a good thing, to share the absolute “brilliance” of this show. Soon, it was “several families”, watching together. I remember the episode where Lucy was given by to “Baby Ricky”, my brother and I had Boy Scout Swim Team oractise, at the time of I Love Lucy. The Boy Scout Leader actually cancelled Practise, So all would have the opportunity to watch I Love Lucy. I think that held the highest TV rating, for a long time. Brilliant cast, great Show. From time to time, I Tape one of the episodes, The “grape stomping episode” my co-Favorite with “The Chocolate Factory”. Again, the Casting was brilliant. Sorry to “Ramble On”. But, Renee you have “struck some great childhood memories”. You have hit “another Home Run”. ?
Harold, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your comment! Your story of watching “I Love Lucy” with your neighbors is great. I love to think of the show bringing people together. That’s a whole element I hadn’t even thought about. And cancelling practice in order to watch the birth of Little Ricky–love it. That’s one of my favorite episodes, too. I’m so glad this brought back memories for you. Thank you so very much for sharing them.
I don’t quite remember it that way but Lonnie says that sounds about right…. However, I will say, this is another delightful, wonderful writing of yours. I’ve never watched much of I Love Lucy but now you’ve made me want to watch it….and that’s amazing writing!!! Your writing makes me laugh, think, cry and want to be a better person. I’m so glad I get to witness this first hand in your life since you are my dear sister….even though sometimes you do happen to buy clothes from Walmart….which is okay…I’ve decided. Love you!
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You need to watch it! Wonderful medicine for your heart when you can’t sleep–I should know. I don’t even know how to thank you for such words. Thank you for your support and friendship. It makes me so happy to write that word–about us. I love you, my Frister. Thank you for the Walmart approval, too.