I Love Lucy star Lucille Ball found out she was pregnant from a radio broadcast
Lucille Ball found out she was pregnant from a radio broadcast.
The late comedienne - who was mother to Lucie, 73, and Desi Jr, 72, with husband Desi Arnaz - had some tests done shortly before learning she was expecting her eldest, but a new biography has alleged that a broadcaster learned of the news first after being "tipped off" by the medical lab.
In Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television, Todd S. Purdum writes: "In June 1950, during the New York run of their vaudeville show, Lucy was relaxing in her dressing room between shows listening to Walter Winchell's radio broadcast when she heard him announce she was 'infanticipating,' the columnist's lingo for 'pregnant.' He'd been tipped off by a medical lab informant before the Arnazes themselves had learned the news."
The tome also features interviews with the I Love Lucy star's children, and Lucie recalled just how different her parents were from one another.
She said: "He would get really angry and blow his stack, and be loud, but then he'd be done and it would be like it never happened.
"[My mom] would get personally offended by childhood behavior or what you said, because you should have known not to say that somehow, even though no one's taught you what to say.
"And she would emotionally separate from you for however long she wanted to. And it would be sometimes days, sometimes weeks."
Lucille and Desi - who divorced in 1960 after 20 years of marriage - were known to audiences as a a Hollywood power couple in their heyday but Desi Jr insisted that their fame "wasn't good for anyone" in the family.
He said: "It wasn't good for anyone.
"And we'll always remember when they sat us down and said, 'Look, you know, things aren't working.' I mean, I remember word for word."
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Perth Now
11-06-2025
- Perth Now
I Love Lucy star Lucille Ball found out she was pregnant from a radio broadcast
Lucille Ball found out she was pregnant from a radio broadcast. The late comedienne - who was mother to Lucie, 73, and Desi Jr, 72, with husband Desi Arnaz - had some tests done shortly before learning she was expecting her eldest, but a new biography has alleged that a broadcaster learned of the news first after being "tipped off" by the medical lab. In Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television, Todd S. Purdum writes: "In June 1950, during the New York run of their vaudeville show, Lucy was relaxing in her dressing room between shows listening to Walter Winchell's radio broadcast when she heard him announce she was 'infanticipating,' the columnist's lingo for 'pregnant.' He'd been tipped off by a medical lab informant before the Arnazes themselves had learned the news." The tome also features interviews with the I Love Lucy star's children, and Lucie recalled just how different her parents were from one another. She said: "He would get really angry and blow his stack, and be loud, but then he'd be done and it would be like it never happened. "[My mom] would get personally offended by childhood behavior or what you said, because you should have known not to say that somehow, even though no one's taught you what to say. "And she would emotionally separate from you for however long she wanted to. And it would be sometimes days, sometimes weeks." Lucille and Desi - who divorced in 1960 after 20 years of marriage - were known to audiences as a a Hollywood power couple in their heyday but Desi Jr insisted that their fame "wasn't good for anyone" in the family. He said: "It wasn't good for anyone. "And we'll always remember when they sat us down and said, 'Look, you know, things aren't working.' I mean, I remember word for word."
The Age
02-05-2025
- The Age
Help! I'm pregnant and don't want to look like a circus tent
This story is part of the May 3 edition of Good Weekend. See all 14 stories. Help! I'm six months pregnant and really don't want to look like a circus tent. On the fashion map, maternity wear is nestled in obscure territory, somewhere between plus-size clothing and children's wear, marooned on a clothing continent rarely acknowledged on the catwalk. It's as if designers are still stuck in some pregnancy-denying era (remember that I Love Lucy episode from 1952 – 'Lucy Is Enceinte' – where Lucille Ball's character was unable to use the word 'pregnant' because it was considered vulgar?) Loading Mercifully, maternity wear has evolved from the floral, lace-trimmed tents that Ball was sentenced to wear, with exponents of the body-positivity movement – come on down, Rihanna – coaxing baby bumps into red-lace catsuits and ribbed activewear. This is great if you're still interested in hitting a nightclub or Pilates studio in your third trimester, but less appealing if you're simply grabbing a takeaway decaf latte from your local cafe or catching up with friends for a mocktail. Fortunately, we have Oscar-winning actor Jennifer Lawrence to show us how it's done. Earlier this year, while heavily pregnant with her second child (with husband Cooke Maroney), the star took a break from tripping over Dior gowns at awards ceremonies to prioritise comfort over sexiness, stepping out in a series of cosy, yet stylish outfits. As she demonstrated, statement coats, blazers and jackets in a wild print or bold colour, layered over roomy sweaters or boxy T-shirts that skim, rather than hug, the belly, are your friend. Also, embrace the baggy-jeans trend, using a hair elastic when buttons struggle or look for styles with strategic, elastic panels in the front. Most importantly of all, take a break from heels – you've nothing to prove – and invest in sneakers or flat boots with a bold silhouette; these will be your most loyal servants in the weeks and months ahead.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Help! I'm pregnant and don't want to look like a circus tent
This story is part of the May 3 edition of Good Weekend. See all 14 stories. Help! I'm six months pregnant and really don't want to look like a circus tent. On the fashion map, maternity wear is nestled in obscure territory, somewhere between plus-size clothing and children's wear, marooned on a clothing continent rarely acknowledged on the catwalk. It's as if designers are still stuck in some pregnancy-denying era (remember that I Love Lucy episode from 1952 – 'Lucy Is Enceinte' – where Lucille Ball's character was unable to use the word 'pregnant' because it was considered vulgar?) Loading Mercifully, maternity wear has evolved from the floral, lace-trimmed tents that Ball was sentenced to wear, with exponents of the body-positivity movement – come on down, Rihanna – coaxing baby bumps into red-lace catsuits and ribbed activewear. This is great if you're still interested in hitting a nightclub or Pilates studio in your third trimester, but less appealing if you're simply grabbing a takeaway decaf latte from your local cafe or catching up with friends for a mocktail. Fortunately, we have Oscar-winning actor Jennifer Lawrence to show us how it's done. Earlier this year, while heavily pregnant with her second child (with husband Cooke Maroney), the star took a break from tripping over Dior gowns at awards ceremonies to prioritise comfort over sexiness, stepping out in a series of cosy, yet stylish outfits. As she demonstrated, statement coats, blazers and jackets in a wild print or bold colour, layered over roomy sweaters or boxy T-shirts that skim, rather than hug, the belly, are your friend. Also, embrace the baggy-jeans trend, using a hair elastic when buttons struggle or look for styles with strategic, elastic panels in the front. Most importantly of all, take a break from heels – you've nothing to prove – and invest in sneakers or flat boots with a bold silhouette; these will be your most loyal servants in the weeks and months ahead.
