Desi's name on I Love Lucy - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

IdolFan · 05-05-2005, 09:30 PM

Does anyone know why they could not have Desi's character be called Desi, Why did they change it to Ricky?

Kazza · 05-05-2005, 11:29 PM

I was reading a book called 'Life on the Hyphen' and it explains a lot of things about this show and Desi's character. "Ricky Ricardo is an orphan's name, one that reveals nothing about Ricky's parentage. Still what matters about his ancestry is that he is Hispanic, and Ricardo functions well enough as a marker of ethnicity. Ricardo signifies that the subject is Hispanic,Ricky signifies that the Hispanic subject- the 'I' in ILL has been acculturated and domesticated. Ricardo is the Cuban man, Ricky is the American husband. Ricky Ricardo is the Cuban- American man and husband.
HTH~ even though he's Ricky in the show, sometimes Marco Rizo called him Des' anyways

ricardo/mertz · 05-06-2005, 12:11 AM

Wow that's deep. I never really gave his name much thought. I just figured he wasn't Desi because usually the main star goes by their real name. i.e. Mary Tyler Moore, Roseanne, Bob Newhart, you see where this is going.
So in reality they were trying to make "Ricky" more acceptable.
I don't see what the problem was, the man was gorgeous!

Kazza · 05-06-2005, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricardo/mertz

Wow that's deep. I never really gave his name much thought. I just figured he wasn't Desi because usually the main star goes by their real name. i.e. Mary Tyler Moore, Roseanne, Bob Newhart, you see where this is going.
So in reality they were trying to make "Ricky" more acceptable.
I don't see what the problem was, the man was gorgeous!

Hispanic+ 50's tv= unnaceptable

ricardo/mertz · 05-07-2005, 10:59 AM

[QUOTE=Unmarried*happy]Hispanic+ 50's tv= unnaceptable

[/QUO

What a kick in the pants for the t.v. exec. I think I Love Lucy is one of the most recognize program ever made.

Kazza · 05-07-2005, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricardo/mertz

What a kick in the pants for the t.v. exec. I think I Love Lucy is one of the most recognize program ever made.

and I'm glad it is; especially having a Hispanic tv executive (the first ever)that was Prez of his own studio and always had the best for Lucy

05-05-2005, 09:30 PM	#1
IdolFan Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 27, 2004 Posts: 40	Desi's name on I Love Lucy Does anyone know why they could not have Desi's character be called Desi, Why did they change it to Ricky?

05-06-2005, 12:11 AM	#3
ricardo/mertz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2002 Posts: 454	Wow that's deep. I never really gave his name much thought. I just figured he wasn't Desi because usually the main star goes by their real name. i.e. Mary Tyler Moore, Roseanne, Bob Newhart, you see where this is going. So in reality they were trying to make "Ricky" more acceptable. I don't see what the problem was, the man was gorgeous!
	__________________ http://www.mortysmall.com/lucy/i_lov...color_cast.jpg

05-05-2005, 11:29 PM	#2
Kazza Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 17, 2003 Posts: 3,244	I was reading a book called 'Life on the Hyphen' and it explains a lot of things about this show and Desi's character. "Ricky Ricardo is an orphan's name, one that reveals nothing about Ricky's parentage. Still what matters about his ancestry is that he is Hispanic, and Ricardo functions well enough as a marker of ethnicity. Ricardo signifies that the subject is Hispanic,Ricky signifies that the Hispanic subject- the 'I' in ILL has been acculturated and domesticated. Ricardo is the Cuban man, Ricky is the American husband. Ricky Ricardo is the Cuban- American man and husband. HTH~ even though he's Ricky in the show, sometimes Marco Rizo called him Des' anyways

05-07-2005, 10:59 AM	#5
ricardo/mertz Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2002 Posts: 454	[QUOTE=Unmarried*happy]Hispanic+ 50's tv= unnaceptable [/QUO What a kick in the pants for the t.v. exec. I think I Love Lucy is one of the most recognize program ever made.