80s TV Ladies

“Even more so than All in the Family, we had protesters outside our office... We used to keep our curtains closed because we were afraid someone was gonna throw a brick through the window.” - Marsha Posner Williams on 'Soap'In this episode of 80s TV Ladies, hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson interview Marsha Posner Williams, an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning producer known for her work on hit shows such as ‘Soap,’ 'Benson,' 'Night Court,' and 'The Golden Girls.' Dive into Marsha's fascinating career journey as she shares intriguing and hilarious anecdotes about her experiences in Hollywood, including her connection to Marlo Thomas's fan club.She tells us about working with Danny Thomas, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas, and Susan Harris! And shares the trials and triumphs of producing controversial yet iconic TV shows alongside Danny Thomas, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas and Susan Harris. From typing jokes and working as a hostess dancer to her involvement in groundbreaking, controversial and iconic TV shows, Marsha's story is one of resilience, ambition, and a keen sense of humor. Tune in to hear her insights on the evolving landscape of television and her contributions to the most memorable shows of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Stay tuned for more in Part 2!AUDIOOGRAPHYListen to ArtMuse Podcast at artmusepodcast.comHOLIDAY PROMO DEALSIf you click through from this page, the discount should automatically apply. If not use the promo code: 80STVLADIES. Happy Shopping!Get some awesome sheets and pajamast at COZY EARTH.NOVEMBER 8TL DEALS BLOCK:80s TV Ladies deals and discounts: Cozy Earth (41% Off)Old Glory (15% Off)🔗 Get them at: https://MyDeals.Page/19wy🎁 Code: 80STVLADIESOUR 100th EPISODE is coming! What should we do to celebrate?Send us your ideas via: 80sTVLadies @ gmail dot com 00:00 Welcome to 80s TV Ladies00:37 Introducing Marcia Posner Williams01:51 Marcia's Early Inspirations05:28 Journey to Hollywood08:05 Struggles and Breakthroughs11:05 First Big Break in Hollywood20:23 Working with Danny Thomas23:11 Unpredictability of Live TV23:28 First Steps in Television23:45 Working with Susan Harris25:15 Controversies of 'Soap'26:39 Fan Reactions and Personal Stories32:39 Promotion to Script Supervisor34:17 Transition to Producing38:34 Memorable Moments on Set46:39 From 'Benson' to 'Night Court'47:34 Negotiating Conditions for 'Hail to the Chief'Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Join hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson on 80s TV Ladies, where they chat with Jim Colucci, TV writer, author, and entertainment journalist, known for his deep dive into the cultural impact of the Golden Girls. In this episode, Jim discusses his unauthorized retrospective book, 'Golden Girls Forever,' sharing behind-the-scenes stories and the show's lasting cultural influence. From interviews with Golden Girls cast members to exploring themes of diversity and acceptance in 80s television, Jim provides stories about the cast Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty.  The conversation explores Jim's experiences writing about other iconic shows like 'All in the Family,' 'Will and Grace,' and his upcoming book on 'The Love Boat.' Get inside these legendary 80s pop culture shows with insights, laughter, and nostalgic reflections on the power of television to shape our views.Filling in for Melissa this week is Associate Producer Sailor Franklin.And we kept talking. So many more stories about Golden Girls, The Love Boat, James Lipton, Cloris Leachman and more! Get the full supersized Jim Colucci episode at Patreon.com/80sTVLadiesAUDIOOGRAPHYYou can find Jim Colucci at JimColucci.com  And on Instagram.com/JimcolucciGet Jim's book Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai at Harper Books. Get the FULL 2-Hour amazing interview with Jim at Patreon.com/80sTVLadiesThe Golden Girls Streaming: Hulu, Disney+, PhiloPurchase:  Apple TV, YouTube (for rent/purchase).Hulu has the documentary ​​The World According to Allee Willis. So fun!Read more about the GG 40th Anniversary celebration at ABC. Now streaming on Hulu/Disney+Watch The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship Trailer at YouTube. JOIN THE FUNDon’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! 5-stars means a lot.Join us for more conversations with the people who shaped TV and pop culture.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Join hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson as they welcome back prolific writer, director, producer, and actor Stan Zimmerman. Known for his work on iconic female-driven comedies like 'The Golden Girls,' 'Roseanne,' and 'Gilmore Girls,' Stan shares insights from his illustrious career and discusses his new book, The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore. From recounting behind-the-scenes moments with Betty White, Bea Arthur, and other legends, to addressing the challenges of being a gay writer in Hollywood, Stan's stories are both entertaining and enlightening. Tune in for a journey through 80s TV history, writing partnerships, and lessons learned along the way.00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome00:43 Introducing Stan Zimmerman01:51 Stan's Writing Journey02:37 The Personal Side of Writing03:36 Journaling and Reflection05:13 Challenges and Resilience10:18 Golden Girls Insights14:30 Writing Partnerships and Hollywood Politics17:27 Spec Scripts and Early Career25:50 Golden Girls Episodes and Legacy36:50 Pitching Jokes to Soap and Benson Writers37:39 Evolution of the Writer's Room39:04 Golden Girls and Changing Times42:23 Stories from the Book: Celebrity Encounters50:59 Theater and Making a Difference56:01 Challenges and Triumphs in Hollywood01:00:41 Friendship with Lily Tomlin01:10:45 Reflections on Writing for Golden Girls01:12:19 Conclusion and Podcast ShoutoutsAUDIOOGRAPHYFind more about Stan at ZimmermanStan.comBook Recommendation: The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore by Stan Zimmerman.Get it at Indigo River Publishing. Or at Barnes and Noble.The Golden Girls Streaming: Hulu, Disney+, PhiloPurchase: Apple TV, YouTube (for rent/purchase), on DVD, and more.Get Involved in Your CommunityIndivisible: Find a group near you and get involved at indivisible.orgContact Your Representatives: Check out Five Calls to quickly and easily call your representatives.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

In this captivating episode of 80s TV Ladies, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem interview the legendary Cindy Fee, best known for singing the iconic theme song for 'The Golden Girls'. The conversation covers Cindy's extensive career, beginning with her professional singing at a young age, and her work with notable artists such as Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, and Dolly Parton.Cindy shares behind-the-scenes stories from her career in jingles, commercials, and studio work, as well as her experiences performing live. She also reflects on the enduring appeal of 'The Golden Girls', the impact of TV theme songs, and the evolution of the music industry. Cindy's anecdotes and insights offer a unique glimpse into the life of a versatile and prolific singer.00:00 Introduction and Hosts' Welcome00:32 Introducing Cindy Fee: A Musical Journey01:57 Early Beginnings in Music04:13 Moving to LA and Career Breakthroughs06:04 Recording Demos and Working with Diane Warren10:58 Family Life and Balancing Career12:57 Studio Work and Jingle Singing25:58 Golden Girls Theme Song and TV Music29:41 The Evolution of TV and Music Industry39:25 The Impact of AI on Performers39:58 The Role of Unions in Protecting Talent41:06 Misconceptions About Golden Girls Contributions41:25 Golden Girls Conventions and Fan Interactions42:53 A Career in Music and Jingles49:11 Memorable Collaborations and Advice for Singers59:20 The Emotional Connection of 'Thank You for Being a Friend'01:09:45 Future Plans and Final ThoughtsAUDIOOGRAPHYLearn more about Cindy Fee at CindyFeeSings.comFind Cindy at TikTok.com/@goldengirlfeeBe a part of Cindy Fee's new "Thank You For Being a Friend" music video. Learn more at her InstagramCheck out Golden Girls LIVE! This December in San FranciscoCOMMERCIALS:Hoover Nobody Does it Like You on YouTube.Wheaties What the Big Boys Eat on YouTube.Pontiac Ride Pontiac Ride on YouTube.The Golden Girls Streaming: Hulu, Disney+, PhiloPurchase: Apple TV,  YouTube, on DVD at EbayBook Recommendation - Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai by Jim Colucci. Find it at Harper Books. Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson dive deep into the beloved 'The Golden Girls' with a delightful overview and 50 fun facts about the show. Discover fascinating show details, cast secrets, and notable legacy moments as they share their passion for this iconic series. Learn about the iconic characters played by Bea Arthur (Dorothy Zbornak), Betty White (Rose Nylund), Rue McClanahan (Blanche Devereaux), and Estelle Getty (Sophia Petrillo). Along the way, explore production quirks and the enduring impact of 'The Golden Girls' on TV history. Explore the show's legacy, including its international remakes and impact on pop culture. Packed with laughter, nostalgia, and insightful anecdotes, this episode is perfect for longtime fans and new viewers alike. Stay tuned to learn about our next episode with a special upcoming guest - Cindy Fee, the voice behind the theme song 'Thank You for Being a Friend.' Don't miss it!CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction01:30 General Show Facts08:09 Cast Facts15:43  Production Facts 24:47 Legacy Facts32:26 Break32:45 Character History Facts48:55 AudioographyAUDIOOGRAPHYThe Golden Girls Streaming: Hulu, Disney+, PhiloPurchase: Apple TV, YouTube (for rent/purchase), on DVD, and moreMaude Streaming (free): Tubi, Pluto TVBook Recommendation Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai by Jim Colucci.  Check it out at Amazon. Find it at Harper Books. In Memoriam Todd Cochrane: Learn more about the founder of the Podcast Awards and early podcaster in these obituaries: Obituary in Podnews, Obituary from Eagle Funeral HomesGet Involved in Your CommunityIndivisible: Find a group near you and get involved at indivisible.orgContact Your Representatives: Check out Five Calls to quickly and easily call your representatives.CONNECTGo to 80sTVLadies.com for more info and transcripts.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Join the Facebook page discussion at Facebook.com/80sTVLadiesDon’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! Join us for more conversations with the people who shaped TV and pop culture.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Join hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem for an exciting episode as they take an in-depth look at the legendary 90s TV show, Xena: Warrior Princess. This episode features special guests RJ Stewart, head writer and co-creator of the series, and Anna Schekel, an artist and lifelong Xena fan. The discussion covers the evolution and impact of 'Xena: Warrior Princess,' the chemistry between Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor, and how the series became a cult classic. RJ shares insights into the show's creation, the importance of female empowerment in TV, and his new post-apocalyptic novel 'Crazy Hawk.' Don't miss this blend of nostalgia and deep dive into one of the most beloved series of the 90s.00:02 Theme Music00:23 Audio Note and Season 4 Introduction01:02 Discussing Zena Warrior Princess03:10 Interview with Anna Scheckel05:36 Anna's Favorite Episodes and Characters08:30 Welcoming RJ Stewart11:04 RJ Stewart's Writing Journey37:31 Cult Classic Status and Conventions44:15 Discussing Creative Control and Story Arcs47:34 Hero Protection and Character Development48:17 The Impact of Female Empowerment Stories50:44 Working with Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor54:27 Navigating Industry Challenges and Gossip55:34 The Bond Controversy and Career Reflections58:57 Exploring Xena's Lesbian Subtext01:07:09 Memorable Moments and Industry Insights01:17:02 Final Thoughts and Future Projects01:20:47 Ad-Break01:20:49 AudioographyAUDIOOGRAPHYXena: Warrior PrincessStreaming: Amazon Prime VideoPurchase: eBayCrazy Hawk by RJ Stewart (Book)Purchase: Bookshop.org, Barnes & NobleAudiobook read by Katie Hagaman: Audible.See Susan at Rich's LIVE show for Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf - Final NY dates: Sept 24 and Sept 27! Get Tix at Eventbrite.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for info and transcripts.Join the Facebook page discussion at Facebook.com/80sTVLadiesVisit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

"Listeners, what would be the answer for you? Is it Buffy or Xena?” Welcome to Season Four of 80s TV Ladies with hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem. In this episode, we dive into a nostalgic showdown between two iconic 90s TV heroines: Xena, the Warrior Princess, and Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.Susan and Sharon discuss the origins, cultural impact, and strengths of both shows, debating who would win in a head-to-head fight, which show was more influential, and which had the best musical episode! They also speculate on which heroine iconic Wonder Woman iterations (70s WW played by Linda Carter and 2017's WW, played by Gal Gadot) would prefer.Stay tuned for exciting details about our next guest, RJ Stewart, co-creator of Xena, and some engaging audio recommendations and show notes. This episode promises a delightful mix of history, pop culture analysis, and fanfare for these beloved series.00:00 Welcome to 80s TV Ladies Season Four!00:58 Introducing RJ Stewart and the Xena vs. Buffy Debate01:35 History of Xena: Warrior Princess02:50 History of Buffy the Vampire Slayer04:45 Buffy vs. Xena: Who Would Win in a Fight?07:17 Best 90s TV Ladies Superhero Show12:25 Musical Episodes: Xena vs. Buffy17:46 Buffy vs. Xena: The Ultimate Showdown18:03 Wonder Woman's Preference: Xena or Buffy?19:43 Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman: A New Perspective24:18 90s TV Heroines: Beyond Buffy and Xena26:00 Final Tally: Buffy vs. Xena27:37 Upcoming Episodes and recommendations30:07 Sign off and FarewellAUDIOOGRAPHYXena: Warrior PrincessStreaming: Amazon Prime VideoPurchase: eBayBuffy the Vampire SlayerStreaming: Tubi (free), Hulu, Disney+Purchase: eBayCrazy Hawk by RJ Stewart (Book)Purchase: Bookshop.org, Barnes & NobleAudiobook read by Katie Hagaman: Audible.Guess What? We’re nominated!For TWO People’s Choice PODCAST AWARDS!: Podcastawards.comCONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for info and transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Join the Facebook page discussion at Facebook.com/80sTVLadiesDon’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! Join us for more conversations with the people who shaped TV and pop culture.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

“It’s not just because it’s a masterclass in comedy or because it has one of the greatest television theme songs of all time, I think it’s because it’s about friendship.”Get ready for a brand new season of 80s TV Ladies! In this special sneak peek, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem dish out all the details on what’s coming up in Season Four.What's next for 8TL: Golden Girls, Kate & Allie, and One Day at a Time!From the iconic laughs of The Golden Girls, to the heartfelt journeys of One Day at a Time, and the long-awaited fan favorite Kate & Allie, we’re diving deep into the shows that defined a generation of women living life on their own terms. We’ll share behind-the-scenes stories, spotlight unforgettable characters, and welcome some very special guests and sidebar episodes—including a showdown between Xena and Buffy to kick things off! Plus, we’ve got tips on where to stream or find these classic series, and ways you can help support the show.AUDIOOGRAPHYThe Golden GirlsStreaming: Hulu, Disney+Purchase: Apple TV, YouTube, Walmart, eBayOne Day at a TimeStreaming: Tubi, YouTubePurchase: Shout Factory, eBayKate & AllieStreaming: The Roku ChannelPurchase: Walmart, Best Buy, eBaySo grab your bitchin’ shoulder pads and settle in—Season Four is about to bring you more joy, laughter, and fabulous TV than ever before. Don’t miss it!Guess What? We’re nominated!For TWO People’s Choice PODCAST AWARDS!: Podcastawards.comCONNECTSign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Join the Facebook page discussion at Facebook.com/80sTVLadiesDon’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! Join us for more conversations with the people who shaped TV and pop culture.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Welcome to our final Season Three episode of 80s TV Ladies! Hosts Sharon Jonson and Susan Lambert Hatem continue their in-depth conversation with actor Jon Cryer. In this second part, Jon shares behind-the-scenes stories from his television and film career, including his start in 80s television with "The Famous Teddy Z," the ups and downs of sitcom life, and his experiences working with legends like Charlie Sheen, Christopher Reeve, and Gene Hackman.In this episode:Jon’s journey from 80s movies to TV stardomThe making (and unmaking) of "The Famous Teddy Z"Working with one of his idols, Hugh Wilson (WKRP in Cincinnati, Frank’s Place)Lessons learned from sitcoms like "Partners" and "Getting Personal"The inside story of landing "Two and a Half Men" and working with Chuck Lorre and Charlie SheenFavorite guest stars and the casting of Holland Taylor and Conchata FerrellReflections on the show’s humor, its approach to masculinity, and Lorre’s ability to write for womenJon’s Emmy wins and what they meant to himPlaying Lex Luthor in the Arrowverse and being a lifelong comics fanProducing podcasts, including the award-winning "The Man Who Calculated Death"The importance of storytelling, speaking truth, and making art in today’s worldPlus:A special trailer for "The Man Who Calculated Death" podcastFun anecdotes about the joy of making art and how he was involved in the making of the k.d. lang and Roy Orbison duet, “Crying”Links:The Man Who Calculated DeathJon Cryer on IMDbLawyers, Guns and Money PodcastListen to Jon Cryer, Part 1 at 80sTVLadies.comVote for us:Help us get THREE PODCAST AWARDS! GO HERE: Podcastawards.comGive an email and register. It’s easy! CLICK ON: "Sign Up To Vote Now". NOMINATE 80s TV Ladies for: Best Female Hosted, People's Choice and TV & FilmPS: While you're there, also NOMINATE Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf in Religion and Spirituality. Podcastawards.comDon’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review! Follow us for more conversations with the women (and men) who shaped 80s TV and pop culture.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Susan and Sharon are thrilled to welcome director, writer and actor Jon Cryer to 80s TV Ladies!Jon Cryer is an Emmy-winning film and television icon, known for starring as “Duckie” in the 1986 John Hughes teen classic Pretty in Pink -- and then going on to star in all twelve seasons of Chuck Lorre’s long-running, award-winning sitcom, Two and A Half Men.Along the way, Jon has starred or appeared in dozens of television shows including The Famous Teddy Z, Partners, Dharma & Greg, Family Guy, The Practice, CSI, NCIS, Will & Grace and The Kominsky Method, and such films as No Small Affair, Hiding Out, Hot Shots!, Holy Man, Dudes and Due Date. For three years, Jon Cryer gave an award-winning performance as the legendary evil genius Lex Luthor on CW’s Supergirl.Jon authored the 2015 autobiography So That Happened and currently executive produces two hit podcasts: The Man Who Calculated Death and Lawyers, Guns & Money (which he also narrates). In Part 1 of a two-part conversation, Jon reflects on growing up in a show biz family and learning acting the hard way. Plus what it’s like playing the romantic lead opposite two of the most famous actresses of our time: Demi Moore and Molly Ringwald…THE CONVERSATIONSusan and Sharon share the crazy story of how they met Jon Cryer and got him on the show!BEING AN ACTOR IS CRAP: First day, first film, Jon is 20 years-old -- and Robert Altman is throwing fake bird shit all over him. That’s showbiz!THE FACTS OF LIFE: Jon was a huge fan of the show -- and then got to work with 8TL alum director Assad Kelada on Two and A Half Men!ACTING FOR TOOTIE: Jon just worked with Kim Fields -- she was his director!No Apology Necessary: Demi Moore recently apologized to Jon in her autobiography Inside Out for not being more sensitive when she “took his virginity” while shooting No Small Affair. But it turns out he wasn’t a virgin: “I just seemed like one.”On opening day of No Small Affair, Jon snuck into a theater just in time to see himself take off his shirt on screen -- and hear someone yell: “Where’s the beef?”When Jon met Andrew McCarthy and Molly Ringwald on the Pretty in Pink set, he thought they didn’t like him. Turns out he was only half-right.The original ending of Pretty in Pink has Molly Ringwald’s Andie politely shutting down Andrew McCarthy’s Blane, and dancing in solidarity with Cryer’s Duckie (to Davie Bowie’s Heroes) -- but test audiences HATED it! So, the ending was changed making sure that Andie ended up with cute and sensitive, rich-boy, Blane.GETTING MOSHED: While filming Dudes, Penelope Spheeris had Jon and castmate Dan Roebuck thrown into the mosh pit at a Vandals concert -- and they barely lived to tell about it!So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Jon -- as they talk Morgan Freeman, Escape From Alcatraz, Richard Gere, Wonder Woman, Al Pacino, Cher, Annie Potts, Mark Hamill, The Bad News Bears -- and getting naked for laughs on Two And A Half Men!AUDIO-OGRAPHYListen to Suzanne Rico’s podcast The Man Who Calculated Death (produced by Jon Cryer and Lisa Joyner) at TheManWhoCalculatedDeath.comAnd Jon's other podcast, Lawyers, Gun & Money at Apple. Watch all 12 seasons of Two And A Half Men on Peacock.Watch Jon Cryer as Lex Luthor on Supergirl on Apple or on Netflix.Buy Jon Cryer’s autobiography, So That Happened at Bookshop.org.Or Listen to So That Happened on Spotify or Audible. Arts Funding is under attack in this country. Find out how to support the arts, locally and nationally at  https://www.artsforla.org/VITAL DEMOCRACY READINGCheck out Democracy Docket here.Learn more about the ACLU here.Let your voice be heard! Call your reps. .Make 5 Calls makes it easy.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Join the Facebook discussion at Facebook.com/80sTVLadiesVOTE FOR USHelp us get THREE PODCAST AWARDS!You can NOMINATE us. Give an email and register, but it's pretty easy!GO HERE: Podcastawards.comCLICK ON: Sign Up To Vote NowNOMINATE 80s TV Ladies for: Best Female Hosted, People's Choice and TV & FilmPS: Whiile you're there, also NOMINATE Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf  in Religion and Spirituality. Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

“This show makes me feel like I have a blanket around me and I’m eating mac & cheese.” -- Megan Ruble, 90s TV Baby, about The Facts of Life.Susan and Sharon welcome back the notorious “90s TV Babies” to find out what they think about The Facts of Life, which ran August 24, 1979 to May 7, 1988.  Did they “take the good” and “take the bad”?  Did the “World Live Up To Their Dreams”? We’re gonna find out!Megan Ruble and Serita Fontanesi were asked to watch these FOL listener-suggested episodes:The Facts of Life AssignmentS1; EP13: “Dope”S2; EP1: “The New Girl”S3; EP15: “Starstruck”S4; EP22: “Take My Finals, Please”S5; EP6: “The Halloween Show”S7; EP1: “Out of the Fire”Plus, Bonus episodes: S1; EP1: “Rough Housing (The Pilot)”S2; EP2: “The New Girl: Part 2”S2; EP5: “Cousin Geri”S3; EP18: “Runaway”S5; EP10: “Store Games”S5; EP17: “A Death in the Family”S5; EP18: “Big Fish, Little Fish”S7; EP2: “Into the Frying Pan”S7; EP8: “Come Back To The Truck Stop, Natalie Green, Natalie Green”S7; EP14: “Tootie Drives”S9; EP16: “The First Time”THE CONVERSATIONSUMMER UPDATE: Serita’s having a baby!  Little Theodore Fontanesi arrives the first week of August!SUMMER UPDATE: Megan is producing a show for the Hollywood Fringe Festival and acting in “Shakespeare by the Sea”!SIT LONG AND PROSPER: What does it feel like to be put in Vulcan make-up? Megan will tell you!BUFFY ALERT! -- Serita is concerned: Is Megan an “Angel Girl” or a “Spike Girl”?SPOILER ALERT! -- Both Serita and Megan LOVED Facts of Life!“Starstruck (S3; EP15)” -- Megan calls out how rare it is to see a show about “out of control fandom” and Serita calls out how para-social relationships are not a “new thing”.Serita’s favorite characters: Tootie and Jo. Megan’s favorite characters: Edna and Natalie.Why was Tootie always on roller skates?  To make her taller for the camera!S5; EP 17 “A Death in the Family”:  On February 1, 1984, The Facts of Life breaks ground featuring the first ever television portrayal of a “Shiva”.Is The Facts of Life “progressive” and “feminist”? Listen to 90s TV Babies to find out!So join Susan and Sharon -- and Serita and Megan -- as they talk C-sections, fan conventions, The Golden Girls, deep-dish pizza, making babies laugh at your jokes -- and how “Edna’s Edibles” could be its own strain!AUDIO-OGRAPHYLearn more about The Facts of Life at https://www.facebook.com/thefactsoflifesite/ Watch Season 2 & 3 of Facts of Life for FREE on Tubi.com.Look for more episodes on Daily Motion or YouTube.Listen in on Serita’s podcast at NotUglyPod.com.Send Serita diaper money for Little Baby Theo at Venmo.com/seritafonta! Check out Megan’s Hollywood Fringe production “The Visitor” at DayforKnightproductions.com.Get tickets at HollywoodFringe.org.FREE Shakespear in the parks + Megan! See and Go see and support ShakespearebytheSea.org.Arts Funding is under attack in this country. Find out how to support Los Angeles arts at ArtsforLA.org.SHOUTOUTHappy Pride Month! Visit LAPride.org for things to do in Los Angeles.THANK YOU 80s LADIES LISTENERSEspecially those in sent in suggestions including:Christian KeysTee EllJason BrouxLisa Flory MendenhallChristopher Stroker@murphybrownpod@Treasure_ChamberTracyMolya MothmanVITAL DEMOCRACY READINGCheck out Democracy Docket here.Learn more about the ACLU here.Let your voice be heard! Call your reps. .Make 5 Calls makes it easy.CONNECTSign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Join the Facebook page discussion at Facebook.com/80sTVLadiesPLUS -- “80’s TV LADIES” MERCH is available at Fourthwall.com.Or get FREE merch, cool video interviews, ad-free episodes AND support our podcast at Patreon.com/80sTVLadies This year is the 45th anniversary of President Carter's Crisis of Confidence speech. Get Susan’s new play about it: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Susan and Sharon keep the good times rolling with Part 2 of their conversation with singer, song-writer, actress, author and diabetes advocate Gloria Loring!  Known for her Number One hit “Friends & Lovers”, Gloria is also the legendary co-composer and singer of the impossible to forget Facts of Life theme song!In Part 2 of their conversation, they touch on Gloria’s work for the Juvenile Diabetes Association, her wild career in TV and music and the benefits of living a spiritual and healthy life.THE CONVERSATION“EXPECT A MIRACLE” -- How a mysterious card found in her dressing room led Gloria to finance the Days of Our Lives Celebrity Cookbook -- and raise over $1,000,000.00 for diabetes research!When her son Brennan was diagnosed with diabetes at age four, Gloria was told he would be lucky to make it to 25.  He’s now 50 and doing great!BE BRAVE, LITTLE ONE: What it feels like to forget the first line of the song you’re singing at the Oscars!YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN: Gloria returned to Days of Our Lives for the funeral of Bill Hays’ character Doug -- but was surprised to find that almost everything had changed…The fun of working with Lanna Saunders & Maree Cheatham on Days of Our Lives Writing the Facts of Life theme song with Alan Thicke!  (And she’s still getting residuals…)The benefits of an ayurvedic diet!So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Gloria -- as they talk James Brolin, Days of Our Lives, Jimmy Stewart, Hotel, Bob Hope, Diff’rent Strokes, Ann Jillian, Merv Griffin, Richard Crenna, Murder, She Wrote, Jane & Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon -- and almost having a Chinese Chicken Salad Heart Attack!  AUDIO-OGRAPHYCatch up with all-things Gloria at her official website: GloriaLoring.comCheck out her Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/glorialoring/ Listen to Gloria’s book “Coincidence is God’s Way of Remaining Anonymous” at Audible or Apple Books. Or buy it at Abe Books.Watch Season 2 and 3 of The Facts of Life for free on Tubi.Buy the complete season on DVD at Ebay.VITAL READINGCheck out Democracy Docket here.Learn more about the ACLU here.Let your voice be heard! Call your reps. Make 5 Calls makes it easy.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Check out Democracy Docket here https://www.democracydocket.com/ Learn more about the ACLU here https://www.aclu.org/  Buy Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org. PLUS -- “80’s TV LADIES” MERCH is available at Fourthwall.com.Or get FREE merch, cool video interviews and ad-free episodes at Patreon.com/80sTVLadies Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

“When I sang, I knew who was on the stage. When I got off the stage, I was very shy, couldn’t look people in the eye. But when I was ON the stage I was just filled with my own light.”  - Gloria LoringSusan and Sharon welcome Gloria Loring -- singer, song-writer, actress, author and diabetes advocate.  Known for her Number One hit “Friends & Lovers”, Gloria is also the legendary co-composer and singer of the impossible to forget Facts of Life theme song!THE CONVERSATIONWHERE THE MUSIC COMES FROM: Five generations of musicians -- all the way down to her son Robin Thicke, and grandson.Slamming doors, thrown dishes and late-night fights -- learning that her father, a brilliant musician, was also an alcoholic.ON SINGING: “It was the only thing that made me feel important or valued. When I sang, I was beautiful, I was powerful, people watched me, people listened to me -- every kid wants that."THE GLAMOROUS LIFE: Gloria’s early days as a singer -- living in a cheap motel room and surviving on a quart of milk, a box of cereal and a can of peas!Arranging a “chance” meeting with Ed Sullivan -- and four years later she’s on his show!Future husband Alan Thicke brought something special along on his first date with Gloria: his parents!THE DAYS OF “THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES”: Laughs, pranks, songs, love -- and a steady job for six-and-a-half years!SETTING INTENTIONS: Gloria says out loud to the universe: “I want to record a hit record” -- and a week later she’s recording “Friends & Lovers”.ON COINCIDENCES: “I left ‘Days of our Lives’, my divorce from Alan Thicke became final, my first book was released and “Friends & Lovers” hit number one -- all in the same week.” BECOMING A DIABETES BOOKWRITER: When her son Brennan was diagnosed with diabetes, she (and Alan Thicke) became creative fundraisers, spokespersons and she became an authorCOOKING ON DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Recipes traded by cast members led to the Days of Our Lives Celebrity Cookbook to raise money for Diabetes Research Foundation.So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Gloria -- as they talk Tommy Dorsey, Thicke of the Night, Carol Burnett, advocating for diabetes, Merv Griffin -- and hiding runaway potatoes under lettuce leaves at the White House!AUDIO-OGRAPHYWatch Season 2 and 3 of The Facts of Life for free on Tubi.Buy the complete season on DVD at Ebay.Visit the official website for GloriaLoring.comVITAL READINGCheck out Democracy Docket here.Learn more about the ACLU here.Let your voice be heard! Call your reps. Make 5 Calls makes it easy.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. This year is the 45th anniversary of President Carter's Crisis of Confidence speech. Get Susan’s new play about it: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing. Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

"It is equally treacherous when you are very successful as when you are trying to get your foot in the door in terms of keeping the sense of who you are.”  -- Asaad Kelada, producer/director, The Facts of LifeIn Part 2 of their conversation with Asaad Kelada, Susan and Sharon talk with the director about the gifts and pitfalls of success; his reputation as a director who brings harmony to the most disharmonious sets in Hollywood; and the challenge of breaking into the “Hollywood TV Club” for an Egyptian with “a name with all of these vowels!”.In a career spanning four decades, Asaad Kelada has directed over 340 episodes of television, including Rhoda, Phyllis, The Tony Randall Show, Benson, WKRP in Cincinnati, One Day at a Time, Night Court, Valerie, Who’s the Boss, Family Ties and The Office -- as well as four seasons of The Facts of Life and over five seasons of Who's The Boss?.  THE CONVERSATIONHow directing his first episode of network television -  "Rhonda Questions Her Life and Flies to Paris" - felt like coming home.THE “TIES” THAT BIND: An old friend, Gary David Goldberg, asked Asaad personally to direct the pilot of Family Ties.Michael J. Fox ad-libbed the “P” in “Alex P. Keaton” when picking up a call from his girlfriend -- and it got the biggest laugh of the night. That’s when Asaad knew the show was going to be a hit.Michael J. Fox was actually the SECOND choice to play Alex Keaton. Matthew Broderick was first.ON PERSISTENCE: Observing and learning for five years to direct his first episode of television. “People would wave at me and say hello, but were they looking at an insane man, or were they looking at someone who was just determined? How am I being perceived by persisting and persisting? Was I somebody who was really deluded? When doesn’t he take no for an answer? I think I just outlasted them.” Directing “Les on a Ledge” for WKRP in Cincinnati.DIRECTING WHO’S THE BOSS?: Tony Danza had a photographic memory and hated rehearsal.  Katherine Helmond and Judith Light loved to rehearse. Plus, the kids? Everyone had to be directed differently, but it all had to come together.The “Requiem” episode of Who’s The Boss? is where Tony Danza and Asaad really connected. After that, he was invited to stay -- for four years.WHO REALLY WAS THE BOSS?  “No question -- it was Tony Danza.  Tony was volatile.  He made everybody feel good -- until he didn’t.”GETTING TO KNOW BENSON:  Asaad only directed two episodes of Benson -- but he and Robert Guillaume became lifelong friends.“LOOKOUT FOR CLORIS LEACHMAN!” -- “I was told ‘She may try to take over, she is always changing things -- and she is a flirt.  Maybe you can use that to tame her’.”WELCOME TO THE “TV CLUB”: “Even when you get accepted into the TV club, it is a temporary membership. And it can be revoked at any time.”So join Susan and Sharon -- and Asaad -- as they talk Danny Pintauro, Alyssa Milano, Jan Hooks, The Last Resort, Julie Kavner, Todd Bridges, Designing Women, Justine Bateman, Chuck Lorre -- and getting stuck in the bathroom with Benson!AUDIO-OGRAPHYFind out more about Asaad Kelada at IMDB.STILL IN FLUX: Watch Season 2 and 3 of The Facts of Life for free on Tubi.Season 1 and 3 are available for sale on Amazon Prime.Buy the complete season on DVD at Ebay. Check YouTube for other episodes.Watch Asaad Kelada Television Academy interviews on YouTube.VITAL READINGCheck out Democracy Docket here.Learn more about the ACLU here.Check DontGetPurged.org to make sure your name has not been purged from voter rolls!Let your voice be heard! Call your reps. Make 5 Calls makes it easy.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. This year is the 45th anniversary of President Carter's Crisis of Confidence speech. Get Susan’s new play about it: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

“There was a sense of discovery about what this series was going to be about. It was going to be about young people -- with all of their shenanigans, and the maneuvering, and all the silliness that takes place with that. But it was also going to be about growing up. These five people, and the fabric that holds them together.”  -- Asaad Kelada - producer/director, The Facts of LifeSusan and Sharon welcome legendary Director Asaad Kelada. In a career spanning four decades, Asaad Kelada has directed over 340 episodes of television, including Rhoda, Phyllis, The Tony Randall Show, Benson, WKRP in Cincinnati, One Day at a Time, Night Court, Valerie, Who’s the Boss and The Office -- as well as four seasons of The Facts of Life. In Part 1 of this wide-ranging interview, we touch on Asaad’s relationship to the young actors on Facts of Life; learning to trust them -- and himself; and his beginnings as the lead singer in Egypt’s first ever Rock ‘n’ Roll Boy Band!  THE CONVERSATIONWHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO IS DIRECT! - How getting accepted to the Yale School of Drama taught Asaad which side of the stage he really wanted to be on.THE 5-YEAR DIRECTING SCHOOL: Observing all the MTM shows from the bleachers, for five years, got Asaad ready for his first TV job: Directing Valerie Harper in Rhoda!DAY ONE: On his first day directing The Facts of Life, the only person he recognized that he had worked with before was… Tootie (Kim Fields)!DOUBLE STANDARD: In this early episode of The Facts of Life, Asaad realized the potential of the show: “It was just like being in the theater, like working on a play --  with substance, with humor, with intelligence -- and yet they were young girls. This was television in a new form.RUNAWAY TRAIN: Asaad describes the increasing tension and hi-stakes artistry of a show as it speeds thru its season -- and how he learned to not fall off!ON CHARLOTTE RAE: “She and I were the grownups in the room. She was the centerpiece in a show about four girls.”STORY CONFERENCE -- WITH THE CAST: “After the table read, we’d just talk -- talk about what the episode is dealing with, what it’s about, how it all ties together.”FACTS OF LIFE GOES TO PARIS: “It was a trial by fire. Every single shot, every single frame was filmed on location. We were at Notre Dame, the Champs Elysee… How can this be called a job?”So join Susan and Sharon -- and Asaad -- as they talk George Clooney, The Bob Newhart Show, Grant Tinker, Geri Jewel, speaking French, Bill Haley & the Comets, Nancy McKeon -- and being ready when your opportunity finally comes!GET READY FOR PART 2 -- NEXT EPISODE! Don't miss more Facts of Life stories, plus Family Ties and Who's The Boss!!AUDIO-OGRAPHYFind out more about Asaad Kelada at IMDB.STILL IN FLUX: Watch Season 2 and 3 of The Facts of Life for free on Tubi.Season 1 and 3 are available for sale on Amazon Prime.Buy the complete season on DVD at Ebay. Check YouTube for other episodes.VITAL READINGGet Handbook for A Post-Roe America by Robin Marty at Bookshop.org.Check out Men In Dark Times by Hannah Ahrendt at Bookshop.org.Read Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. This year is the 45th anniversary of President Carter's Crisis of Confidence speech. Get Susan’s new play about it: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Susan and Sharon continue their conversation with legendary 80s TV Lady -- and The Facts of Life writer/producer -- Margie Peters! In Part 2, the conversation turns to the challenges of making comedy out of date rape and toxic masculinity; “comedy sparring” in the Different World writer’s room with Debbie Allen, Thad Mumford and Susan Fales-Hill; the creative opportunities for “women of a certain age”; and the lasting impact of the cruel moniker “The FATS of Life”. Margie Peters has written and produced over 140 hours of television, including The Love Boat, Valerie, One Day at a Time and A Different World. But her longest and best-known gig was the six years she spent on The Facts of Life.THE CONVERSATION “YOU’VE GOT SPUNK!” -- How watching The Mary Tyler Moore Show gave Margie the chutzpah to try her hand at TV writing!Margie shows off her 1989 IMAGE Award from Planned Parenthood for the “No Means No” episode of A Different World (S2; EP20): “It’s in the living room next to my television.”The time Debbie Allen explained to Margie that Duane calling a girl “Big Butt Brenda” is a compliment -- not an insult!The joys of working with Valerie Harper on Valerie. And the charm of Jason Bateman.The Facts of Life Go To Paris -- everyone got to spend three heavenly weeks filming in France!Dinner on the Seine River Boat with Tootie, Natalie, Blair and Jo!  (Blair faces down a plateful of fried sardines -- and wins!)When two busloads of French high school girls chased The Facts of Life cast down the streets of Paris! The respect and adoration Margie has for all the girls: Charlotte Rae, Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn, Kim Fields and Nancy McKeon.WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST? “Sitting down with a team and coming up with something that is way bigger than the sum of its parts.”LEAVING LOS ANGELES: What do you do when you leave behind a life of writing in Hollywood? A lot! Reinvent your life and make it count.So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Margie -- as they talk Bonnie Franklin, A Man on the Inside, Sally Struthers, Fame, Gladys Knight, 13 Queens Blvd, Eileen Brennan, Jerry Van Dyke -- and dressing up as The Flying Nun!  AUDIO-OGRAPHYFind out more about Margie Peters at IMDB.Watch Season 4 of The Facts of Life for free on Roku.Watch A Different World on Netflix.Check out Shawn Peters book: The Unforgettable Logan Foster at Harper Collins. STAY ACTIVEVisit DontGetPurged.org to make sure you are still registered to vote!Check out Americans of Conscience take action checklist.VITAL READINGGet Handbook for A Post-Roe America by Robin Marty at Bookshop.org.Check out Men In Dark Times by Hannah Ahrendt at Bookshop.org.Read Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Join the conversation at Facebook.com/80sTVLadies.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. This year is the 45th anniversary of President Carter's Crisis of Confidence speech. Get Susan’s new play about it: CONFIDENCE (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing.Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

"We're thinking of doing this show with all women. Becasue women are becoming this big thing, ya know. And the leads of the show would all be women!"Susan and Sharon are excited to talk with legendary 80s TV Lady -- and writer/producer of 80 episodes of The Facts of Life -- Margie Peters! Margie Peters has written and produced over 140 hours of television, including The Love Boat, Valerie, One Day at a Time and A Different World. But her best-known gig was the six years she spent on The Facts of Life. From her first meeting to the final day, Margie relates how writing The Facts of Life taught her everything about “the facts” of making Hollywood television in the 80s!THE CONVERSATIONSECRET SITCOM WRITER: How Margie wrote a sitcom pilot "Under One Roof" based on her life at night -- while spending her days being a mother, a housewife, AND a journalist! Hollywood writer/producer Bernie Orenstien (That Girl!, Sanford & Son) reads it and calls her with these magical words: “I think you could have a career out here.”  Two weeks later she’s on a plane to Hollywood!INSTANT CHEMISTRY: Actress Linda Marsh teams with Margie and a writing partnership begins…SPEAK YOUR TRUTH: Their first meeting at Facts of Life: “Why are the girls wearing hot pants and cut-off tops -- in New England? In winter?!? It’s kiddie porn!”  Margie & Linda stay on Facts of Life from Season 2 through Season 6 -- working their way up from Staff Writers to Show Runners!THE ONE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING:  Margie & Linda write S2:EP3 “Double Standard” -- showrunners Jerry Mayer and Jack Elinson tell them: “You have found the soul of the show”.THE ONE WHERE NATALIE’S FATHER HAS AN AFFAIR: “We loved the actor but we hated the character. So we killed him.”WORKING WITH THE GIRLS: Working with Charlotte Rae, Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn, Kim Fields, Nancy McKeon and Geri Jewell.Lisa Whelchel balked when the writers pitched Blair losing her virginity. So Mindy Cohn said: “I’ll do it!”WHAT'S NEXT? The day came when Linda Marsh said, “I’m done.”  But Margie kept going…Then Marcy Carsey called: “We’d like to bring you on ‘A Different World’”!THINKING IN THE CAR: How the award-winning “No Means No” episode came to be -- and almost didn’t happen at all!"MAKE DWAYNE THE HERO" - How to solve the producer notes when tackling a story on campus rape in "No Means No" So join Susan and Sharon -- and Margie -- as they talk Mary Tyler Moore, Terri Hatcher, Jason Bateman, Asaad Kelada, Susan Fales Hill, Neema Barnette, HBCs, Cagney & Lacey, working for diversity…  and saying “No” to Norman Lear! STAY TUNED IN TWO WEEKS FOR THE FACTS OF LIFE WITH MARGIE PETERS - PART 2!  AUDIO-OGRAPHYWatch The Facts of Life: IN FLUX! Currently watch Seasons 4, 5, and 6 of The Facts of Life for free on ROKU channel. Season 3 is available on Amazon Prime and for sale on Apple TV. Check YouTube for other episdoes.THE AMBIES AWARDS ARE MARCH 31FINGERS CROSSED! 80s TV Ladies is nominited! We're up for an Ambies Award by The Podcast Academy for Best Indie Podcast Hosts. Visit Ambies.com and watch the Awards show LIVE on Twitch March 31st at 6pm CT.VITAL READINGGet Handbook for A Post-Roe America by Robin Marty at Bookshop.org.Check out Men In Dark Times by Hannah Ahrendt at Bookshop.org.Read Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org.You can also follow Richardson’s substack.CONNECTGet transcripts and more at 80sTVLadies.comRate and review us at Apple Podcast.Join the conversation at Facebook.com/80sTVLadies.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

Episode 315: “Everything I Ever Learned About TV Writing, I Learned From ‘The Facts Of Life’ | Anupam Nigam”The Facts of Learning about Television Writing from The Facts of LifeThe Golden Girls of Eastland: TV Writer Anupam Nigam Shares His Lessons from The Facts Of LifeThe Golden Girls of Eastland: Top Lessons TV Writer Anupam Nigam Learned from The Facts Of Life For some people, a childhood spent lounging in front of the television leads to nothing but being sent to bed when Law and Order license plate comes on. But for Anupam Nigam, it led to a lifelong love of television – – and a successful career in TV writing and producing.  And his favorite show of all? The Facts of Life! The Facts of Life was a spin-off of Diff’rent Strokes and aired on NBC from 1979-1988. The show starred Charlotte Rae as Eastland School for Girls housemother Edna Garrett watching over an evolving cast of young female stars including Kim Fields, Mindy Cohn, Nancy McKeon and a very young Molly Ringwald! It ran for more than 200 episodes, and spawned three TV movies. Anupam Nigam has written and produced episodes of hit TV shows like Psych, Defiance, Cruel Summer, Mech-X4 and Station 19. He is currently writer and co-executive producer of the hit CBS drama Fire Country. Susan and Sharon talk with Anupam about his childhood as an Indian American kid in New Jersey, his early love of television, the insight of The Facts of Life -- and the facts he learned that have stayed with him to this day. THE CONVERSATIONGROWING UP INDIAN -- IN NEW JERSEY: For Anupam, who was raised in an immigrant Indian household, television was a window into the wider world of “American” families - and how they were alike, and different from, his.“I’M NOT A DOCTOR, BUT I WRITE FOR THEM ON TV” -- Anupam was pre-med, a lab researcher, and even a certified EMT -- briefly -- before realizing that TV blood was more his style.Anupam’s first script was a spec episode of Star Trek: Voyager -- and after that he was hooked.Anupam’s “scientist mind” cracked the code on how to write a Law & Order script, and it led to a coveted spot in the Warner Bros Writers Program -- and then a big move to Hollywood!His first job was on The Division -- starring Facts of Life’s Nancy McKeon!YOU TAKE THE GOOD, YOU TAKE THE VERY, VERY BAD: Anupam actually learned about the facts of life from the many “very special” episodes The Facts of Life: Abortion, divorce, drug abuse and death, anyone?Natalie was a natural STAR - When Charlotte Rae toured Westlake School for research, her young tour guide was… Mindy Cohn. Charlotte insisted the producers meet her and the role of Natalie was created for her!Those roller-skates? Tootie had to wear them to make her taller!CHEAPER BY THE… TEN? The original first season cast had TEN main characters - The seven girls, Mrs. Garett (Charlotte Rae), teacher Emily Mahoney (Jenny O’Hara) and Headmaster Stephen Bradley (played by John Lawlor). The OG Eastlake students: Blair Warner (Lisa Whelchel), Nancy Olsen (Felice Schachter), Sue Anne Weaver (Julie Piekarski), Tootie Ramsey (Kim Fields), Molly Parker (Molly Ringwald), Cindy Webster (Julie Anne Haddock) and Natalie Green (Mindy Cohn).…AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR. After season one, the young cast was cut from seven girls down to the “Core Four”: Lisa Whelchel as Blair, Kim Fields as Tootie, Mindy Cohn as Natalie and bringing on newcomer Nancy McKeon as Jo Polniaczek.So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Anupam! -- as they talk Shondaland, The Golden Girls, shoulder pads, tea-time, Jermaine Jackson, Mech x4, Geri Jewel, Entertainment Weekly -- and “Who Shot J.R?”! AUDIO-OGRAPHY Follow Anupam Nigam: Instagram.com/anupamnigam1 and Twitter.com/anupamnigam Watch Season 4 of The Facts of Life for free at Roku.Watch Fire Country on CBS.  Check out CitizensforEthics.org Buy Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org PLUS -- “80’s TV LADIES” MERCH is available at our SHOP!    CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Join the conversation at Facebook.com/80sTVLadies.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.In Honor of President Carter and to learn more about his presidency: Get Susan’s new play about him and his Crisis of Confidence speech: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing. BREAKING NEWS! We're NOMINATED by The Podcast Academy Ambies for Best Indie Hosts!  Podcast Academy members, please VOTE for 80s TV Ladies at The Podcast Acadey voting. The Ambies are LIVE on March 31 at 6pm CTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

What's your favorite childhood show? If you grew up in Canada or watched Nickelodeon in the 80s, you know and loved The Elephant Show & Skinnamarink TV -- and if you didn't, you’re about to find out all about it! Susan and Sharon welcome Sharon Hampson, one of the creators of The Elephant Show and Skinnmarink TV.  As part of the musical trio “Sharon, Lois & Bram” -- featuring Sharon Hampson, Lois Lilienstein, and Bram Morrison -- Sharon rose to fame on these two ground-breaking, award -winning children’s shows. Also joining us is Sharon’s daughter Randi -- who is now her mom’s manager and singing partner! THE CONVERSATIONWATCHING KIDS TV:  Susan LOVED Schoolhouse Rock -- but HATED Mr. Snuffleupagus! Kevin loved the Big Comfy Couch!  Sharon loved Fraggle Rock, but Kids Inc? Not so much…In the 80s, kids TV animation became all about selling toys because THE TOYS WERE THE STARS OF THE SHOWS! Like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.Once the Skinnamarink song gets in your head -- it will never leave!! For Sharon, Lois & Bram, music has always been a part of their lives -- each one of them learning to sing and play musical instruments from childhood.Sharon Hampson quit high school to sing folk music in coffee houses -- much to her parent’s horror!After 50 years of performing, Sharon says: “Children are just the same. They get up, they sing, they dance…They’re 100% ready to go!”MEMORY UNLOCKED! When Sharon meets grown up fans: “They start to cry, and I tell them, ‘Don’t be embarrassed. You’re having tears because you’re having happy childhood memories! It’s a good thing!’”After the show's Candian production ended, The Elephant Show got picked up in the US by Nickelodeon in1987, and their popularity exploded! “It really changed our career. We played incredible places, huge audiences. We went from playing high school gyms to playing stadiums.” “Sharon, Lois & Bram” have shared the stage with everyone from The Beach Boys, Randy Travis and James Taylor!So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Sharon and Randi -- as they talk Toronto, vinyl love, Andrea Martin, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Raffi, The Nylons, Chuck Mangione -- and genderless elephants!AUDIO-OGRAPHYCatch up on all-things “Sharon, Lois & Bram” at SharonLoisandBram.comFollow them on Instagram at Instagram.com/sharonloisbramWatch them on TikTok.Catch The Elephant Show on YouTube.Watch and sing-a-long to the loving and joyful "Talk About Peace" on YouTube. VITAL READINGGet Handbook for A Post-Roe America by Robin Marty at Bookshop.org.Check out Men In Dark Times by Hannah Ahrendt at Bookshop.org.Read Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org.You can also follow Richardson’s substack.SEE SUSAN AND DONATE TO GOOD CAUSESJoin Susan at Jim and Huck, the reading of her new play! It's a fundraiser for Arts A La Carte and Union Station Homeless Services Fire Relief Fund.ARC PASADENA: March 1, 2025 at 7:30pmMore info and Tix: Tinyurl.com/JimandHuckCONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Join the conversation at Facebook.com/80sTVLadies.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. In Honor of President Carter and to learn more about his presidency: Get Susan’s new play about him and his Crisis of Confidence speech: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing. PLUS -- “80’s TV LADIES” MERCH is available at Fourthwall. Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.

They’re BAAAACK!It’s 2025 and the world-renowned 90s TV Babies have reconvened around the TV screen to gaze upon 80s classic sitcom, Mama’s Family, starring Vicki Lawrence, Dorothy Lyman, Betty White, Rue Mclanahan and Carol Burnett. Do they see what Mama's fuss is all about!?Serita Fontanesi, Megan Ruble -- and A BRAND NEW 90s TV Baby, Sailor Franklin -- drop in on “Mama” Harper, take a seat on the floral print couch, and weigh in with their thoughts. What did they watch?  What did they think?THE HOMEWORK:S1: EP1 -- “Vint and the Kids Move In”S1: EP4 -- “The Wedding, Part 2”S1: EP6 -- “Cellmates”S2: EP3 -- “The Country Club”S2: EP21 --“Ask Aunt Fran” EXTRA CREDIT: S1: EP2 -- “Rashomama”S3: EP1 -- “Farewell, Frannie”S3: EP11 -- “Where There’s Smoke” And… the very first “Family” sketch from The Carol Burnett Show! THE CONVERSATIONROOKIE MOVE: Sailor did ALL the homework -- AND the Extra Credit!EVERYBODY’S AWFUL:  How Mama’s Family is just like… It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia???Serita likes how the cast is filled with a variety of female characters who aren’t perfect people: “Women deserve to be bad, too!”BIG HIGH SCHOOL WIG: Vicki Lawrence’s “Mama” looks vastly younger than her own children!Serita likes that the MEN were most often the butt of the joke.SAME AS IT EVER WAS: Megan says: “We really don’t have classic sitcoms anymore where people DON’T grow and change. Mama's Family is comforting!”Serita says “these people act a fool” -- and she’s here for it!ON CELLMATES - Sailor: “If I had a nickel for every time sitcom characters get locked up together in a jail cell, along with a sex worker, and then get mistaken for being a sex worker… I would have... several nickels.”Did Mama’s Family portray sex workers with more equity than most?The shockingly honest way Mama’s Family addresses marriage -- and how it’s not always a romantic dream come true.Sailor was blown away by “Rashomama”: “’Mama’s Family’ is doing a riff on an Akira Kurosawa movie?? Yes!!” IS IT FEMINIST? PROGRESSIVE?Megan: “‘Mama’s Family’ is feminist -- but not progressive.”Serita: “’Mama’s Family is feminist -- AND progressive.”Sailor: “’Mama’s Family is semi-progressive -- and semi-feminist.”AND… The Babies challenge Susan and Sharon to watch It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia! So, join Susan and Sharon -- and Serita and Megan and Sailor -- as they talk Abbott Elementary, Alan Alda, August babies!, Golden Girls, Coors Light, Die Hard, test boobs, Whoopi Goldberg -- and the “Sailor Franklin SitCom Spectrum”! AUDIO-OGRAPHYUPDATE: Find all SIX seasons of Mama’s Family free -- on Pluto TV.Buy the streaming series at Amazon.Buy the DVD set at Amazon.Check DontGetPurged.org to make sure your name has not been purged from voter rolls!Find out more about CREW at CitizensForEthics.orgVITAL READINGGet Handbook for A Post-Roe America by Robin Marty at Bookshop.org.Check out Men In Dark Times by Hannah Ahrendt at Bookshop.org.Read Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson at Bookshop.org.You can also follow Richardson’s substack.SUPPORT FOR THE LA FIRESOnline at DisasterAssistance.gov On the FEMA App for mobile devices.More resources at Eaton Canyon Community Relief.Google List of LA County Resources. PLACES TO VOLUNTEERGoogle Doc for Wednesday and ongoing.Volunteer with the Red Cross.TALK TO SOMEONEReach out to friends and family. Take care of yourself:Pro Bono Therapy for LA Wildfires - Google Doc. More mental health resources at LARevive.DONATINGMaster GoFundMe List for LA Fire Victims Google Doc.Displaced Black families in Altadena Google Doc. Gofundme pages for EATON CANYON COMMUNITY RELIEFCONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Join the conversation at Facebook.com/80sTVLadies.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. In Honor of President Carter and to learn more about his presidency: Get Susan’s new play about him and his Crisis of Confidence speech: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing. PLUS -- “80’s TV LADIES” MERCH is available at Fourthwall.  Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list!Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes and exclusive content on PATREON.