Good morning, blog fans. Today, I’m going to write a short post, because I’ve been inspired to make some music and I want to get to it as soon as possible. I want to take advantage of this feeling while it lasts. Lately, I haven’t been as enthusiastic about my melodic pursuits, although I have been practicing guitar. Sometimes I venture onto SingSnap for a short while, but I haven’t done any YouTube videos recently. Maybe I’ll get a new one up today, now that I have some new photos.
Since I want this to be a short, but sweet, posting, I’ve decided that today’s topic will be on the lighter side… and it will appeal to anyone who was around in the 1980s and watched The Facts of Life on TV. You know, back in those days, we didn’t have so many options, even if we did have cable. That’s probably the only reason The Facts of Life lasted nine seasons. I just finished the 7th season and, I gotta tell you, it really did jump the shark. Aside from that, the show completely veered away from its original premise and became kind of silly. I mean, it was always “silly”, but the writers tackled some important issues. In the waning seasons, the show just became lightweight and kind of farcical.
One really notable thing about the later seasons of The Facts of Life, though, is that George Clooney was briefly a cast member. And in the mid 1980s, he had a mullet. You know who else had a mullet? Nancy McKeon did. She played Jo. Nancy was a very pretty young woman, but poor thing, when she was on The Facts of Life, they really made her look mannish. Actually, a lot of the clothes worn in the later seasons were just hideous. There was a lot of synthetic fabric and humongous shoulder pads… loud colors, and overalls. Most of the cast members had visible weight struggles at certain points during its run, and those shoulder pads were not helpful at all. Especially for Mindy Cohn (Natalie) and Kim Fields (Tootie).
Anyway… I was pretty amused when I noticed that Nancy McKeon, George Clooney, and Michael Damian (he played Fly Man, and was also on The Young and the Restless for years) could have passed for siblings. They all had an affinity for hairspray and mousse, too. Have a look.
And then, I noticed that Lisa Whelchel, who had beautiful blonde hair, that tumbled in golden curls past her shoulders, also got the same haircut… And she colored her hair sort of a yucky reddish blonde. It really aged her, in my opinion. I noticed that she wore skirts in most episodes when the show was very popular. Then, in the later seasons, it was dressy suits, pants with angora sweaters, and the odd dress. Meanwhile, poor Mindy Cohn and Kim Fields were put in really ugly, frumpy outfits. Thankfully, Lisa has reclaimed her “crowning glory”, as evidenced in her recent recap of her most famous role…
I’m glad I never had a mullet… Actually, I think I had a short haircut very briefly in 1985, but it didn’t last. And then in the late 90s, I had a short cut. But then when Bill and I got together, I grew out my hair again, because he preferred it long… and, well, I HATE going to get haircuts. I always have. I haven’t seen a professional hairstylist since 2010. I usually cut my own hair… and often while drunk. No wonder I don’t like being on camera. 😉
Incidentally, 20 years ago today, Bill and I officially got engaged. We were unofficially engaged in January 2002, but I got my ring on March 13, 2002. The time has really flown by.
Well… I guess that’s about all I have to say today. Going to see if I can make some pretty music. Have a great Sunday!
Edited to add… Here’s a new video.
You and Bill look so “simpatico” in your photos, especially that most recent one.
As someone who was a young adult in the Eighties, I agree that:
1. Some of the fashion fads (especially for women) sucked. I never understood the whole “humongous shoulder pads” thing.
2. Yes, the last season of “The Facts of Life” was off-the-wall. I didn’t watch it regularly because by 1985-86, I had enrolled at Miami-Dade Community College and was attending full-time. I did notice that Charlotte Rae was in fewer episodes (she had requested fewer on-air appearances), and that “Edna’s Edibles” was now “Over Our Heads.”
3. Mullets. I never sported that hairstyle, but some of my fellow students did. Another strange fad that ran its course!
Charlotte Rae left the series after the 7th year. They brought in Cloris Leachman and named her character after Charlotte’s real life sister. That show was on the air until 1988… so, from the time I was 7 until I was 16!
It’s amazing, especially since it really sucked at the end.
NBC wanted to renew it for a 10th season, but Nancy McKeon and Mindy Cohn wanted to leave, so the network had to end it on a ninth season.
I don’t think I watched a lot of the episodes from the last two seasons. I do recall, though, that Lisa Whelchel made the headlines for not appearing in “a very special episode” where one of the four girls loses her virginity because it went against her religious beliefs.
Thank you for a fun trip back to the Eighties!
Yeah, Mindy was the ‘ho. 😉
That show should have ended way before nine seasons. But it did have some good episodes.
Er. I should have said SEVENTH season rather than LAST.
(I haven’t had my coffee yet. “The Facts of Life” ran for nine seasons…so, yeah. I erred. Sorry!)
My mom came of age in the ‘mid ’80’s, and hides most of her early twenties pictures because of the hideous fashion trends. She never had a mullet, though, unless that’s one of the reasons she hides the pictures.
I never actually had a mullet, but my hair came in really slowly, and it took forever for my hair to be actually long.
I never had a mullet. My hair pretty much has looked the same for most of my life. Well… except now it’s natural. I quit using haircolor in 2017 because it made my hair look and feel like straw. Fortunately, the natural color suits me.