I decided to liven things up by discussing this topic that Jane got me started on. She said Lucy was FAMOUS, but not in the same league as an Eleanor Roosevelt who went into the mines and fought for blacks before it became popular, and helped get the United Nations going. I shot back that Lucy entertained the world for over a half century, and advanced the cause of working women and even 13 years after her death inspires and mentors people all over the world who started picking up her habits and way of life, what do you think?

I found that without even realizing it, i've adapted many of Lucy's traits to my own life. I try and be as generous to family members and friends the way both Lucy and Desi were. I try to remember that without my health, i ain't got nothin, which Lucy used to say all the time. I forgive, but NEVER forget, but i also remember to be generous to people who have been good to me in the past. I try and look at all sides of a situation before making a decision, give to charity, surround myself with good friends, etc. . . all Lucy traits and there's plenty more!

Yeah, but if that's the kind of person you are, you'd have been that way even if you'd never heard of her, wouldn't you?

:wave:

Well.....I have to go with Jane on this.

In my opinion, one of the things that automatically somes with celebrity is charitibility (sp?). Honestly, these people have gobs of exposure and people listen to them without knowing why. Because of that, they can really get things done.

Look at Arnold Schwartzenegger. He just got a resolution passed in CA to create after school programs from kids to keep them off the streets. He's been involved in numerous children's charities. Now there's a man that has used his celebrity positively.

Okay, so I know that Lucy worked with the Heart Fund, but did she go out campaining for donations? With the exception of commercials, did she go out and work long and hard for public awareness? Did she ever testify before congress? Someone enlighten me.

Simply making people laugh doesn't cut it with me. Rich people laugh all the time.

Originally posted by Mickey
Yeah, but if that's the kind of person you are, you'd have been that way even if you'd never heard of her, wouldn't you?

:wave:

Good point.

Take me for instance. I can see that Richard and I have a lot of traits in common. But really all it was was a simple matter of my admiration of him having pointed out what was already there.

Where the heck were you Mickey, i missed you yesterday. The fact that both Lucy and i are Leos probably explains why we have certain things in common, however, it is my admiration of her behavior that makes me want to emulate her! Lucy worked with charities her whole life, and not just with the Heart Fund, she especially focused on children's charities. I especially liked the stories where she would hear of a friend who was sick at Holiday time, and she'd go out and buy a tree and decorations, show up at that person's house, and fix it up to cheer up that person, that sort of thing makes you want to duplicate the behavior. Those paries they gave, the picnics they did at Desilu proved that the studio was not just a business, but they focused on family, money was spent on friends and family, and even though Lucy was frugal, she didn't think twice when it came to helping someone out, as she had the means. That chauffeur who needed dental work that Lee talks about in I Loved Lucy, she just DID it, you need that, i have the money, here take it was the attitude. Of course it's easier to do all that when you have the money to do it, but some stars do these things for publicity, or political aspirations, as in Arnold's case. I understand that Liz Taylor doesn't go door to door either, she just shows up at parties, but her name raises millions for a great cause, the end result is what's important. I have a feeling i'll have my work cut out for me defending Lucy to Jane if she ever comes back, and Dawsongirldiva, and the Desi lover Mickey, but it will finally mean posts to read so let's do it!

You don't have to defend yourself to me, even if I do prefer Desi. I understand how an actor/whoever can mean a lot, and make you want to emulate them, or whatever. There are people who I feel that way about, to an extent. I do think, though, that if you're a nice person you're going to do nice things, whether or not you know a favourite actor does. And if you're a horrible person you won't. Plus, if you do nice things just because somebody you like does, it kind of tarnishes the whole thing, just a little. Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons is as bad as doing the wrong thing in the first place, just to paraphrase Babylon 5 a little!

Besides, if she did things for charity, she did them, no matter how loudly or quietly, and that's important. These things need doing, and I would imagine that her name could do a lot. You don't always have to do big things to make a difference, and it's always important to remember that. You also don't need to have the media shouting about it all once it's been done. Some of the best things that famous people have done for charity have never been reported, and a lot of fans don't know that they even happened.

As for yesterday, I was here, lurking. I just didn't really see anything much to chat about. Happens sometimes!

:wave:

Hmm - and ignoring the "both Leos" thing. Sceptical. Hugely. :)

Ok, this is the thing, i don't do nice things because she did them, i meant that when you read about her doing it, when she had so little free time to begin with, it encourages me to do more. I meant that i admire some of her traits, i'm hypersensitive, so i'm not thrilled with her letting people have it with both barrels, because she lacked tact as her daughter and others have said, however, i really admire her no bull attitude towards everything. If the interviewer kept looking at her breasts, she takes out the falsies, if she hears an ingenue bragging, she tells her to stop, if something is black, she doesn't say it's grey, she told it like it was. Now, mind you, if i had been the recipent of that, maybe, i wouldn't admire it so much! Maybe i'd even hate her guts. People like Burton who did because of things she said or did, just weren't used to not having their fanny kissed! She was right about one thing though, it saves time!

Lucille Ball has always been an inspiration to me.....and obviously a mentor. I have learned a great deal from her and being that we come from similar upbringing, i can definitely Identify with her. I think she had outstanding character, quite intellectual, and there was by no means anything superficial about her...she was real. She didn't play herself up to be what the public made her to be. She was very humble and modest about her fame, She was very humane always looked after others...be it her family or friends...she was charitable, always going out of her way to help others, and for a while had a positive outlook on life...at least until she lost her mother and the love of her life....Desi. Her later yrs were not all that happy, and for that matter her much much early years, loing her father, and the house being uprooted and everything took a lot of gusto...but she prevailed and persevered and became what I think to be a TRUE inspiration and much deserving of having the biggest accolade in history...it is no wonder her face has been seen by more people more times than anyother face...God has her now but thanks to television we will have her forever. On our sets, on our minds and in our hearts. God Bless you Lucy and Thank You for making Life a BALL!

Claude isnt it true that she watched I love Lucy all day with a little boy who had cancer? I think I had heard that somewhere. Lucy is an inspiration to me too.. and a mentor as well. When I feel like i want to just give up and throw everything away.. I think of what she has done , and how hard she has worked to get where she was to be successful. Then I keep on pushing through if that makes any sense? God I love the woman she was AMAZING!

-ash

Well she did have the young boy come over and watch I love Lucy with her, but it was just a one day thing, The MAke A Wish foundation had called her one day and this little boy, named John was dying of Leukimia and his last wish was to meet her. She had him over to watch I Love Lucy with her and she told him behind the scene stories.....This is actually from Lucy In The Afternoon. At least that is where I myself read it. Lucy involved herself with many children's charities, The Share organization, The Orthepedic Ward of The Children's Hospital, Variety Clubs Int'l all thses were charities taht gave to Children's Hospitals. There is a hospital wing dedicated to her in Denver at the Barbra Davis Juvinile Diabetes research hospital....and I belive that there is a wing at the Children's hospital in LA named for her as well.

For me I look at what she overcame and had gone through as a youngster and I think....she was so strong, how did she do it? and that is how I prevail. I can identfy with her wholey. She is deserving of every Accolade. I cannot think of anyone in that industry as great as her. She is as you said Truly Amazing.

Thanks Ash and Jen, i knew i could count on you two! The Denver thing is The Lucille Ball Juvenile Diabetes research library, not a wing. I'm glad to hear she has one at a Los Angeles hospital though!

***I am NOT being mean***

Ironic that a woman who spent so much time with children's charities cared more about her job than her own kids.

I dun't know who said you were mean, but when you make comments like that, it seems justified. Wish you hadn't done it so late on a Friday, i won't be able to reply till Monday. Do you guys EVER think that her kids could read these things. She LOVED her kids, even said she thought she had been a good mother, had no better time in her life than when she was pregnant. It works both ways darlin, once Lucy got hurt in a scene and the kids just kept reading when everybody else rushed to their mother's side. Where they there with her when she was dying, nope she was alone. Did she leave them millions and jobs taking care of the legacy she was building while she was busy working when they were typical spoiled Hollywood kids? She had her mother and nannies taking care of them when she was the number one star in the world, but she still managed to travel with them all over the world, was hands on whenever decisions had to be made regarding their lives, she said they had to stop doing things together when the kids no longer had time for HER! Considering the circumstances, she did a geat job because they both turned out great. She was not taught how to be a good parent by her absentee mother and repeated the mistake but that cabaret act of Lucie's and the theater Desi jr is renovating are probably financed by the millions she made for them while she was busy working her you know what off. Like her lawyer said, he wasn't supposed to double her millions, just make sure the kids were well provided for after she was gone! She even had them on her show when she was afraid of the lifestyle they were surrounded by in Beverly Hills would spoil them. You can't even blame the drug and alcohol thing on her as Lucie did none of that. I concede she was not perfect as a mom, but even though she had lots of faults, she was human after all, she did manage to leave behind two well adjusted talented likeable kids who are raising well adjusted kids of their own!