'I Love Lucy' The Very 1st Female Gross-Out Comedy???

[Brian Damage]

Yes, calling I Love Lucy a gross-out comedy (or raunchy in any way) is ridiculous, until you consider the fact that Lucille Ball’s gift for physical and even bodily humor contributed in many ways to her enormous appeal. Remember, this is a woman who turned her own pregnancy into a season-long plot point at a time when you couldn’t actually say “pregnant” on TV. And although this is a list of movies, we have to tip our hat to the TV comedienne who paved the way for everybody else.

[Marvo301]

While Lucy may have ocassionally crossed the line into gross-out comedy I see I Love Lucy as TV's first female buddy comedy. Those buddies being Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz.

[Lucyeth's]

I can't really see I Love Lucy being called a "gross-out comedy", to be honest. I'd rather see it being called one of the first (there may or may not have been physcial comedy shows before Lucy) physical comedic shows.

[old grouch]

Very few women can manage to look glamourous while doing the tango with a blouse full of eggs. But Lucy did.

[The Flying Dutchmans]

Originally Posted by Lucyeth's

I can't really see I Love Lucy being called a "gross-out comedy", to be honest. I'd rather see it being called one of the first (there may or may not have been physcial comedy shows before Lucy) physical comedic shows.

Well the Little Rascals/Our Gang comedies had some physical comedy in them, but those kids were just acting natural. I don't think they had to learn lines until the later years of the Little Rascals, like in the late 1930s. I believe Hal Roach told those kids to just act like kids and took it from there. So I don;'t think Lucy was the first physical comedy although hers was among the best.

[Hughsgirl]

Wow, I must not be up with the times (no surprise if you know me), but I have never heard the term "Gross out comedy." I see ILL as "ground breaking" in regards to it showing the first interracial marriage on TV and then the first pregnant woman, that I understand. Always something new....hmmmm...

[treky]

it WASN'T the first show to show a pregnant woman on TV. That honor goes to the sitcom "MARY KAYE & JOHNNIE" which debuted in 1949, a full 2 years before "ILL".

[Hughsgirl]

Originally Posted by treky

it WASN'T the first show to show a pregnant woman on TV. That honor goes to the sitcom "MARY KAYE & JOHNNIE" which debuted in 1949, a full 2 years before "ILL".

That's interesting because all the books I have read claims that Lucy was the first pregnant woman shown on TV.

[Lucyeth's]

Originally Posted by The Flying Dutchmans

Well the Little Rascals/Our Gang comedies had some physical comedy in them, but those kids were just acting natural. I don't think they had to learn lines until the later years of the Little Rascals, like in the late 1930s. I believe Hal Roach told those kids to just act like kids and took it from there. So I don;'t think Lucy was the first physical comedy although hers was among the best.

That's why I included the "may or may not" in there; I knew there was something liable to slip my mind. Lucy was most likely the first adult female physical comedy, from my research.

[tv star collector]

Originally Posted by The Flying Dutchmans

Well the Little Rascals/Our Gang comedies had some physical comedy in them, but those kids were just acting natural. I don't think they had to learn lines until the later years of the Little Rascals, like in the late 1930s. I believe Hal Roach told those kids to just act like kids and took it from there. So I don;'t think Lucy was the first physical comedy although hers was among the best.

Speaking of early comedies, Lucy made one of her first appearances in The
Three Stooges' short "Three Little Pigskins" (1934). I'm sure she learned something about physical comedy from those masters of the form!