Is desi arnez a jerk

Answer 1

In a book I've read that Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels has always refused to re-air the episode in which Arnaz was guest host due to his attitude and berating of the camera-men, cast, and crew, saying something to the effect of "I invented this sh*t. Why can't you people get it right?" (Using multiple camera angles and adjoining sets to film a television show in front of a live audience, a format which has been used in sitcoms ever since. Jerk or not, the statement that he invented it was actually true. When CBS wanted to air I love Lucy, television shows were all being aired live on the fly with a single camera and they werent being filmed. Desi came up with the sitcom format we all know and love today, and demanded to CBS that it be filmed in this way, offering to pay all costs associated with the extra materials, in exchange for exclusive rights to the film, which turned out to be a lucrative deal for desilu productions, as the concept and profitability of reruns of previously aired shows had not yet been realized.) But back to the original question, desi's issues with alcohol are widely known, and I have no doubt this was a contributing factor, as well as his numerous infidelities while married to Lucy. I have not been able to find any information on his demeanor towards his fans or the public in general, but to give you an example, if you and I were friends or acquaintances or if I met you on the street, I'm one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet, but you would NOT want to live or work with me. Hopefully this helps answer your question. :-)