Few shows captured the essence of coming-of-age quite like The Facts of Life did from 1979 to 1988. Taking place at the prestigious Eastland School for Young Women, the series focused on the young ladies attending this institution and the day-to-day of their lives as students navigating all that comes with being a teenager. Though the show was witty-as-can-be and made us laugh episode after episode, it’s also been celebrated over the years for tackling tough topics that affect that particular age group, as well as for the steps it took toward representation. As a matter of fact, the show featured the first disabled person with a recurring role on a television series—Geri Jewell, who has cerebral palsy, played the part of Blair’s cousin Geri.
The series was led by faces we love to this day, including Lisa Whelchel as Blair, Nancy McKeon as Jo, Kim Fields as Tootie, Mindy Cohn as Natalie and Charlotte Rae as Edna Garrett, but despite the positivity this show brought into our homes, behind the scenes wasn’t always such a walk in the park. In a recent interview with Page Six, Nancy McKeon revealed that there were several instances in which the actresses had their weight and eating habits scrutinized.
“Each one of us had to deal with things in our own way,” she revealed to the outlet. “That’s why it’s called show business, it’s a business, and they wanted what they wanted. But we’re also human beings and the fact is everybody comes in all shapes and sizes and everybody needs to be represented.” She continued, “There is no one ideal [body]. There should be an embrace of every body.”
Other ‘Facts of Life’ actresses have spoken out on the topic of weight on the show
The experience McKeon described to Page Six was not unique to her. Lisa Whelchel and Mindy Cohn also dished on what went on behind the scenes of the show in a 2013 interview with PEOPLE, emphasizing how their changing bodies made for constant speculation over their appearances.
“At this stage of our lives, we’re both focusing on doing things on our own terms. But it’s different than when we were on The Facts of Life. Weight was always an issue back then,” shared Cohn. “An everyday battle. Our bodies were a topic of conversation. There wasn’t the internet, but we knew what people were saying. Joan Rivers called us ‘The Fats of Life’,” explained Whelchel.
Though Cohn shared that they “didn’t really talk about weight on set” and Whelchel said no one was ever particularly cruel, she did reveal that she was sent to a few “fat farms” during her time on the show. “I’d say, ‘I’m going to Texas on my hiatus,’ and they’d say, ‘Oh, no you’re not. We bought you a ticket to the fat farm!’”
While it’s hard to imagine enduring that as a young girl, there’s something to be said for their resilience in enduring such scrutiny at such a young age—and for continuing to bring us smiles episode after episode!
