You take the good, you take the bad... Who did not know all the words to the catchy 'Facts of Life' theme song. This show about 4 rambunctious teen-age girls at a boarding school raised by caring and nurturing Ms. Garrett, was a groundbreaking and controversial sitcom that spanned from 1979-1988. This is indeed a long-time in the world of tv. People often forget that this sitcom was a spin-off of another popular sitcom of its time, 'Diffrent Strokes'. Edna Garrett was the housekeeper for The Drummonds on 'Diffrent Strokes', lead by the talented Gary Coleman. We all grew to love and adore all the characters; the spoiled beauty, Blair, the street-smart tom-boy Joe, the sassy no-nonsense Natalie and of course the adorable, nosey, Tootie on her roller skates. There was also another stand-out on the show, which was a sitcom first, Blair's cousin, Geri. The Facts of Life was one of the first television shows to feature a person with cerebral palsy as a recurring character. Indeed, actress Geri Jewell was the first person with a disability to have a regular role on a prime time series. The series tackled many controversial topics in its day, from weight/body image issues, sexuality, rape and other topics that other sitcoms didn't dare tackle. In the end there was always a resolution and a lesson learned in this wholesome sitcom. Recently the cast of the show reunited and spoke with GMA about the show and their 'reuninon' which can be seen on the TVLand Awards this Sunday.
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