A Bit of Background

Hello all,

My uncle asked me the other day (after I told him about my blog) a very simple question: What about "Lucy" (the show and the person) made such a strong impression on you as a child?  What do you continue to love about her?  There were several more questions, but I thought it might be interesting for some of you to read my response if you feel so inclined.  Seeing that this is a blog of "all things Lucy", I would like to share a little more about what it means to me, other than the obvious I Love Lucy!

"Surprisingly enough, this is not the first time I have been asked this [why do you love Lucy?].  And honestly, I don't entirely know what about "Lucy" (both the person and the show) was that hooked me.  At the onset, I think it was because I thought the show was funny.  As an 8 year old, I'm pretty sure that would have been the first thing that attracted me to it.  But as I continued to watch it, I started liking the people, especially Lucy.  There was something magnetic about her, I just couldn't take my eyes off her every move.  I didn't think of the actors as actors for several years, they really were their characters to me.  I liked how ridiculous Lucy was, yet always so earnest.  She was never untrue, and everything she did had a reason behind it.  I loved (and still do) how she really just didn't care if her plan didn't work, but she had to try it anyway, and also how Ethel always helped her.  I loved their friendship.
As I got older and started studying acting and performance (as well as read a ton of books on the show and the actors), my love for Lucy and the show increased tenfold.  I admired her commitment to her character and all the other characters.  In improvisational acting (which happened on the show because it was live and they rarely did second takes), the #1 rule is to "just say yes" to keep things going.  And Lucy is a master at that.  I LOVE that about her as an adult.  I was right as a child to not think of the people as actors, but as their characters.  That, I ultimately learned, is a brilliant actor, and I have a huge appreciation for that now, as I also did as a child.  Also, I have realized as an adult that Lucy is an incredibly strong female role model, and an overall powerful woman.  Even as a 1950s housewife, she was independent enough to get the best of Ricky, and in general stand up for herself, and I greatly admire that quality.  That is one of the reasons I've done several reports on her throughout my academic career.
I have kept loving Lucy first and foremost because it is funny, and even though obviously outdated in many ways, still holds true today.  And also, I saw my first episode shortly before my parents divorced.  Therefore, it became a very grounding experience to watch "I Love Lucy".  It was (and still is to this day) like wrapping myself in a warm familiar blanket.  I watch it for enjoyment, education, laughter, but also comfort. 
My appreciation for her has definitely changed over time, but the fundamental reasons I love her remain the same, and are still difficult to put into words even after a college education.  She's funny, bold, sexy, powerful, and timeless."