Question abt The Gossip episode...

[Ireneparalegal]

Ok, I have seen this episode a billion times, but something bothers me and I hope someone can sort this out for me.

The ladies make a bet regarding who are bigger gossipers, them or the men. The bet is that the first to gossip loses. Alright. Now, if Lucy tells Ethel some gossip, why would they be worried abt losing IF NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABT IT?????? Lucy was dying to tell Ethel the gossip abt Grace Foster, she was all nervous, worried and fidgety. If Ethel and Lucy went shopping and Lucy told her the gossip, who would know? It's not like Ethel was going to run to Fred and say, "We lost the bet, Lucy told me some gossip." Even in the apartment, Lucy had no idea that Ricky and Fred were listening thru the vent...she wouldn't expect them to. Even so, why should she be worried abt telling Ethel gossip and losing the bet? This has confused me for over 35 years!

[Madame X]

I agree, Irene. I have thought about that for about 45 years! Sometimes things are not logical just so they can create a story. Like when Lucy dresses as someone else to trick Ricky and he doesn't recognize her. I am really sure! Another one that bugs me I am watching right now, when Lucy and Ethel are baking bread and it pops out of the oven 12 feet long. The bread might grow, but the oven rack wouldn't have. Also I doesn't make sense that Lucy is involved in all these things after Little Ricky is born. A real mother would be involved in the child's care, but we rarely see him. They overlook a lot to make a "story" work.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Madame X

I agree, Irene. I have thought about that for about 45 years! Sometimes things are not logical just so they can create a story. Like when Lucy dresses as someone else to trick Ricky and he doesn't recognize her. I am really sure! Another one that bugs me I am watching right now, when Lucy and Ethel are baking bread and it pops out of the oven 12 feet long. The bread might grow, but the oven rack wouldn't have. Also I doesn't make sense that Lucy is involved in all these things after Little Ricky is born. A real mother would be involved in the child's care, but we rarely see him. They overlook a lot to make a "story" work.

For the longest time I never paid attention or merely overlooked a lot of these "impossibilities"...but being on a board, it makes for good posting to see how others feel abt these things.

I so agree with you abt the bread... How could the bread even grow that length in that small an oven????

Ricky never recognizing Lucy...Hmmmmm.

The glue that Fred used, if it was THAT OLD, wouldn't it have been dried by now?

[Lodee]

I never even thought about that until you said it. LOL I hate when something like that drives you nuts about an episode.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Ok, I have seen this episode a billion times, but something bothers me and I hope someone can sort this out for me.

The ladies make a bet regarding who are bigger gossipers, them or the men. The bet is that the first to gossip loses. Alright. Now, if Lucy tells Ethel some gossip, why would they be worried abt losing IF NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABT IT?????? Lucy was dying to tell Ethel the gossip abt Grace Foster, she was all nervous, worried and fidgety. If Ethel and Lucy went shopping and Lucy told her the gossip, who would know? It's not like Ethel was going to run to Fred and say, "We lost the bet, Lucy told me some gossip." Even in the apartment, Lucy had no idea that Ricky and Fred were listening thru the vent...she wouldn't expect them to. Even so, why should she be worried abt telling Ethel gossip and losing the bet? This has confused me for over 35 years!

How about "The Quiz Show" episode when Lucy is sitting nervously in the living room with Ricky waiting for this person from the radio show to appear pretending to be Lucy's first husband. Why doesn't Lucy just tell Ricky that a stunt is about to take place and just play along. And why would this radio show trust her not to tell him about the long lost first husband stunt? And what kind of radio show is this, anyway, that would do a stunt like that OFF THE AIR so that the radio listeners don't get to experience any of it? Would you tune in to a show that does all the interesting stuff off the air? What's the point? And how about in "Be a Pal" when Lucy thinks she is talking to Ethel on the phone when, in fact, Ethel is standing right next to her? Wouldn't Lucy still be hearing the ring tone (since Ethel obviously isn't in her apartment to answer the phone)?

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

For the longest time I never paid attention or merely overlooked a lot of these "impossibilities"...but being on a board, it makes for good posting to see how others feel abt these things.

I so agree with you abt the bread... How could the bread even grow that length in that small an oven????

Ricky never recognizing Lucy...Hmmmmm.

The glue that Fred used, if it was THAT OLD, wouldn't it have been dried by now?

And about that loaf of bread, it seems that it suddenly grew into a loaf the second Lucy opened the oven door because obviously that long loaf couldn't fit in the oven. Notice that most of these illogical plots were from the first season. I think the writers at that point were still too used to writing for radio where they didn't have to deal with the visual aspect. Those kinds of plots would have worked much better on radio when the audience is only imagining what might be taking place (and maybe imagining something more logical) than seeing it and realizing it doesn't make sense. Remember also there were only three writers who had to crank out 39 scripts in just as many weeks. That's a huge task.

[NOVARick]

Originally Posted by Madame X

Also I doesn't make sense that Lucy is involved in all these things after Little Ricky is born. A real mother would be involved in the child's care, but we rarely see him. They overlook a lot to make a "story" work.

But after the baby came, weren't they always careful to say that Little Ricky was with Mrs. Trumble when Lucy went off on one of her adventures?

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by NOVARick

How about "The Quiz Show" episode when Lucy is sitting nervously in the living room with Ricky waiting for this person from the radio show to appear pretending to be Lucy's first husband. Why doesn't Lucy just tell Ricky that a stunt is about to take place and just play along. And why would this radio show trust her not to tell him about the long lost first husband stunt? And what kind of radio show is this, anyway, that would do a stunt like that OFF THE AIR so that the radio listeners don't get to experience any of it? Would you tune in to a show that does all the interesting stuff off the air? What's the point? And how about in "Be a Pal" when Lucy thinks she is talking to Ethel on the phone when, in fact, Ethel is standing right next to her? Wouldn't Lucy still be hearing the ring tone (since Ethel obviously isn't in her apartment to answer the phone)?

Thank you. Exactly. I mean, she could have told Ricky what was going on and who would know???? And you are so right, it didn't even dawn on me that since it was a radio stunt, what's the point of doing it, since the audience couldn't "hear" it? good catch!!!!!