This weekend will mark 100 years since the birth of an American comedy icon: Lucille Ball. The actress, comedian and star of the enduring 1950s sitcom “I Love Lucy” changed the comedic landscape. The hit television series followed the hilarious adventures of Lucy and her husband Ricky. Lucy often became the subject of her own jokes, and her physical presence and timing made her popular with viewers all over America, inspiring future generations of comedians and writers. Gina Barreca discusses Lucille Ball’s legacy. Barreca is a humorist and professor of English literature and feminist theory at the University of Connecticut.
Here’s a classic clip from “I Love Lucy.”
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