The Circle

Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Features

For most teenagers the names Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz mean nothing. They may faintly recognize the names, or they may even be able to place them with old television. For me, these names mean one thing: my stars.

Ever since I was young, I have loved the show, "I Love Lucy." I remember my mother introducing me to this TV classic when I was young. She had bought a VHS tape of the top ten best episodes of the show. I watched in awe as Lucy and Ethel desperately tried to prove their husbands wrong by getting jobs which resulted in chocolate overload. I laughed as Lucy ended up doing a television commercial unintentionally drunk. (My friends all think I am crazy, by the way, because I am able to recite the entire commercial Lucy has to say for Vitameatavegamin). I was riveted when Lucy got locked in a freezer and had to be de-thawed with an electric blanket. These memories will never leave me. From the beginning, I was hooked.

I may be a compete dork, and I'll be the first to admit that I probably am, but I could not get away from Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred. I loved them with all of my heart. After watching this VHS tape a zillion and one times, my mom bought me season two of the show on DVD. Season one and numerous Lucy memorabilia, including a Vitameatavegamin t-shirt I bought off-line, quickly followed this.

My friend bet me sophomore year of high school that I would not wear this shirt to school. Of course, I had to prove her wrong. When I was in my Spanish class, I sat next to a gorgeous senior boy whom was my Español eye-candy. That day, he turned to me and looked. "I Love Lucy!" he smiled and said, "My mom loves that show!" That was the last time I wore that shirt to school.

There is a point to this trip down memory lane, I promise. Although I may sound like your grandmother when I say this, I wish our generation had a show like "I Love Lucy" to look forward to every week. Granted there are still really good sitcoms on television, but they are limited. Most shows are "reality TV," and I can't stand those! I don't want to watch ten bimbo girls from Laguna Beach talk about what (or who) they want to do, I want to see Lucy try to redecorate and accidentally wallpaper over the windows and door! Isn't television supposed to be entertainment? I see enough "reality" in real life, I do not need to see it when I'm trying to mellow out and relax.

All of my friends and family know that I love old television. When my friends are watching "American Idol," I am watching "The Twilight Zone" or "Lost in Space." I am sure that when my mom first introduced me to "I Love Lucy," she had no idea what she was starting. Now she refers to me as an I Love Lucy "freak." I assure her that I am not in the "freak" category until I dye my hair bright red and know each episode by number. Then I will have to stop my obsession before I have no friends, and for a good reason. Until then, I will continue loving this show for all it's worth.

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