Ethel's hometown episode...aka Ethel being a B**ch!

[Ireneparalegal]

Wasn't it so out of character to see Ethel behave the way she did towards her good friends? I can see her treating Fred like crap, but overall, the way she acted seemed way out there. :lol: She was a b*tch!:lol: I loved how the three of them seeked revenge on her in the show.

BTW, anyone else ever notice the outfit Lucy wears in that show is the same one she wore when she did the performance for the Queen when the Ricardos and Mertzes were in London.

[Madame X]

Yeah, Ethel was a B. She was in her hometown and knew everybody and she should have been a better hostess to her husband and best friends. After all, she wouldn't even have gone to Albuquerque if it wasn't for Ricky. When it came to the foursome, Ethel got the least amount of showbiz attention, so maybe she thought that finally here was her chance. Anyway, is was out of character for her.

I always notice how the audience is laughing while Lucy, Ricky and Fred are doing antics behind Ethel, and Ethel doesn't realize it. I would think she would know that something was up.

Irene- good eye on Lucy's outfit. It was accessorized a bit differently, but it surely is the same outfit she wore in the horse number entertaining the Queen. :wave:

BTW, I think Fred is a crack-up in this episode, especially on stage!

[*ClassicPinUp*]

I always notice how the audience is laughing while Lucy, Ricky and Fred are doing antics behind Ethel, and Ethel doesn't realize it. I would think she would know that something was up.

I always thought that too! Especially with them running back and forth. I guess Ethel didn't have very good peripheral vision. :lol:

[Ireneparalegal]

Fred was indeed the funny man in this episode. :rofl: You know, for the first several times I had seen that episode (mind you at the age of 6-7) I was not sure why the audience laughed when Fred walked across the stage with the tree. I was like "What is so funny abt carrying a tree?" Later, I asked my brother why was the audience laughing. He proceeded to tell me, "Notice how the tree gets bigger and bigger and bigger." :rofl: Fred's serious look on his face makes it that much funnier. :lol:

I don't understand why Ethel found it so "easy" to lie when certainly she would be found out. Her lie of going to Hollywood to be in a movie wouldn't hold up. Surely the folks of her hometown would expect to see her "new movie". :crazy:

[Madame X]

I don't understand why Ethel found it so "easy" to lie when certainly she would be found out. Her lie of going to Hollywood to be in a movie wouldn't hold up. Surely the folks of her hometown would expect to see her "new movie". :crazy:

:nod:

[OH Nuts!]

Not so much that she was a b*tch but that she got A REALLY SWELLED HEAD. She was lucky they didn't just leave her in Alburquerque. Lucy's idea for exacting revenge with the show was ingenuous. It was a HOOT watching Ethel sing while Ricky, Lucy and Fred clowned around behind her. My God, this show was so original and FUNNY. I'd like to see someone else find a show that's still so fresh and vibrant 55 years later. And of course you can recognize this take off being used in shows well down the road (e.g. the Weekend Update skit on Saturday Night Life with Chevy Chase making funny faces alongside a serious commentator, for one). Yes, Ethel was quite overbearing and a little too taken with herself, but the gang got even

And of course, I can't forget THE VERY CHARMING sequence in the beginning of the ep where everyone says hello to little Ricky and gets so excited to hear him say "hello".

I was thrilled I had this ep and could chime in. Ladies, watching how incisively you discuss the show is a heady experience indeed. Also this is one of the eps I have on VHS. About 6 yrs back I got a 2 cassette set in Virgin Records in NYC that touted the 10 best episodes of I.L.L. and this was one of the eps they picked. I must say they did pick the creme de la creme ("Lucy Does A Commercial", "Lucy Is Enciente" "Switching Jobs" Lucy Goes To LA" etc.) I just wish they had included "Return Home From Europe" on it. But I was lucky to find it on another VHS. Smuggling a 25 lb cheese on a plane and then trying to eat and hide it when they realized there would be a fare. Only Lucy would think of something so harebrained. But then, THERE ARE SO MANY EXTREMELY FUNNY eps that is hard to pick the very best, as so many are delightful.

(Lucy Freak In Training...and proud of it!)

[coffield3]

I dont know you see because yeah she was being a bloat head but when i watch the episode i kinda feel sorry for her when the others are making fun, it wouldnt of hurt to let her have a tad of lucys spotlight for an episode.

[AB]

If you think about it, she just wanted to appear important and successful to her family and old friends, but it kind of got out of hand. She definitely went overboard. lol!

[Ireneparalegal]

^^^ yeah it went overboard most definitely. :rofl: I love that pic they show of Ethel and her "trained hands". :rofl: Is that a weird picture of her or what? She seems so BRIGHT! and I don't mean abt her intelligience. Help me here someone. :lol:

[Madame X]

^^^ yeah it went overboard most definitely. :rofl: I love that pic they show of Ethel and her "trained hands". :rofl: Is that a weird picture of her or what? She seems so BRIGHT! and I don't mean abt her intelligience. Help me here someone. :lol:

I know what you mean. That photo has always seemed surreal, as if we can see Ethel's aura! :lol: They even put some weird lighting on the newspaper itself.

Notice how different the photos are. Ethel's hair is way different, as well as the position of her hands. Actually, check out everyone's hands!


129552129551

[Ireneparalegal]

OMG that is so friggin' interesting. Only would a screen cap show what we can't see on tv.

Look at the newspaper pic. Ok, now look on Ethel's right, you can clearly see what appears to be Fred wearing khaki pants and his black belt with a light colored shirt. That is NOT what he is wearing in the scene that you posted on the left. He is wearing a dark suit. Also, in the newspaper pic you can see a hand on Ethel's left hip area. In the scene at the left that you provided, Lucy is too close to Ethel for a hand to even be seen there.
In the newspaper clip pic Ethel seems to have really dark lipstick on. It could be the photo of course, but still, it is waay to dark compared to the scene on the left.

[Katya]

This is another favorite episode of mine .I agree Ethel is more big headed then really mean but I like how Fred,Ricky and Lucy play off of that and Fred is the real gem of this episode I like how he gives Ethel no cover ,her dad is really something else to but he's her dad what was Billy Hackett's excuse:confused:

[NOVARick]

Wasn't it so out of character to see Ethel behave the way she did towards her good friends? I can see her treating Fred like crap, but overall, the way she acted seemed way out there. :lol: She was a b*tch!:lol: I loved how the three of them seeked revenge on her in the show.

I'm not so sure this was really out of character for her. It seems that when situations arose where she was able to get attention was focused on her, she could become a bit obnoxious. Remember how big-headed and annoying she got in "No Children Allowed"?

[Lodee]

I know what you mean. That photo has always seemed surreal, as if we can see Ethel's aura! :lol: They even put some weird lighting on the newspaper itself.

Notice how different the photos are. Ethel's hair is way different, as well as the position of her hands. Actually, check out everyone's hands!


129552129551

That's funny! I would have never noticed that either. You'd think they would have tried to get it somewhat the same. :lol:

[Katya]

I think in No Children Allowed Lucy was more in the wrong then Ethel was .Both were wrong but I felt Lucy was more so even early on she seemed something of and ingreate when Ethel stood up for her and could have lost tenets.

[Ireneparalegal]

I think in No Children Allowed Lucy was more in the wrong then Ethel was .Both were wrong but I felt Lucy was more so even early on she seemed something of and ingreate when Ethel stood up for her and could have lost tenets.
Yeah, that is how I see it. Yes Lucy was annoyed by Ethel's storytelling, but all Ethel needed was to tell everyone they knew in common, get it out of her system and that would have been the end of that. Lucy did wrong by mocking Ethel the way she did.

Totally different scenario for how Ethel behaved in New Mexico. She blatantly lied in letters, made her husband and best friends feel terrible, she made people think Ricky was her chauffer (maybe not literally but still, he was driving her to Hollywood to star in a movie), she had the chance to let people know the truth. When she was confronted by the trio at her father's home she stated emphatically how she didn't want to tell the people in her hometown the truth. That is when Lucy got p*ssed and said, "THAT'S IT!" and slammed the newspaper down.

[NOVARick]

Yeah, that is how I see it. Yes Lucy was annoyed by Ethel's storytelling, but all Ethel needed was to tell everyone they knew in common, get it out of her system and that would have been the end of that. Lucy did wrong by mocking Ethel the way she did.

Well, I guess I'm sympathetic to Lucy in this one as I've known people who have acted just like Ethel did here. Unlike Lucy, I keep my mouth closed, but deep inside I'm simmering and have an urge to smack them if they don't shut up.

[Ireneparalegal]

Well, I guess I'm sympathetic to Lucy in this one as I've known people who have acted just like Ethel did here. Unlike Lucy, I keep my mouth closed, but deep inside I'm simmering and have an urge to smack them if they don't shut up.
Ohhhhh believe me, I hear that. My boyfriend has a nasty habit of repeating himself or a story OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Please, can I just b*tch slap him!?:mad: :lol:

I know what you mean Rick, it is a very annoying thing when people do that. The only thing I can say is I tell my boyfriend, "YOU told me that already five times." with a bit of an attitude. ;)

Ethel was indeed annoying as hell, but she did right by standing up for Lucy and the baby and could have lost out on money. Even Fred thought Ethel did right and he is a penny-pincher. :lol:

[NOVARick]

Ohhhhh believe me, I hear that. My boyfriend has a nasty habit of repeating himself or a story OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Please, can I just b*tch slap him!?:mad: :lol:

Ooh, please keep me out of this one. I'm not going to fink on my fellow man that way. If you b*tch slap him, that's entirely your decision. :crazy:

I know what you mean Rick, it is a very annoying thing when people do that. The only thing I can say is I tell my boyfriend, "YOU told me that already five times." with a bit of an attitude. ;)

And then next time he brings it up again, you mouth his words at the same time. :lol:

Ethel was indeed annoying as hell, but she did right by standing up for Lucy and the baby and could have lost out on money. Even Fred thought Ethel did right and he is a penny-pincher. :lol:

I totally agree that Ethel did a good thing. But her actions would have seemed more sincere if she had been more humble about it rather than constantly announcing to the world what a wonderful person she was. At that point, it started to seem less about helping the Ricardos than trying to glorify herself.

[Ireneparalegal]

And then next time he brings it up again, you mouth his words at the same time. :lol:
:brent Good one!



Yes, Ethel at that point was putting herself on a pedestal that someone needed to knock her off of. Considering it was a one time thing and the fact that she had told just abt the whole city of New York, the time would eventually come where she would have finally SHUT UP! :rofl:

[Katya]

Yeah, that is how I see it. Yes Lucy was annoyed by Ethel's storytelling, but all Ethel needed was to tell everyone they knew in common, get it out of her system and that would have been the end of that. Lucy did wrong by mocking Ethel the way she did.

Totally different scenario for how Ethel behaved in New Mexico. She blatantly lied in letters, made her husband and best friends feel terrible, she made people think Ricky was her chauffer (maybe not literally but still, he was driving her to Hollywood to star in a movie), she had the chance to let people know the truth. When she was confronted by the trio at her father's home she stated emphatically how she didn't want to tell the people in her hometown the truth. That is when Lucy got p*ssed and said, "THAT'S IT!" and slammed the newspaper down.
I agree though Ethel did get annoying it would have blown over quick enough,Lucy was wrong to humilate Ethel in front of their other friends.When it comes to Ethel's hometown yes Ethel was a royal pain :confused: I don't know why she even told all those lies and treated the others so badly but it made for good comedy.I thought it was a good change of pace to see Ricky,Fred and Lucy schemming together for a change I rather liked that dynamic all four were in to form in that episode:)

[Ireneparalegal]

This episode would have been a great opportunity for Ricky to turn to Fred and say, "Since I am Ethel's chauffer, when do I get paid for driving her to Hollywood?"

[InspectorExstead]

This episode would have been a great opportunity for Ricky to turn to Fred and say, "Since I am Ethel's chauffer, when do I get paid for driving her to Hollywood?"

:rofl: that would've been perfect & hilarious.

[InspectorExstead]

I agree though Ethel did get annoying it would have blown over quick enough,Lucy was wrong to humilate Ethel in front of their other friends.When it comes to Ethel's hometown yes Ethel was a royal pain :confused: I don't know why she even told all those lies and treated the others so badly but it made for good comedy.I thought it was a good change of pace to see Ricky,Fred and Lucy schemming together for a change I rather liked that dynamic all four were in to form in that episode:)

i agree. i didn't like ethel in this episode, but it was a nice change. instead of lucy scheming and ethel being dragged into it, it was nice to see the three of them scheming together. and it was hilarious too.

[Ireneparalegal]

How on earth did Ethel think she was going to get away with those lies? Surely she would have had to face those folks or at least they would say, "Where is Ethel's movie?"

[Lodee]

I think Ethel was so into it at that point the future never even crossed her mind. :lol:

[InspectorExstead]

How on earth did Ethel think she was going to get away with those lies? Surely she would have had to face those folks or at least they would say, "Where is Ethel's movie?"

:lol: i always wondered about that. did she just tell them the picture got canceled or something of the sort? though she & fred did end up getting a part in a movie, but she wasn't the star of the film, like she had told her dad.

[Ireneparalegal]

:lol: i always wondered about that. did she just tell them the picture got canceled or something of the sort? though she & fred did end up getting a part in a movie, but she wasn't the star of the film, like she had told her dad.
That is what I think. That the pic was canceled or something. :lol:

[The Great One]

It never made sense to me that Ethel would tell all of those lies. Her family and hometown friends would eventually find out the truth and she would then end up being labeled a liar. :confused:

[Jude The Obscure]

Ethel was just preparing herself to transform into "Vivian Bagley", whom it is to be argued, was definitely more of a b**** than Ethel ever imagined :lol:

[Ireneparalegal]

I can see Lucy telling lies to her friends. :lol: Hell...she did. She told lies and then expected Ricky to help her.

[Lodee]

Ethel was just preparing herself to transform into "Vivian Bagley", whom it is to be argued, was definitely more of a b**** than Ethel ever imagined :lol:
I know! It's like Ethel grew some balls when she became Vivian Bagley.

[Ireneparalegal]

I know! It's like Ethel grew some balls when she became Vivian Bagley.
:rofl:

[Haunted_Armoire]

:lol: :lol: :happyface :happyface :lol: :lol:

[schoolmom]

:nod:


EXACTLY! You think she would know better to tell everyone that SHE was going
to be the star. How would she explain how RICKY made the movie, not her?
(although she & Fred did have a small part in that movie with their vaudeville
friend) They hadn't been back from Hollywood that long when they were on
The Edward Warren Show called Face-to- Face (or something like that) Like
I said, that would be awfully hard to explain to her Dad and hometown friends.
I don't like Ethel AT ALL in her hometown episode.

[Ireneparalegal]

EXACTLY! You think she would know better to tell everyone that SHE was going to be the star. How would she explain how RICKY made the movie, not her? I don't like Ethel AT ALL in her hometown episode.
That is what I said too above (or on the previous page). :crazy:

I agree, I did NOT like Ethel one bit on this episode.