We know her as the wacky red head who could turn your day around in less than 20 minutes with a wild scheme or two. However, this American icon was not only a comedian and an inspiration, but a woman of bravery who reshaped the roles of woman in society, through comedy. Lucille Ball broke down past pretences and tradition while keeping us laughing the entire time.

Lucille Ball is widely known for her TV show I Love Lucy. The show portrayed a normal housewife whose adventurous spirit and her love for show business (though she was terrible at it) often led to insane schemes involving her neighbors, Ethel and Fred Mertz, and her husband, Ricky Ricardo. Those episodes still leave us in stitches of laughter. Lucille Ball continued to portray herself in Here's Lucy making her the only actor to portray herself in sitcoms for over 21 years.

As memorable as Lucille Ball is as Lucy Ricardo “The Clown”, it's the things she, as an actor, accomplished that many do not know about that make this woman into the idol she is today. Lucille Ball attended John Murray Anderson Dramatic School in New York City in 1926. She was told she had no talent and was a terrible actor. The advice she received was to quit acting for good. Lucille ignored that piece of advice and pursued her dreams anyway. Lucille worked her way into show business. Starting as a model and then working in B-movies. She set herself apart from other actors by her willingness to do anything. In 1951 her show I Love Lucy aired and was an instant success, setting the standard for the modern sitcom and for comedians everywhere.

Before Lucille Ball, a female comedian didn't exist. She paved the way for actors and for housewives that looked up to her. In the 40th Anniversary Issue of TV Guide the magazine honored Lucille saying, "Every comedic actress owes a debt to Lucy-she did it all first…with a gift for making the outrageous believable. She was America's television genius”.

Lucille not only shaped sitcoms but redefined what a woman was capable of. Because of her, the role woman played in television was forever changed. She could make you laugh until you cried, but Lucille insisted, "I'm not funny. What I am is brave." She’ll forever live in our memory as that wacky red head who not only defined what being a woman was, but inspired us to never give up and to never let society define who we are.

Sierra Bruggink lives in Ogden Valley Utah, and currently attends Weber High School as a Junior. She loves hiking, biking, photography, writing, reading, baking, and acting. She is addicted to tea, and will often have more than three cups a day. She loves traveling and can't think of anything better than meeting new people and eating new food in a strange place.

Comedy Culture