What Happened to Lucy and Ethel?

I was watching I Love Lucy, and I have to admit that it is one of my favorite old shows.  It’s not the crazy antics that I love — although they make me laugh–but the interaction between Lucy and Ethel.

I am always taken aback by the depth of this friendship. No siblings could be closer.  The two women fought and yelled in every episode, yet when the  drama was over, they were still the best of friends.  It’s funny how TV reflects what goes on in society. Today, with the advent of Reality TV, the super-bonded, Lucy and Ethel friendships do not seem to exist as much. Let’s explore the differences between friendships then and friendships now with the help of  the medium we know as television.

Friendship during I love Lucy Times: When you quarreled with friends, someone always said “I’m Sorry”.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship:  When you fight with a friend, you beat each other up, and then all the confidential secrets you shared  are posted on Facebook or worse –You Tube.

Friendship during I Love Lucy Times: When you got a promotion or started a new business, friends were there with parties and gifts of congratulations.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship:  When you experience success, other friends are there to offer congratulations to your face.  However, behind your back, they are telling the world that you had a threesome with your boss and his wife and that’s how you got the job because this helps them feel better about their stalled careers.

Friendship during I  Love Lucy Times:  When you got into an argument with another person, your  best friend came to the rescue without hesitation.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship: When you are embroiled in a battle with another, your friends will remain in the neutral zone to see how the fight will affect their lives. If no adverse, long-term effects can be seen down the road for sticking one’s neck out, then a friend will tiptoe into the disagreement making sure not to look as if she is taking sides.

Friendship during I Love Lucy Times:  Friends called to see how you were

The Era of Reality TV  Friendship: Friends call to bitch about their lives and don’t give a rat’s ass how you are.

Friendship during I Love Lucy Times: Friends accept and embrace their best friend’s significant other or spouse because they know their friend is happy.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship:  Friends insist on telling you that your boyfriend or spouse is a loser, but will think nothing of sleeping with him behind your back.  It’s not a bad thing if you never find out.

Friendship during I Love Lucy Times: If you went swimming in the ocean with your friends, and you saw a shark fin,  You would hold onto each other to make sure all of you could get back to the beach and out of harm’s way.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship:  You all gang up on the chubbiest friend and feed her to the shark so the rest of you  have time to get back to the beach safely.

Friendship during I Love Lucy Times: If you were arrested in the middle of the night, you knew other friends would get out of bed and dig into their pockets to raise money for bail.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship: If you are arrested in the middle of the night, no one is coming to post bail until well after the sun comes up even though they know that  before the night is over, you will become bff and more with the person sharing the  cell with you .

Friendship during I Love Lucy Times:  When you got drunk and out of control, your sober friends would take you home and hold your hair back while you threw up because that is what good friends did. It was gross, but they did it.

The Era of Reality TV Friendship: When you get drunk, Your  friends will put you safely in a cab, but not before decorating your face with a magic marker or taking nudie photos of you to pass around at the next high school reunion.

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8 thoughts on “What Happened to Lucy and Ethel?”

  1. I loved watching I Love Lucy! The only reality show I like is DWTS, and thankfully there doesn’t seem to be too much posted about the personal life of these celebrities while on this show!Probably because they are exhausted after dancing for so many hours in practice!

  2. Huh, so all the “friends” I have on Facebook are phonies? Those bastards! 😉

  3. Ahhh, the good old days! I have to say I am blessed with the “I Love Lucy” type friends.

  4. Back then all of that other stuff happened too. It just wasn’t filmed. You should have seen the outtakes from those “Vegemita Vitamins” episodes.

    1. Which is so sad. Friendship isn’t what it used to be. I have good friends, so I feel lucky, but I have seen in friendships that are gone – a lack of commitment. I dare say, that I have been at fault at times too.

  5. I always loved the old Lucy shows. I like how you used the story lines as a comparison to todays reality. Sadly Stephanie, this is so true. I often say that I have many acquaintances, but few friends.

    1. I think I am also “picky” on who I call friends Matty. Friendship is fickle. You think you have a great friend, but it turns out their definition of friendship is different from yours. But there is always the chance to make new friends and good ones.

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