"Phipps Are A Great Big Bunch Of Gyps!!!!!!!"

                              Instead of fireworks, darlings, Monsieur and I capped off our Fourth of July by watching three classic episodes on the Channel 55 "I Love Lucy" Marathon.  And what classics they were--the one where Lucy is flying back from Europe, and she tries to sneak in cheese, disguised as a baby.  She is aided in this one by the brilliant Mary Jane Croft.  Then, there was the one where she does the famous "Vitameetavegamin" commercial, till she is completely plotzed, as the product contains 23% alcohol--can you imagine, darlings!?????   And, finally, the famous one where she and Ethel work on the assembly line in the candy factory!!!!!!!!  I had forgotten the ending to this one, and, I have to agree with Monsieur, it is brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Well, I am sure the one I will now discuss  was shown during the day, but I wish I had been able to see what is my favorite episode--the one where they all do a Phipps Foam Mattress commercial.

                                  Ricky enlists the aid of Ethel and Fred.  Because the company wants a domestic angle, he has no choice but to let Lucy do it.  There is even a charming ditty.

                                      "When we go on shopping trips,
                                        Where else do we go, but Phipps?
                                         From the top floor to the bottom,
                                         If it's bargains, Phipps has got 'em,!
                                         Down at Phipps, your credit's great!
                                         Ask today for a Phipps A-plate!
                                         First on your list of shopping tips,
                                         P-H-I-P-P-S, Phipps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   However, as the time gets near, Lucy gets more nervous; so what Ricky  does is to set the clocks back an hour, without telling her.  The Mertzes know, but not Lucy.  And there has been some friction between she and Ricky, where she decides to do some creative rewriting.

                                    Things start out, as planned, with Lucy and Ricky at breakfast, but go downhill real fast, when she complains about how difficult it is to sleep on a Phipps Foam Mattress.  The Mertzes come on, do their routine, and then they sing the Phipps song.  But, instead of the final line, as above, Lucy walks out, dressed as a harridan, like above, and sings the final line, "Phipps are a great big bunch of gyps!"  Just thinking about it has me laughing.  Everyone looks shocked.  The assistant tells Ricky the camera cut off, just when she entered the room.  Ricky explains to Lucy what he did, and that what she just did was the actual show, live!!!!!!!!!

                                     "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" goes poor Lucy.

                                      If only we had seen that one!  Well, maybe next time, darlings! 

                                     Thank God my mattress is as firm as Phipps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!