I LOVE LUCY

EDUC 6165

I Love Lucy is an iconic 1950’s television sitcom that has impressed all types of audiences for decades. Lucille Ball is one of my most beloved actresses that I see as a great communicator both on screen and off. According to biographies and other literatures written about Lucille Ball she was the first successful lady in television history to become shared CEO of Hollywood’s Desilu Productions alongside her husband Desi Arnaz producing and acting in many of their own films. “Desi-Lu”… get it? LOL!

The purpose of this blog is to find what sort of communication skills and styles characters display on television with or without sound. What better example for me than using Lucille Ball and husband Desi Arnaz who once starred in the boundless sitcom, I Love Lucy. This is what I have determined…

I Love Lucy’s season 1 episode 3, “The Diet” (1951) illustrates zany Lucy (Ball) who wants to shed weight so that she could perform in Ricky’s (Arnaz) night club finding her spot in show business (ironic, right?). After 4 days of diet and exercise, even though she was not nominated, Lucy managed to fit the required dress for the performance then sneaking on stage to sing and dance to “Cuban Pete”-originally sung by Louis Armstrong in 1937- with Ricky who was surprised it was her in the dress and it was her as his partner.

Body movement is nonverbal

Facial expressions are nonverbal

Signaling is nonverbal

 

The communication I find intriguing during this particular episode is based on what authors, Dan O’Hair and colleagues (2015) suggest as nonverbal communication. With or without sound, I see where this is relevant. Moreover, according to Dan O’Hair and colleagues (2015) nonverbal communication involves no words so engagements like signaling, emotions, body movements, etc. are apparent as I watch Lucy take on diet, exercise, and performance. Her nonverbal communication such as her body movements display fatigue in her posture as she runs around her apartment, her emotions in her face show determination to lose weight (either that or her tongue hanging out as everyone eats a juicy steak in front of her. Poor Lucy is stuck with a celery stick). And, signaling like popping gum, holding her hand on her hip as she bobs her leg, and swirling her purse as she sings and dances shows nonverbal communication that she is “in shape” and able to make quite a performance proving she can fit in a required dress and can handle show business. She proved Ricky wrong.

This episode of I Love Lucy, “The Diet” (1951) signifies what Dan O’Hair and colleagues (2015) explore regarding types of communication that expose various actions, relationships, and behaviors with or without use of word –with or without sound. Lucy and Ricky’s relationship based on their nonverbal communication skills, especially Lucy’s, proves that content of dialogue, transitions, and yes signaling, emotions, and body movements is what I feel made I Love Lucy one of the most watched television sitcoms during the 1950’s and still remembered. I believe both Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were able to empower successful communication on screen and off.

An “aha” moment that would help me and colleagues when we consider communication skills and styles is that leadership is essential especially if we want to aspire in the field of Early Childhood where communication skills is imperative. As Lucille Ball became a leader of Desilu Productions and as her character Lucy was determined to make a mark in show business, using types of communication skills, even without words or sound, can help us grow and help us land where we want to be as educators in Early Childhood.

Works Cited

IMDb (n.d.). I Love Lucy: The Diet. (TV Episode 1951). Retrieved from http://imdb.com/title/tt0819061

Wikipedia (n.d.). Cuban Pete. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Pete

Youtube (n.d.). I Love Lucy- Cuban Pete and Sally Sweet. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-hk_7Ln-MM