The show made quite the point in showcasing an actress with cerebral palsy, yes.
But the actress herself was bad, she would have been bad with or without a disability.
I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.
Cousin Jeri was an attempt to include every, single "important message" they could cram into the show, but it just didn't work. Throughout its run, they covered rape, abortion, suicide, teen sex, homosexuality, racism, bullying -- you name it. They even had an episode where Tootie thought she would be "handicapped" because she couldn't hear. Jeri was on hand to talk her though it. Pure shmaltz!
shareI was watching that episode last night about Tootie's hearing problem and Geri mentioned that people with cp have hearing problems?
shareWhen did the show tackle the subject of homosexuality? Please keep in mind that I haven't watched all of the episodes.
"When I say, 'Whoa!' I mean, 'Whoa!'"share
(Blaznee, "Spaced Invaders")
The pilot episode. Blair covertly accused Cindy of being a lesbian because of how tomboyish and touchy-feely she was with other girls.
share[deleted]
I LOVE Geri! After my all-night FOL binge, I Googled the actress and she was really interesting and very nice, one of the few people I know who is an atheist and is friends with people who aren't and doesn't mock them. I definitely want to read her more recent memoir.
In hindsight, having Geri on this show that I watched all the time as a kid and teenager was such a good thing. I already went to school with kids from every background, every color, religion, had a ton of gay friends by my early teens thanks to acting... but Geri showed me that having a, I don't even know if CP is considered disability, illness, so if anyone knows, help! Anyway, she was great.
It feels like the OP thinks Geri was just an "issue". "The show made quite the point in showcasing an actress with cerebral palsy, yes" <--- wow, "quite the point"? I think the better question here is why you have a problem with her. Maybe she was brought on once to teach us about people who are different, but she was invited back often and usually just talked about her stand-up. Not the CP, which I personally, as an adult with an illness that is often diabling, appreciates.
I, too, love Geri. I'm physically handicapped, and her portrayal of cousin Geri on the show meant so much to me. She portrayed the character in a strong, intelligent unapologetic way. She spoke of the hardships of being disabled, but she also showed the joy in living. The character had a great attitude: she didn't sit at home and hide, she got out and made her own living. She had friends and romantic relationships, she drove, and she was always there for her friends and family.
I have so much respect for both the television character AND the actress.
You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
~Friedrich Nietzsche
*raises hand*
Every single time she was on FOL, it was like watching an after school special on CP...AND people acted as if she was the cp version of Lucille Ball with they way they treated her like she was hilarious and exciting...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2288050/board/thread/236193626?d=236193626#236193626
I didn't dislike her, but when I first saw the series when I was about eight, I thought she had Down Syndrome and I was surprised to find out I'd been wrong.
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I'm just expressing my opinion.
You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.
I didn't mind Cousin Geri so much, I just hated like others have pointed out that everytime she showed up, it had to be a Very Special episode even though every time after her prior appearances everyone seemed to learn that she was 'just like normal people'.
When theres no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.share
I'm sure Geri Jewell is a nice person and her inclusion in the cast was revolutionary (or something) but yeah, she's not a good actress and her stand up (at least on the show) wasn't funny. Her character was basically a bummer. If it wasn't a Very Special Episode, she was pissy because people were helping her.
shareI thought it was odd that she kept hanging out at her younger teenage cousin's boarding school for fun. I think that's what bothered me the most about her - the premise for her even being in all of her episodes.
shareThe episodes are bad because the series was a product of it's time re: people with disabilities.
Pre-ADA Eastland would not have had to allow Cousin Geri into Eastland only because she walks/talks 'funny'. They could presume that she is 'incapable' of performing academic work just based on this alone.
The episode about Tootie loosing her hearing never would have been made today as it did back then--with her crying that her life is 'over'!!
If she were loosing her hearing, she could now still attend classes with a hearing aid. There are plenty of Actresses and a Miss America who cannot hear, so why not her?
Plus there is the episode about Blair hitting on the person with intellectual disabilities. He is openly called 'retarded' as was the custom back then. After finding out who he is, Blair does not think about the ethics of dating vs teaching.
If the series were made today, it would have reflected that the ADA is on the books. Even private schools have to make reasonable accommodations to qualified people with disabilities. This used to be one of my favirote shows, but watching it now is really hard.
I can't help wonder if Breaking Bad would've had an actor with CP if Facts of Life hadn't done it first?
Personally, I think Breaking Bad did it MUCH better.
Granted Geri wasn't the greatest actress of all time, I still enjoyed the character and her appearances. It was nice to see a character with a disability living and having a normal life, definitely something lacking from TV still.
shareI agree. Her "jokes" really sucked, but I liked the idea of the character.
shareI've never watched Breaking Bad (so I'm going on your knowledge of it) but I'm thinking that it's probably better with having the actor with CP since by now more is known about it than it was back when the FOL was on.
shareyes! when I was growing up, I didn't mind her as much... but now.... I can see why family guy would make fun of her. her clips on this show really WERE groaningly painful!
the sad part... most people who have CP are NOT like that at all. they are confined to wheelchairs and are barely 'there' as people. I mean no disrespect. same thing with the corky character from life goes on. now, everyone thinks that those with down syndrome can speak and think like he can! no! not even close!
Reading the paper can really be depressing. Mr. Dithers fired Dagwood again.
Disagree. Geri Jewell had a less severe form of CP. Know people with different kinds of CP.
studios etc were obviously not sure what to do with her and she was a product of the times. Geri today would have been in Eastland attending classes and doing more--perhaps even with a more severe form of CP. Geri would have been part of the main cast as a student or faculty member.
But back then, a private school did not have to enroll people with disabilities for junior high or high school degrees.....the public school which COULD accommodate her would take her.
Like the payphones this really dates the show. She's just there for the sake of it. If she's got these shows, she should be rehearsing etc vs loitering at her cousin's campus where she's not enrolled.
The show was obviously trying to be 'diverse' with the episodes but it either now looks out of place and/or is just plain awkward. Yes, why is she hanging out at Blair's boarding school?
I attended public school myself and ADA which would instead address people with disabilities enrolled in private k-12 settings was only passed in 1990.
The 'gang' should have hired somebody during the Edna's Edibles/over our heads years who had a disability for these episodes. Because Edna and/or the girls were the employers themselves they could decide who to hire in their very own shop even before the ADA!! It would have worked out much better. They could have actually done something with the person instead of making condescending jokes or worrying re 'being handicapped'.
NBC was obviously aware 'special education' was passed during the late 1970's but they didn't quite understand that only applied to the public schools. It couldn't be addressed in a show centered on girls specifically attending a private school. That was the whole point--the private school was not bound to what the public school had to do.