I love Lucy. I loved her shows, her timing, her sense of knowing when a gesture or a face mug did more than a word.
Comic genius doesn't begin to cover what Lucille Ball was, especially to the millions of girls who grew up watching her and thought,"I can be funny,"
I was one of those kids. Lucy held that magic for me. I could tell you episode by episode which ones I loved the best. Sure, everyone loved the candy factory, but there were so many brilliant comedy moments in not only I love Lucy and The Lucy Show, but in everything she did.
If this sounds like a gushing love letter, it is. I was. am. and will always be, a Lucy fan. I went to Jamestown, NY a few years ago, determined to see what the birthplace of Lucy was like. Jamestown, you didn't disappoint me. There are murals and museums and enough Lucy memorabilia that a Lucy fan like me can happily wander around for the day and be lost in laughter.
There are moments that every comic borrows from her, both male and female. In my efforts as a comedian, I have found myself thinking back to classic Lucy in trying to attempt more sight gags that appeal to all ages. But I'm no Lucy. No one is. And I have to say, 100 years later Lucy, you can still pack quite a punch when it comes to making folks laugh. I was watching an episode of Lucy and Ricky doing the tango while Lucy has a jacket full of eggs. I couldn't help but burst out laughing and I knew what was coming.
Lucy will forever be timeless, which is the goal of anyone who strives to make others laugh. I will never forget hearing the amazing sound of my 4-year old laughing hysterically and motioning for me to come over to the t.v some 16 year ago. "Mommy you just have to SEE this lady. She is so crazy," and there was Lucy. It was another favorite, the bread baking episode where Lucy is trapped by the giant loaf of bread. I sat down with him and another generation of Lucy fans were born.
Laughter never gets old and Lucy, neither do you. Happy 100th.
