I Love Lucy…

I Love Lucy first came to America’s television screens in October of 1951. And ever since, the world has been in love with Lucy. Sure, some may argue that I Love Lucy's out-of-date content leaves something to be desired here in the twenty-first century. But the impact of the program can still be seen today. And that is why I Love Lucy…

I Love Lucy because it was perhaps, the most innovative show in history. I Love Lucy broke the 1950s sitcom mold in more ways than one. Rather than setting up the camera in one place and then moving it to another location after every shot or scene- as was done in all other sitcoms- I Love Lucy used three cameras simultaneously, one getting the overall view and two others focusing on close-ups. I Love Lucy was also the first sitcom to tape before a live studio audience. The live laughter added energy to the already-hilarious performances of Lucille Ball and company. In the episode “Lucy does the Tango,” there are 65 seconds of continuous laughter after Lucy does the tango with Ricky while wearing a shirt-full of still-in-their-shell eggs, the longest live-audience laughter to date. And while both of these techniques were considered risky in the 1950s, they are currently used in all sitcoms.

I Love Lucy because it gave women a place in society. I Love Lucy was the first television show to feature a woman as the man character. Like so many other women in the 1950s, Lucy Ricardo loved to push the limit of her socially-acceptable role in life. Yearning for more than cleaning and cooking, Lucy tries anything- and everything- to get a job outside the home and goes to crazy lengths to prove her competency. And while many today see her antics as predictable, Lucy never gives up her dreams- no matter how far-fetched they be. And what’s more, Lucy showed that woman could be real, funny, and not-so-predictable. Lucy gave American women a woman with whom they could relate.

I Love Lucy because it has been there, and done that, only better. “New” sitcoms seem to be created each season, yet they are really just modernized versions of old plots. Wives trying to tell their husbands that they are pregnant, spouses getting jealous of their mate’s coworker, fights over the household budget, conflicts over child-raising methods, the perils of babysitting, fights between long-time friends, and more. It was all already done on I Love Lucy, only better.

I Love Lucy because, well, it’s I Love Lucy. Forget all those new shows, a classic is a classic. Lucy trampling grapes while trying to pretend to understand Italian. Her attempt at making a medicine commercial- while half-drunk from the medicine itself. Seeing Lucy nervously cram fork-fulls of spaghetti into her mouth while being stared at by William Holden. Hearing Lucy, Ricky, Ethel and Fred try to learn “proper” English before the birth of little Ricky. No matter what the scenario, I Love Lucy does it best. Period.

So while black and white television may not be coming back any time soon- or ever- it is to be treasured. Just as a well-written novel can transport us to another world, I Love Lucy can take us to a place where life may not have been easier, but it certainly was more entertaining.

I Love Lucy…

Ace of Cakes: Sweet Enough to Watch

What do weddings, birthday parties, graduations and retirement parties all have in common? Besides marking various stages in ones life, each is a celebration featuring cake. You know, that sweet treat that comes in so many flavors and with so many different fillings and frostings that there seems to be something for everyone. And while bakers and chefs- and even supermarkets- around the world sell millions of cakes each year, not all cakes are created equally. Especially those made by Chef Duff Goldman and his crew on the Food Network program Ace of Cakes.

Ace of Cakes is a reality television show featuring the goings-on of Charm City Cakes, located in Baltimore, Maryland. Owned and operated by Chef Duff, Charm City Cakes is anything but your typical cake shop. Along with the help of his friends turned coworkers, Chef Duff creates the most unusual and untraditional cakes imaginable.

Ace of Cakes first aired in the fall of 2006 and has been gaining popularity ever since. As one of the Food Networks’ first reality shows, Ace of Cakes gets its stars out of a kitchen set and gives viewers a small look into a real-life business. And with its high ratings- it is one of the networks most popular shows- its no wonder the bakery is getting such country-wide fame.

While Ace of Cakes is a program based on cake designing and decorating, it would not be nearly as entertaining without the crazy antics of its star Chef Duff. In one episode, while making a wedding cake that resembled a Scottish highland cow- yes, a cow-shaped wedding cake- Chef Duff wore a kilt to get into the Scottish mood. And if seeing him walk around in a kilt- even while delivering the cake to the reception- wasn’t funny enough, he insisted upon having a kilt-clad bagpiper present to serenade him while applying the cow’s long hair. His coworkers seemed slightly annoyed, but certainly not shocked.

But Ace of Cakes shows off more than cakes of the barnyard variety. They were also invited by the NFL to design and make a cake for the VIP party of Super Bowl XLI. Duff and his crew worked on the 6-foot-tall cake in their shop in Baltimore before taking everything to Miami for the final preparations. The cake featured the helmets of the participating teams, a larger-than-life replica of the Lombardi Trophy, and even life-like models of the coaches and players.

But more than just making cakes with unusual tools- saws and blowtorches are used weekly- Ace of Cakes shows the ins and outs of a food industry business. Viewers are taken from the cake designing and planning process to the delivery of the cake. But as with most businesses, things don’t always go as planned. The cake designers run out of fondant while on location. The fourth tier of a cake just doesn’t want to stay in place. And sometimes they simply out-design themselves. The Super Bowl cake was designed to be so large that, upon arriving at the venue, it had to be cut into two parts so as it fit in the elevator. And the Scottish cow’s hair, after sliding off over night, had to be applied a second time minutes before being delivered to the reception.

But more than just a cake show, Ace of Cakes is a unique look into a shop filled with artists and quirky people. Viewers can marvel as the art-students turned cake-decorators shape a small piece of fondant into a beautiful flower in just seconds or how they stack layer upon layer of cake without gravity reeking havoc. Even their daily interactions with one another are entertaining, especially when deadlines are close and cakes are far from completed.

So the next time you are looking for something sweet, don’t go to the cupboard. Tune in to an episode of Ace of Cakes. It’s sure to satisfy.