Her way or the highway
Lucy’s first demand before starring in a TV show on CBS was that Desi would star alongside her. At first, studio heads were unsure of what to do with this. They initially shot down the idea, thinking that American audiences would have difficulty understanding Desi through his thick Cuban accent.
But Lucy was unwavering in her demand. Either Desi also starred in the show with her, or there would be no show at all. The execs at CBS eventually relented, and the show was a go. However, this wouldn’t be the only time the TV network would have to bend over backward to meet Lucy’s out-of-the-norm demands.