Hola Amigos! We’re thrilled to share a special episode from My Cultura and WV Sound, Starring: Desi Arnaz & Wilmer Valderrama. Before Ricky Ricardo became a household name, Desi Arnaz was just a Cuban immigrant with a dream—and the odds stacked against him.

Desi Arnaz refuses to move to New York, gambles his salary for ownership, and—with a little help from cinematographer Karl Freund—turns live comedy into filmed art. Together, he and Lucy invent the three-camera sitcom, syndication, and creative control itself. But as I Love Lucy conquers the world, their marriage unravels behind the scenes. Wilmer draws the parallel to his own journey, reflecting on family, legacy, and gratitude—culminating in his USO Merit Award speech, where he finally understands Desi’s timeless “Thank you, America.”

Featuring: Wilmer Valderrama (That ’70s Show, NCIS, Encanto)
Topics: I Love Lucy, Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Desilu Productions, invention of the multi-camera sitcom, syndication, television ownership, Karl Freund, immigrant innovation, family legacy, USO, gratitude.

Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is produced by WV Sound in partnership with iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network.
Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is written by Erick Galindo and narrated by Wilmer Valderrama. It is produced by Sophie Spencer-Zavos and Leo Klemm, with special help from Angel Lopez Galindo.

Executive producers are Wilmer Valderrama and Erick Galindo.

This episode was edited and engineered by Sean Tracy and features original music by Halo Boy and Madison Davenport. Cover art illustration by Lindsey Mound.

For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hola Amigos! We’re thrilled to share a special episode from My Cultura and WV Sound, Starring: Desi Arnaz & Wilmer Valderrama. Before Ricky Ricardo became a household name, Desi Arnaz was just a Cuban immigrant with a dream—and the odds stacked against him.

A nuts-and-bolts look at how shows actually get made, this episode traces the gauntlet from “idea” to “greenlight.” Wilmer relives the high-stakes call that landed him the That ’70s Show pilot while Desi and Lucy face an even steeper climb: convincing CBS—and America—that a Cuban bandleader and a redheaded star could be a married couple on TV. Shut out by execs, they take their case to the only jury that matters: live audiences. A throwback vaudeville act (with help from Pepito the Clown) becomes their proof of concept—an early masterclass in IP, audience testing, and momentum—until William S. Paley finally says yes. Next up: they’ll rewrite the rulebook with multi-camera filming, live-audience comedy, and—most radical of all—ownership.

Featuring: Wilmer Valderrama (That ’70s Show, NCIS, Encanto)
Topics: TV development & pilots, proof-of-concept/IP, vaudeville roots of sitcoms, Lucy & Desi’s road act, network bias and representation, William S. Paley/CBS, the road to I Love Lucy.

Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is produced by WV Sound in partnership with iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network.
Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is written by Erick Galindo and narrated by Wilmer Valderrama. It is produced by Sophie Spencer-Zavos and Leo Klemm, with special help from Angel Lopez Galindo.

Executive producers are Wilmer Valderrama and Erick Galindo.

This episode was edited and engineered by Sean Tracy and features original music by Halo Boy and Madison Davenport. Cover art illustration by Lindsey Mound.

For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hola Amigos! We’re thrilled to share a special episode from My Cultura and WV Sound, Starring: Desi Arnaz & Wilmer Valderrama. Before Ricky Ricardo became a household name, Desi Arnaz was just a Cuban immigrant with a dream—and the odds stacked against him.

From an Osprey dodging heat-seeking missiles over Fallujah to a tour bus ripped open on an Indiana highway, this episode is all “what if” moments that changed everything. Wilmer Valderrama shares his most intense USO memories, then parallels Desi Arnaz’s own service-era close calls—including the orchestra crash that nearly killed his stand-in and jolted Desi toward a life with Lucy. Their first divorce doesn’t stick, radio becomes the lifeline (hello, Bob Hope writers’ room), and Lucy lands My Favorite Husband—with one condition for TV: “I’ll do it only if Desi plays my husband.” Cue the network skepticism, the accent hand-wringing, and the audacious plan that sets the stage for I Love Lucy.

Featuring: Wilmer Valderrama (That ’70s Show, NCIS, Encanto)
Topics: USO tours, Fallujah Osprey incident, Desi Arnaz orchestra bus crash, Lucy & Desi first divorce, Bob Hope radio show, My Favorite Husband (radio), radio-to-TV adaptation, network bias against accents, pre–I Love Lucy history, representation in media, Hollywood/TV history.

Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is produced by WV Sound in partnership with iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network.
Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is written by Erick Galindo and narrated by Wilmer Valderrama. It is produced by Sophie Spencer-Zavos and Leo Klemm, with special help from Angel Lopez Galindo.

Executive producers are Wilmer Valderrama and Erick Galindo.

This episode was edited and engineered by Sean Tracy and features original music by Halo Boy and Madison Davenport. Cover art illustration by Lindsey Mound.

For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hola Amigos! We’re thrilled to share a special episode from My Cultura and WV Sound, Starring: Desi Arnaz & Wilmer Valderrama. Before Ricky Ricardo became a household name, Desi Arnaz was just a Cuban immigrant with a dream—and the odds stacked against him.

On a Malibu beach in 1940, Desi Arnaz meets Lucille Ball—and two months later they elope. As their fiery romance collides with wartime America, Desi’s accent keeps him boxed into stereotypes… until World War II reroutes his path: USO tours, a breakout turn in Bataan (1943), and a new reputation as more than a “Latin novelty.” Meanwhile, Lucy’s film career plateaus, pushing both toward the medium that will change everything. In a parallel thread, Wilmer Valderrama reveals how embracing his own accent birthed “Fez” on That ’70s Show—echoing Desi’s lesson that what sets you apart can make you a star. Love, reinvention, and the drumbeat toward television—right up to Lucy and Desi’s first divorce.

Featuring: Wilmer Valderrama (That ’70s Show, NCIS, Encanto)
Topics: Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Too Many Girls, Malibu elopement, USO tours, Bataan (1943), WWII Hollywood, accent & representation, Wilmer’s “Fez” origin, road to television.

Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is produced by WV Sound in partnership with iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network.
Starring: Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama is written by Erick Galindo and narrated by Wilmer Valderrama. It is produced by Sophie Spencer-Zavos and Leo Klemm, with special help from Angel Lopez Galindo.

Executive producers are Wilmer Valderrama and Erick Galindo.

This episode was edited and engineered by Sean Tracy and features original music by Halo Boy and Madison Davenport. Cover art illustration by Lindsey Mound.

Voice Acting by Eddie Mujica, Danielle Koenig, Asher Muldoon, Alejandro Maciel, Jose Leon, Lorena Russi, Jesus Hernandez Blanco, Andy Vargas, Christian Valderrama, and Miguel Salinas

Clips from Harold Lloyd Master Seminar with Lucille Ball © 1974, courtesy of the American Film Institute.

For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Freddy and Wilmer wrap things up the only way they know how: stories, laughs, recaping their favorite guests and a heartfelt cheers to friendship. One last round (for now!), on us!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second half of their conversation, Adam shares how he evolved beyond CSI: Miami into films like Magic Mike and series like Criminal Minds, where he also found his voice as a director. The trio reflect on the importance of representation in Hollywood, navigating identity, and the responsibility of telling authentic stories. Adam also gets personal about fatherhood, marriage, and the lessons he hopes to pass on to his kids while balancing the demands of a decades-long career.

“Dos Amigos” is a comedic and insightful podcast hosted by two friends who’ve journeyed through Hollywood and life together. Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez push through the noise of everyday life and ruminate on a bevy of topics through fun and daring, and occasionally a third amigo joins the mix!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second half of their conversation, Adam shares how he evolved beyond CSI: Miami into films like Magic Mike and series like Criminal Minds, where he also found his voice as a director. The trio reflect on the importance of representation in Hollywood, navigating identity, and the responsibility of telling authentic stories. Adam also gets personal about fatherhood, marriage, and the lessons he hopes to pass on to his kids while balancing the demands of a decades-long career.

“Dos Amigos” is a comedic and insightful podcast hosted by two friends who’ve journeyed through Hollywood and life together. Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez push through the noise of everyday life and ruminate on a bevy of topics through fun and daring, and occasionally a third amigo joins the mix!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the Dos Amigos welcome back Wilmer’s wife Amanda Pacheco for an intimate and fun conversation about love and family. From parenting surprises to who's most likely to cry during a movie, nothing is off-limits. Plus, Freddy hosts a lightning round of "Who’s More Likely To?" that reveals more than they expected!

“Dos Amigos” is a comedic and insightful podcast hosted by two friends who’ve journeyed through Hollywood and life together. Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez push through the noise of everyday life and ruminate on a bevy of topics through fun and daring, and occasionally a third amigo joins the mix!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.