73 Years Ago Today, A Classic Sitcom’s Record-Breaking Episode Beat a Us President’s Inauguration

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It’s easy to assume that huge sporting events or important news stories are what people remember most on TV, but that’s not the case. Pop culture moments have actually captured the public’s attention more than anything else, and a particularly significant one happened 73 years ago today.

When Dwight D. Eisenhower became President on January 20, 1953, his televised inauguration was a major event. Surprisingly, it almost didn’t get as many viewers as the episode of I Love Lucy that aired the night before. That I Love Lucy episode, featuring the birth of Little Ricky, was a groundbreaking moment for television and dramatically changed the lives of the show’s stars.

I Love Lucy’s “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” Episode First Aired 73 Years Ago, Today

“Lucy Goes to the Hospital” was the 16th episode of the second season of I Love Lucy. The episode features Lucy Ricardo (played by Lucille Ball) in a funny and chaotic rush to the hospital after her water breaks. Her husband, Ricky (Desi Arnaz Jr.), and their friends attempt to follow their planned route, but everything goes wrong. Ultimately, Lucy and Ricky leave the hospital with their new baby.

The “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” episode drew an incredible 44 million viewers – more than watched President Eisenhower’s inauguration, which had 29 million. Experts estimate that I Love Lucy was seen in 73.9% of American homes with televisions, making it a landmark event in pop culture history. Only Elvis Presley’s first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 surpassed that, reaching 82.6% of households – and it still holds the record. However, while Elvis delivered a memorable musical performance, Lucille Ball and the I Love Lucy team achieved something even more significant.

I Love Lucy‘s Baby Birth Was An Unprecedented Mix of Real Life & TV

The popularity of the pregnancy storyline on I Love Lucy wasn’t just due to the show’s writing – it was happening in real life! Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married and expecting their second child, Desi Arnaz Jr., while filming the show’s second season. They made the bold decision to incorporate the pregnancy into the storyline, which was challenging because of strict censorship rules at the time. Showing or even mentioning pregnancy was often prohibited, so they had to get the entire plot approved by religious leaders to avoid causing offense.

The famous episode where Lucy goes to the hospital aired on CBS on January 19, 1953, after being filmed in November 1952. Remarkably, Lucille Ball gave birth to her son in Los Angeles via a planned C-section on the very same day! This incredible overlap between her real life and the show’s storyline was something completely new for television.

I Love Lucy was a groundbreaking sitcom, and the first TV show to feature a real-life birth as part of the storyline—a trend many shows would follow. In fact, the current longest-running sitcom, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, paid homage to I Love Lucy with its Season 6 finale, “Dee Gives Birth.” The episode featured a pregnancy storyline for characters Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Dennis (Rob McElhenney), culminating in Dee’s unconventional birth of one of their two sons.

It’s really hard to find anyone today who knows much about Eisenhower’s inauguration.

You can watch I Love Lucy on streaming services like Paramount+, Pluto TV, Roku, and Fubo. Share your favorite episodes and talk about the show with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-20 02:10