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That ‘Scary’ Lucille Ball Statue Has Finally Been Replaced

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Left: The bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball by Dave Poulin, seen at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron, N.Y.. in Aug. 2012; Right the bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball by Carolyn D. Palmer, unveiled at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celeron, N.Y., on Aug. 6, 2016.
Left: The bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball by Dave Poulin, seen at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron, N.Y.. in Aug. 2012; Right the bronze sculpture of Lucille Ball by Carolyn D. Palmer, unveiled at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celeron, N.Y., on Aug. 6, 2016.The Post-Journal/AP; Handout/Reuters
By Melissa Chan

A new Lucille Ball statue was unveiled in the late actress’ New York hometown on Saturday, officially replacing the one dubbed “Scary Lucy” that went viral last year after locals claimed it didn’t quite look like her.

Hundreds of fans chanted “Lucy!” as Celoron Mayor Scott Schrecengost and sculptor Carolyn Palmer revealed the replacement life-size statue of the beloved I Love Lucy star during a ceremony on what would have been her 105th birthday, CNN and the Associated Press reported.

In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, artist Carolyn Palmer prepares to apply a cold patina to her bronze statue of Lucille Ball in Saddle River, N.J. The sculptor was chosen to create a replacement statue for one dubbed "Scary Lucy," in the late actress Ball's hometown. The much-maligned statue of Ball will be replaced after it drew worldwide attention as "Scary Lucy," according to the mayor of the western New York village where the 1950s sitcom actress and comedian grew up and her life-size bronze has stood since 2009. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Artist Carolyn Palmer prepares to apply a cold patina to her bronze statue of Lucille Ball in Saddle River, N.J., on July 20, 2016.Mel Evans—AP

Locals had started a Facebook group in the hopes of getting rid of the statue sculpted by Dave Poulin, at the time calling a “nightmare.” The new bronze statue depicts Ball in a polka-dot dress.

“Well, it’s been quite a ride,” Schrecengost said at the ceremony, according to the AP. “A little over a year ago, we got beat up pretty good.”

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