PM was owned by a British company at the time, I think, and that’s relevant to an anecdote about ILL.
Lucy was pregnant, for real, and there was a season that had her becoming increasingly gravid. Network nitwits at the time kept wanting to control how the show was staged, though, hiding her increasingly … increasing belly, because apparently there was a fear that American TV audiences in the early 50s couldn’t deal with a basic fact of life. They kept wanting Lucy to stand behind counters, chairs, etc., so her pregnancy was less prominently visible.
Lucille Ball was an outstanding physical comedienne, and restricting her movements on the stage would interfere with her skills and would become increasingly contrived and awkward, so that was a no-go. But the network wouldn’t budge: Lucy had to hide her belly!
Desi Arnaz, in a last-ditch fit of pique, contacted PM, which was the major show sponsor, asking them to intervene on behalf of himself and Lucy. The restrictions were just outrageous.
Legend has it that PM’s owner sent a telegram all the way from Britain to the network in California reading, simply, “Don’t fuck with the Cuban.”
From that point on, Lucy was allowed to be pregnant on TV.
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PM was owned by a British company at the time, I think, and that’s relevant to an anecdote about ILL.
Lucy was pregnant, for real, and there was a season that had her becoming increasingly gravid. Network nitwits at the time kept wanting to control how the show was staged, though, hiding her increasingly … increasing belly, because apparently there was a fear that American TV audiences in the early 50s couldn’t deal with a basic fact of life. They kept wanting Lucy to stand behind counters, chairs, etc., so her pregnancy was less prominently visible.
Lucille Ball was an outstanding physical comedienne, and restricting her movements on the stage would interfere with her skills and would become increasingly contrived and awkward, so that was a no-go. But the network wouldn’t budge: Lucy had to hide her belly!
Desi Arnaz, in a last-ditch fit of pique, contacted PM, which was the major show sponsor, asking them to intervene on behalf of himself and Lucy. The restrictions were just outrageous.
Legend has it that PM’s owner sent a telegram all the way from Britain to the network in California reading, simply, “Don’t fuck with the Cuban.”
From that point on, Lucy was allowed to be pregnant on TV.