Sometimes I wonder after all these years and documentaries...

Is Hollywood telling the truth? I grew up watching I love Lucy, and I've been watching different movies and informative shows about her and Desi Arnaz.

They said a lot of good things about Desi Arnaz (and many bad). The movies and online sources made out Desi to be the "savvy one". He negotiated deals that went very well. This might be true. But, what if Lucy is the one who gave him this confidence?

I watched her on "Behind the Ricardos", and my dad was right. Lol. "She was a bit**!" She seemed almost narcissistic. She took up for him like she was taking up for herself *in front of people that mattered*. Otherwise... who knows how she or he really felt about her opinion of Desi?

I wonder if she was a bit narcissistic, and he lived through her... and her "confidence".

Maybe not. 🤷‍♀️ She was definitely a B though. Lol.

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Carla · 61-69, F

Lucille Ball was a comedic genius. She made Desi Arnaz, Desi Arnaz.
And being assertive, confident, independent and intelligent, in her time, would certainly have gotten her many unflattering labels.

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ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@Carla Probably -- but would Lucy have been "Lucy" without Desi, either? Would "My Favorite Husband" with Richard Denning as the spouse have been the hit that "I Love Lucy" was? Lucy was not a huge star at the time of "I Love Lucy" -- she was in her 40s during the TV series and has long been relegated to roles in B movies. To me it seems it was the unique combination of Lucy and Desi that made the show what it was and made her an icon.

Carla · 61-69, F

@ChipmunkErnie she was a beautiful and talented actress.
Unlike Crawford, Stanwyck, etc., she had a real and unique talent for comedy. She also had business acumen and drive. She would have shown regardless of who stood beside her.
And I'm sure Desi would have had a successful music career.

perceptivei · 36-40, F

@Carla "I certainly did not say he was without talent."

Lucy would never say that aloud. And, maybe she really believed it deep down.

I guess, she'll be the only one who knows. ❣

She really supported him... or herself. 😊 Or, them.

"I Love Lucy." ❤

And, Desi Arnaz and J. Edgar Hoover (the single phone call to Mr. Hoover) are the ones who saved her career! How about that? I guess, Desi owed her a favor or two. 🤷‍♀️

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

Want to cause a stir? Go on a classic movie page and mention the recent reports and new book claiming that Lucy, at 14, was the lover of a small-time gangster, and was a nude model and occasional prostitute before she went to Hollywood to try an acting career.

As to the new movie, I tried to watch it but as someone who grew up on I LOVE LUCY I simply could not accept the actors in any of the major roles.

perceptivei · 36-40, F

@ChipmunkErnie Amazon Prime has a movie for some of that, too. I watched it as well.

They didn't mention gangsters, but they made her out to be a sexual object which she was ok with. It made more sense as to how she "caught" Desi when the other girls couldn't. She had experience, and it showed. I agree we don't hear about her young teenage years often.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

@perceptivei I tried to watch that, but having grown up on I LOVE LUCY I just couldn't buy into the actors or believe them in the roles. Plus I'd seen some commentary about how the facts weren't always correct.

REMsleep · 41-45, F

You watched documentaries and that's what you got out of it no way!
Lucille Ball was a marketing and comedy genius and a very hard worker, the only reason her husband was on the I Love Lucy show was because she made it happen because he was cheating on her a lot and she felt that if he was busy on the show she could keep an eye on him.
She was the brains. They fought alot and loudly on set due to his spending and womanizing.
He was a bit younger than her and he was in the nightlife.

perceptivei · 36-40, F

@REMsleep yeah. Five years younger in total. Dang Cuban culture. "A real man has as many women as the hairs in his head!"

🤦‍♀️

They eloped... she was a vicious lover. She knew she got herself into that mess and married hence she started cheating, too.

I think they had a passionate love for one another. Just don't know why. Lots of charming, handsome men... 🤷‍♀️

Jenny1234 · 51-55, F

But he drank and cheated a lot. That couldn’t have been easy for her.

perceptivei · 36-40, F

@Jenny1234 I agree. I probably would have divorced him, too. She couldn't as it was so passionate... I suppose. She also used the anger to further her career, I believe. She simply decided to ignore the pain and cheat, too. 🤷‍♀️

Heartlander · 80-89, M

[quote] Is Hollywood telling the truth? I[/quote]

I doubt it. Look at how long they kept Harvey Weinstein a secret, and Matt Lauer, and Charlie Rose, and ....

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