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When Here's Lucy ended in 1974, Broadcast Magazine reported about it saying that Lucy's show has "not kept up with the times, still relying on old-school slapstick while shows like All in the Family and Maude deal with relevant social issues". Were they suggesting Here's Lucy be more "relevant" in the way that Lear's shows were? So what if Norman Lear had taken over when Milt Josefsburg left in 1972, changing the title and titillating up the plots. (Desi Jr: "Where was he when we did the Ann-Margaret episode??") I'm sure MOT will chime in with possible racy "Lear's Lucy" episodes, but in the meantime here's my contribution: "No Nudes is Good Nudes" The marina raises her rent so Kim scans the classifieds for a 2nd job and answers an ad looking for "liberal-minded" models. Kim had recently watched a TV interview with her lookalike Lucille Ball, who advised aspiring actors to "take anything that comes along like I did. Don't turn anything down. " When the photographer turns out to be working for "Hustler", Kim heeds Lucille Ball's advice and does what she is told, assuming no one she knows will see "the spread". But Kim's aghast when the issue comes out and she finds she's on the cover, prominently displayed at every newsstand in Encino, prompting all her former one-episode suitors, except Wayne Newton and Jim Bailey, to seek to rekindle their romances with her. Kim confesses to Uncle Harry and they both panic when Harry realizes that he has had his Hustler subscription sent to the office (so he can write it off as business expense). The two try in vain to keep the magazine from Lucy who, when she takes one look, does her "spider". Steaming mad, Lucy Carter then sets out to punch special guest star Larry Flynt in the nose. (and also give "Miss Ball" a piece of her mind). The name Lucy Carter is well known in the celebrity world so Flynt has been expecting a visit. It seems Flynt has the negatives from an old nude photo shoot attributed to Lucille Ball, though the name on the negative sheet is that of "Lucy Hinkley". When Miss Ball got wind of it, she sued Flynt claiming "that's not me. It's the lookalike contest winner: 'that motor-mouthed, scatterbrained Carter woman'". Meanwhile Cynthia Duncan claimed the pics were of her. "Wanna see proof?", said Duncan when she showed up at the Hustler photography studio in a very revealing negligee ready to pose for a sequel spread. Just as Lucy Carter's winding up for a punch, Flynt confronts her with one of the more provocative stills from the old black-and-white shoot, and Lucy does her 2nd "spider" of the episode. Episode promo: "So who is the young nude model? Is it Lucy Carter, Lucille Ball or Cynthia Duncan? Tune in tonight on CBS for the premiere of "Lear's Lucy" and find out!" (followed by the season premiere of another show Lear has taken over, making its Monday night debut, now called "The Nude Dick Van Dyke Show" pronounced the same way as the series title from the previous season.)

Last night was truly a magical evening! Lucie was absolutely incredible. It was like time stood still in 1979. She looked and sounded just as she did 40 years ago. Actually, she was even better! She stopped the show with “I Still Believe in Love.” Robert Klein really impressed me. He sounded great. Lots of Lucy/Lucie fans were present, along with Tommy Tune, Tony Danza, Elaine Joyce, Anita Gillette, and much of the Luckinbill family. The audience was clearly having the best time!

I missed the first of the episode but in it Joan has to get rid of some excess dresses. She goes to a dress shop to snatch customers with "Tell ya what I'm gonna do". I guess the IMJ people were counting on viewers who didn't have TV sets during the 51-52 season. (Joan debuted in the fall of 1952), and there were a lot of them. I read that my hometown Portland, considered a major metropolitan market, did not get a TV station until '52 (and at first there was only one), so we missed the entire first season. IMJ lasted only 3 seasons but was one of the first successes in syndication; the first to run episodes 5 days a week. It was a huge success; its 98 episode were run by local stations well into the 60s. Yes, the show is a bit of a hush-push but I find something endearing about Joan herself. She tries SO hard.

I found this lovely hardcover, Bosom Buddies, in an obscure gift shop last night: https://www.amazon.com/Bosom-Buddies-Celebration-Friendships-throughout/dp/1452168393/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bosom+Buddies&qid=1549639577&rnid=2941120011&s=Books&sr=1-1 Lucy and Carol Burnett are profiled inside and I was happy to see they have depicted Carol alongside an era-appropriate Lucy rather than Lucy Ricardo. I'd post pictures but by phone is not cooperating. Will try again later, but the art is quite lovely.

Open a Rear Window: Hitchcock takes over as "Mame" director CBS/FOX Video to feature "Drafted, Lucy Goes to a Rodeo" on "The I Love Lucy Collection: Volume 37" CBS/FOX recalls Lucy volume 37 due to lack of sales

CBS promo during the Super Bowl used the iconic eye to represent their shows from the 50s to now. Lucy and Ricky started it off.