Was Tootie the worst character on The Facts of Life?

No, Jermaine Jackson, in his cameo playing himself, he couldn’t even pull that off.

The show didn't age well. My favorite was DL icon Mindy Cohn, aka Natalie. Jo was believable and relatable. Mrs. Garrett's female Ned Flanders-isms and dottering head shaking were ok but kind of annoying.

Mindy (Natalie) was funny and so was Nancy (Jo). Tootie was a ditz and Blair was a Maga in training. Funny she is now in real life.

Did Mrs. Garrett have the early Parkinson’s?

wish they had kept Nancy or Sue Ann

Sue Ann Nivens, Mrs. Garrett’s very special “friend” from the women’s college they graduated from sharing very close quarters?

No, the worst character was Pippa. Oo-roo!

Tootie was cute and fun when she was on roller skates. But when they tried to make her grow up a bit, she became somewhat wooden, losing most of her sense of humor. Plus, she developed a weird monotonous cadence in her voice and delivery, which is really apparent in the Jermaine Jackson episode.

I’m with R6, Pippa was the absolute worst. She was never less than absolutely annoying. At least with Tootie, we could still remember the little girl on roller skates even during the cringy Jermaine Jackson years.

Op I watched it yesterday on Logo. Whoever colored Blair’s hair yellow should’ve been fired. Tootie was weak and whiny. She was a Jermaine Jackson super fan.

Worst regular character who was on for every season? Absolutely. No question!

But if you open it up to recurring characters or ones who were only regulars for a season or two, Tootie has SO much competition. Pippa, Andy, Molly (couldn't stand her), and cousin Geri are all in a dead heat.

Lisa Whelchel is not MAGA. Link please.

No. Jo was the worst in the beginning. Honestly, it took several seasons before she became anything but an absolute fucking pill. And lets not forget she physically assaulted Blair.

[quote] Jo was believable and relatable.

Relatable and believable to all of the motor cycle riding masculine working class teen girls who have fathers in prison and who receive full ride scholarships to elite private schools.

Jo was too masculine for my tastes, it felt like she was male.

True Lifers know that Princess "Alex" Lambarti was the worst.

R11 you are correct. I retract the Lisa Whelchel is a MAGA person statement. She is a big time Christian but that doesn't necessarily mean she is a Trumper.

One of my favorite FActs OF Life episodes-When the girls are arrested and spend a couple of hours in jail.

They put this tough looking LESBIAN in the cell with them who tries to steal Blair’s watch and Jo threatens to rumble with said LESBIAN if she doesn’t back off.

It’s the first or second episode with Jo in it.

Who was that mini lesbian Pamela Sagal in season 5?

"Jo it's me, Tootie- your best friend, remember?"

Fucking Miko.

The love interests were all bland and boring as fuck.

R11 No, Lisa Whelchel is not MAGA, but Julie Piekarski is.

All of the girls were great. The show didn’t get bad until they started adding random people like George Clooney and the little boy named Andy.

I agree. OP. Tootie was definitely the worst. Mainly because Kim Fields was so awful and had that oversized lower mandible that cause some sort of speech impediment.

The part I never understood was whether or not Tootie is supposed to be a lousy actress. I don't mean Kim Fields-I mean Tootie. They all go on about what a great actress she is, but any time you see her character in a situation where she is acting (South Pacific, Eleanor Roosevelt, The Seagull, West Side Story), she stinks up the place. Also, I don't get all the Andy hate-I always found him very likable.

Definitely the worst. I like Kim Fields as a person--seen interviews and she seems cool--but sorry she was a terrible actress on that show. Always SHOUTING her lines.

It's interesting that they kept Tootie and cut all those other girls after the first season. But I guess during that era it was considered crucial to have a supposedly cute kid on these shows (Nicholas on 8 is enough, Arnold on Diff'rent Strokes etc) spouting one liners.

[QUOTE] I don't get all the Andy hate-I always found him very likable.

I don't think it's Andy per se that they hate. He's lumped in with the Cousin Oliver effect. Indicating that a show has jumped the shark once they try to bring on a cute kid late in the series. That's what they hate.

It would make no sense to keep Natalie and dump Tootie, R27. They were best friends and partners in crime throughout the entire series including the first season.

Also interesting that two actresses who were basically non-entities on FOL -- Molly Ringwald and Helen Hunt -- went on to have the biggest careers of any of these people.

That's true R29. But I still don't like Tootie.

Helen Hunt was not on facts of life

R32 just for you:

She was not a principal player on the facts of life. She was a guest on one episode. She also appeared in one episode of The Bionic Woman and Gimme A Break! I would hardly associate her with any of those series.

Oh get lost R34 if you are going to split hairs and argue. This is supposed to be a fun thread.

Yeah r35,bitch. You mentioned Helen Hunt and Molly Ringwald as being Facts of Life actors. I had to call you out since Helen was not a part of the cast.

Kelly from season 4 sucked

Tootie was cool when she grew those enormous breasts that showed up later in the series. Before then, she was annoying (I think she was meant to be, she was the youngest). I think the breasts increased her wisdom and knowledge, somehow.

[quote]No, Lisa Whelchel is not MAGA, but Julie Piekarski is.

The fuck I am! You must be thinking of that mousy-haired twat, Felice!

[R21]They really were, for the most part. But in a way, I suppose they had to be. The only one I liked, or felt had any spark with Whelchel (although it was just a blind-date for a back-door pilot), was Buzz (Jimmy Baio).

I also liked Bill, the guy Jo had starting dating at Langley, until she found out he was from an uber-wealthy, influential family (father was an ambassador). He called Jo out on her classism/reverse-snobbery when she flipped out & acted like a jackass.

I may be MAGA, but I had the best hair of anyone, even Blair.

[quote]They all go on about what a great actress she is, but any time you see her character in a situation where she is acting (South Pacific, Eleanor Roosevelt, The Seagull, West Side Story), she stinks up the place.

Tootie was a better actress than she was a playwright. Dialogue from her one-woman show "Me and Eleanor":

"A vote for my husband is a vote for you. Two votes for my husband are two votes for you. Three votes for my husband are three votes for you."

R40 Jo was also a fucking bitch when she broke Blair’s watch. Just because someone’s rich doesn’t make it any more right to have no respect for their things. I love that Blair served her ass and dragged her to court.

I always thought Blair should've ended up with Cliff. She overreacted when she found out he was moonlighting as a stripper.

I liked the blue uniforms.

So, what was the reasoning behind adding Pippa/Sherrie Krenn? They knew the ninth season was going to be the last, and they were already adding three new recurring characters (Rick, Snake and Casey), so why bring on an annoying Australian exchange student who has to sleep on the couch?

How Many Licks Does it REALLY Take to Get to the Center of a Tootie Pop?

[quote]Yeah [R35],bitch. You mentioned Helen Hunt and Molly Ringwald as being Facts of Life actors. I had to call you out since Helen was not a part of the cast.

Girls! Girls! You're both right in your own way.

R36 you feel compelled to "call people out" and curse at someone on a FOL thread? Calm down and then try to get a life.

Best Jo/Blair fan vid:

The Facts of Life Go to Paris and The Facts of Life Down Under are both on Crackle (free app).

R51: For me, it's this one (and it's not even close).

Blair 's coke addict boyfriend was hot.

I still like the one I posted better but thanks for posting that R52.

Lesbians take their fan fic and shipping VERY seriously.

Blair's coke head bf is the same actor who played special Leo in an earlier episode

On the that drunk driving episode Tootie tried to keep the situation hushed up because it was her brother, but in every other situation on this show she blabs other people's business the first chance she gets. Very interesting.

The worst is the episode where Natalie's father passes. Tootie manages to make the whole thing about herself, including causing a scene at the Shiva.

Yes they were very much into "special" characters on this show R56.

if my brother had been drunk driving with me and my friends in the car, I most certainly wouldn't be protecting them

And Tootie tried to pretend was not at fault for that accident. SMH.

[quote]I also liked Bill, the guy Jo had starting dating at Langley, until she found out he was from an uber-wealthy, influential family (father was an ambassador). He called Jo out on her classism/reverse-snobbery when she flipped out & acted like a jackass.

Mmmmmm, Peter Nelson.

And judging by that posted pic, it looks like he is smuggling an anaconda in his jeans.

Tootie was the straight one, right?

[quote] Definitely the worst. I like Kim Fields as a person--seen interviews and she seems cool--but sorry she was a terrible actress on that show. Always SHOUTING her lines.

Kim Fields (Tootie) definitely had her lines memorized, but she was so one-note and fake-sounding.

Jo (Nancy McKeon) was also one-note (surly).

The two funny ones were: Blair (Lisa Welchel) and Natalie (Mindy Cohn).

[quote]The two funny ones were: Blair (Lisa Welchel) and Natalie (Mindy Cohn).

Agree 100%

Nat had the original "snark" humor going on while Blair ended up growing into a great physical comedian.

Yes, R64, Blair was great at being the vain one. There was a funny scene where Blair was blow-drying her hair, next to Jo. She just looked so vain, it was hilarious.

[quote] Tootie was cool when she grew those enormous breasts that showed up later in the series. Before then, she was annoying (I think she was meant to be, she was the youngest). I think the breasts increased her wisdom and knowledge, somehow.

All 4 of them grew enormous breasts in later seasons. On top of that, Mrs. Garrett was no slouch in the chest department, herself.

Blair and Jo never had enormous breasts.

R66 = Joe Biden

[quote]And judging by that posted pic, it looks like he is smuggling an anaconda in his jeans.

No, dipshit R61. No it does not.

You could tell during the first couple of seasons when Cohn was trying not to laugh at her own lines.

R69 = a very bitter David Packer

R36, R69 = anger mgmt issues alert

Mackenzie Astin as the token cute kid at the end of the series - he needs to be chucked through the window.

Way to double down on the retard factor R71.

[quote] The two funny ones were: Blair (Lisa Welchel) and Natalie (Mindy Cohn).

Don't forget Cousin Geri! She was played by a professional comedienne and was always good for a hearty laugh.

I almost forgot that George Clooney played a pivotal role on FOL.

He went on to play "Booker," the factory boss on "The Roseanne Show."

R75 nothing that came out of Jeri’s mouth was funny. It was so clichéd and stupid.

R77 Every time Cousin Geri appeared on the show they made her out to be a big celebrity with a great career in showbiz.

If you read Geri Jewell's book she takes about living with Lisa Whelchel and the time Lisa walked in on her going down another woman.

MARY!

Was there ever another show so awash in hidden lesbianism?

Prisoner Cell Block H?

Interestingly, in the first season of the show, there is a tomboy character that Blair comes right to the edge of accusing of being gay.

Then there was an Eastland graduate who became a nun and said "some people have asked if I'm a lesbian".

So the showrunners seemed to be aware of the subtext.

^^^ I thought it was Blair's sister who was becoming a nun and Jo got interested in joining her?

you could be right R83. I'll try to locate the episode.

R83 it was Eve Plumb!

You are right R83. My bad.

I just watched the weekend trip back to nyc episode featuring jo and Blair. Jo’s girlfriend is a hood. Jo’s girlfriend is a bitch.

I remember the episode I believe the same one from r87 where Tootie’s nyc coffee shop friend is a child prostitute. She tries to lure Tootie into sex work.

Those are 2 different episodes, R88.

[quote] Tootie’s nyc coffee shop friend is a child prostitute.

Played by Tammy Lauren of TV's '"Angie."

I meant same season r89

I understand that the character of Tootie might have made the cut after the first season because she is black, but couldn't that have cast another actress? Kim Fields was a poor casting choice.

Kim Fields was hysterical. Too bad she got pregnant and the show made her fat to cover it up...

[quote]where Tootie’s nyc coffee shop friend is a child prostitute. She tries to lure Tootie into sex work.

Yo, that's heavy stuff!

r94

That episode was bad because at the end Tootie knew that little girl was in major trouble and just left her there .

Bad Tootie!

Did Tootie even meet Tootsie?

Did you ever meat my ass?

Ask Teen Laqueefa, r47.

R93, you're confusing her with Janet Jackson.

"That episode was bad because at the end Tootie knew that little girl was in major trouble and just left her there ."

I wasn't sure if I misremembered that episode. But it did strike me that Tootie was like "well I guess you're going to get raped to death bye lol".

This is my favorite Tootie scene, hands down.

The fact that it's about Jermaine Jackson (of all people) is just icing on the cake (as is Tootie's haircut, which is like a bubble).

The first time this aired, I was a teenager, and honest to God I thought Mrs. Garrett was going to have to slap the shit out of her.

^^^ "TOOTIE! If you don't calm your shit, I will have to FUCK you!"

Charlotte Rae improvised that line during rehearsals, but at the last moment the network told her she couldn't keep it in.

Datalounge people I'm in an existential crises because I need to know if Mindy Cohn was/is a

GREAT BIG FAT PERSON.

[quote] The love interests were all bland and boring as fuck.

Tootie's boyfriend Jeff was fine.