Lucy Does a TV Commercial – I Love Lucy episode 30, originally aired 5/5/1952
Most people think of Lucy Does a TV Commercial as the Vitameatavegamin episode. In this episode, Ricky is hosting a big TV show, and naturally enough Lucy wants to be part of the show. Also naturally enough, Ricky says no. Lucy schemes her way onto the show as part of a commercial, playing the Vitameatavegamin girl, spokeswoman for a health tonic that contains vitamins, meat, vegetables, minerals — and 23% alcohol.
Initially, Lucy is quite nervous about appearing on television for the first time. With each rehearsal, however, Lucy becomes more and more tipsy as she has to taste the repulsive-tasting alcoholic tonic, and first becomes relaxed, and then giddy. By the time the show is being broadcast live, Lucy is totally drunk, and ruins Ricky’s big number.
This is possibly the most popular of the I Love Lucy episodes, with posters, t-shirts, dolls, glasses, lamps, pill boxes and more commemorating the episode.
The Vitameatavegamin routine is very similar to the Guzzler’s Gin routine done by Lucille Ball’s friend and movie co-star, Red Skelton. She does a similar “drunk” scene in her movie, Yours, Mine and Ours.
Lucy Does a TV Commercial is available as part of the season 1 I Love Lucy DVD collection,
I Love Lucy Quotes – Lucy Does a TV Commercial
[after many takes – and many spoonfuls of Vitameatavegamin (containing alcohol)]
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, I’m your Vitavigavegivat Girl. Are you tired, run down, listless? Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?
[pause]
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, are you? The answer to all your problems is in this little ol’ bottle, Vitameatavegamin.
[Checks the bottle label]
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): That’s it. Vitameatavegamin contains vitamins, meat, megetables and vinerals. So why don’t you join the thousands of happy peppy people and get a great big bottle of Vitaveatyvemeanyminimoe. I’ll tell you what you have to do. You have to take a whole tablespoonful after every meal. It’s so tasty too. It’s just like candy.
[Takes a bit of time, if not too much, trying to sample the liquid. Finally… ]
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): So everybody get a bottle of…
[pointing at the bottle]
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): this stuff.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Look, I don’t care if you don’t want to talk to me or not, but please get up and fix my breakfast.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Joe, is it hot in here to you?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): (after getting drunk off of Vitametavegimin) Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular? Well…, are you?
(after Lucy’s “television show,” Ricky wants to know how she took the television set apart) Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): What did you do with all the works?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I took ’em out
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): I can see that, but where is it?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): “It?”
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Yeah! The chassis slides right out!
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): All in one piece?
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Yeah, all in one piece!
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Ewww . . .
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): What do you mean, “ewww?”
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well . . .
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Lucy, what have you done?
(Lucy walks into the hallway) Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, I didn’t know it all came out together
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): So?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): So, I took it out one piece at a time!
(Lucy wheels in a tray full of television parts) Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): Oh no! Oh no!
I Love Lucy Trivia
- Ethel Mertz/Vivian Vance does not appear in this episode – Ethel is off visiting her mother.
- The Vitameatavegamin episode is one of the three most commonly listed by fans as their favorite.
- The Vitameatavegamin syrup was actually apple pectin.