Birthday to my favorite entertainer, businesswoman role model, innovator, television pioneer and style icon - Lucille Ball.
The world is celebrating, too -
Jamestown, NY (Lucy's hometown) is sponsoring a Lucy Look a Like contest; Hallmark Channel is running an I Love Lucy marathon, Google is running video and images. Check out http://www.facebook.com/hallmarkchannel; http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/07/us-lucy and more!
I was in Los Angeles in 1989 when Lucy died - she was in Cedars Sinai Medical Center for a week or so following heart surgery before she passed. There was a huge outdoor banner on the hospital building that said "We Love Lucy." Her home was just minutes away, in Beverly Hills. Even in a town of entertainment legends, she was the most legendary and there was a palpable sadness in the streets during that time. For me, a starry eyed, young communicator looking for greatness to emulate, her larger than life contributions to the industry and the business world meant so much.
Here's to legends living on and on!
Communicate well and often,
Jaya
